Suns Be
BY TERRY POPE
Some labeled it "the bridge to nowhere," while others
called it a "valuable asset" to Sunset Beach. Close to 200
people gathered Tuesday night at the Sunset Beach
Volunteer Fire Department for a public hearing on the
N.C. Department of Transportation's recommended
high-rise replacement bridge to the island.
DOT officials have recommended the construction of a
65-fooi high-rise fixed span replacement Cringe, one of
five alternates presented to the public for discussion
Tuesday night. The $5.2 million bridge is a revised ver
v. VI uiaaum* p. |/> VUVIitVU WJ l^vy 1 111 iflUJ A Jvm! ,
at the last public hearing held on replacing the town's
pontoon-style floating barge bridge. The replacement is
scheduled for right-of-way acquisition in fiscal year 1986
and actual construction in 1986.
Some residents hope the project never gets off the
ground, and spoke against building a new bridge to the
1.6-mile island Tuesday night. However, reactions of the
^^I98WM^BUNSW1CKBIAC0'I^
^ Volume 23, Numl 'sprinGp?r^
DAVE BOWSER and son, Richard, show the 105-pound
Monday evening.
dfr- 1<\/M?rv*^ir* A ! L
I IOI IC7I I I IU( I /""VI fi
Lands 105-Lb. E
BY TERRY POPE
It may be the largest birthday present Dave Bowser
will ever receive. For 14 hours Monday evening.
Bowser, of Fort Wayne. Ind., had his hands full on the
Holdcn Beach Fishing Pier, landing a 105-pound tarpon
that may be a 1985 state record.
"We started out on the end of the pier," Bowser said
Tuesday morning, "but we ended up about 300 yards
down the beach. We had to beach him."
The last large tarpon caught off the Holden Beach
Pier was a 115-pound, 72-inch monster that was a state
record in 1982, said pier operator Gil Bass. That tarpon
is mounted on the wall at the Holden Beach Pier, just
above the large freezers where the daily catches are
stored for safekeeping.
Bass believes the large tarpon caught Monday evening
will be another state record. The 73-inch fish was
hooked around 7:30 p.m. Monday evening while fishing
for king mackerel off the end of the pier. Bowser said.
"It was dark when 1 landed it," he added. A large
crowd had gathered near the pier to watch the struggle
uniu tinaiiy tnc fish was dragged to shore after 9 p.m.
"I've been trying for years to catch a tarpon out
here," Bowser said. The Bowsers have been returning
Ocean Isle
BY SUSAN USHER leading cause c
Two drownings at Ocean Isle children.
Beach Friday afternoon were the "They need to tx
first alone its shores in at least 10 meone who knowyears,
according to Police Chief she continued, ad
Jerry C.urganus, party- such as lif<
Mayor I aDane Bullington stressed vide the same qua!
that the drownings were unrelated to Where lifeguards i
shore or tidal conditions and that pie tend to shift th
Ocean Isle's main swimming area is supervision almost
nearly idea! for that purpose. Swim- If more people r
ming is discouraged near inlets at appropriate super
both ends of the beach, she said, she suggested, "tl
because of the strong currents there, tand the publicity
On Friday afternoon, the ocean save a life."
was very calm and there were no At their regular
strong currents in the swimming afternoon, town
area. Numerous children were play- acted on two recot
ing in and along the surf. the police depart
"The same thing could have hap- emergency trans,
pened in a bathtub, in a pool or at a strand and rescue j
lake," she said. "Anytime they're the beach,
near water, children should be super- At Gun;anus' su
vised.'' propria ted several
The mayor added that statistics in- accommodations t
dicate water poses a real danger for a trailer which can
children, one they are too young to police departmen
understand Drowning, she said, is a vehicle to transpoi
ach Resident
200 or more residents, property owners and citizens who
attended the public hearing appeared to be close to equally
divided with each speaker closing to a round of applause
from the bi-partisan crowd.
Both sides polled the audience Tuesday night, seeking
to show their support either for or against the new bridge.
Recently-appointed Mayor James Gordon, who was the
first speaker at the 3^-hour meeting, was accused of
' making up youi own lilies as you go" when he ssked
those present who favored a new bridge to raise their
hands. Informal polls or votes taken at the meeting will
in t'ho iVrT'c tponenrini rtr inn nuniin Iiuu.'
ing.
"This old bridge down here limits the fire department
and the police department from doing its job," Gordon
said. "The safety factor is the main thing."
In a prepared statement presented to DOT moderator
Bill Garrett, Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association Chairman
John McCarthy questioned the method DOT officials
mm
K.I
na, Thursday, J
jl f-?-?^
VIA" PMOIO BY If Rll? POP|
tarpon they caught from the Holdcn Beach Fishing Pter
In/r/on Ronrh
IV/iuwi >
t irfhday Gift
to Holden Beach since 1965 to fish for king mackerel and
to spend vacations at the beach.
fn addition to Bowser's 105-pound birthday present
Monday, the fisherman also landed a 26-pound king
mackerel, the first king caught from the pier all week,
Bass said. About 30 minutes later, the large tarpon was
hooked, he added.
"Other than sharks, it was the biggest worthwhile
thing I've ever caught," Bowser said.
Bowser was using a 1'2-pound bluefish for bait when
the tarpon struck. After walking his line to the end of
the pier, Bowser dropped the rod and reel down to his
son, Richard, who was standing on the surf. Richard
held on to the pole long enough for Bowser to leave the
pier and join him.
"So he helped catch it," Bowser said.
Bowser and Richard were back on the pier Tuesday
morning fishing for kings. Bowser said he did not know
what he was going to do with the large birthday present.
i iuvc iiua uica oiiu uic people nere are so inenaiy,
he added. "I like this whole area."
The area fishing report and other related news
is in Section B of this issue.
Beach Drowning;
vf death among person from the beach if the need
arises. The patrol vehicle, a threei
supervised by so- wheeled scooter, was a gift of the
s their abilities." Ocean Isle Beach Property Owners
ding that a third Association this spring.
?guard?can't pro- On a day-to-day basis, however,
lity of supervision. Mayor Bullington said the trailer can
ire available, peo- also be used to improve garbage
e responsibility of pickup on the strand. Sanitation
1 entirely to them, workers now must haul containers
ealize the need for across the dunes to the collection
vision near water, truck.
tien I can unders- Commissioners also agreed with
r hM^an^p it maw flneaam.e ?K?f 1 1
? J v?u^(uiuo uwtia?.UC^I9UIUKri JICTU
a better system of locating particular
meeting Monday sites at the beach. The Shallotte
commissioners Volunteer Rescue Squad had sugnrnendations
from gested numbering the public acment
to improve cessways. Gurganus said, but town
portation on the officials pointed out that all but two
squad responses to are located at the feet of named
streets The other two are near easily
ggestion, they ap- identified locations, such as the pier,
hundred dollars of They suggested police and other perix
revenues to buy sons likely to make emergency calls
i be attached to the become familiar with these,
t s strand patrol Neither of the items taken up Morv
rt an injured or ill day would have made any difference
s Debate Bri
used to notify residents of the public hearing. McCarthy
said each property owner should have been mailed a
notice of the hearing rather than having to read notices in
two Brunswick County newspapers and at the bottom of
their water bills mailed June 14.
McCarthy stated one member of the taxpayers group
nas laoeiea me recommended replacement, "the bridge
to nowhere," since it would only serve 200 year-round
icSiucutS. tic iiiStcttu SUfcgcatcu tiicti ii'ic GO pci'Cciii
federal and 20 percent state funds be used to build a second
bridge on the west end of Oak Island, which is home
fn mnro than 4 INK) normanont rociHontc
"Or why not build a $6 million bridge with a loop on the
other side, and no exits, so the visitors will at least have a
view of the ocean," McCarthy added. He also questioned
what the maintenance costs for a high-rise bridge would
be, using as an example of unexpected and tremendous
maintenance costs the Bonner Bridge along the N.C.
Outer Banks.
ICK&BE
une 27, 1985 25c Per Cc
County Tax
Remain At
BY SUSAN USHER crease was mere
Brunswick County property public opinion. "W
owners will continue paying 59.5 he said. "The boa
cents tax-on every' $100 worth of pro- ly to bring the rat
perty next year under the budget While other ct
adopted by county commissioners they were pleased
Monday night. pared, Chappell s
The official budget ordinance will cut a little too m
be voted on at the board's July 1 dressing some
meeting, at which time it will also have."
adopt an interim water system Still, he voted
budvet. -J
w I'lbOCUlCVt.
litigation with the county's largest Schoo
water customer?Pfizer Even with the
Chemicals?over the rate structure inissioners firs
for water sales couiti affect iiie coun- Brunswick Count
ty's proposed 1985-86 hudget, County Won thought its
Attorney David Clegg advised, should be increa
Under an interim budget, the county million,
water system would temporarily con- Instead, nearly
tir.uc operating as it does now. No reserve fund
cltange in water rate is proposed next eliminated. How
year. could be reapprop
Commissioners were to meet with Revenue Sharing
Emergency Management Coor- ed by Congress
dinator Cecil I.ogan 6:30 p.m. beginning Octobe
Wednesday to draft policies regar- governing boards
ding fire and rescue expenditures, tain conditions.
Each department will receive Commissioners
$10,000, while each district will the school board
receive $50,000 to be spent at its struction prograr
discretion under the policies adopted, practices and a
Joint meetings will be scheduled dum?next week,
with tho hnarrfc nf nHwntinn onr! i ...
..%.wvwhw. u>I IIC r?ci> i Ui
health also to discuss policies related almost committci
to the budget. program," said
Meeting most of the day Thursday trying to give it tc
and again Monday night, the board ing taxes, but we
chopped $800,000 out of a $22.64 next year 11986-81
million proposed operating budget to Commissioner
restore the tax rate first adopted in with Commission
1383. that it's time to
Their action followed a public hear- favor the $8.8 it
ing a week earlier at which program and to (
developers spoke out strongly position on fundin
against a proposed four-cents tax "We need to U
rate increase. The developers argued guarantee we're
uiai tne county's rapid growth should year just because
provide sufficient revenues to meet said Rabon.
its expanding needs. As proposed n
Chairman Chris Chappell first for renovati
countered developer Odell William- Union primary
son's suggestion the proposed tax in- scheduled under i
5 First In Decade
Friday, pointed out Mayor I-aDane Isle needs to impi
Bullington, when the two brothers cess to its strand.
from Rockingham drowned in calm But Gurganus s
watprs about 3 block w?st of th6 nrarfira) fhfi re
Ocean Isle Beach Pier. four-wheel drive
Near the center of the island, the use accessways c
pier area is the most stable and most said, and the acre
frequented swimming area along the to be built at freq
seven-mile beach. of any use.
Steven Wayne Garrison, 9, and ..
... . .. / , ,, . , 'And I doubt
Michael Lee Garrison. 11, were dead ., ?
on arrival at Brunswick County a 1 a"
Hospital in Supply. They never
regained consciousness after being '~"T.V 7"*'" "*
pulled to shore by bystanders about 4 n:if^ "
pm Friday. Mayor BulUngti
The Shallotte Volunteer Rescue fi * ald a
Squad arrived at the beach about the tlme
4:20 p.m., rushing the victims to the * P:rescue i
hospital and giving artificial respire- n' _ ,
lion en route, police said.
Ocean Isle Beach police officers >**
James Stewart and Tommy Allen But by the time tr.
drove the boys' mother, Linda ^n^er- '
Streeter of Rockingham, and her s M
four-year-old son to the hospital. According to tri
Following the incident, rescue first person to r?
squad personnel suggested Ocean cries was Jerry
7
I
f1
'dge Plans
Since the 1979-80 fiscal year, the DOT has spent $913,075
in repairs or replacements to keep the Sunset Beach
barge bridge in operation, Garrett said. Garrett also
presented the following yearly figures on maintenance
costs for the present Oak Island high-rise bridge crossing
the Intracoastal Waterway, similar to the bridge that is
recommended for Sunset Beach: 1979-80 fiscal year,
$554; 1980-81, $44.95; 1981-82, $905; 1982-83. $1,008.74 and
a303-04, $330.
Richard Edwards, a member of the Sunset Beach
Volunteer Fire Department and permanent resident of
tho iclanH aaiH a WrtK r!n? V'Ollld Hprvnrtment
in response time. Installing a satellite station on the
Island, as one resident suggested, would be too expensive
for the department, he added.
" t here have been some instances iliat 'nave occurred
in the past four years that have been pretty scary," Edwards
said. "During the last hurricane, it did bother me.
(See SUNSET, Page 2-A)
aconh
apy 26 Pages ^
I
Rate Will <
59.5 Cents I
sly a joke, to test tion program when funds ran out. Ex'e're
very serious," pansion of South Brunswick High
rd worked diligent- School, where enrollment exceeds
e down." capacity by about 35 percent, would
smmissioners said not come until the third year, followwith
the budget as ed by construction of a primary
aid, "I feel like we school in the Supply area to contain
uch. We're not ad- overflow in the western district,
things we should Also, in a resolution aimed
primarily at the county schools and
for the budget as Brunswick Technical College, the
county has indicated it wants these
I Board agencies to adhere to its residency
tax increase com- requirement for new employees and
it proposed, the that it will consider compliance when
f uuniu ui c.uuv:u- ucuug on lunaing requests.
operating budget Commissioners expressed concern
sed by at least $1 that providing enough funds for the
first phase of the four-year construchalf
of its capital tion plan would encourage the school
was tentatively board to expect similar contributions
ever, the J450.000 in the future, though the funds might
riated if the federal not be available,
program is refund- Other Cuts
for another year, Other cuts included two of 10 posir
1?and if the two tions requested by Sheriff John Carr
can agree on cer- Davis?a jailer and a detective
(See COUNTY, Page2-A)
want to meet with
to discuss its con'SSSTJSi
Paper Publishes
if possible Early Next Week
iderstand it, we re '
d to that four-year Since there will be no mall
Chappell. "We're delivery next Thursday, July 4th,
i them without rais- The Brunswick Beacon will be
need to think about published a day earlier next
Jim Poole agreed The newspaper will go on sale
ler Frankie Habon in racks Tuesday and will be
ask voters if they delivered to local mall
lillion construction subscribers Wednesday.
.larify the county's In order to publish a day
ig. earlier, all news and advertising
ill them there's no deadlines will be at least a day
going to do it next earlier next week. Deadline for
we did this year." real estate advertising is 5 p.m.
Friday, June 28. For all other
ow, the plan calls advertising and contributed news
on of IJncoln then items, the deadline is noon Monschool?work
first day, July 1.
in earlier construe
> Or Longer
ovc emergency ac- Pulaski, Va. f
ft was low tide, said Mayor Bullaid
the idea wasn't ington, when he dashed into the surf,
scue wnaH has no However, he was nearly dragged
vehicle and could under by the weight of the children
>nly at low tide, he when he tried to pull both to shore at
ssways would have once
uent intervals to be ,, . .... ? . .
He brought the smallest boy
ashore, then returned (or the other.
CAMA regulations While Jackson turned his attention
yway," he added to the second boy, a Pittsboro resiet
with the rescue dent, Jarnes Arthurs, began addirectors
Tuesday ministering artificial respiration to
members' coocerns the younger child.
*1 said there was no But Jackson couldn't find the older
ssistance available brother, the mayor said after referrthe
boys called for ing to the police report. About 15
quad personnel ar- minutes later a third bystander spotted
the child floating face down in the
rnty of people there water.
and who cbd help Gurganus said that Ocean Isle has
* boys reaked they a b^teVrecord in retard to drowning
was Just too late, ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
lifeguards are provided,
le police report, the Police operate a roving strand
ispond to the boys' patrol at Ocean Isle, policing litter
r Jackson, 38, of violations and other strand activity.