I Raisin' Fun
Brunswick Community Col
its second year, handing c
announcing its first endow
on the winners, the challei
rr
Twenty-sixth Year, Number
t m-M :
I
CHARLES WILSON II waits to vote
tion of Vaniamtown Tuesday mo
judge Mary Simmons, center, looks
list of registered voters. By 8:30 a.
8 'White Ti
Receive A<
BY RAHN ADAMS
With active sentences ranging
from four weekends to 25 years,
Superior Court Judge Samuel T. Currin
last week sent eight drug defendants
who were indicted in this
year's "Operation White Tide" to
jail.
According to the Brunswick County
Clerk of Court's office, the eight included
Kevin Benz, 29, Jeffery
Evans, 24, Christopher Corbett, 21,
and Ricky Caison, 28, all of Supply;
Richard Royal, 30, of Shallotte;
Charlotte McCumbee, 26, of Ash;
Cornelia Gonzalez, 52, of Miami,
Fla.; and William Williamson, 28, of
Fayetteville.
They were among 48 individuals ina?:i
? :? ? ;
uil'll'u in npm un cucauie anu marijuana
trafficking charges by
Brunswick County's second investigative
grand jury in as many
years.
During sentencing hearings last
Wednesday and Thursday in
Brunswick County Superior Court,
Currin determined that all eight
defendants had provided substantial
assistance to investigators, with his
findings based on testimony from
SBI agents who were involved in the
special grand jury probe.
A finding of substantial assistance
allows a judge to hand down a lighter
sentence than is required by state
drug trafficking laws.
Benz, who initially faced a manv
datory minimum prison sentence of
273 years and $1.85 million fine, was
sentenced to a 25-year prison term
and $5,000 fine. He pleaded guilty
June 27 to 15 counts of trafficking in
more than 28 grams of cocaine, four
counts of trafficking in more than 400
grams of cocaine and four counts of
trafficking in more than 100 pounds
of marijuana.
^ Ms. Gonzalez was sentenced to a
22-year prison term and $2,000 fine.
She pleaded guilty Aug. 30 to four
counts of trafficking in more than 28
- r i ?
grams or cocaine ana tour counts ot
trafficking in more than 400 grams of
cocaine.
Williamson, who is Ms. Gonzalez's
Man Charg
A Supply man was being held
without bond in the Brunswick County
Jail Tuesday in connection with
the stabbing death of his wife.
Pete Collins, 47, was charged with
first-degree murder after he was arrested
late Monday night at the couple's
Sellers Road residence, according
to Brunswick County Sheriff
John C. Davis.
Kulene Collins, in her 40s, was dead
when officers arrived on the scene
ids, Friends
lege's Foundation begins
iut awards and
ed scholarship. Details
nge are on Kage /-A.
IHOAG & SONS BOOK~i
f;Q<
- PRINGPORT MI 4.:
46 Si?m the Brunswick beacon
M i i
1 1 ' i
"fl^a
: on the incorpora- munity's 181 n
ruing as election right is Judy (
for his name in the greeted voters
m., 23 of the com- Church.
de' Drug Del
:tive Prison S
son, received a 15-year prison tern
and $1,000 fine, after he pleaded guil
ty last Thursday to six counts of tral
ficking in more than 28 grams of c<
caine, three counts of conspiracy t
traffic in more than 28 grams of ct
caine, two counts of trafficking L
more than 400 grams of cocaine am
one count of conspiracy to traffic ii
more than 400 grams of cocaine.
Evans was sentenced to an eight
year prison term and $5,000 fine. Hi
pleaded guilty June 30 to conspiracy
to traffic in more than 400 grams o
cocaine.
Royal received a five-year prisot
term and was recommended foi
work release after he pleaded guilty
last Wednesday to four counts of traf
ficking in more than 28 grams of co
caine and four counts of conspiracj
to traffic in more than 28 grams of co
caine.
Corbett was sentenced to a two
year prison term and also was
recommended for work release. H(
pleaded guilty in June to conspiracj
to traffic in more than 50 pounds oi
marijuana, conspiracy to traffic ir
more than 100 pounds of marijuans
and four counts of conspiracy to traf
fic in more than 28 grams of cocaine
Caison pleaded guilty last Wednes
day to five counts of conspiracy tc
traffic in more than 28 crams of no
caine. He was sentenced to an active
six-month jail term, with wort
release recommended; and ?
suspended 10-year prison term, witl
five years of supervised probation.
Ms. McCumbee, who pleaded guil
ty June 30 to conspiracy to traffic ir
more than 400 grams of cocaine, was
ordered to serve four weekends in the
Brunswick County Jail. Also, she was
given a suspended 10-year prisor
term, with five years of supervisee
probation.
Without a finding of substantial
assistance, the mandatory minimurr
sentence for a 400-gram cocaine trafficking
charge is 35 years in prisor
and $250,000 fine; 20-gram cocaine
trafficking charge, seven years ir
prison, $50,000 fine; 50-pound marijuana
trafficking charge, five years
ed With Mur
Monday around 11 p.m., Davis said.
The home is located just west of U.S.
17 near The Brunswick Hospital.
The sheriff added that the husband
had called Shallotte Volunteer
Rescue Squad, who in turn notified
the sheriff's department of the stabbing.
Collins was taken into custody
without incident.
Davis said the stabbing apparently
followed a domestic quarrel. The
woman suffered three stab wounds to
the chest and abdomen from a large
Come As
The scenario's familiar
league opener against i
But this time the Trojai
play Friday at home, P<
*frrv.
bindery i
<. ^i1/s9 111
i2'd4 mt mi
mm
Shallotte, North Carolina,
I- ' . 1 '
y I
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STAFF PHOTO 8Y DOUG RUT
egistercd voters had cast ballots. A
Jalloway, another election judge wh
at Dixon Chapel United Methodis
:endants
ientences
i in prison, $5,000 fine; and 100-pou
I- marijuana trafficking charge, se\
[- years in prison, $25,000 fine.
y Nine other drug cases?
0 separate from the special grand ji
y investigations?were disposed of d
n ing last week's term of Super
1 Court. They included:
T ?i TT-U n
W owitiy ucuiim Li, nuiuun DL'dl
two counts of sale of cocaine, gui
- pleas, six-year prison term and $5,(
; fine.
/ ?David Boyer, Orlando, Fla., thi
f counts of trafficking in cocaine, gi
ty pleas, substantial assistan
i found, five-year prison term a
r $1,000 fine.
t ?Tony Brown, Bolivia, felonio
- sale of marijuana, guilty plea, s
month jail term, work release recoi
mended, suspended two-year pris
term, three years of supervised pi
bation.
Stephen Dean, Shallotte, thr
counts of sale of marijuana, guil
r pleas, three-month jail teri
f suspended six-year prison ten
i three years of supervised probatio
t *Lori Busby, Southport, fo
. counts of sale of a control!
. substance, guilty pleas, suspend
. five-year prison term, three years
> supervised probation, $250 fine.
Weldon Paul Hewett, Shalloti
? possession of more than one-h;
c ounce of marijuana and maintaini
> a dwelling for keeping marijuar
i guilty pleas, two consecuti
suspended two-year prison tern
- one year of supervised probation, ti
i years of unsupervised probation, $5
i fine.
k Pn nAth Rfttuman oHrlro
aw>?4>w V1< u w niliuli) UUUI V
j unavailable, sale of cocaine, plead
i guilty Feb. 8, suspended three-ye
I prison term, one year of supervis
probation.
I 'Jerry Varnam, Southport, sale
i marijuana, guilty plea, suspend
two-year prison term, three years
i supervised probation, $100 fine.
. 'Freddie Hewett, Shallotte, misc
i meanor possession of marijuar
. guilty plea, suspended 30-day ji
! term and $100 fine.
der Of Wife
kitchen knife. The weapon was seiz
by officers.
According to Brunswick Coun
1 Coroner Greg White, the victin
body was sent Tuesday to t
I regional medical examiner's office
Jacksonville for autopsy. Tes
results were expected to be availat
Wednesday, he said.
s Davis said Collins made his fii
i court appearance Tuesday in Boliv
and was denied bond.
lain, Boys?
: a 3-0 warm-up and a
rch-rival East Bladen. / ?
is look to win when they
3ge 9-B. ^
Thursday, September 22, 1988
.
I Varnamto'
Say Yes' T<
iBY SUSAN USHER
Drizzling rain didn't keep voters in
the Varnamtown and Sandy Creek
communities from turning out in
large numbers Tuesday, with a solid
major of them saying "yes" to incorporation.
An official canvass will be conducted
by the Brunswick County
Board of Elections at 11 a.m. today
(Thursday). If the tallies are con
milieu cia cA|'ei;ieu, mesaay s voies
created the county's 15th and 16th
municipalities: the towns of Varnamj
town and Sandy Creek.
^ After the outcome of each referenda
dum is confirmed, the interim town
t boards will schedule organizational
0 meetings in their respective comt
munities.
A whopping 98 percent or 177 of the
"""* Varnamtown fishing community's
181 voters cast ballots at Dixon
Chapel United Methodist Church. Of
those voting, 102 favored incorporation
as the Town of Varnamtown and
75 were against the idea.
In northern Brunswick County, all
but seven, or more than 90 percent of
the 73 people voting in Sandy Creek
int* Acres favored creation of a new
en town.
Incorporation committee member
Marion Davis, who will serve as one
JI~y of Varnamtown's interim aldermen,
lir- - j t. ..
? saia ne was "never so surprised" in
lor his life as when he went to vote. With
nearly two hours remaining until the
polls closed, 150 people had already
voted. On Monday he and Rev.
Tracie Varnum, who will serve as interim
mayor, had estimated a total
ee
dice
Drainage Cor
HIS Vl^
? Support To A
~oBY
RAHN ADAMS
Brunswick County Commissioners
ee this week agreed to provide legal
ty assistance in the effort to reactivate
n, the Cawcaw Drainage District but
n, delayed action on the drainage
n. district board's request for financial
ur help.
ed All five county commissioners
ed were on hand for Monday night's
of 2Vi-hour meeting in Bolivia, which
also was attended by Drainage
te,
alf .
ed
\
of if \
x 11" r \ v%
!il s;'y \ *
fcir" . ?
c IT
ed ?,, -->* 'va>-'V
its STAFF PHOIO BY RAHN ADAMS
lie KENDALL BELLAMY, chairman of
the Cawcaw Drainage District
Board of Commissioners, listens to
st county commissioners' comments
ia Monday night after requesting action
by the board.
mm ?n .
SSI I The 1
Local pier fish
again last wa
/fT^LN spell. Details (
\ Page 10-C.
BEACI
34 Pages Plus Inser
wn And Sar
d Incorpora
turnout of between 100 and 150.
As did a recent fish fry to benefit a
local family, Davis said the high turnout
Tuesday, "goes to show how
closely knitted this community is."
While he's certain there were at
least several instances in which one
brother may have voted for and
another against incorporation, Davis
added, "They still love each other."
With the election now history, he
predicted that life in the community
would settle back to normal: "I don't
think anyone is upset. This community
is good about that."
Rev. Varnum's telephone line was
busy after Tuesday's referendum
and he could not be reached for comment.
Earlier in the day he had been
optimistic of approval, but noted that
there was some opposition.
Sandy Creek Wants Services
Ernest "Ernie" Grainger, chairman
of the Sandy Creek incorporation
committee, said he was "real
pleased" with the 70 percent turnout,
especially considering that it was
raining two-thirds of the day. The
community had 105 eligible voters.
"I was surprised we didn't have
any more 'no' votes than we had," he
added. "That's a very low percentage."
Grainger first began working on incorporation
four years ago, he said.
"At first there wasn't much interest,
but the people changed themselves.
Now they like the idea."
Grainger said residents are interested
in improved road
maintenance and possibly city water,
as well as statutes with which to enforce
restrictions now incorporated
rimissioners !
.id Reactivatit
District Commissioners Kendall
Bellamy, Wendell Bennett and Jennings
Edge.
Appearing before the county commission
for the first time since the
three-member drainage panel was
reorganized in February, Chairman
Bellamy asked for permission to
have County Attorney David Clegg
act as the drainage board's legal
counsel.
Bellamy also asked for the county
to loan the drainage board $5,000 to
cover the cost of mailing certified letters
to property owners within the
proposed new boundaries of the
drainage district, which is one of the
first steps in the reactivation process.
After conferring briefly with
Clegg, county commissioners
unanimously approved the drainage
board's appeal for legal assistance.
Clegg said he would represent the
Shallotte Cc
Robbery Inv
Shallotte Police still had no
suspects Tuesday in their continuing
investigation of a robbery which occurred
last week at Hill's Food Store.
The robbery was reported last
Thursday at 11:37 a.m., according to
Shallotte Police Chief Rodney Gause.
He said approximatey 10 Spanishspeaking
persons, who he described
as either Mexicans or gypsies,
entered the store and distracted
employees. The group included two
or three women, said Gause, and
ranged in age from their early 20's to
40's.
One of the women started arguing
wun a clerk, he said, which caused
the store manager to leave the office
in the rear of the store.
The manager was counting money
(ing Is Back!
ermen were landing kings
:kend after a long, dry
are in the Fishing Report,
'
t 25c Per Copy
idy Creek
tion
in deed restrictions and property
owners association rules.
While the new town of Varnamtown
would include an estimated population
of about 400, Sandy Creek would
have about half that number,
estimated Orie Gore Tuesday night.
Both towns plan to operate under
the mayor-council plan of administration,
but beyond that their
expectations differ.
Sandy Creek's town council will
elect the mayor from its membership
of five and the mayor will serve at
the board's pleasure. Council
members will serve staggered, fouryear
terms.
In Varnamtown, the mayor will be
elected by the voters to a two-year
term of office. The town's five
aldermen will serve staggered, fouryear
terms.
Sandy Creek's charter calls for a
proposed property tax rate of 30
cents per $100 property valuation;
Vamamtown's calls for a maximum
tax rate of 10 cents per $100.
Sandy Creek residents are eager
for the town to begin providing
municipal type services, according
to Grainger, while Varnamtown
residents favored incorporation in
part to protect the community's existing
character and independence in
the light of the rapid development
surrounding it.
Local bills providing for incorporation
of the two towns?each subject to
a favorable referendum?were introduced
by Rep. David Red wine and
adopted by the state legislature this
summer.
Seek County
_ m
Dn tttort
district "up to a point... to where
(the two boards') interests diverge."
When renewed discussion concerning
reactivation of the drainage
district began last fall, county commissioners
and local soil and water
conservation officials differed over
the county's future financial involvement
in the project. County officials
maintained that the district should
stand on its own, despite requests
that the county fund restoration and
maintenance of the 16Mi-mile canal
system located in southwestern
Brunswick County.
Bellamy told the county board
Monday that, if granted, the $5,000
loan would be repaid from property
owner assessments in the drainage
district. "It (the district) was on
sound footing before, and I certainly
believe it'll be on sound footing
again," Bellamy said, although he
(See DRAINAGE, Page 2-A)
>ntinues
estigation
at tne time of the disturbance and
placed it in an unlocked safe when he
went to see what was going on. When
the manager returned to the office,
he discovered a "large amount" of
money, cheeks and food stamps
missing from the safe, said Gause.
The chief said he believes one or
more of the group robbed the safe
while the manager was trying to
restore order. He said the persons
were probably not local.
Following the robbery, Gause said
police were looking for three vehicles
used by the suspects?a late model
black Monte Carlo with red
pinstripes; a white, two-door
Cavalier with black molding and
Canadian tags; and an early model
burgundy Camaro.
i