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emergency care — Page 2
Outer
loop
State speeds
county route
to interstate
By Terry Pope
County Editor
The Brunswick County portion of
the Wilmington bypass to Interstate
40 has been nudged up on the con
struction schedule in Gov. Jim Hunt's
1997 update of his Transportation
2001 plan.
The update released Friday has the
four-lane project from U S. 17 near
Town Creek to Interstate 40 north of
Wilmington set for right-of-way ac
quisition and construction to begin in
1998, a year ahead of schedule. An
other $40 million has been added to
the project, a divided highway at a
new location to cross just north of
Leland and Navassa.
The Northern Outer Loop will route
traffic around Wilmington and con
nect U. S. 17 with 1-40. A first seg
ment is underway in New Hanover
County and will connect U. S. 421
north of Leland to an 1-40 exit near
the Pender County line.
Unveiled by Hunt in 1994, his
Transportation 2001.plan continues to
speed construction and completion of
1 "V '“''onomic development highways
which are seen as vital to the state’s
economy. The plan also includes con
struction projects accelerated by high
way bonds passed bywoters in No
vember to help eliminate a backlog
of state maintenance needs.
“We are committed to a transpor
tation system that meets growing de
mands, boosts mass transit, protects
the environment and maintains key
economic development highways,"
said Hunt.
The plan recommends $36 million
to boost the state’s transit and rail sys
tems, including $26 million for pub
lic transportation and $10 million in
federal highway funds for transit
projects.
“This year’s Transportation 2001
plan continues to set priorities for
transportation needs," said transpor
tation secretary Garland Garrett Jr.,
“and includes alternative modes of
transportation that are essential to our
state’s future, if we are to move goods
and people safely and conveniently."
Garrett is a native of Wilmington.
In 1996, state voters approved is
suance of $590 million in highway
bonds of which $500 million is dedi
cated to completion of urban loops
around major cities, $300 million to
help speed construction of intrastate
See Loop, page 6
. Photo by Jim Harper
Nothing wrong here. In fact, the activity least likely to create apprehension, guilt or pain -- and to leave
one most relaxed - in all of the sections of the Dosher Memorial Hospital Health Fair on Sunday was Shirley
Glann’s demonstration of massage therapy,
South Brunswick
School kids
on the block
By Holly Edwards
Feature Editor
South Brunswick High School will convert to block scheduling for the
1997-98 school year.
The schedule will allow students to take four classes per semester, or
eight per year, instead of the traditional six classes per year. Students will
have four 90-minute classes each day instead of six 60-minute classes.
"One of the main benefits of block scheduling is that it allows students to
take more electives," said South Brunswick High School principal Sue
See School kids, page 6
School
opening
in 98?
Construction of a new el
ementary school for Brunswick
County will be delayed one
year if school officials do not
find a suitable site by the end
of May, board of education
chairman Glenda Browning
said Tuesday.
“It’s turning into a slower
process than we hoped,” she
said. “We're hoping we still
have a shot at getting the school
See Opening, page 11
Brunswick County
Water taps
are required
by ordinance
By Terry Pope
County Editor
There has been no public outcry
over a mandatory tap policy for the
county water system which was ap
proved by county commissioners
Monday.
“I have only gotten four phone
calls," said county attorney Huey
Marshall. “Three calls were against
and one was for.”
In related business Monday, com
missioners awarded a contract to
Carmichael Construction Co. of Long
Beach to lay lines for Special Assess
ment District 20 for $819,651 and
tabled a request from Sunset Beach
that the county take over the town’s
water system. SAD 20 includes nu
merous subdivisions near Holden
Beach.
The Sunset Beach resolution
brought a response from District 3
commissioner Leslie Collier of Long
Beach, who expressed concern that
questions were being raised in execu
tive session. She said the issue needed
While the county
cannot force
residents to buy
water, the message
is still clear: Pay for
the water and
receive it, or pay for
the water anyway
to he discussed in open session so that
all commissioners would receive the
same information.
The mandatory tap ordinance re
quires owners of developed property
with access to county water or sewer
lines to pay a tap fee and connect to
the system. The document approved
unanimously by county commission
ers reverses a decade-long policy of
See Water, page 8
EMS request
City considers
rescue charge
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
Should people treated by Southport
Volunteer Rescue Squad and trans
ported in one of its vehicles be
charged for this service?
City aldermen will tackle that ques
tion Thursday when they meet in
regular session for the month of May.
Under a formula established by
Brunswick County Emergency Medi
cal Services, patients transported by
other agencies in the county — includ
ing Southport VRS -- could be
charged up to $250 for an ambulance
trip that is now essentially free, de
pending on the decision reached by
the board of aldermen.
"Brunswick County EMS is asking
that other rescue departments declare
whether or not they intend to bill for
See Rescue, pige 11
If Southport chooses
to charge for its
ambulance services
and responds to a
call to which
Brunswick County
EMS also responds,
the agency who
actually transports
the patient will bill
for services
provided.’
'This one is the Son of Disney'
No blue-light specials anytime soon
By Richard Nubel
Municipal Editor
Imagine this.
You head up Howe Street out of
Southport. You’re busy and need to get
some shopping done.
left and cruise into the spacious park
ing lot at the new Wal-Mart.
Finishing your shopping at Wal
Mart you turn west again on N C. 211
and and head up to the Long Beach
Road intersection, passing J. C
Penney and K-Mart as you turn south
on N. C. 133 headed toward the beach
and the new Harris-Teeter grocery
store near the foot of the Oak Island
bridge.
Imagine this.
Go ahead, but it
is just your imagi
nation. None of
this is about to
happe n.
Suu.th.po.rt-Oak
Island this week
was awash in ru
mors about immi
nent commercial
development.
‘I think anytime you get a lot of growth in
an area there is a lot of interest which turns
to speculation. This is what we have here -
-speculation.’
Don Eggert
County planner
ment in the area
has had any con
tact with Wal
Mart.
That's not to
say there will not
he development
at Dasher Cutoff.
As the newspa
per has reported
in recent weeks.
Sacred Heart
Catholic Church
Hottest among the rumors dealt with
a "soon-to-be" Wal-Mart store at
Dosher Cutoff.
"The Wal-Mart rumor is a persis
tent one." said Don Eggert of the
Brunswick County Planning Depart
ment. "Sometimes it's Leland and
sometimes it's Southport." '
Every time it has been simply a ru
mor. No county or municipal go' ern
plans to develop a 44-unit residential
community for seniors on 7.75 acres
just east of the church. To he known
as Sacred Heart Villas, the project is
to include 22 one-bedroom and 22
twQ-bedroom units in a single-story
'campus-like” setting. The structure
will feature a spacious lobby area,
multi-purpose gathering room,
kitchen, reading rooms, a main en
trance and large porches.
Southport aldermen Thursday are
to discuss a church request to tap Sa
cred Heart Villas to the city’s sewer
system.
Eggert said the county planning
board has received preliminary site
development plans for Sacred Heart
Villas and will begin its review of the
proposal shortly
Other rumors circulating through
the Southport-Oak Island area this
See Specials, page 6
Forecast
The extended forecast calls tor
mostly sunny skies Thursday through
Saturday with highs in the 7()'s.
INSIDE
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