Trojans Roll On
After a 39-7 romp over White
Oak, West ^r\ \ I
Brunswick
for the
state 2-A ( tQJ
crown Vv \
hosting the
Jordan-Matthews Jets of Siler
City. Kickoff's at 8 p.m. For
more on the match-up, read
Pages 8-B and 9-B.
Lockwood Folly
I Pit/or
mirci i\57UJJCl 13
A crowd of shellfishermen was
expected at sunrise Wednesday
when the lower Lockwood Folly
River was scheduled to reopen to
oyster and clam harvest on an
early low tide.
Much of the area has been closed
since August, but after
another week without local rainfall,
shellfish meat and water
samples tested at acceptable coliform
bacteria levels.
Open are areas below a line
that runs from Genoe's Point on
the western bank of the river to
the east shore near Gore's Landing,
according to the state proclamation
issued Tuesday morning.
Only one management area,
Galloway Flats, will be open to
harvest, as provided for in an
earlier proclamation, said
Marlene Varnam. "That was nice
of them to Ho that " sha nHrloH
Still closed are other management
areas, upstream waters of
the river, the Davis Creek area
near Long Beach and the Intracoastal
Waterway.
Thanksgiving
Service Set At
St. Brendan's
A local tradition continues Sunday
as the Interchurch Council
sponsors a community
Thanksgiving service at St. Brendan
Catholic Church on U.S. 17
southwest of Sliallotte. All Christian
people are invited to participate
in the prayer service,
which begins at 4 p.m.
Refreshments and fellowship
will follow, according to Rev.
John Richardson, pastor of St.
Brendan The Navigator.
Holden B
BY DOUG RUTTER
Holden Beach is getting a new town
administrator,
Ulrich, town ||fff rjkj
manager of
Garner for the W/* *-(
past 17 years. He x '' J k
will begin work St * |j?
on Jan. 9, 1989, y? /flj
with a starting R&..
salary of $32,500. ?S
C o m m i s - ulrich
sioners agreed to hire Ulrich, who
hnc 9J voa ro nf munininol rtr\%
<uu M< j\.u>o Ui Iiiuiuv.ipai guvci II"
ment experience, on a unanimous
vote following a 45-minute, closedsession
interview Monday morning.
Although Ulrich will start out as
town administrator, his title may
change to town manager shortly
Oyster
BY DOUG RUTTER
Oyster kills occurring locally in the
Shallotte and Lockwood Folly rivers
are not expected to result in the
closure of any shellfish beds.
State fisheries officials believe recent
oyster fatalities which are occurring
sporadically from Brunswick
County through the Morehead City
area are being caused by the protozoan
Perkinsus marinus, which
flourishes during periods of high
salinity and high water temperature.
"We do not foresee closing any
waters owing to this problem," said
Dr. William Hogarth, director of the
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.
14 Perkinsus is nnt harmful r\r
dangerous to people, and all live
oysters are fit for the table."
Not only is it safe for humans to eat
live oysters from the areas affected
by the organism, there is also no
noticeable difference in taste, according
to Mike Marshall, chief of the
state's fisheries development section.
The oyster mo.tau.ics reported in
i
I
1H0A6 & SONS
PO
SF'R I NtiF'OK T
1983 THE BRUNSWICK BEACON
Twenty-seventh Year, Numh
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FRIDAY'S EBB TIDE uiicoverec
Ocean Isle Beach.
Four Shri
Accident
BY RAHN ADAMS
i/ocal fisherman Joe Furr was too
sore to go shrimping Friday morning,
but he was well enough that
afternoon to salvage the boat that
had dumped him and three other men
into the ocean off the western end of
Ocean Isle Beach the previous day.
"What should have been a short
trip turned into a long one," Furr
said, referring to the quartet's experience
last Thursday in the chilly
waters off Tubb's Inlet.
The four men included Furr, 58,
and Carlos Dick Thaggard, 44, both
of Shallotte, Glenn Statton, 64, of Concord,
and Grady Byrd, 49, of
Asheville, according to Brunswick
County Emergency Management
Coordinator Cecil Logan.
Logan said all four men showed
symptoms of hypothermia?a sub
normal lowering of body
temperature and were taken by
emergency personnel to The
Brunswick Hospital near Supply for
treatment.
According to Furr, all but Statton
were released last Thursday. Statton,
who has an artificial leg, remained
hospitalized Sunday after having
each Hires
after he begins work. The town plans
to hold a referendum early next year
to determine whether the voters want
to switch from the existing mayor/council
to a council/manager form of
government. Town commissioners
have already indicated their support
of the switch.
Mayor John Tandy said Ulrich will
likely become town manager if and
when the town charter is amended to
allow the board to hire one. He also
said the salary would probably not
change when that occurs.
Ulrich, 57, a native of New York
state, grew up in the small,
crossroads community of Outlaw's
Bridge in Duplin County. He and his
wife, Marit, have tw.o children. Their
26-year-old daughter, Helena, lives in
Fayetteville, while their 25-year-old
* Quality Nc
the past few weeks led the state to
gather oyster samples in three
coastal areas including Lockwood
Folly River, said Marshall. Lab
results received Nov. 4, he noted,
identified the cause of the problem as
Perkinsus marinus, a microscopic,
single-cell animal also known as Dermo.
Referring to the growth and spread
of the organism, he said, "The
critical time is the fall of the year.
This warm temperature in the fall
allows them to reproduce."
Marshall added, "Organisms can
survive with this organism in their
bodies quite well until the organism
begins to grow and reproduce rapidly."
Although the protozoan is known to
experience periods of growth and
reproduction when water
temperatures and salt content are
unusually high, Marshall said,
researchers have not been able to
identify how the disease gets started.
"Really," he said, "it's a matter of
the environmental conditions we
have."
t
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12/31/99 f
BOX 162 lgg
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>er 2 Shallotte, North Caroli
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Joe Furr's 23-foot Harker's Island boal
mpers Survi
R. a -v n n t
iMear Subb:
suffered a mild heart attack during
the ordeal, Furr said.
The fisherman said his 23-foot
Marker's Island boat capsized last
Thursday around 1:30 p.m. as the
men were attempting to enter Tubb's
Inlet. They had been shrimping in the
area for about 5M> hours, he added.
He explained that their problems
began when a wave broadsided the
small vessel about one-quarter of a
mile from shore. The boat tilted
dangerously in the water, but its
opened shrimp nets kept it from cap
sizing unui li was strucK by a second
wave.
"Everybody put on life jackets and
got the heck out of there," Furr said.
He noted that strong, west-to-east
currents made swimming difficult.
He and Byrd swam to safety about
200 yards east of Ocean Point. Thaggard,
however, stayed behind to aid
Statton, whose handicap kept him
from making as much progress in the
water as the other men.
Ocean Isle Beach Volunteer Fire
Department First Responders,
Ocean Isle Beach Police, Calabash
Volunteer Rescue Squad, Logan, the
U.S. Coast Guard and other rescuers
Town Admi
son, Gus Jr., lives at home in Garner
and is currently trying to earn his
way onto the Professional Golfers
Association Tour.
According to Mayor Tandy, commissioners
have talked with Ulrich
throughout the 2M>-month search for
a new administrator. Ulrich said
Monday's discussion with the board
marked his third trip to Holden
Beach, although it was his first formal
interview.
Stating that Dec. 6 will be his last
day of work at Garner, he said, "I'm
going to jump right in January 9 (at
U/.UAM r> u\ ??
iiuiucn Dctiui;.
Ulrich said he was attracted to the
new position primarily because of the
location. Having spent time at Atlantic
Beach for the past 10 years, he
said he and his wife have always
>t Expected
"We do not foresee
any waters owing tc
problem."
?Dr. Willicu
Marine FisherU
Growth of the deadly organism, he
continued, will slow down when
water temperatures drop below 68
degrees or when coastal areas begin
to receive average or above average
amounts of rainfall.
A WPt winfpr hp srIHoH u/ill q!?ja
__ .. , >tv uuuuu, I' 111 UiOU
help the oyster population by diffusing
an abnormally high salt content
in the state's coastal waters. Marshall
said the protozoan can survive
in salinities as low as 15 parts per
1,000 milliliters, which he said is
average in many estuaries.
According to Marshall, "We have
seen oyster mortality similar to this
in the past." The state documented
similar cases in 1380, he said, but did
na, Thursday, November 17, lc,
Hb - -
V!'"
2|Pf^
STAFF PHOTO BY RAHN ADAMS
on the strand near Ocean Point at
ive Boat
s Snlet
answered the emergency call after
Byrd alerted a woman at Ocean
Point to telephone for help.
Logan said he used a loudspeaker
to request assistance from other
boats in the area before the Coast
Guard arrived. Some unidentified
fishermen in a 16-foot skiff rescued
Thaggard and Statton, who had
drifted about halfway between the inlet
and the fishing pier. The pair had
been in the water for at least an hour
before their rescue, Logan added.
The emergency management coordinator
said last Thursday's accident?the
second similar boating
mishap here in three
weeks?underscored his
department's need for a rubberized
surf boat that could be launched
directly from the beach strand. He
said he is investigating the possible
purchase of such a boat.
A Lumberton area man drowned
Oct. 24 when his boat capsized in
heavy surf off Shallotte Inlet. Two
companions were rescued by a U.S.
Marine Corps helicopter from Cherry
Point after the Coast Guard was
unable to reach the survivors due to
rough seas.
inistrator
wanted to move to the beach. He also
said his time at the beach has given
him an understanding of the issues
affecting coastal towns.
Referring to his position in Garner,
he said, "Also, I was ready to make a
change. Seventeen years, I think, is
long enough."
TTlriph coirl Via irill i?nnf
wutvti juiu lie n IU unuauj ICUb clL
Holden Beach, but that he eventually
hopes to purchase a home.
As town manager of Garner, Ulrich
has overseen construction of new
community facilities including a
town hall/library complex and a
public works service center. He was
also involved in the establishment of
a wastewater pretreatment plant
which reduced the town's treatment
costs by more than 50 percent, per(See
HOLDEN, Page 2-A)
To Cause SI
m Hogarth A?
3S Director
not identify the problem as Perkinsus
marinus.
Noting unusually dry conditions
that year, he said scientists believe
there is a correlation between
drought conditions and the presence
^,41- -f it.- ?
ctnu aueiigui ui uie urgaiusm.
Marshall said it is difficult to say
how serious the problem is, but
stressed that it affects only oysters
and no other shellfish or any finfish.
Barry Holden of Larry Holden's
Seafood at Shallotte Point said local
shellfishermen have recently found
quite a few dead oysters in Shallotte
River and that he can't remember
any previous kill as widespread.
"They've been finding right many
>88 25c Per Copy 36 Pa
Shallotte V\
Issue May
Second Rel
Shallotte store managers will like- i
ly have to wait longer than originally
expected before being permitted to
sell unfortified wines in town.
Despite overwhelming support in
last Tuesday's referendum for the I
sale of unfortified or table-quality
wines for off-premises consumption,
it appears the election itself may
have been invalid.
According to Bill Hester, administrator
of the state Alcoholic
Beverage Control Commission, the
state statute pertaining to election
procedure (G.S. 18B-601 (f)) appears
to prohibit wine referendums at the
time of a general election.
The statute reads: "No alcoholic
beverage election may be held on the
Tuesday next after the first Monday
in November of an even-numbered
year."
"It appears to me it's prohibited,"
said Hester, adding that he can recall
no alcoholic beverage elections held
in conjunction with general elections
during his 18 years with the state.
Andrew Vanore Jr., chief deputy
attorney general, also cited that
statute but would not give an opinion
on whether or not he believes the
election is valid. He said the portion
of the state statute limiting the dates
permitted for alcoholic heverapp
elections has been effective since July,
1985.
Alex K. Brock, director of the state
Board of Elections, said he knew of
no prohibition on times for alcoholic
beverage elections. After being told
of the statute quoted by Hester,
however, he said Hester was probably
correct.
Shallotte Mayor Jerry Jones,
meanwhile, said a local store
manager contacted him Tuesday
afternoon about the matter and that
he doesn't know what the town will do
next.
"I don't know what the next step is
for this," he said. "This is new to me,
too."
Jones said the town will probably
see what recourse it has before it considers
calling for another referendum.
Brunswick County Board of Elections
Supervisor Lynda Britt said
Tuesday she had heard nothing about
the possibility of the election being
invalid.
"I haven't heard anything here,"
she said, noting that when the votes
were canvassed last Thursday the
results were the same as originally
announced with 293 in favor of unfortified
wine sales and 145 against it.
"All we do when they request (an
election) is hold it," she commented.
"We hold them and we canvass them
and that's it."
Anxious To Sell
When contacted Tuesday,
managers of the four supermarkets
in Shallotte voiced their expected
disappointment that last week's wine
referendum was all for naught.
"That (unfortified) wine is what
kpllfickinn C
I iC^i ii 101 in i^ V.
dead oysters," he said, adding that t
most have been downstream near I
Shallotte Inlet and on top of the f
oyster rocks. "It's the least amount 1
of oysters in Shallotte River that's f
ever been." i
Unlike the red tide which caused 1
the closure of shellfish beds along 200
miles of coastal waters last winter, i
Perkinsus marinus will not prevent t
oystermen from harvesting. The red ?
tide, however, did not cause mortali- <
ty in the oyster population like this t
deadly organism.
Since the protozoan is transferred I
from oyster to oyster, Marshall said <
harvesting is actually encouraged as I
a means of thinning out the popula- I
tion and slowing the spread of i
disease. I
"If you go out and harvest the i
oysters and thin them out, there's 1
less of a chance of it spreading," he
said. "Right now, we're going to let <
the season run as usual." I
Marshall added that the effects of i
the deadly organism so far are very i
spread out, even within estuaries \
K
ges, 3 Sections, Plus Inserts
/ine Sales
Require
:erendum
everybody wants," said Hills
Manager Larry Fowler. "We were
wanting to sell it."
The other managers expressed
similar sentiments that?as the Nov.
B referendum indicated?a good
number of their customers want the
convenience of buying unfortified
wines without having to drive to
Ocean Isle Beach.
"I'm from Milwaukee, and i think
it (unfortified wine sales) is long
overdue," said Food Lion Assistant
Manager Jeff Lang. "I don't understand
why we can carry 14 percent
(alcohol content) and above wines
but we can't carry wines less than 14
percent."
Although all four stores planned to
offer unfortified wines if the referendum
passed on Nov. 8, the thrill of being
able to add the product to their
stock lists was shortlived for at least
two of the managers.
Both Fowler and Wilson's CoManager
Billy Greer said the owners
of their respective chains notified
them last Wednesday that the
referendum was invalid after checking
with state ABC officials.
"T'm Cliro WO WOiilH Kura
... WV..V n %- nave gunci 1
them (unfortified wines) in as soon
as possible," said Greer. "We were
really hoping to get the wines in
here."
Greer added that he was already
thinking about where the wines
would be marketed in his store until
he found out last Wednesday that his
planning was unnecessary?for the
time being, anyway.
Fowler said he tried to get inf ot ination
from Shailotte Town Hall last
Wednesday on how to apply for the
necessary ABC permit. However, he
was unable to get that information
from the town staff before the Hills
home office called with news that
there were no permits to be had, as
far as unfortified wines sales in
Shailotte were concerned.
(See WINE, Page 2-A)
Paper Publishes
Early Next Week
Deadlines for news and advertising
will be a day earlier next
week when The Brunswick
Beacon will publish a day early
for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Next week's edition will be
mailed Tuesday, Nov. 22, for
Wednesday delivery, since the
post office will be closed for
Thanksgiving on Thursday.
ueaaiine tor real estate advertising
for this issue will be Thursday,
Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. Deadline
for classified and all other advertising,
and news articles is noon
Monday, Nov. 21.
The Beacon will be closed for
Thanksgiving day, Thursday,
Nov. 24. |
i
I! os u res
ivhere it has had some effect. The
iroximity of shellfish areas is a key
actor is how the organism spreads,
te added, noting that it may cause
atalities at one oyster bed and have
to effect in another area just a few
lundred yards away.
"We don't know how widespread
t's going to be," he commented, adling
that the state will continue to
iample oysters and trace the spread
if the organism. "Only time will
ell."
Although the organism has been
found in waters fromDelawarp tn thp
[Julf of Mexico, Marshall said this is
the first time it has ever been identified
as causing widespread oyster
mortality in North Carolina waters,
in the past, the protozoan has been
ietected in waters near the Outer
Banks, but not in large numbers.
State officials have received most
of the information on the organism
trom nsneries experts in Virginia, he
said, where it has previously been
identified as the cause of oyster mortalities.
i