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THI
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Oys ters
At
It's Oyster Festival time again,
tsliuuis Chamber *?f Commerce meml
quests at the increasingly popular eve
The sixth annua! festival begins Sa
Beach at 8:30 a.m. and then moves to;
tion at the Ocean Isle Bcacli/Sunset I
Seaside. There the focus will l)o on t
clock in competition and served up ra\
you-caiveat quantities. This year's
flounder, and for the first time, steam
Director Anne Marie Schetiini. For s
dogs, ice cream, snow cones, dornsts
various booths.
One event will be missing from i
pageant will be rescheduled later in tl
Added to the line-up is a second da
sites. More than 60 arts and crafts and
be open again on Sunday afternoon.
Th?> clnniKar W-wl
noon. Ms. Schcttini said, but has run
gospel groups need un in-tune piano, s
help, but so far no one has agreed to
aftenioon.
Volunteers have stepped forward t
after the festival, though. Hoy Scout T
clean-up detail, joined by Girl Scout Tr
Bellamy's tourism and marketing das
will staff food and beverage services.
It's going to be a great festival,"
over the new location and its pussibilit
A program and complete schedule
tabloid supplement inside this issue.
IN SANITATION SWITC
Shallofte To 1
Contract Witt
BY SUSAN USHER
Shallotte residents could begin
quietly rolling 90-gallon plastic trash '
containers to the curb as early as f
November.
Town aldermen narrowed their
choice of sanitation vendors to one
...... . . .. . . i.
ihsi weuncsaay mum and began final lnegotiations
with Chambers (
Development Inc.
Mayor Jerry Jones said if negutia- s
tioas pr?xeed smoothly, a contract e
could be signed this month, i would v
hope we could switch over by Nov. t
1st," he said. "I don't think it will be *
any later than December 1."
Timing of the switch-over will do- ^
pend in part on when a contract is v
completed. Town officials estimate it 1
will take about two weeks notice to 1
prepare residents for the change.
Hoard members had been b
negotiating privately with two other >
firms as well, Waste Industries and I
Brunswick Refuse.
Wednesday, they voted unanimously
to "begin contract negotiations" 1
with Chambers on a motion by Alder- c
man David Clause, contingent upon r
reaching a mutually acceptable con- I
tract. They'll be negotiating from a '
tentative contract price of $55,007.40. 1
"Based on the services and bids
received, I think we hardly have any 1
choice except lo go w ith Chambers." ^
said Alderman Wilton Marrclson. c
"There was a substantial difference
in bids with almost identical 1
service." 1
Chambers, with its nearest office
in Conway, S.C., serves Ocean Isle
Beach and Holden Beach and recentQ<
i
. V- i
I.EO JOHNSON JH
I
Shcillotle. Nor
Star
esfival
which means South Brunswick
Jims are gearing up to entertain
II.
turday with foot races at Holden
i now rain-or-shine covered locaHeacli
Market on N.t\ '.KM near
he oyster shucked against the
v. in cocktails, or steamed in allmenu
will also feature fried
ed ckinis, according to Chamber
nackers. seafood samplers. hotand
popcorn will be iffered at
this year's line-no. The oueeo's
ic year.
y of activity ;it the main festival
food Ijootlis set up Saturday will
ring gospel tnusic Sunday after*
i into problems. The choirs and
he said in a last-minute plea for
loan one to the chamber for the
u help run boot lis and to clean up
roup No. 287 will bo back on the
oop No 859. Students in Harriett
s at West Brunswick High School
predicted Ms. Schettini. excited
lies.
is included in a special festival
:?!
Negotiate
1 Chambers
They're going to get bet
er service than fhey'vt
lod "
Mayor Jerry J one
y signed a contract with Coluinhu
'ounty.
Town Attorney Mark I-ewls was t
end su?!gested revisions to a propo<
d sample contract to Chamber?
villi the firm expected to meet wit
he board at its next session on Ocl
5.
According to Mayor Jerry Jones
lhallottc residents will get better.sei
ice Irom a private vendor tha
hey ve received of late through th
own.
"We haven't always lived up to on
igrecinent during the past tw
cars," he added. "We've not alway
>rovided twice a week pickup."
I^ewis recommended the tow
idopl an ordinance requiring use c
he 90-gallon roll-out containers an
arLs the vendor would provide t
csidences and small businesses a
>art of its contract. Large
msinesscs would In* required to hnv
lumpsters.
"I feci like it will work well if w
an get the people educated," sai
I ones. "It's no big job to roll tli
art"
The firm is to submit its propose
oute schedule at least two weeks i
idvance, the board tins suggestci
(SeeSHAl.Mrrri:, Page2-A)
Johnson Jc
As Bank Bi
The sixth largest hank in the stab
Southern National Hank of Norl
"arolina, luis announced plans I
establish an office in Shallolle an
his appointed Leo Johnson Ji
Brunswick County executive.
Southern Natioiuil has opened
business development office at Pr
nenadc Office Complex in Sliallott
jntil its branch office opens i
January. Plans call for the branch I
lie located at the corner of llwy. !
ind Smith Avenue at Twin Oret
Chopping Plaza
Johnson, wlx> is operating out <
the business development office, sai
the Shidlotte location "serves as
link between Southern National o
Flees in Wilmington, Whiteville or
Llie CI rand Strand."
"""Ill
... flf I
tin Carolina. Thursday, Otlob
r,; . . .
At Oyster Roc
Huleigh Dixon, resident statesman foi
makes sure Nancy Wilson of Southport
condiments she wants. Dixon says he h
the church over the past 20 to 25 year;
organizing the church, located at Varna
are inside this issue.
Russ, Edge E
> ATAAC Direct
s
A slate of four candidates for two
director's seats drew a large proxy
s vote at the Atlantic Telephone
Membership Corp. annual meeting
0 Saturday, where W.T. (Rusty) Russ
Jr. and Jennings Edge were elected
? to three-year terms,
h ATMC Member Relations Director
t* Percy Woodard said l,GOO proxy
votes were cast, along with votes by
? the 430 members who attended the
event at West Brunswick High School
n at Shallotte.
c While proxy votes were up by
several hundred from a year ago, acir
tual attendance was down slightly.
0 Russ, of Ocean Isle Reach, won the
s District 4 seat and was the top votegetter
of the race. He received 1.460
n votes to Shallotte Point resident
Ho/ell Hewctt's 546 votes. Both were
(1 nomiiuited by petition for the seat
0 and both are former county cornmiss
sioners. The co-operative's candidate
r for the seat, incumbent Elbert
c Pigott, resigned shortly after his
name was put in nomination. Russ is
e service director at Jones Ford in
Shallotte. District 4 encompasses
|C Sunset and Ocean Isle Beaches,
Seaside, Cause Uinding, Brick Landing
and Shallotte Point comn
munities.
I. Ill llw nktrinl > ro,..,
Edge of Thomasboro received 1,323
?ins Southern h
Tinch Announc
c, Johnson has Ihmmi associated with
li United Carolina (tank since ile
to was transferred last month to IJCB's
id asset-based lending, department in
r. Whitcville.
A Brunswick County native,
a Johnson is a graduate of UNCJo
Wilmington and eai tied a bachelor of
le science degree in business adin
ministration with a concentration in
to accounting. He also completed Ixnii17
siana State University Banking
k School in 1984.
He is active in many community
organizations such as the Slia lluttc
of Lions Club, Wilmington Masonic
id Ixxlgc 319, BrunsntCK y Shrine
a Club, Cape Fear Council of Hoy
?f- Scouts of America where he serves
id as vice president and received the
IflRfi Silui?r Hc:iVi i !ni rtril nrifl lln?
?.
01 9. 1906
. g '
'-- \
> \
jst Saturday
the Dixon's Chapel Oyster Konst
has all the oysters, fried bread and
ns helped out at every roast held hy
5. His parents were instrumental in
mlow n. The story and more pictures
am
ors Seats
votes to Linda Wallers' 682. She is
from Bonaparte's Retreat II. Edge
was appointed in May to fill the unexpired
term of .1 C. Stan.aland, who
retired. Edge owns Edge Construction
Co. District 2 includes Carolina
Shores, Hickman's Crossroads,
Thomasboro, CJ rissettown,
Longwood and Began communities.
Buss and Edge will each serve
three-year terms.
Following the annual meeting, the
directors re-elected Carol Danford as
president and Douglas Hawcs as
secretary-treasurer. Charles Mills
was elected to succeed I .ester Babson
as vice president. They will serve
one-year terms.
Woodard said registration and
vote-counting both flowed more
smoothly than last year, with the
meeting .starting on time and ending
at approximately 9:30 p.m. Votes had
been tabulated by the close of the intermission
that followed screening of
a 4b-minute multi-image slide program
on North Carolina.
"It ran as smoothly as you could
expect." said Woodard. Faster
modems (or (he computers used to
verify memberships sped up
registration, as did advanced
registration and receipt of proxies
before the meeting.
Jcitional
:ed Here
South limns wick Islands Chamber of
Commerce where he Ls a hoard
member and past president.
He serves as a board member and
on the executive committee of both
the Brunswick County Resources and
Development Commission and the
Brunswick County Economic
Development Corporation
Johnson has two child It n, James
U-o 111 and Susnnnc. He is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. 1 ao Johnson Sr. of
I .eland.
Southern National, the hank he will
head in Brunswick County, lias 101
branch offices in 44 cities and towns
in North Carolina and assets of $1.5
billion. Headquartered in Lumberton,
Southern National was founded
ill 1897.
i/Lnvi
25c Per Copy
Sunset Bea
Restaurant
By A Youn
? tu/tikiimir. <iir.viiir.il
A 'funny-looking" young man who
ordered a $12 shrimp dinner at tinItalian
Fisherman restaurant in
Sunset Beach Monday night never
paid his check and didn't leave a tip
Instead, after eating part of the
meal, he approached restaurant
owner Bonny Rotunda at the cash
register, asked for his check, then
pointed a small derringer at her.
She gave him the contents of the
drawer, $647.38, and lit left, without
attracting the attention of employees
or the few diners in the restaurant.
Untllllft'l cni<l T.toc.lrav tho O-.-l
a strange look on his face when he
came in. and paused when she asked.
"One for dinner?" Then he said
"Yes," and she seated him at a table
facing the window. "He asked me if
he could go to the butiu 00111 fir st. and
when he came back lie sat down facing
me." she said.
Several waitresses were in the
vicinity when the man entered,
Koturula recalled, but a little later.
Testimony
Thomas Lo
BY MARJ0R1E MEGIYERN
Aflcr five and a half days spent
selecting n jury lo Brunswick County
Superior Court, lawyers gave brief
opening arguments and settled dovsr.
Tuesday to testimony in the trial of
Thomas tang for the March 25
snooting death of his estranged wife,
Annette.
The 53-year-old 1/eland man lias
been charged with first degree
murder of Mrs. tang and with
assault with a deadly weapon with intent
lo kill on former Brunswick
County Commission Chairman Cyril
"Franky" Thomas.
The seven-woman, five-man jury
heard testimony Tuesday from
Thomas and from Pender Burke, a
friend of Mrs. tang who was visiting
her the night of the shooting. Dr. Darrcll
Tackett of Wilmington who
treated Mrs. Long in New Hanover
Memorial Hospital moments before
iivi uvmu, iiiiii iici. nicnura ourgess
of the Brunswick County Sheriff's
Department.
In early April, Thomas related the
events of March 23 to The Beacon. He
said he went to Mrs. Long's apartment
at No. 2 Brunswick Place in
Olde Towne, at her invitation. He explained
that he had been seeing her
socially for a few weeks, a circumstance
known to Long.
When he arrived at her home that
night, the woman who owned the
house where Mrs. Long lived was giving
her a permanent, Thomas said,
and Pender Burke was also visiting.
Judge Gree
After Mondi
District .lodge Ix?e J. "Bubba"
neurological intensive care unit at
Hill after undergoing surgery Monti
County.
Greer was on his way to tl
Klizabethtown. according toTroopci
Maxima collided with a pickup truck
Elizabethtown, on secondary road 1
The driver's side of Greer's car
Greer was rendered unconscious
through the windshield. Efforts t(
hydraulic equipment required a hal
The judge was taken to Bluden
there shortly after to Chapel Hill
Memorial Hospital spokesperson sa
ternal injuries.
Greer, who lives in I-ong Beach
plcollnn this Nov J in Ihn hr?t?r?U in 1
eludes Brunswick, Columbus nnd 111
December, 1983.
Walson was charged with dr
dangerous speed, Rayrior said. 11
Hospital for minor injuries.
?
52 Pnges Plus Insert
ch
Held Up
g Diner
she* was alone in Uie room, with most
other customers having left.
"He asked for his check, and I turned
around to look for it When I look
ed around he hud this little gun
painted at me." she said. I asked
him, Are you sure you want to do
this''' and he said. Yes. Maam,' so I
gave him the money and he left."
She described him later to Sunset
Beach police as a tall, white man in
his early 20s, with shoulder-length
blond hair, wearing blue jeans and an
oxford shirt, lie weighed between 1U5
and 200 pounds, she estimated.
"He didn't look crazy or anything,
but he might have been on drugs,
because his eyes looked dilated," she
noted.
After fleeing the restaurant, police
think he drove a pickup truck north
on Hwy. 179 toward Seaside, according
to officer Chuck Yeager. He luis
not yet been apprehended, and
Sunset Beach police arc asking for
any information regarding someone
answering the man's description.
Begins In
>ng Trial
About 11 p.m.. Thomas said he and
Mrs. Ixing decided to go to a nearby
grocery store Cor snacks and got Into
his car.
As he started the car. lie said, he
heard someone corning from behind
it and rolled down his window. Long
appeared at his window with a gun.
and Mrs. Long jumped out of the car
and was thrown to the ground and
shot. Thomas said.
Thomas quickly backed his car out
of the drive, then was shot in the neck
and shoulder, but kept driving tie
proceeded to his home in Wilmington,
where he tried telephoning
Mrs. Long, but found her line out of
order.
fie said he then went to New
Hanover Memorial Hospital, arriving
moments before Mrs. Long was
brought in. Shortly after 2 a.m. as a
bullet front a 257 Magnum was being
removed from his shoulder, he was
told of Mrs. Long's death.
Det. Burgess testified that he found
the gun in long's lsuzu truck shortly
after his arrival on the scene that
night. He then transported Long to
the Brunswick County jail in Bolivia.
The next day. Mar. 26, Burgess
returned to the scene in Olde Towne,
accompanied by Capt. Phil Perry ,
l.t Sonny Padgett and Sheriff John
Carr Davis, all of the Brunswick
County Sheriff's department. He said
they made a thorough search of the
yard, driveway, nearby roads and
I .ong's truck.
t See TESTIMONY, Page 2-AI
r 1Critical'
ay Accident
Greer is in critical condition in the
N.C. Memorial Hospital in Chapel
lay following an accident in Bladen
lie Bladen County courthouse in
r J.K. Raynor, when his 198?' Nissan
driven by Kocky 1 ,ee Watson, 18, of
700 Just south of Elizabelhtown.
tctciwu uwj greatest impact, and
when the truck's fender crashed
) remove hint from the car with
f hour. He was wearing a seatbclt.
County Hospital and airlifted from
I, where Cynthia Ijiyton, a N.C.
iid he suffered severe head and in,
is an unopposed candidate for rethe
13th Judicial District, which inadon
counties. He was appointed in
iving without caution and at a
e was treated at Bladen County