CountPr
BY RAHN ADAMS
For the first time ever, property in
Brunswick County was worth more
than $4 billion, jumping $134 million
in the past year, according to county
tax officials.
The county's total valuation for
1988 is $4,012,381,682, up from
$3,878,181,440 in 1987.
That rise?combined with last
year's four-cent property tax rate
hike?reflected a $2,479,878.45 in
Bolivia Woman
County's First
Traffic Fatality
A Bolivia area woman became
Brunswick County's first traffic
fatality of the year Tuesday when she
died in a two-vehicle wreck near
Southport.
Thomasine Hicks Randolph, 42, of
Route 2, Bolivia, was dead at the
scene of the 8:05 a.m. mishap at the
intersection ot the Carolina Power &
Light Company access road and N.C.
87, said Highway Patrol Trooper
W.H. Thompson.
He said Ms. Randolph, a security
guard at CP&L, pulled her 1980 Ford
Thunderbird onto N.C. 87 into the
path of a 1982 Chevrolet van driven
by Virginia Ellis, 36, of Southport.
Not wearing a seat beat, Ms. Randolph
was thrown from her car and
suffered severe head injuries. Ms.
Ellis and her 13-year-old daughter,
Christie Ellis, suffered only minor injuries.
No charges were filed in the wreck.
According to the trooper, witnesses
said Ms. Randolph pulled onto the
v;ghway without stopping first.
Thompson said the Thunderbird
was a total loss. He estimated
damage to the van at $5,000.
In another local accident, a Supply
man was injured Saturday when his
car crashed near Bolivia. According
to Highway Patrol spokesperson
Ruby Oakley, the wreck happened
Saturday at 1:30 p.m., 4.6 miles south
of Bolivia on U.S. 17.
James Kenneth Johnson, 22, was
iicducu suuui wiien ius 1900 mercury
ran off the right side of the road, then
veered back across the highway and
struck a tree, Ms. Oakley reported.
She said Johnson suffered nonincapacitating
injuries and was
taken by ambulance to The
(See TRAFFIC, Page 2-A)
Schools ir
In Settien
BY SUSAN USHER
Brunswick County's school system
stands to receive approximately
$50,000 in compensation for losses
that resulted from the rigging of bids
to supply breads from 1979 through
1985, according to state Deputy Attorney
General John Simmons.
The windfall figure is based on
preliminary calculations and was to
be checked by the division's accountant
this week.
"That's a nice chunk of money,"
said Simmons. "That's a lot of
bread."
Red
151 auoAiN uanisn
A vote is expected today (Thursd
tion proposed for the State House of R
which Rep. E. David Rcdwine (D-Brur
handful of contenders.
In fact, Redwine believes the post
may be more important than ever,
given the wounds among House
Democrats following the unseating of
longtime speaker Liston Ramsey.
While the new posts of party
leader and whip have not been defined
yet, Redwine sees the majority
leader post as one of fairly high
visibility and with a broad range of
responsibility, as that of a facilitator
who works with the speaker to communicate
the Democratic position on I
to communicate with the Senate.
I
'operfy Vah
crease in the county's 1988 tax levy to
$22,064,561.71. The tax rate is 54%
cents per $100 valuation.
Carolina Power & Light Co. again
was the largest taxpayer in
Brunswick County, accounting for
more than one-fifth of the county's
tax base.
CP&L's property, which includes
the Rrllnswirir Nnrlppr Prpippt npp?
Southport, was valued at $803.5
million in 1988?up $25.1 million from
[ nni
KPRI ivGF'OftT jvj]
9
>x*
FIREMEN PREPARE TO BATTI
morning blaze that destroyed the
residence on U.S. 17 at Thomasboro.
Weekend
BY RAHN ADAMS
A Thomasboro residence was
destroyed Saturday in a blaze that
fire officials said could have been
contained if more water had been immediately
available.
About 35 firefighters from six local
volunteer fire departments responded
to the 9:50 a.m. Saturday fire at
the Jimmy Pierce residence on U.S.
17 at Thomasboro, according to
Brunswick County Fire Marshal
Cecil T.ogan.
Pierce and his wife, Flora Neil,
escaped the blaze without serious injuries.
However, their two-story
frame house, two automobiles and all
but a few of their family's possesi
Line For $
lent Of BaiThe
local school system is one of 27
city and nine county systems in
eastern North Carolina to share in
the $1.2 million settlement reached
with Fox's Holsum Bakery in Wilmington,
Franklin's Baking Co. Inc. of
Goldsboro, and its subsidiary, Dainty
Maid Bakery Inc. of Kinston and
American Bakeries Co., formerly of
Rocky Mount and Fayetteville.
"I knew we had the potential of being
part of the settlement because we
were part of the investigation, but until
about six weeks ago I didn't know
for sure," said William J. Wilbur,
wine Still Ir
When Ramsey
ay) on a new posi- as snonlror tho nm
1 ?I"'
epresentatives for Democrats dissati
iswick) is among a Since that group j<
to seat Rep. Joe
of majority leader speaker, the post
.,^???| House moves inti
Redwine is tx
aE _ ? W members in both t
Other contendi
! \\ jfl to be Reps. Ann
^ Etheridge of Cart
-j. Redwine, who
? f tlie floor and late
redwine honored a commil
lartisan issues and result, he said, "I I
pected; I think I w;
jation
the previous year. The company's
1988 property taxes rose about 11 percent
to more than $4.69 million.
The 1988 "Top 10" taxpayers' list
also included, in order, N.C. Eastern
Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA),
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.,
Pfizer Inc., Cogentrix, Bald Head
Island Inc., local developer Odell
Williamson of Ocean Isle Beach,
Federal Paper Board Co., International
Paper Co., and Brunswick
*49254^
.s'.'.V,:"7V ? MSg*
' HI
-E the Saturday Marshal Cecil Li
t Jimmy Pierce area pictured on
According to Fire
I Blaze Destrc
sions were lost in the accidental fire
that started in an attached garage.
"When we got there, the garage
area was on fire, and it had burned
up to the side of the house," said
Calabash Volunteer Fire Department
Chief Jerry Prince, who added
that he and other personnel happened
to be at the fire station when the call
came in and were able to respond
more quickly than usual.
Both Logan and Prince said that initial
fircfighting efforts contained the
blaze that engulfed the garage, but a
limited water supply combined with
vrmuy vuiiuiuuno CctUdCU UIU IIIC IU
flare up again and rage through the
rest of the wood-and-brick house.
50,(XX) Win
series Bid F
food service director for the
Brunswick County Schools. "Then I
knew we were going to get it, but I
didn't know how much it was going to
be so I didn't tell anyone."
ouiuc uie ioou service uivision was
the loser in the bid-rigging, Wilburs
hopes the settlement sum will go into
its budget. "It should," he said.
The food service division is trying
to improve its financial situation this
year, with a goal of all school
cafeterias operating in the black and
ending the year with a sufficient
reserve with which to prepare for the
i Running F
was seeking election to his fifth term
st was proposed as a compromise with
sfied with Ramsey's leadership style.
lined with Rennhliean rpnrpspntetivps
Mavretic of Edgecombe County as
may assume new importance as the
) what Redwine termed "uncharted
:ing supported for Uie post by party
he Mavretic and Ramsey camps.
;rs for the majority leader slot are said
e Barnes of Orange County, Bruce
eret County and Toby Fitch of Wilson
seconded Ramsey's nomination from
r voted for him, said in doing so he
Iment made earlier to Ramsey. As a
think I came out as well as could be exill
have some kind of position. I've talk
$4 Billion
Electric Membership Corp
(BEMC).
The 10 largest taxpayers accountei
for more than $1.4 billion or about 31
percent of the local tax base, an?
more than $8.4 million or about 31
percent of the county's tax revenue.
The Top 10 list included two notabl<
changes from 1987. NCEMPA, <
cooperative of towns that own in
terest in the Brunswick Nucleai
(See PROPERTY, Page 2-A)
net
' iff
STAFF PHOTO BY RAHN ADAM!
ogant tiie fire started in the garage
the right.
Dys Home
"We got it (the fire) knocked dowr
then ran out of water," Prince saic
"In the four or five minutes we had t
wait, the wind picked up and caugh
the fire back up.:"
Until tanker trucks from other fir
districts arrived, the closest wate
supply was a hydrant about fiv
miles away in Calabash, Ixjgan saic
No county water lines and hydrant
are located on U.S. 17 south c
Shallotte.
Lug a ii indicated that the hcus
might have been saved if "an abui:
dance of manpower and an abur
dance of water" had been availabl
from the start.
(See WEEKEND, Page 2-A)
Hfnll
jigging
coming school year.
Getting 'Better Price'
The bid-rigging investigation of th
bakeries came about, said Wilbui
because "some of us (school food sei
vice directors) felt others were gel
ting a better price."
Simmons said each school is t
receive lt4 times its actual loss a
damages. The balance of the judgt
ment reflects a $50,000 civil penalit
levied against each and $15,000 i
state legal costs assessed each defer
dant.
(See SCHOOLS, Page 2-A)
;or House I
ed with the speaker and he understr
did."
Still, he added later. "If doing
right thing to do hurts you politic!
have to."
Redwine said he and Mavretic
and have had offices next door to
years. However, they have landed
several major issues in recent year
tax reform and nuclear waste sitinj
Redwine, like other legislator!
will happen next or what his role w
feels that the House, the "las
Democratic Party in the state, has
core."
Describing as something like "a
said the hurt feelings will have to hei
never do so.
He views the change of leade
10 Largest Ta>
PROPERTY OWNER
Carolina Power & Light Co
. N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Age
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co
Pfizer Inc
Cogcntrix
Bald Head Island Inc
Odell Williamson
Federal Paper Board Co
1 International Paper Co
Brunswick Electric Membership C
> - ; '. , k^SSsSa
Authoritie
| Arson In C
Restaurari
I No arrests were reported Tuesday
in connection with a suspicious fire
that damaged a seafood restaurant in
tj Calabash early Tuesday.
1 Trawlers restaurant, located near
| the intersection on N.C. 179 and Ivey
High Street, sustained no more than
$100 in fire damage, according to
?, Brunswick County Fire Marshal
Cecil Logan. However, he estimated
thai up to $i,0u0 in water damage was
done as a result of firefighting ef*
forts.
Logan said late Tuesday morning
that the cause of the fire had not been
determined, although it was possibly
arson. The case is under investigation
by the Brunswick County
Sheriff's Department and the SBI.
Calabash Volunteer Fire DepartMARINA
STILL ON \
Shellfish I
it
: In Lockwc
BY DOUG RUTTER
The ever-changing status of
j sheilfishing in Lockwood Folly River
took a turn for the better last week
when the lower section was temporarily
opened to the harvest of
oysters and clams after 10 days of inactivity.
Following analysis of water
samples, state officials last Friday
re-opened shellfish harvesting in
Lower Lockwood Folly River. The
section opened includes waters
downstream of a line running from
Genoes Point on the west bank to
Gore's Landing on the eastern shore.
That area of the river had been
closed to sheilfishing since Jan. 3
when heavy rains and the resulting
run-off caused increased counts of
fecal coliform bacteria, a naturallyoccurring
organism used as an indicator
of pollution,
e Bob Benton, supervisor of the state
shellfish sanitation branch, said
> water samples taken last Wednesday
t- were well below the critical bacteria
level. Results of additional samples
o taken Tuesday, however, were not
s available at presstime.
>- In addition to the lower section of
y the river, Benton said waters
n upstream have shown recent signs of
i- clearing up. "Overall, it's looking
better than it has in the past," he
said.
Majority Lea
inds why x aia what I potential for a bet
"Whether tha
what you feel is the part on whether i
illy, then it will just young, aggressiv
ranks," he said."]
are personal friends thing, it will have
each other for four But not so if n
on opposite sides of hands of a few, on
s, including property Redwirie expe
i- lines in the Housi
>, isn't certain what fewer divisions all
ill be. But he said he coalitions to eme
t bastion" for the issues.
: been "Shaker to its If anything is i
party discipline,
i big family fight," he stronger party am
al and that some may "This is prob
ever experienced,
rship as having the Friday afternoon.
4
:payers For '88
VALUATION TAX AMT.
$803,590,056 $4,694,783.93
incy. 231,173,320 1,352,363.92
213,098,639 1,161,387.58
50,447,364 295,117.08
43,748,642 255,929.55
24,846,841 145,354.10
26,279,722 143,225.29
24,627,920 134,235.82
24,286,840 132,363.30
orp.. 22,702,636 124,564.36
s Suspect
Calabash
it Blaze
ment was dispatched to the blaze
Tuesday around 2:15 a.m., Logan
said. According to a sheriff's department
report filed by Deputy Don
Stovall, the fire was called in by an
unidentified woman.
Stovall's report stated that the
restaurant was secure when
Margaret Mary Christy of Carolina
Shores closed the business and left
Tuesday around 1:45 a.m. The fire
started against exterior woodwork on
the north side of the building.
Tin c: 1 1 " -
Tviicii iireuieu arriveu on LI 10
scene, the woodwork, which
decorated the cinderblock and cement
wall, was burning, Logan said.
The fire was extinguished before it
could spread to the interior of the
building.
IOLD
kin Lifted
xxf Folly
In the second half of 1988, the lower
section of Lockwood Folly River saw
very little shellfishing action as it
was shut down entirely in late
August. With the exception of a twoday
period in November, the closure
remained in effect until midDecember
when the waters and
shellfish were once again determined
suitable for harvest.
Included in the area opened last
week are shellfish management
areas at Galloway Flats, Spring
Branch and Drum Slough, all of
which will remain closed to clamming.
In a related matter, shellfish
sanitation officials will continue conducting
a door-to-door survey in the
river basin areg through the rest of
this week, according to Brunswick
County Health Educator Joanne
Caldwell.
The purpose of the survey, she
said, is to check potential sources of
river pollution such as septic tank
systems, point source discharge problems
and additional sources which
may be contaminating Lockwood
Folly.
Also, action on a state environmental
permit application which would
allow construction of a marina on
Lockwood Folly River remains in
limbo.
(See SHELLFISH, Page 2-A)
der
ter system to evolve, not an absolute,
it opportunity is realized depends in
jpportunities are created for the new
e leaders to move up through the
if it helps facilitate that it will be a good
been worth it."
ower is once again concentrated in the
ily "under a different name."
cts to see the same blurring in party
b as seen at the polls. He anticipates
ang party lines and instead he expects
rge based more on philosophies and
lione along party lines or if there is any
he expects the GOP to do it, as the
;1 more cohesive group,
ably the toughest political week I've
" he said just before leaving for home
"I hope next week is better."