i October 4,1995 3 VOLUME 65/ NUMBER 6 SOUTHPORT, N.C. 50 CENTS Sports Will South Brunswick be tooting its own horn after Friday night’s game? 1C 'Open' season on fish By Richard Nuhel Municipal Lditor Southport assumes center stage this weekend as the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce and Southport Marina host the 17th an nual U. S. Open King Mackerel Tournament, perhaps the most re spected saltwater fishing tourna ment on the Last Coast. Over Slot).IKK) in cash prizes have been guaranteed -- including $25,000 to the lucky crew which boats the largest king mackerel -- and another S50.000 has been added to the purse for a state record in excess of 70 pounds. 1005 tournament chairman D. V. Jones stationed himself squarely at the fool of A Dock at Southport Marina, gazing out over the Intracoastal Waterway, planning last-minute details of the weekend. He and his committee are planning for a big 'un. "We’re looking for about 500 to 550 boats." Jones said. "Some where in that neighborhood. We’re gearing up for that many any way." If ever the stage were set for a great turnout at the C. S. Open, this is the year. Although sportsfishing craft have been tossed about this late summer and early fall by a string of tropical storms and worse. Monday and Tuesday of this week brought scarcely a breeze across the Southport-Oak Island area and itsolfshore waters. Hurricane Opal may threatened a blow in the Gulf, but the Atlantic showed no signs of disruption. Most of all. the kings are biting. "The fish are in our vicinity and we just want them all to "come out' and catch them,’; Jones said. Area waters have already pro See Fish, page 10 Forecast The extended forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a chance of showers and warm weather with highs each day in the mid 8U's . Tide table HIGH LOW THURSDAY. OCTOBER S 1:01a.m. 8:30 a.m. 1:25 p.m. 0:06 p.m. FRIDAY. OCTOBER 6 3:16 a.m. 0:21a.m. 3:50 p.m. 10:02 p.m. SATU RDAY.OCTOBER 7 4:00a.m. 10:15a.m. 4:44 p.m. 11:00 p.m. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8 5:04 a.m. 11:10 a.m. 5:38 p.m. 11:57 p.m. MONDAY, OCTOBER 9 6:50 a.m. 12:04 a.m. 6:20 p.m. 12:40 p.m.' TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10 6:51a.m. „ 12:55 a.m. 7:17 p.m. -p.m. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER U 8:30 a.m. 1:36 a.m. 8:01a.m. 1:43 p.m. The following adjustments should be made: Bald Head Island, high -10, low -7: Caswell Beach, high -5, low -1; Southport, high +7, low + 15; Lockwood Folly, high -22, low -8. Long Beach primary is Tuesday By Richard Nubel Municipal Editor Long Beach voters will go to the polls Tuesday to narrow the field of those who would be members of town council. Only two of the 14 candidates who filed notice of their in tent to seek election in May will be cut from the field. The remaining 12 will go on to vie for six council seats in the No vember 7 general election. All balloting will be conducted at the Long Beach Recre ation Center. The polling place will open at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. Ballots will be counted bv electronic tabula tor as voting progresses through the day. In the absence of any mechanical anomalies, the results should be read minutes af ter the voting machine is cracked open Tuesday night. Elec tion results will be canvassed. and likely certified, next Thurs day at the county board of elections office at Bolivia. The election of 1945 marks the first time in decades that all members of council will stand for election at one time. That event was spurred by the move to a two-year council term imposed as the result of a special, referendum prior to the 1993 municipal election. Long Beach began employing the non-partisan primary elec tion process in 1985. The election of 1983 drew 13 candidates for election to three contested seats on the board of commis sioners and many voters complained of the plurality election held that year brought to office candidates who were not the choice of a clear majority. The non-partisan primary was to pair the number of candidates to two per available seat on the board. Tuesday's ballot will not feature a race tor mavor of Long Beach, as only two candidates - incumbent .loan P. Altman and challenger Marvin Watson - have tiled in nice of intent to seek that office. The names of the 14 council candidates will appear on the single ballot and voters w ill be asked to chose up to six candi dates. The top 12 vote-getters bv evening's end will go on to seek voter approval in the general election. All incumbent council members hav e chosen to seek re-elec tion. They are. in order of their appearance on the ballot: Kevin M. Bell. R. W hitnev Bovd. Horace Collier. William D. Haslev III. Jeffrie D. Lnsmihger and Danny C Leonard. Challengers, in ballot-order are. Frances Allen. David 1. Buchman. Helen C. Cashvvell. Joann 1 indsay Crosby. Doris Hertel. l.ubv (i Hollingsworth. Rupert Riley and J. K. Somers HAPPY BIRTHDAY • .<* hi in .—■ m ■■ i The Clown family — Sassy, Frassy and Boo — helped celebrate Family Fest 1995 and the 40th birthday of Long Beach Saturday in Middleton Photo by Jim Harper Park when residents were treated to band and choral music, clogging, dunking fun, a piece of birthday cake and a general good time. Long distance^ a hangup Other chambers seek extended area service The South Brunswick Islands and North Brunswick chambers of commerce have joined the Southport-Oak Island chamber in an effort to extend local calling throughout Brunswtck County. Local calling service in Brunswick is divided between Atlantic Telephone Membership Corp. and Southern Bell territories. Support is mounting to petition the Public Utilities Commission for a cost study of extending countywide the locaI*calling area. The extended service would not change one’s local carrier but would add a monthly charge for the extra service. In 1980 a cost study computed the additional charge at $1.65 per month. The Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce Business Development Committee has been working for several months to secure resolutions of support from municipalities in the county. To date, the committee has received resolutions of sup port from the Brunswick County Board of Commission ers, Brunswick County Economic Development Com mission, Bald Head Island, Boiling Spring Lakes, Bo livia, Caswell Beach, Long Beach, Southport, Yaupon Beach and the Southeast Brunswick Sanitary District. The committee plans to request support from all mu nicipalities in the county. Those who have supported the resolution feel that true countywide local calling would bring Brunswick County closer and be aservice to business and residents. Municipalities affected County water rate increases recommended By Terry Pope County Uditor Water rates are going up. It's just a matter of when. Recommendations forwarded to the Brunsw ick County Board of Com missioners Monday include retail and wholesale hikes to eliminate system dependency on tax dollars within four years. That could raise customer bills the first year by 79 percent. But commissioners won't make a final decision until October lb. At a special meeting Monday, the Brunsw ick County Utility Operations Board held off on a proposal to charge See Water, page 6 If wholesale rate increases are passed on to municipal customers, as expected, it could result in a 79 percent jump in water bills the first year Schools' agenda full on Thursday By Holly Edwards Feature Editor An upcoming curriculum audit, a meeting w ith the North Carolina Asso ciation of Educators (NCAE) attorney, a report on findings of a salary study, discussion with a consultant about plans for construction of a new central office, a proposal by principals to create time for staff development, and a discussion of the pros and cons of site-based management are among items on the agenda for discussion Thursday by the Brunswick County Board of Education. The board has scheduled the planning session to begin at ft a.m. at Brunsw ick See Schools, page 10 Dupont plant manager Rob Burger (right) and employee Claude Robinson present a $20,000 check to Brunswick County Communities ‘ In Schools executive director Cynthia Tart. The grant will help CIS address the educational needs of children at risk of academic failure for any number of reasons, Tart said. Tart is seeking businesses and indi viduals throughout the county to help bring community resources into county schools.