VOLUME 65/ NUMBER 38 SOUTHPORT. N.C.
50 CENTS
Cougars Myra Williams
named outstanding athlete
in conference track — 1C
Neighbors
Every day
near the end
especially at
Smart
Start
chosen
Area legislators
pledge support
By Holly Edwards
Feature Editor
Nearly $1 million per year could
be allocated for Brunswick County
children and families if the N. C. Gen
eral Assembly votes in the upcoming
short session to expand the Smart
Start program.
The Brunswick County Partnership
for Children is one of 12 new Smart
Start programs and could receive
$100,000 for planning this year and
$095,000 annually in future years.
Smart Start was initiated by Gov/
Jim Hunt three years ago and is in
tended to ensure that all children un
der age five are healthy and ready to
attend kindergarten. About 44 percent
of children entering kindergarten
statewide test below the recom
mended level.
.Area legislators vowed to fight for
the Smart Start program in Brunswick
County and throughout the state.
“We’ve lobbied pretty hard for this,
and we're very, very pleased
Brunswick County was selected,”
said Rep. David Redwine (D-Ocean
Isle Beach). “We've been turned
down for two years, but the need for
children in our county has been there
all the time. Our next battle is going
to be in Raleigh because there are still
some in the House Republican lead
ership who don’t support Smart
Start.”
Gov. Hunt is requesting $58 anil
lion to continue Smart Start programs
already in place and expand the pro
gram to 12 additional counties,
Redwine said.
Despite the substantial price tag,
Sen R. C. Soles (D-Tabor City) said
state legislators have been “cautious”
in doling out Smart Start funding.
An independent audit conducted by
Coopers & Lybrand concluded that
Smart Start is an innovative program
that is improving the lives of children
under age five, Soles said.
“We asked for a comprehensive
See Chosen, page 5
Just Joey the juggler was just right on Saturday as
he entertained youngsters at “Arts in the Park” in
Southport. The annual event celebrating both per
forming and graphic arts was sponsored by the
Photo by Jim Harper
Associated Artists of Southport, Brunswick County
Parks and Recreation Department and the North
Carolina Arts Council.
ElectriCmes
impact looms
large for state
■ Neither Southport as
an electric distributor,
nor NCEMPA as a
wholesaler, stand to be
competitive in a
deregulated environment
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
Deregulation of the electric distri
bution industry may bring savings to
many electric customers, just as de
regulation of the telephone industry
has by'allowing phone customers to
pick and chose long-distance carriers
offering rate savings But. officials of
Electricities, the parent company of
Southport's wholesale electric pro
vider, told city aldermen Thursday
night they should lobby state and fed
eral legislators against deregulation of
the industry
"What we try to emphasize is that
the federal government should stay
out of deregulation and let the states
handle it,” said Carv Washburn, chair
man of the board of Electricities
“That would he the better wav to
handle it.”
Allowing the State of North Caro
lina to "handle" deregulation of the
See Impact, page S
EDITORIAL COMMENT, PAGE 4j»j
Regional approach
Coastal towns
receive grants
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
With two of three regional grants
it has sought in hand, a coalition of
Brunswick County beach towns will
seek a legislative appropriation to
strengthen and formalize its regional
wastewater management efforts.
Roger N. Schecter, director of the
state's Division of Coastal Manage
ment, announced the award of two
regional local planning and manage
ment grants this week to the
Brunswick beaches coalition, now
known as the Brunswick County Ef
fluent Disposal Organization
(BCEDO).
See Grants, page 6
"We are trying to put
the steps in place.
Should we be the
recipient of the
legislative
appropriation, we
can move forward.'
Jerry Walters
Long Beach manager
Yaupon motel gets
conditional permit
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
Although a number of residents
complained traffic congestion on
Yaupon Drive at McGlamery Street
Forecast
Unseasonably cool temperatures
and partly cloudy skies can be ex
pected for the period of Thursday
Saturday. Highs will only be 70-75.
TNSIDE
Opinion. 4
Obituaries. 9
Business.14
Church.4B
Schools 5B
Pilot TV.6B
District Court .. 7C
would be exacerbated, Yaupon Beach
commissioners Monday night
awarded a conditional use permit for
construction of a planned 51-unit
motel and restaurant.
Bill and Sarah Gordon of Long
Beach plan to build the motel on three
and a halt lots spanning an area to
McDougle Street and Country Club
Drive.
"It it meets the conditions of the
zoning ordinance, we can’t stop it,”
commissioner Bill Smith said.
Meeting March 28, the town’s plan
ning board voted to recommend issu
ance of the permit with four condi
tions:
■ That a vegetative buffer consist
ing of bushes and trees be installed
on the property along the right-of-way
of McGlamery and McDougle streets;
■ I hat an eight-toot privacy fence
be constructed around the motel's
dumpster;
■ That a vegetative screen consist
ing ot bushes be installed around the
dumpster enclosure;
■ That, it needed, a parapet wall
be constructed up to three feet tall on
top of the building to hide any heat
ing and air conditioning units.
Four ol five persons who opposed
See Permit, page 9
Same
county
rate
By Terry Pope
County Editor
Taxes would remain the
same -- 68.5 cents per $100
of property value - under a
proposed budget the
Brunswick County Board of
Commissioners received from
county manager Jim Varner on
Monday.
“Our direction was no tax
increase and no new posi
tions,” said Varner.
The 1996-97 proposal will
go to public hearing Tuesday.
May 28, and must be adopted
prior to July l. It does raise
wholesale and retail customer
water rates by 33 percent. It
will boost wholesale rates
from $1.45 to $1.98 per 1,000
gallons and the monthly mini
mum on residential bills from
See Rate, page 6
Mom and the kids
Graduation is a family
affair for the Cumbees
By Marybeth K. Bianchi
Special to the Pilot
She owned children's clothing and
women's apparel stores, established
a maritime museum and raised three
children, yet there was something else
Pamela Cumbee wanted to achieve in
life.
The Southport resident wanted a
bachelor's degree, and on Saturday
the University of North Carolina at
Wilmington graduate was awarded
one with two of her children in a
unique ceremony at Liberty Univer
sity in Lynchburg, VA
Because her children would be
graduating the same day as she would
be, Mrs. Cumbee asked UNCW offi
cials if she could postpone recew mg
her diploma until the December com
mencement ceremony. UNCW offi
cials said no, but looked for an alter
native.
UNCW registrar Ron Whittaker ar
See Family, page 7
Pam Cumbee shares the joy of graduation with son (»reg Jr. and daugh
ter Alison on Saturday. She is a L'NCW graduate, while the children got
their diplomas from Liberty University.