Sunset
BY DOUG RUTTEF
An earlier action taken to protei
surfers from jet ski operators may n<
of Sunset Beach in hot water.
Following a threat of legal action
Sunset Beach officials are now revi
adopted ordinance regulating the u
waters surrounding the island.
Town council will take up the iss
meeting after reviewing the jet ski c
state law which provided for it. The i
tion was briefly discussed at the c<
meeting.
Henry Satterwhite, who owns
Street near Mad Inlet, has threatene
because of the limitations on jet s
Sunset Beach Mayor Mason Barber,
not be reached for comment last wet
Sunset Beach or Charlotte.
First adopted last October and ai
sent form on Jan. 9, the ordinance pi
tion of a jet ski or similar device with
shoreline or any pier while the motoi
The restriction applies in the Atl
Twenty-seventh Year, Numt
HI fi
1 '
urn * b
Dredging contractors made good progr
at Sunset Beach, but not without causi
the end of Sailfish Street. A section of
dredging equipment, causing some lan<
Local Womai
A Bolivia woman was killed and
three other motorists were injured
last week in a three-car collision on
U.S. 17 in the Winnahnw area.
Beatrice K. Johnson, 61, of Route 2,
Brunswick CounL%
ty Coroner Greg
*" 'i A White. Cause of
Kllj^s ' death was multiBeatrice
Johnson pie injuries suffered
in the collision, he said.
Mrs. Johnson was well known in
Indicted O
BY RAIIN ADAMS
The director of Brunswick
County's computer services was
suspended without pay on Feb. 7, the
day after she was indicted for
allegedly forging a county check to
obtain more than $50,000 worth of
computer equipment for her department.
County Manager John T. Smith
said last Wednesday that Regina M.
McKeithan would remain suspended
until her criminal case is resolved.
On Feb. 6, a Brunswick County grand
jury indicted the 45-year-old Bolivia
resident on charges of forgery and
misdemeanor larceny.
It
i
Beach Residi
L cent to Sunset Bei
ct swimmers and and Mad Inlet be
)w have the Town from April 1 throi
Violation of
by a town citizen, punishable as pro
ewing a recently- with it a $25 fine p
ise of jet skis in of a citation.
Lawmen and
iue at its March 6 ordinance while c
>rdinance and the rescue,
threat of legal ac- In a letter to 1
Hindi's February terwhite requestc
amended so that i
property on Bay operators,
d to file a lawsuit
kis, according to Arguing that
Satterwhite could the state as a Cla
;k at his homes in ed for use by tin
regulating jet ski
mnnHr.rl In it<2 nn*. iCT hplipvp 1
ohibits the opera- bitrary, discrim
in 300 yards of the wrote, adding the
is running. Satterwhite,
antic Ucean adja- about 10 months (
t
o - oMS 1.'
HOW & - ^ ^
i* C\~s 'o A
Dredging Cau<
ess last week in the four finger canals
ng some minor property damage at
bulkhead was apparently struck by
1 to cave in on property owned by Jim
Dies In Wreck
her community as an extension
homemaker. Last fall she was
elected secretary of the Brunswick
County Extension Homemakers
Association and was nominated for
the Club Member of the Year Award.
Her death was the third fatality on
Brunswick County highways and the
second to occur on U.S. 17 this year.
By this same time in 1988, no traffic
fatalities had occurred in the county.
According to N.C. Highway Patrol
Trooper B.C. Jones, the fatal accident
happened last Thursday at 5:55
a.m. near the intersection of U.S. 17
and N.C. 87 at Bishop.
A 1972 Pontiac driven by Mrs.
official Is Su:
"It just depends on how the
charges come out," Smith said, in
reference to whether or not the director
would be dismissed if she is convicted.
Smith noted that county officials
would consider reimbursing her pay
if she is acquitted and her job suspension
is found to be "in error." She
was suspended without pay because,
said Smith, "1 look at suspension
with pay as being a paid vacation."
According to documents on file in
the Brunswick County Clerk of
Court's office, Mrs. McKeithan appeared
before a county magistrate
last Wednesday and was released on
i
?nf Threatens
ach as well as Tubbs Inlet, Tubbs Bay
tween the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
ugh Sept. 30 of each year,
the ordinance is a misdemeanor
vided by state statute and also carries
ayable within 72 hours of the issuance
rescue personnel are exempt from the
ingaged in law enforcement or ocean
tfayor Barber dated Dec. 13,1988, Satxl
that the ordinance be revoked or
t does not discriminate against jet ski
a jet ski is classified and licensed by
ss A inboard motorboatand is approv;
U.S. Coast Guard, Satterwhite said
s and not other motorboats is illegal,
his ordinance to be capricious, arInatory
and probably illegal," he
it he intended to "pursue the issue."
who wrote that he lives at the beach
)f the year, stated near the close of his
Shaiiotte, North Caroiina, T
* r*"'
SSSgffl&jP S?-?5^T ~. ~
Igji?
^ " * " -jffl
;es Damage
Vogler. The landowner said the aceid
out of town, but that the contractor
Charleston, S.C., has agreed to repai
also said the dredging project has gi
On U.S. 17 Nec
Johnson's husband, 63-year-old
Ulysies A. Johnson, was headed
north on U.S. 17, then turned left
across the median and southbound
lanes toward N.C. 87 into the path of a
1982 Oldsmobile driven by Josephine
A. Parker, 32, of Leland, Jones said.
He added that Parker's auto stuck
the Johnson car on the right
passenger's side where Mrs. Johnson
was riding. After the initial collision,
both vehicles skidded into a 1984 Ford
that was waiting to pull onto U.S. 17
from N.C. 87.
Johnson was seriously injured and
was taken by ambulance to New
Hanover Memorial Hospital in Wilmington,
where he was listed in fair
spended W
a SI.000 unsecured bond She is
scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 27 in
Brunswick County Superior Court.
The indictments allege that Mrs.
McKeithan stole a county check and
forged the names of Finance Director
Lithia Hahn and Clerk to the
Board of Commissioners Regina
White (Alexander) on it. Dated May
13, 1988, the $50,667.63 check was
made payable to I&B Computers of
Knightdaie.
Smith said last week that the
unauthorized funds apparently were
used to upgrade the computer services
department's equipment with
both hardware and software.
? Lawsuit Over
three-page letter, "I hope we don't los
reason for this whole area's existence. T
as a recreational area and a great man}
nent residents' income is based or. this f
m
''
*ri-~
A YOUNG JET SKIER enjoys wet actic
tic Intracoastal Waterway near Ocean !
summer.
hursday, February 16, 1989
i
^ , ^ ^ 4' "*
7 s
g
B
ol
d
^** 1{
STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG PUTTER
s
fl
h
ent happened last Monday while he was
, Marcol Dredging Company of North '
r the bulkhead and refill the lot. Vogler F
eatly improved the canals. y
h
ii
tl
ir Winnabow
s
condition last Thursday afternoon, a d
hospital spokesperson said. r
Ms. Parker and her two tl
children?one-year-old Travonna c
Parker and 11-year-old Travenus s
Grainger?were treated and released
from New Hanover Memorial, Jones o
said. The third driver?Jacqueline P. v
McCoy, 41, of Route 1, a
Reigelwood?was not injured. A
I.
Jones noted that both the Parker i;
and Johnson vehicles were total g
losses. The McCoy auto sustained
minor damage to its front end. t<
The trooper said last Thursday that c
charges against Johnson were pen- u
ding in connection with the accident.
'ithout Pay
The department finished the
1987-88 fiscal year about $20,000
under its $248,107 budget, according
to the county audit. However,
budgeted funds for operating expenses
and contractual services were
overspent by about $19,000.
The indictments followed an SBI
investigation that was requested
about six months ago by Bruaswick
County Commissioners.
Smith said he doesn't anticipate
any problems in computer services
as a result of Mrs. McKeithan's
suspension. The director's duties will
be handled by her assistant.
Jet Ski Regu
;c sight of the Mavnr Rarhar ca
his area exists several conversations
' of the perma- the letter. "He's begin
act." legal action," he told (
According to the t(
with the existing ordi
nothing to do with it s
k Attorney Mike Isenbe
problems with respec
allowed the town to re
, He did not go into 1
not be reached at his o
was no copy of the sta
Council members i
may have gone too far
but reached no conse
needs to be revised or
Several members
ordinance was to prot<
'"'SiiX- ocean and hinted that
beacon fin phoio needed elsewhere. Ma
in in the Atlan- tcnt ai0ng the beach w
Isle Beach last Councilwoman Mi
realiy don't see the to\
c rer Copy
White Tide' D
Gets Fou r-Ye<
A Florida man pleaded guilty to co- th
aine trafficking charges and receiv- su
i a four-year prison sentence last cc
eek in Brunswick County Superior af
ourt.
Lane Irvin Carter, 38, of Lawtey, pi
la., entered the guilty pleas last 1?
Wednesday to two counts of con- cc
piracy to traffic in more than 400 1"
rams of cocaine, according to the y?
runswick County Clerk of Court's
ffice. tii
Carter was one of 48 defendants in- sl
icted on drug trafficking charges cc
ist April by a Brunswick County in- 1"
estigativc grand jury in "Operation >'<
/hite Tide."
Following a brief sentencing hear- hi
ig last Wednesday, Judge Samuel si
1. Britt found that Carter had provid- cc
d "substantial assistance" to state li<
ivestigators. Tliat finding allowed y<
tie judge to impose a lesser sentence
han the mandatory minimum hi
entence of 35 years in prison and a si
250,000 fine per count. cc
Britt also ordered that the four- li<
ear term run concurrently with an >'
ight-year sentence Carter is now
erving in a Florida federal prison, ei
'ourt records show that Carter had P>
erved about 2'i months of the vi
aderal term prior to his sentencing
ere. Si
In another drug-related case heard
ast week, Ronnie Eley Ballard, 35, of si
toute 1, Leland, received a three- c<
Cki*? npidAn D.,K C -f*-- Hi
ecu pnouu ociaciltc VII rcu. U clllCi Ul
e pleaded guilty to possession with b?
itent to sell cocaine, according to to
tie clerk of court's office.
Court records indicate that three c<
ther cocaine and marijuana posses- c<
ion charges against Ballard were t?
lismissed as part of a plea agree- c<
nent. He received the presumptive ft
tiree-year sentence on the single eoaine
count; the possible maximum pi
entence was 10 years in prison. P<
Arrest warrants on file at the clerk Sl
f court's office show that Ballard P'
,as arrested Nov. 20, 1987, following A
n undercover investigation by N.C, li(
dcohol Law Enforcement agents at
.TD Lounge. He was indicted Dec. le
2, 1988, by a Brunswick County si
rand jury. y<
Also during the Feb. G through 8 fn
srm of Brunswick County Superior
ourt, Judge Britt heard the follow- pi
lg cases: w
Audie H. Ganey, guilty plea, hunCalabash
Board <
Calabash Town Council had to can
again Tuesday night when only the m
_1 1 _1 A. t II
snoweu up ai town nan.
Because it didn't have a quorui
meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 5:30 j
informal consensus that Councilman R<
resign. He was one of three council m<
According to town records, Pitting
taking the oath of office in December 1
been absent from seven consecutive m
Mayor Doug Simmons said Tuesds
board would help the town council, v
meetings due to not enough members I
us another chance of having a quorum
To conduct any town business, al
members must be present.
In addition to the mayor, Counciln
were present this week. Absent were
Stevens.
I
lation j
iid last week that he has had
with Satterwhite since receiving
ning to look like he's gonna take
:ouncil.
nvn attorney, there are problems
nance, but those problems have
ingling out operators of jet skis,
rg said the ordinance does have
it to the state legislation which
gulate jet skiing.
iirfhor doHil 1 -1 1 J
......... ...veil KIOI UIIU CUUIU
ffice for further comment. There
te legislation on file at town hall. > I
indicated last week that the town
in regulating jet skis in the inlets,
nsus on whether the ordinance
killed.
said the original intention of the
jet surfers and swimmers in the
, tough restrictions may not be
yor Barber said, "I think the inas
certainly a valid intent."
iry Katherine Griffith said, "I
vn going to court over it."
34 Pages, 3 Sections
efendant
ur Sentence
ig after hours, 30-day jail term,
isnended two years SSO fine rnnrt
ists, surrender N.C. hunting license
id not possess one for two years.
Phillip Warren Harrell, guilty
ea, hunting after hours, 30-day jail
rm, suspended two years, $50 fine,
mrt costs, surrender N.C. hunting
:ense and not possess one for two
:ars.
Sheila Harrell, guilty plea, hunig
after hours, 30-day jail term,
ispended for two years, $50 fine,
mrt costs, surrender N.C. hunting
:ense and not possess one for two
;ars.
Adnell Junior Hunt, guilty pica,
Juting after hours, 30-day jail term,
ispended for two years, $50 fine,
>urt costs, surrender N.C. hunting
:ense and not possess one for two
;ars.
Rudy B. Benton Jr., guilty plea,
inting after hours, 30-day jail term,
ispended for two years, $50 fine,
mrt costs, surrender N.C. hunting
:ense and not possess one for two
:ars.
Marc Dalton Causey, guilty plea,
nbezzlement, suspended three-year
rison sentence, three years of superised
probation, court costs,
2,931.12 in restitution to Thomas
apply Company.
Kobert Hicks, guilty plea, posseson
with intent to sell or deliver a
mtrolled substance, suspended
iree-year sentence, supervised proition,
$300 fine, court costs, $300 atrney
fees.
Michael Brown, guilty pleas, four
)unts of breaking and entering, four
>unts of larceny, three-year prison
:rm, work release recommended on
mdition that $5,645.79 be paid to the
iut prosecuting witnesses.
David Keith Iinville, not guilty
lea, found guilty, driving while imjired,
level five, 30-day jail term,
ispended two years, unsupervised
-obation, $100 fine, court costs,
DETS, surrender N.C. driver's
:ense.
James l^acy Dowless, guilty plea,
Qlfind fha tynana aP nr? >'1
ur 1115 1*1 IW DCCIIC UL ail UUUlUCIIl,
ispended one-year prison term, two
?ars of unsupervised probation, $500
ne, court costs, $250 attorney fees.
Seward V. Walters Jr., guilty
eas, reckless operation, hit and run
ith property damage, 30-day jail
(See DEFENDANT, Page2-A)
Zouldn't Meet
eel its regular monthly meeting
ayor and two council members
m, the board rescheduled the
i.m., but not before reaching an
)nnie Pittman should be asked to
:mbers absent this week,
in has missed 16 meetings since
.987. Including this week, he has
iee tings.
ly that replacing Pittman on the
/hich has a history of canceled
being present. "That would give
he said.
: least three of the five council
ten John High and Keith Hardee
Pittman, Landis High and Sonia
i