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Voiume 23, Number 36
m
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LARRY ARNETTE (left), the only "r
find new quarters for his roadside but
cil voted unanimously Monday night t
Peddlin
Sunset I
BY SUSAN USHER
The only regular roadside peddler
at Sunset Beach may soon be .opt.of
business if he can't find a permanent
home for his tailgate market.
Dubbed the "Shrimp Man," 1-arry
J. Arnette sells local seafood and produce
from the back of his truck,
which he parks beside Island
Grocery by agreement with store
operator Alan Russ.
However, Sunset Beach Council
members voted unanimously Monday
night to ban after August 1 peddling
of all "tangible personal property"
for any purpose other than support
of a charitable or religious
organization. The ban includes yard
sales as well as sales from wagons,
trucks, pushcarts, concession stands,
tents or other "movable
receptacles."
A violation is a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine of up to $60. 30
days iii jail, or both.
"It's unclear to me what I can do,"
Amette said Tuesday. "I've got until
the first of August to get my coolers
off the truck and against a building.
They don't want nothing
temporary."
Board members cited as reasons
for the ordinance concerns ranging
from appearance to competition with
established businesses.
Monday's vote came only after
rigorous questioning by Councilman
George Foster in defease of Arnette's
operation. Foster, appointed to the
board last year to fill a vacancy,
rarely speaks at meetings other than
to second a motion.
"Couldn't it be controlled with a
privilege license as well as by this ordinance?,"
he asked. "If I go into the
river and catch more fish than I can
eau am 1 a peddier ii i go into town to
sell it?"
Councilman Ed Gore replied that
the town had once had a privilege
license ordinance that had proved to
be "more or less a bookkeeping
Store <
BY TERRY POPE
A Shallotte convenience store clerk
took the witness stand in Brunswick
County District Criminal Court last
Wednesday and recalled how she was
draped lo the rear of the store by
her ankles and then forcibly raped at
knifepoint.
Following an hour of testimony.
Judge Jerry A Jolly of Tabc* City
ruled probable cause exists for the
first-degree rape charges filed
against Elwocd Pigott, 22. of
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Shallotte,
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Ob*
TUfir n
egular" peddler at Sunset Beach, must
siness before August 1. The town couno
ban commercial peddling in town, ing
Ban Mc
Beach Ta
nuisance" for a town as small as
Sunset.
The ban an .peddling, wouldn't prevent
fishermen with commercial
licenses from selling to wholesale
outlets, he added, only their selling
directly to retail customers.
Donald Safrit made the motion to
uuupi uie ominance, stressing to
Arnette that the ordinance was not
intended to single out any individual,
"but to keep it from happening
anywhere."
Before the vote, Arnette spoke in
his own behalf at Safrit's suggestion.
"Regulate me, but don't put me out
of business," he urged. "This is the
only way I have to make a living. Tell
me I have to have a privilege license
or tell me what I can do."
Until several weeks ago, Arnette
said he had been the only peddler
regularly selling within the town for
the past four years. Then a single
peddler hawking sandwiches to construction
workers on the beach drew
complaints.
At a recent town board meeting.
Town Administrator Wallace Martin
told the board he needed assistance
in regulating peddlers.
Monday, council members said the
issue had initially come up about a
year ago, with no action taken.
They defended the ordinance
before the vote, Mary Katherine
Griffith noting that established
businesses that pay overhead expenses.
property taxes and the like
"deserve some consideration" and
Gore expressing concern for the
town's appearance.
Rncc hac trtW Amolln
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up a lean-to or awning against the
grocery. But the grocery itself cannot
be enlarged for various reasons,
including a requirement io also pruvide
additional parking at the rate of
one space for every 100 square feet
But Adminstrator Martin, who is
also the town building inspector, said
any structure erected would have to
Ilerk Recall!
/
Mulberry Street, Shaliotte. The case
now goes before the Brunswick County
Grand Jury, which will decide on
July a if enough evidence exists to
indict Pigott on a charge of firstdegree
rape.
At the probable cause hearing last
week, the victim took the witness
stand for nearly an hour, answering
questions from both assistant district
attorney Wanda Bry ant and defense
attorney William Fairley of
Southport. The clerk was the only
JSW1
North Carolina, Thursday
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eluding yard sales. To Arnctte's rigl
I-each, who catch the shrimp he sells
ay Shut C
aauea, aescnmng ninvseit as a past
champion of local fishing interests.
Harrelson. 44. was appointed by
Gov. James Martin to serve on the
commission through 1991 and was
also appointed its chairman. A long
time friend, U.S. District Judge
Franklin T. Dupree Jr. administered
his oath of office at Harrelstm's first
EMC meeting Thursday in Raleigh.
Harrelson is owner of two
South port businesses. Harrelson's
IGA Grocery, and Harrelson's Appliances
and TVs.
He was one of four commissioners
appointed to fill vacancies, including
the seat formerly held by engineer
Jerry Lewis of Shallotte.
Some of the incite* hefnr* th*? r^m
mission aren't new to Harrelson, who
previously served in the early 1970s
s How She \
witness to testify at the hearing.
She told the court that it was early
Saturday morning. May 25. between
5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., when a man she
identified as PigoU entered the Oasis
Food Mart in Shallotte and stayed for
about 45 minutes before the alleged
incident occurred. The man
wandered about the stare, (Haying
video games and purchasing snacks
before the incident h?g?n she said
According to the clerk, she was
grabbed around the neck from
CK#
, July 18, 1985
lilgate M
be "permanent," not temporary-.
The fate of Arnette's business was
stiU In Umbo at the close of the
discussion, with Foster asking what
would prevent the dealer from selling
his shrimp from a cooler in front of
the grocery, as other businesses sell
items out front.
EMC Chai
BY SUSAN USHER
The new chairman of the state's
Environmental Management Commission
says he will seek to maintain
a balance between environmental and
development interests.
"We need to grow, we're going to
grow no matter what," said
Southport businessman and former
state representative Tommy Harrelson.
"It's a matter of how we're
going to do it. We have to look after
the rights of those who make their
living from the water.
"You have to balance their interests
with those of development.
We can't turn our backs on them," he
msanum
'r
STAFF PHOTO B* MATTHfW PlYltB
tit sit Kenneth Jackson and Marshall
town
arket
Arnette said he believed there were
"personal interests and business int'-n
st.s" l>ehind the unanimous vote.
With a predictable 3-2 split common
on most major votes, a
unanimous action is a rarity for the
board with its current make up.
(Related Story. Page 2-A)
rman Will Se<
on the House Air & Water Committee?including
a stint as its vicechairman.
That committee had a
hand in creating many of the laws the
division and commission now deal
urilh
The commission's responsibilities
include the setting of the state's environmental
policies and levying
penalties for violations of enviroruTiental
regulations.
Harrelson said he supports the
EMC's move last week to regain
authority it has delegated in past
years to the staff of the Division of
Environmental Management,
Department of Natural Resources
and Community Development.
As one example, supporters of the
move cite delegation of authority to
the director of the Environmental
Management Division to issue air
and water quality permits. Permits
on projects with major environmental
impacts on the state have been
issued without the involvement of the
commission or with involvement only
at a late stage in the development of
a project, as in the location of an
aluminum smelting facility in the
state.
"My question was. Why did you let
it happen?'" Harrelson said Monday.
He attributed the decline in powers
to the Hunt's Administration's success
in getting the EMC to transfer
powers to state employees
A/as Dragge
behind and dragged from the
cashier's counter before stumbling
over displays and falling on her back.
After she hit the floor, the alleged attacker
then slapped her. grabbed her
by the ankles and dragged her to the
rear of the store, where she was
raped, she said.
"I was begging hxxn to leave me
alone,*' she recalled "I said, I've
got two babies at home.' "
While holding back tears, the clerk
then testified that she offered to give
KAC(
:9S5 THE BRUNSWICK BfACON 25C P(
No Mot
Susped
Rural SI
BY SUSAN USHER
Investigators have a body, but no
motive and no suspects in the Friday
morning slaying of a man whose
body was found in a stable near his
home on Route 1, Winnabow.
The body of Matthew Donald
Spaulding, 51. was found in the horse
barn about 11:30 a.m. by a family
member, said Phil Perry, chief of
detectives for the Brunswick County
Sheriff's Department. He had receivniJ
milHmln mtncVin* ??J 1 _
cu iiiuivipiv guiioiiul dllU SUIU YYUUUUS.
"It's one of those cases where
we're going to have to do a lot of digging.
We're going to be talking to a lot
of people.
"It's not an open and shut case," he
continued. "Now and then you run
across one with no motive, no
suspects. This Ls going to be one of
them."
Spaulding had been shot with a
small-caliber weapon, at least
several times in the body and
possibly once in the head. Perry said.
Also, he had shallow stab wounds in
the collarbone area of both shoulders
that Perry said they appeared to
have been made with a small, rounded
object, rather than a knife.
The weapons have not been identified
nor located. Autopsy and
ballistics reports had not been
received as of Tuesday morning.
Sheriffs officers and SBI agents
are investigating the murder. At
times as many as a half-dozen
sheriff's officers will be on the case.
Petty said. He and SB1 Agent Tim
Batchelor were working the case
together in the field Monday.
Perry said Spaulding left home
Friday morning at his normal time to
report to his maintenance job at
ek Balance Ol
While NRCD Secretary Thomas
Rhodes described the the commission's
decision as an "embarrassment
to me and and to the governor."
HarreLson said he doesn't read it that
way.
"It's not a slap at the governor.
The EMC should act like an independent
body," he said. "I think they're
trying to become men again."
The commission adopted a resolution
Thursday calling for Secretary
Rhodes and Director Paul Wilms to
provide specific information on the
authority they now hold and for a
review of delegated authority.
It might be impossible for the commission
to take on review of all air
and water quality permits, he noted.
"It would be so time-consuming if
we have to act as judge and jury, digging
into permits. We would have to
stay up there full-time.
"There are some who would like
that, but those of us who work fulltime
can't do that," he added.
Along with examining its own
responsibilities, EMC representatives
will join those of other state
agencies that control aspects of
development in Beaufort on July 23,
be said, to discuss where their
responsibilities overlap and where
gaps might exist.
Working on the commission won't
be dull. "It's not boring at all," Harrelson
said. "It's pretty exciting."
*d, Beaten, I
the man money from the cash
register and to not call the police if he
would leave her alone, but he replied,
"No, I don't want that. I'm going to
get what I want," she added
"He pulled out a knife and said, 'Do
you want some of this? Do you want
sane of this"" and he shoved it
against my neck," she said
She described the knife as an "Old
Timer," one like her father uses for
fishing, with about a five-inch blade.
The dtrk said she was not cut with
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Carolina Power & Light Co.'s
Brunswick Nuclear Plant near
Southport. When he didn't arrive, his
employer began calling.
A friend noticed Spaulding's truck
at the stable, about 100 yards to 150
yards from the Spaulding residence.
With a row of trees in the line of vision,
however. Pern- said the truck
parked in front of the barn could not
be seen from the house.
A family member discovered the
body.
But by the time sheriff's detectives
and SBI agents arrived, rescue squad
workers had removed the body from
the scene, taking it to Dosher
Memorial Hospital in Southport.
County Cornoner Tommy Gilbert
told the sheriff's department
Cna..Mir.n K?-l J 1 * '
upiiuiuuiK now 1A.CII UCttU UUUUl IUUI
hours when his body was discovered.
Town Creek Volunteer Rescue
Squad had been called, but it's ambulance
was broke down and
Southport Rescue Squad responded
instead. Sheriff John Carr Davis
said.
In the meantime, Perry added, a
Town Creek volunteer had arrived
and, noticing what appeared to be a
vital sign, begun CPR.
"Once you've started CPR, you're
bound to continue," said Perry.
Spaulding had retired from the
U.S. Navy after 22 years of service.
He had been employed at the CP&L
plant approximately six years. Perry
said.
To his knowledge, Spaulding had
no known enemies. There was no
evidence the stable had been used as
temporary shelter.
"We just don't know," said Perry.
F Interests
H0CD Ptoro ?T MM *&
FORMER REPUBLICAN Kate
repre-eniativf Tommy Harrises of
South port was sworn into office as
chairman of the State Eovfroomeotal
Management Commissioner
Thursday by UA District Court
Judge Franklin T. Dupree Jr.
Raped
the knife
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scared I didn't say any mare," she
added
She sakJ the defendant then had
sexual intercourse with her while
holding the knife to her neck and was
preparing to leave when he heard a
noise outside He then ordered her
not to call the police, she said, ad
-"**5. ltoi ui |HIMI uawe aiiu
I'm not going back. I'll kill you if you
(Sec STORE CLERK, Page trA)
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