Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Sept. 8, 1988, edition 1 / Page 1
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/ Fish Wort A trio of Holden Beach ang $5,000 Saturday, winning th King Classic with a 32.2-lb. photos are on Page 10-C. Twenty-sixth Year, Number 4 I *** --"" ^sgtiiafe/ * - < i;^ m'c" I v I #WlL \l , . "': W'k -: ^ .^ *.. : ^'V s ~i >- ' -*fc ^?. V ? "*' \\-T-- i"'- "* *'- ? c, * "'V *? v .V ' * .. "-:.t;.'~.? 1% ," , - -> . ~. Piaying i .lohn Lineberger of Dallas, N.C., dldi weather get him down. He just shovel kept cool while watching his kids play : Two Killed In Weekend Trc Two Shallotte area motorists died in separate traffic accidents over the Labor Day holiday weekend, with both fatal wrecks occurring near Ocean Isle Beach. A local teen-ager was charged with death by vehicle in one accident, while a Shallotte man was charged with driving while impaired in the other mishap. Killed in the separate wrecks were Eric Shawn Ingram, 16, of Ash, and William Elliott Tripp Jr., 24, of Shallotte, according to Highway Patrol spokesperson Ruby Oakley. The fatalities upped Brunswick County's highway death toll this year to 12, Ms. Oakley noted. By this time in 1987,15 motorists had died on county roadways. Ms. Oakley said the accident that claimed Ingram's life and injured PBS Films I A portion of community activist with local citizens concerned about t could appear on national television 1 A segment on Ritter will be part i pail "Conserving America" series 1 tion with the National Wildlife Fed producer and editor for WQED, Pitt most of Friday's meeting in the B Sunset Harbor. The show is tentath with the exact date to be announced "We're in trouble; our envirom neat thing about doing this series is something about it." Associate Producer Lisa Bibko heroes throughout America who ar coastline, with the message that ii ference. Lena Ritter was a Stump Sound when she learned of plans to develop tually led a three-year fight to save now by the state, and is currently Coastal Federation. The nonprofit cc involve citizens in efforts to conser coastal resources. Lena Ritter is one heck of a lad of what this series is about." UNC-TV in Chapel Hill is the sta x \ ?1 - - - : h $5,000 lers walked off with e South Brunswick Islands entry. The story and HQAG 8< SONS BOOK EINt PO B0^-SPRINGPORT MI 4 ?1988 THE BRUNSWICK BEACON - r . ***"?- _ , ^ f I V-'.W- ( I STArF PHOTO BY DOUG RUTTtR ft Cool i't let Saturday's somewhat sticky ed sand until he reached water and in the surf. ? Labor Day iffic Mishaps four others occurred Monday at 12:45 a.m., six-tenths of a mile south of Ocean Isle Beach on Gause Landing Road. A 1988 Chevrolet driven by James Eric Hughes, 17, of Shallotte, was traveling at approximately 70 mph when it went out of control in a curve, struck a tree on the right shoulder and overturned, Ms. Oakley reported. She said Trooper B.C. Jones charged Hughes with reckless driving and aeain Dy venicie. Jones estimated ' damage to the car at $12,000. According to Ms. Oakley, Ingram was a passenger in the right front seat. Hughes and three back-seat passengers?Paula Dee Gray, 18, of Shallotte, Shelley Carmen Gurganus, 16, of Ocean Isle Beach, and Tara (See FATALITIES, Page 2-A) Ritter Talk Lena Ritter's meeting Friday night he future of Lockwood Folly River ate next year. Df "Coastlines," the last in the four>eing produced by PBS in conjunceration, according to Gary Hines, sburgh, Penn., whose crew filmed runswick County Fishing Club at 'ely slated to air on Sept. 29, 1989, nent is in trouble," he said. "The i finding out that people are doing said the series focuses on local e working to protect the nation's ldividual efforts can make a difshellfisherman in Onslow County nearby Permuda Island. She eventhe island, which is partly owned president of the North Carolina rporation has worked since 1982 to ve and wisely manage the state's y," said Bibko. "She's the epitome te's PBS affliate. No Ordir Thursday wasn't an ordinary Winnabow, with three sibling Brunswick Community Colle list of all graduates, is or; P< Shallotte, North Carolina, Thi Varnam Results I BY RAHN ADAMS "I've given you as much credit as I :an," were Judge Lynn Johnson's carting words to Dale Varnam after she confessed drug trafficker receivsd a probationary sentence Friday in 3runswick County Superior Court. Johnson described Varnam's work .vith drug agents >ver the past 1% vears?one facor which kept 4 lim from getting in active prison: sentence?as "a ligh-water mark W, jerhaps unmat- j :hed in North i '^?/ Carolina." By Vamam inding that Varnam had provided 'substantial assistance" to investigators, Johnson was able to give he 37-year-old Supply area resident i lighter sentence than is required by state drug trafficking laws. Before the sentence was handed lown, Varnam told the iudee. "I iust vant to say I'm sorry, and that I'm villing to take whatever the court ilaces upon my shoulders." T ruesd< BY RAHN ADAMS A Florida couple who admitted supplying cocaine for distribution in Brunswick County received 18-year prison sentences last week in Brunswick County Superior Court. Jack Truesdale, 33, and his wife, Oonna Truesdale, 39, both of Ft. Myers, Fla., were sentenced Friday ay Judge Lynn Johnson. Their comained hearing followed the sentencing of Dale Varnam, who was one of two major cocaine dealers in Brunswick County that they supplied aetween 1984 and 1986 (see related story). In addition to the active prison Lime. Johnson ordered that hoth defendants received substance abuse counseling while they are incarcerated. He also recommended diem for work release. Asking the judge to give them 'substantial prison terms," District Activist T< Make A I BY SUSAN USHER "You can make a difference," North Carolina Coastal Federation President Lena Ritter told approximately 100 people gathered at the Brunswick County Fishing Club at Sunset Harbor last Friday night to discuss the future of Lockwood Folly River. Ritter was in Brunswick County to encourage local citizen efforts to organize a campaign to conserve the river for the harvest of shellfish. She urged them to demand local and state officials act to protect the river. A local group is being organized, with Annie Smigiel the president, Carson Varnam virp nrecirtonf and Ada McDonald, secretary. The group is in the process of establishing a board of directors, selecting a name and establishing a membership structure. After passing the hat Friday night the group had collected $319.74. While Ritter said after the meeting that the local group was "smart enough" to figure out what steps to take next and how to spend the # lory Day / day for the Longs of gs graduating from ge. Coverage, including a age 5-B. ursday, September 8, 1988 's 'Substc In Prober! Varnam's Sentence Varnaro pleaded guilty ir. April to 18 counts of trafficking in cocaine and 18 counts of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine?charges which carried a mandatory minimum sentence totaling 532 years in prison and a $3.8 million fine before they were consolidated by the state as part of the defendant's plea agreement. Of the 80 defendants who have been indicted on drug trafficking charges by special investigative grand juries in Brunswick County since June 1987, Varnam was charged with and pleadpH ?7111 It V t/~l fVin TT-1 net T? WV. WW Vllb IliUJl UllCllOCO ill" dieted last June by the first investigative grand jury ever used in North Carolina, he initially was charged with a total of 44 trafficking and conspiracy counts. After hearing defense testimony last week from 10 lawmen including Brunswick County Sheriff John C. Davis, Johnson sentenced Varnam to a $2,000 fine and a suspended 15-year prison term, with five years of supervised probation. Also, the judge ordered Varnam to perform 200 hours of community service work, to "in some way repay the ales Get A< "Thev <zhinne*rl nil il ? ? ? J w m mm I I Brunswick County, i caring where it wo: Attorney Mike Easley told Johnson, "They shipped all this poison up to Brunswick County, not knowing or caring where it was going," to support their own cocaine habits and to buy two Mercedes-Benz cars and several thousand dollars' worth of jewelry. According to Mrs. Truesdale, the couple "liquidated" their assets after their arrests to pay debts. They have also filed for bankruptcy, she said. While both defendants apologized for their offenses, Mrs. Truesdale ad si Is Group Difference I money, she did add that personally she would start socking money away "because if the state doesn't do what they're supposed to do, I would see them in court." Among those present Friday night by invitation was Glen Peterson, a Leland attorney who lost his bid for the State House of Representatives earlier this year. During the campaign he had offered to help if the local people needed him, he said. Vamam. who is also on the Coastal Federation board, told the group he'd been working the river for more than 40 years. "We have a lot of development and a lot of pollution, but I still believe we can work together and work out our problems." Closure Boosted Concern Lockwood Folly currently yields 10 percent of all commercial shellfish landings in the county, and is also popular with recreational fishermen. Last month, following the sudden closure of an additional 153 acres of shellfishing waters in the lower portion of the river, about 50 citizens met at the fishing club and collected ku Hllvaic tcouiig ui me Owners Keep Property owner groups met So Beach and Holden Beach to d day. The respective stories are 5-A. 30 Pages Plus Insert intiai Ass Won, $2r(X citizens of Brunswick County for ch your past misdeeds," Johnson said. 181 As part of his probation, Varnam is Co not allowed to possess or use any con- re' trolled substance, and he is not allowed to associate with individuals who de. use illegal drugs. In addition, he is re- bu quired to supply breath, urine and bu blood specimens for testing on a fa' regular basis. be Johnson explained in open court &>' that he handed down the proba- for tionary sentence due to the defen- be1 dant's high degree of cooperation " with the state and the personal tes danger that Varnam would face if he Shi were imprisoned with individuals he 'as implicated in various drug investiga- be1 tions. str District Attorney Mike Easley told fry the Beacon after the hearing, "Ob- str viously the state's position was dif- (ferent, and we asked for a substantial aS? prison term, but that decision is sei always the judge's." mi! Closing Arguments R? In his 15-minute closing argument Sh; Friday morning, defense attorney me John Collins compared Varnam to * pirate Jean Laffite, who was pardon- Pr' ed by the U.S. Government in ex:tive Prison in lis poison up to ] ii di( not knowing or Co " ve 5 going. ] ?Mike Easley ag District Attorney ^oi su mitted, "The things that Mr. Easley ve said about drug traffickers are so int true ... I didn't care; I never gave it da a thought. But I am so ashamed that I in could do anything that would hurt ( another life." the In August 1987, Jack Truesdale for pleaded guilty to 11 counts of con- Str spiracy to traffic in cocaine and six wil counts of trafficking in cocaine, ac- re; cording to the Brunswick County ell Clerk of Court's office, Mrs. Ag Truesdale pleaded guilty last August Tr to four counts of conspiracy to traffic - ( It Can =or River I waters. They were suspicious, in part, that the latest closure by the state was related to a 50-slip marina proposed nearby for the Lockwood Folly golf and housing development, but Division of Marine Fisheries Director William Hogarth Friday said the two things were unrelated, but that "tne timing was bad." Channel Side Corp.'s pending request will be considered by the N.C. Office of Coastal Management as soon as the sewage treatment plan is completed and reviewed by the Environmental Management Commis- i sion. i Work Through System "You have got a big problem in B Brunswick County with polluted B waters," Ritter told the group ^ gathered Friday. While outside another 30 or so people, including several candidates for public office, listened through large screened win- jj dows, she stressed,"But I think if you ^ understand the process and use it, m you can make a difference." r Ritter was speaking from ex- (e (See RITTER, Page 2-A) th ing Posted turday at both Sunset iscuss the issues of the ; on Pages 2-A and 25c Per Copy istance X) Fine ange for help during the War of 12. Later in his remarks, however, llins noted that Laffite eventually iurned to piracy. 'We're here to sentence a cocaine aler, and he (Varnam) is nothing t a cocaine dealer," Collins said, t quicky added that Varnam "has ten extraordinary steps to come fore the court and pray for slyness . .. nc nas womea nara the state for a year and a half, and 's done well." "he attorney mentioned defense itimony by Brunswick County eriff's Det. Mike Speck, who said it Thursday, "He (Varnam) said d helped put the drugs on the eet, and as long as he could, he'd to help take them off (the eet)." lollins pointed out that Varnam's iistance to the state resulted in izures worth $1% llion?including the $1.2 million sort Plaza shopping center in illotte? and "hundreds of indictnts." le also pleaded that an active son sentence of any length would (See VARNAM, Page 2-A) Tprms IW cocaine. Both were among 32 individuals in:ted in June 1987 in Brunswick unty by the state's first special instigative grand jury. [n keeping with the couple's plea reements, Johnson last week coniidated the Truesdales' charges ;er finding that both provided bstantial assistance to instigators. Until that finding, each lividual charge carried a mantory minimum sentence of 35 years prison and a $250,000 fine. )n Aug. 29, Agent David Waller of : Florida Department of Law Encement and SBI Special Agent ;ve Surratt testified as defense tnesses. The sentencing hearing sumed Friday afternoon and in ided testimony from SBI Special ;ent Corey Duber and Mrs. uesdale herself. [See TRUESDALES, Page 2-A) \ 4 ' C*via^ STAFF PHOTO BY SUSAN USHER ENA RITTER, president of the ,C. Coastal Federation and a comunlty activist, urged area sidents to "band together" to proct local shellflshing waters such as e Lockwood Folly River. V
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Sept. 8, 1988, edition 1
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