March 24, 1999 50 cents 4 mar Pilots tower no longer stanq&? above the city waterfront - IB .^1 '’•ww1' Narrow defeat South Brunswick Lady Cougar^ softballers close, so close - Phone 910-457-4568/Fax 910-457-9427/e-mail pilot@southport.net Volume 68, Number 31 Published every Wednesday in Southport, NC Mining lawsuit: Round 2 By Terry Pope Staff Writer The Superior Court judge who presided over the first battle involving Martin Marietta Materials and Bruns wick County is back for round two. Judge Ronald Stephens has been reassigned the case by Supreme Court justice Burley Mitchell, and the case has also been designated “exception al,” which allows judge Stephens to hear arguments outside Brunswick County. But thus far the case has not been scheduled for trial. County officials are concerned and curious by what desig nating the case “exceptional” means. “We had requested that whatever be heard be heard in Brunswick County,” said Brunswick County attorney Huey Marshall. “We don’t know if judge Mitchell didn't understand that. It does not appear to be reflected in the order. We would, of course, want everything heard here.” Three years ago, judge Stephens ini tially heard Martin Marietta’s argu ment that a public safety ordinance which the county enacted is unconsti tutional and that the company holds a vested right to continue its plan to oper ate a mine on a 1,000-acre tract north of Southport. Judge Stephens ruled in Martin Marietta’s favor on four issues, but those findings were sei aside in the county’s appeal before the N. C. Supreme Court. The case was returned to Brunswick County for trial. The ordinance prevents mining with explosives and dewatering techniques within five miles of Carolina Power and Light Co.’s Brunswick nuclear plant or the Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point ammunitions depot. That would include all of the Martin Marietta tract. The company plans to See Mining, page 7 Correction A news story in last week’s State Port Pilot, “Many volunteers may be sidelined,” regrettably con tained an error in stating that the daughter of Brunswick County commissioner Leslie Collier had been “temporarily removed from the (basketball) team for discipli nary reasons” in January by South Brunswick principal Sue Sellers. Instead, that action was taken not by Ms. Sellers but by the girls var sity basketball coach, Mike Isenberg, who said the suspension was for one game, against West Brunswick, and was taken “for the best interests of the team.” The Colliers said Tuesday they were not informed of any suspen sion of their daughter. BRUNSWICK SCHOOLS The Write Stuff _ ' Photos by Diana D'Abruzzo Uebra Shrader, a kindergarten teacher at Bolivia Elementary, looks through papers where her students wrote sentences and drew accompanying pictures. urn nrn Bolivia Elementary second grade teacher Becky McDowell adds colorful words to her Word Wall this week. '*■**%• jitfWMMMiiMMMHi from the start By Diana D’Abruzzo Staff Writer Colorful alphabet posters line the walls of Debra Shrader’s kindergarten classroom where tiny tots learn how to write. Apples and boys and cats and dogs lead the children into visual lessons of the alphabet. But at their desks, they're not just printing out words, they’re stringing them together into sentences. Kindeigartners are writing. “I am amazed at what they can do,” Shrader said, sift ing through papers where her Bolivia Elementary School students drew pictures to accompany pencil printed sentences. “For a five-year-old. that’s wonder ful.” “I see a purple cow. Be my valentine," one student See Write, page 8 Not a game for high schools By Diana D’Abruzzo Staff Writer When sophomores curl up with pencil and paper next week to take the state’s English II writing test, all the teachers at South Brunswick High School will be biting their nails in anticipation. English teachers aren’t the only ones at the high school who have helped guide and prepare the students for “the big game” that takes place next Tuesday morning. Teachers in all departments, including math and art, have been instrumental in exposing the students to writing, writing and more writing. “It really encourages the students,” said Gail Lee, head of the English department at South Brunswick High School. “It shows them that everyone is here to help — that the school is working together. We're a team when it comes to the ABCs." The writing test is part of the stat e ABCs of Public See High school, page 9 Effective September 1 Judge upholds Yaupon right of annexation By Richard Nubel Municipal Editor Nearly 500 mainland acres along Long Beach Road, Airport Road and Fish Factory Road will become part of the Town of OakTsfand on September 1. Resident Superior Court judge William C. Gore Jr. Tuesday morning upheld a Yaupon Beach ordinance of annexation town commissioners adopt ed in September, 1998. Gore found for Yaupon Beach in a suit challenging the annexation that was brought by Southeast Brunswick Sanitary District in October, 1998. Yaupon Beach and neighboring Long Beach will consolidate as the Town of Oak Island on July 1. The annexation ordinance adopted by Yaupon Beach will become an Oak Island ordinance upon that consolidation. ‘This is wonderful news for the town,” Yaupon Beach mayor Dot Kelly said.“The annexation was essential for ‘The annexation was essential for us to maintain control of our wastewater treatment plant and to pursue other inter ests.’ Dot Kelly Yaupon Beach mayor us to maintain control of our waste water treatment plant and to pursue other interests.” The Yaupon Beach wastewater treat See Annexation, page 6 Sales tax philosophy: Penny earned, penny saved By Terry Pope Staff Writer An extra one-cent sales tax would help Brunswick County pay for school buildings and community college capi tal needs if approved by both the General Assembly and county voters. County commissioners have asked state legislators for a bill to clear the way for a short-term, local-option sales tax that would raise between $5.1 mil lion and $5.6 million a year. That money would be placed in a special fund used for school capital items, from prekindergarten needs to Brunswick Community College facilities or to retire debt service. “We are not the only county that will be asking for a local bill,’' said county attorney Huey Marshall. As of last week, 34 of the state’s 100 counties had indicated they would pur sue local bills to allow collection of the ‘It would be for one time needs, if not specifically for schools then maybe for some county needs.’ BiU Sue District 5 commissioner extra sales tax in their counties. The deadline for requesting local bills from state legislators is today (Wednesday) at 4 p.m. Brunswick County has also See Penny, page 6 N. C. 211 near Southport Shooting from 6road rage’ By Richard Nubel Staff Writer An unarmed probation and parole officer and an unarmed, off-duty sheriff 's deputy Thursday captured the accused "road rage” shooter of a Southport man. Jabar Ballard, 24, of Leland was captured on rural paved Clemmons Road just off N. C. 211 west of Sunset Harbor Road. He is charged with assault with intent to kill inflicting serious injury for the shooting of Gary Lee Myrick about 30 minutes before his capture. Investigators say Myrick and a triend were traveling from Southport to the Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation office on N. C. 211 west of the city around 2 p.m. As they approached the BEMC office they encountered a man in a white Acura Integra and obscene hand ges tures were exchanged. As Myrick pulled his blue Ford into the BEMC parking lot one shot rang out, strik ing him in the abdomen. As deputies arrived on the scene, a warn ing to be on the lookout (BOLO) for a black man driving a white Acura automobile was broadcast over law enforcement radio fre quencies. Probation and parole officer R. David Felts, assigned to that department’s Leland office, was traveling eastward on N. C. 211 about 2:35 p.m. when he heard that BOLO. “I was coming down 211 east and I passed the individual coming out of Sunset Harbor,” Felts recalled Monday. “I followed him and let the sheriff’s department know where he was.” Felts followed the white Acura to Clemmons Road, where it turned. He fol lowed the Acura for about 200 yard along Clemmons Road before it stopped. “He actually stopped about 100 yards in front of my car,” Felts said. "He backed up to my car.” Ballard emerged from the Acura, and on Felts’ command showed the probation and parole officer he had no weapbn. Investigators later searched the N. C. 211 road shoulder for the weapon used in the' Myrick shooting but did not locate it As Felts ordered Ballard to lie on the ground, off-duty Brunswick County sher iff’s detective Leslie Moore arrived on the scene. The two unarjned officers searched Ballard and held him until backup officers arrived. “He complied with all our orders,” Felts See Road rage- P3^ 12 Wal-Mart property annexed By Richard Nubel Staff Writer Southport became 31.7 acres bigger Thursday night. Without substantial discussion, aldermen that night annexed the N. C. 211 property that is the proposed site ot a Wal-Mart superstore. The annexation became effec tive upon board action. "The property is annexed,” mayor Bill Crowe announced to a City Hall crowd ot about 60. "The vote is unanimous." The proposed annexation had become the subject of some controversy in its few weeks of consideration. A group calling itself Concerned Citizens ol Southport See Wal-Mart, page 7 CAEEfEAB Coast ii m Visitors guide inside this edition NEWS on the NET: www.southport.net —1

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