Sports
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December 7,1994
A former Cougar standout
was named MVP of US Air’s
East Coast Classic -- 13B
JL
VOLUME 64/ NUMBER 15 SOUTHPORT, N.C. 50 CENTS
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Our Town
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Marine Fisheries will
recommend a saltwater li
cense fee to state - Page 2
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Neighbors
It was looking a lot like
Christmas Saturday with the
Oak Island parade - IB
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Fire guts city landmark
Five departments
respond to blaze
at Hood Building
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
Fire may have claimed one of Southport's most vener
able buildings Sunday morning, challenging more than
40 firefighters from five area units for more than three
hours.
The Hood Building, built in 1906, first home of the
Hood dry goods store and later the seat of government in
Brunswick County, was substantially damaged. The build
ing has most recently been home to the Dosher Memorial
Hospital Flea Market, an operation which allowed volun
teers to donate $30,000 to the Smithville Township
hospital this year.
Brunswick County transferred ownership of the build
ing to Dosher several years ago.
The fate of what remains of the formidable brick
structure at the comer of Moore and Davis streets will be
decided in the next few days by structural engineers, but
many assume the building will be removed forever. Fire
so crippled the old structure that three steel supporting
beams between its third floor and mezzanine buckled
from the heat. Firefighters feared the building would
collapse of its own weight as they fought the blaze.
Emergency officials were first alerted to conditions at
the Hood Building by an 8:26 a.m. telephone call from a
woman who identified herself only as Mrs. Jenkins. She
said she had seen smoke emanating from the building as
she walked by minutes earlier.
Southport police officer Tyrell Rivera was first to
arrive at the building. He noted the emission, but thought
the situation wasn't serious.
"It was just a clean, white smoke," Rivera said. "1
thought it was steam."
A key to the building was brought over from City Hall
by emergency services dispatcher Charles Drew. He and
Rivera opened the door.
"When Drew opened the door the air rushed in and it
just exploded," Rivera said. "I called in, 'This is 10-18
(emergency) traffic, Southport."’
Drew said the explosion resulting from air hitting the
inside of the building was sufficient to blow the side
windows out of the structure.
Southport volunteer firefighters arrived on the scene
almost immediately, as some were already at the fire
station a block away.
Fire chief Greg Cumbee said an initial attempt to attack
the blaze from inside the building was thwarted by the
amount of damage already done to the structure.
"When the first firefighters arrived on the scene there
was smoke coming from around the window sills and
through holes in the mortar around the brick," Cumbee
said. "We made an initial attack through the front door.
We got in about fifteen, maybe 20 feet, when we realized
the building was fully engulfed.
"I made the decision at that time not to endanger
anybody's life," the chief said. "We backed out."
Southport’s ladder truck was employed to provide a
water flow to the roof of the building, and deluge guns
blasted additional streams at each of its sides.
Firefighters sought to contain the blaze to the Hood
Building alone. Leggett's Department Store across a
narrow lot to the west and Louise Parker's office building
immediately behind the flea market were vulnerable, but
spared, as firefighters doused them. City Hall, across
Davis Street, was also considered vulnerable if the fire
m
Ladder trucks from Southport and Long Beach
were used to contain the blaze to the Hood Building.
As the fire burned on, volunteer firefighters as
saulted it with between 4,000 to 5,000 gallons of
were to spread.
Now fully aware of the severity of the blaze, city
firefighters called for mutual assistance from Long Beach
Volunteer Fire Department, owner of the only other
ladder truck in the area. An aerial attack was made on the
blaze from nozzles attached to the huge ladders atop the
Photo by Ed Harper
water per minute, forcing Brunswick County to ac
tivate ten additional pumps to direct water to South
port. Water level in the city’s one elevated water
storage tank dropped to one foot.
Southport and Long Beach trucks.
Later, firefighting units from Yaupon Beach, Boiling
Spring Lakes and Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point
responded to calls for assistance.
Delivery of water to the city became critical as the blaze
See Landmark, page 8
hlectric costs
City users
face more
rate hikes
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
With Southport's customers facing electric
rate increases totaling 26 percent in the period
between 1995 and 2000, an official of N. C.
Eastern Municipal Power Agency will appear
before aldermen Thursday to explain the city's
"contractual arrangement" with the agency.
NCEMPA is a consortium of 31 municipal
power providers in eastern North Carolina of
which the City of Southport is a member. The
forerunner of the agency was formed in the late
1970s and Southport joined the consortium in
the early 1980s.
The agency was founded to purchase owner
ship interest in electric generation facilities,
such as Carolina Power and Light Co.'s Brun
swick units 1 and 2. The founders of the agency
— and the sales agents who got Southport aider
men to agree to join -- said part ownership of the
power-generating facilities would allow the
municipal power providers to buy electricity at
low rates and would give the cities bargaining
power in expansion decisions made by power
generators like CP&L.
Instead of lower rates, however, Southport
See Rate hikes, page 6
Board takes
parting shot
for funding
By Terry Pope
County Editor
The outgoing board of county com
missioners wiped out its contingency fund
balance with a last-minute spending frenzy
last week.
Items include $30,000 for a football field
house at West Brunswick High School and
$35,000 for fire department equipment in
Northwest.
"So, all of the contingency money is
gone?" asked District 2 county com
missioner Jerry Jones, one of two members
re-elected last month. "For the next six
months it’s just tough luck, isn’t it?"
Three commissioners — chairman Don
Warren and members Donald Shaw and
Wayland Vereen - lost their bid for re
election. The November 21 meeting was
recessed until November 30, the final ses
sion before the new board took over on
Monday.
Commissioners had $83,000 in an "emer
gency contingency" fund and more set aside
in the contingency balance. They also
dipped into the county’s $11-million fund
balance to pay for some of the items.
Jones voted against most of the items.
See Funding, page 6
Sheriff s door always open, Hewett pledges
By terry Kope
County Editor
The doors are open now 24 hours, and the smell of fresh paint in blends of
auburn and royal blue whiffs the corridors of sheriff Ronald Hewett's
department.
Twelve hours after the 31 -year-old took the oath of office, he remains on the
job, making sure Monday's transition to 24-hour service is working smoothly.
Hfc has also had time to reflect on the agonizing decisions of selecting his
staff, having to switch some personnel duties, and with letting others go.
"The bottom line is that deputies are public servants,” said Hewett, whose
office walls are lined with coastal memorabilia and honors he has received.
Decorative rugs, a state emblem salvaged from the old Shallotte High School,
and a solid oak desk add a professional touch.
"I as sheriff find myself as chief public servant, and it's an honor and a
privilege. 1 will see that my deputies perform their duties and treat the public
with courtesy and compassion.”
When 911 began and moved the sheriffs dispatchers to another building at
the government center, the department began locking its doors under a judge's
‘The office of sheriff almost mandates
that this office be open.... As long as Vm
sheriff Vm going to do everything I can
to see that the doors are kept open,9
Ronald Hewett
Brunswick County sheriff
order to protect the magistrates on duty. Sheriff John Carr Davis said he
would rather have men patrolling the streets than stationed at a desk at night.
Opening the doors 24 hours became a key issue in the election between
Hewett and Republican James Brown of Southport. Davis retired and chose
not to seek re-election.
So far, Hewett says, he will keep the doors open by operating under an
existing budget. But he says he will ask county commissioners for funding
to "help relieve the stress" the service places on his budget.
"Whatever it takes, the office will remain open," said Hewett "I would
prefer that not be at the expense of officers on the road. The office of sheriff
almost mandates that this office be open. I feel the citizens deserve As
, long as I'm sheriff, I'm going to do everything I can to see that the doors are
kept open."
There are other changes on the horizon, too, such as the transition to a
tobacco-free department and county jail. Additional telephone tines will be
installed next week, to provide three each for the Southport, i»l«««t ad
Shallotte exchanges.
The number of narcotic and detection dogs will increase from one to four
as an added emphasis will be placed on drug control, from the street
to major traffickers. Officers will step up protection of battered women
N. G. General Statute 50-B, a domestic violence bill that allows Hi»[m% to
See Hewett, page 6