Holden Be
BY DOUG BUTTER
Holden Beach officials are well aware there's some
opposition to a proposed change in the town's form of
dnvprnmnnf Hid dill - -?*?- ?:n 1
0..?..u..vm, wuv on 11 UC11CVU VUIC15 Will SlippUl'l iUC
switch to a town manager format in a referendum next
Tuesday.
Town commissioners, who have pushed hard for an
amendment to the town charter since last fall, are confident
that voters will approve the proposed switch
from a mayor/council to council/manager format, according
to Mayor Pro Tern Gil Bass.
"We feel like it will pass," he said. "There are a few
t-y
Twenty-seventh Year, Number 25
NEW COUNTY PARTY CHAIRMAN Gleu Peterson
(right) talks with fellow Democrat Tom Simmons durRESOLUTIONS
ADDRESS DRUG
Peterson Heads i
Tells Convention
BY RAHN ADAMS Republicans made
Unaccustomed to the comeback since 1972 by swee
trail, Brunswick County Democrats commission race
have taken their first steps toward seats formerly helc
revitalizing the local party by han- the 1990 election, t
ding the reins of leadership to a slots on the countj
former chairman. by Democrats Gr
Leland attorney Glen Peterson, Benny Ludlum?wi
who headed the party six years ago, Redwine remind!
was elected by acclamation to his se- a statement report
cond two-year term as chairman snrina'e mimtv nr
Saturday. He replaces W.A. "Bill" in 10 years no D
Stanley of Shallotte, who did not seek elected in Brunsw
re-election to the post he has held for challenge to us is
the past two years. doesn't happen," 1
"We've got to bring all our people added that Democi
back in," Peterson said, urging afford to have "c
grassroots involvement in every themselves, due to
precinct. "We can't afford to wait a in the county,
day longer. We need to start now." Walton blamed c<
Approximately 200 local local party's dowri
Democrats attended the three-hour problem, and the fi
county convention Saturday after- to do is acknowl
noon in Bolivia. Other speakers in- something about i
eluded State Rep. E. David Redwine ham
.M4lv UVWVllib
of Shallotte and former state lot more Democrs
legislator and judge Ray Walton of County than w
Southport?both of whom also en- Republicans, I hof
couraged Democrats to rebound be complacent."
from last fall's political losses by Describing hims
preparing for next year's races. rat in the barn,"
Last November, Brunswick County phasized the value
Rourk Witr
BY DOUG RUTTER
When Malcolm Henderson Rourk began practicing
t medicine in Brunswick County 55
years ago, there were no golf
\ courses, no paved roadways and the
J population was holding steady at approximately
22,000.
Now there are a dozen golf
ma 'tffc??? courses wun more on tne way, more
' than 585 miles of paved roadway and
the population has ballooned to nearBk
HI 'y 57,000 permanent residents.
rourk But over the years, resort
development, a boom in the population and street improvements
are just three areas in which Dr. Rourk has
noticed changes?changes he said people would have to
see for themselves to believe.
As a long-time resident of Shallotte and one who had
I
ch Voters Set Tc
against it, but the majority are in favor of the change."
As of Monday, town and county election officials did
not have an exact count on the number of voters
registered for the May 2 special election. Brunswick
County Elections Supervisor Lynda Britt said town
election officials were expected to purge their registration
books this week to match county books.
Charlotte Pringle, chairperson of the town elections
board, said she is hoping for at least a 50 percent turnout
rate next Tuesday, when polls at town hall will be
open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
"There is some interest in this, but how much I
i I N'Gr'ijrv r f' i + 5j?.oj4.
plina,
AFF PHOTO BV RAHN AOAMS
ing the Brunswick County Democratic Party's convention
Saturday afternoon in Bolivia.
LAWS
Locai Democrats;
To 'Start Now'
their best showing party members like himself for
iping three county political advice. "There are a lot of
s, claiming two us out there, and you need our help,"
i by Democrats. In he said.
he two remaining Peterson was the only individual to
' board?now held actively seek the chairmanship,
ace Beasley and Ronald Hewett of Shallotte, a
ill be on the line. sergeant with the Brunswick County
?d the gathering of Sheriff's Department, also was
edly made at this nominated but declined the nomina>P
convention that tion.
emocrats will be Other new officers elected to twoick
County. "The year terms Saturday included First
to see that that Vice Chairman May Moore of
Etedwine said. He Yaupon Beach; Second Vice Chairrats
can no longer man Moses Stanley of Grissettown;
logfights" among Third Vice Chairman Kathy Rich of
Republican gains Belville; Secretary Barbara
Holcombe of Supply; and Treasurer
smplacency as the Billy Gibson of Holden Beach,
ifall. "We have a Former Commissioner Chris Chapi
? -< ??
iioi mine v?c nave pen 01 v^aiaoasn ana irene nankins ot
edge it, then do Southport were elected to serve as
t," he said. "We Brunswick County representatives
lacent. We have a on the state Democratic Executive
its in Brunswick Committee.
e'll ever have Also, 30 individuals volunteered to
>e, but we cannot serve as delegates to the party's upcoming
district convention; the
elf as the "oldest meeting date and place had been set
Walton also em- as of Saturday. Local delegates are
of turning to older (See PETERSON, Page 2-A)
HERITAGE DA'
lessee/, Sparked <
practiced medicine there for more than a quarter of a
century, the 85-year-old has particularly noticed change
in his own back yard.
"Nobody believes what's happened at Shallotte," he
said during an interview last week at his home on N.C.
179. "Between blue and white I reckon is the difference
between Shallotte now and then."
Rourk and his family have played a key part in bringing
about many of the positive changes that have occurred
over the past 40 years.
After moving to Shallotte for good in 1946, Rourk
donated land on what is now U.S. 17 that houses the
Shallotte Senior Citizens Center, N.C. National Guard Armory,
West Brunswick Branch Library and Shallotte
Masonic Lodge.
The Rourks also donated land for the old Shallotte
High School on N.C. 179?where Shallotte Middle School
now stands?and for the adjacent football field that was
I
d Decide Referei
don't know," she said. "We don't have too many of
these special elections, so it's hard to get a feel for it."
The last special election at Holden Beach was held
May 5, 1987. At that time, less than one third of the
town's 359 registered voters turned out to narrowly pass
a referendum that shortened the terms of town commissioners
from four to two years.
Bass said of next week's election, "I feel like we'll
have a good turnout because we sent out some information
on it."
The town mailed a letter last week to all registered
voters reminding them of the upcoming election and
IUVf$DC
Thursday, April 27, 1989 25c Per i
Brunswick C
I orirl Qk n\Ai 1
I.WVIU Ml IVJVY 1
On 'Minimui
BY RAHN ADAMS j
After seeing nearly one in four of (I HQ pUl
Brunswick County's investigative rJrtn'f Unr
grand jury defendants receive proba- UOfl I f\iiC
tionary sentences, State Sen. Robert
Shaw wants to make sure convicted
drug traffickers spend time behind general public
bars, whether they cooperate with when major (
lawmen or not. sentenced to littl
Shaw, a Greensboro resident and time (see related
Holden Beach property owner, last believe it," he
week introduced legislation to re- people?includi
quire that drug traffickers actively other parts of tli
serve at least 10 percent of the man- this is going on.'
datory minimum sentences of the of- Under current
fenses for which they are convicted, who is convicte
Drug dealers who are convicted of of- more than 400 g
fenses whose minimum terms example, faces a
flninnnt tn mnrp than uaafc
.v ??uu iuu jv.au nuuiu oi ai lease 3D y
have to serve at least an additional m0re than 200 g
five percent of the second 100 years least 14 years;
they face. more than 28 g'r
"This is a mandatory sentencing years,
bill," Shaw said last Wednesday, in- However, the
dicating that his legislation is in that a judge mi
response to the current loophole in sentence or susp
the state's drug trafficking laws that and place the d
allows defendants to avoid man- tion, "when sucl
datory minimum sentences by pro- best of (the judg
viding "substantial assistance" to vided substantic
the state. identification, ar
The senator explained that he con- any accomplice
ceived the proposed amendment conspirators or {
after following the prosecution of Of the 76 inve:
drug traffickers in Brunswick Coun- defendants fully
ty, where 85 individuals have been in- Brunswick Cou
dieted on mainly cocaine trafficking pleaded guiltycharges
by investigative grand juries ding of substanti
over the past two years. two cases?thos
According to 13th District Attorney Willis III of Shal
Michael Easley, who also is presi- Robinson of Su
dent of the N.C. Conference of defendants rece
District Attorneys, investigative ranged from prol
grand juries in Bladen and prison time to 25
Cumberland counties have followed Shaw's bill wc
Brunswick's lead and have returned sent law to re
indictments in the past year. In- amount of activ
vestigative grand jury probes also drug trafficke
are now underway in at least five whether the |
other counties, he added. substantial a:
The investigations across the state ratified, the i
are coordinated by two special assis- become effective
tant district attorneys. Special Assis- apply to offensi
tant DA William Wolak, a former SBI after that date,
drug agent, is assigned to Easley's Public disillu:
office in Bolivia but also works with substantial assis
investigative grand juries in other evident Saturda
counties. County Democr;
Despite a high conviction rate in local Democra
Brunswick County, Shaw feels the adopted a reso
y HONOREE
Changes In His (
named in Rourk's honor.
The family's contributions were aimed at improving
the educational system, he said. "We wanted to see the
school expand, and they didn't have money to buy land.'
For his personal donations of the land for the football
field and uniforms, Rourk has received a number ol
game balls that include a tattered haskethaii cion?H k.
MJ
players of the Shallotte High School state championship
team of 1957.
On Friday, he will be honored at Shallotte Middle
School as part of the North Carolina Heritage Day
celebration. The special program will begin at 9 a.m.
With all of his generosity toward education, Rourk is
perhaps most proud of his association with the Shallotte
Lions Club that he helped charter in 1946. Lions are involved
in a number of community projects, but are best
known for their work with those who have sight problems.
ndum Issue
providing information on the proposed amendment to
the town charter.
Also, officials had earlier mailed a pamphlet comparing
the two forms of government and held a public
hearing last November during which a representative
from the N.C. League of Municipalities discussed the
two systems.
Under the existing form of government, town commissioners
have responsibilities as both administrators
and policy-makers. With a council/manager format,
the board would be able to concentrate solely on for(Scc
VOTERS, Page 2-A)
Copy 36 Pages, 3 Sections, Plus Insert
^ruo Cas?s
0 Seek Floor
rrs' Sentences
olic) con't believe it . . . They
>w this is going on."
?Sen. Robert Shaw
is often "shocked" Rep. E. David Redwine of Brunswick
irug dealers are County to sponsor legislation to
e or no active prison remove the provision from drug traf1
story). "They can't ticking laws. Another resolution that
saw, adding tnat passed supports the discontinuation
ng legislators?in of investigative grand juries due to
le state "don't know their "unfairness."
' Redwine said after the convention
laws, an individual that he will "ask around in the
id of trafficking in General Assembly and see what the
rams of cocaine, for feeling is," as to whether or not he
in active prison term will follow through on the resolutions,
ears; trafficking in He noted, though, that the deadline
rams of cocaine, at for filing such bills this session has
and trafficking in passed.
ams, at least seven In response to Shaw's proposed
legislation, Easley pointed out that at
law now provides least 10 judges have sentenced the 76
ly impose a lighter defendants so far and that "95 perend
the prison term cent" of their sentences were less
lefendant on proba- than what the district attorney's ofti
person has, to the fice requested. Easley and Wolak
e's) knowledge, pro- consistently have asked for no less
il assistance in the than split sentences?a combination
rest or conviction of of active and suspended prison
s, accessories, co- time?in the investigative grand jury
jrincipals . .cases.
stigative grand jury "I agree with the concept," Easley
prosecuted so far in said of Shaw's proposal. "I have not
nty?all of whom recommended probation for one drug
judges made no fin- trafficker yet ... I share his
al assistance in only (Shaw's) concerns. It's a source of U
le of Alvin Bryan frustration for me."
lotte and Rocky Lee Still, Easley doesn't blame the
pply. The other 74 judiciary for what the public may
ived sentences that view as overly lenient sentences in
bation with no active some cases. "I've got confidence that
years in prison. the judges are trying to do the right
mid amend the pre- thing," Easley said, "although I
iquire a minimum disagree with some of the
e prison time for a sentences."
r "regardless of Shaw generally described injerson
has given dividual judges in Brunswick County
ssistance . . ." If Superior Court as having been tough
imendment would to moderate to lenient in the drug
e Oct. 1 and would sentences they have handed down,
ss occurring on or "This (amendment) would make
moderate-conservatives out of all of
sionment with the them," he said,
tance provision was Shaw and Easley both speculated,
y at the Brunswick though, that the bill?now in a Senate
atic Convention, as judiciary committee?will encounter
ts overwhelmingly considerable opposition from
lution asking State (See DRUG, Page 2-A)
ommumry
Along with Shallotte businessman Woodrow Russ,
! Rourk is one of two living charter members of the local
: club, and he is the only man from Brunswick County ever
' to serve as an International Director of Lions.
I "The Lions Club is the finest organization on this
f Earth if people would just realize it," he said proudly. "I
' don't know what this county would have amounted to
> without Lions."
He is aLso a former chairman of the Brunswick Couni
ty Board of Education and was one of the original
trustees of Southeastern Community College appointed
by the governor,
i Speaking of Rourk's contributions to the area, fellow
1 T.inn WnnHrniu I?ncc cni/I cimrvl** "Uo'" ~? ?
..?vu. ?.I ihuud omv? autipljr, lie O UlL'aill 1IIUIU IU
the community than any other man that's ever been in
Brunswick County." i
The youngest of five children, Rourk was born in /
(See ROURK, Page 2-A) /
... (
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