national!
RedRibbon
CAMPAIGN
National Red Ribbon Week
October 22 - 29, 1989
MY CHOICE ... DRUG-FREE
(See story, Page 5-A, editorial Page 4-A)
It's festival (By The Sea Time At y-(oCden (Beach
A special supplement inside this issue has all the details
A Halloween carnival starts the festival fun Friday, lust one of the "safe" alternatives listed
on Page 16-B. Adding to the suspense, a collection of ghostly local tales, Page 8-B.
THEB
HOAG & SONS BOOK BIICERY
PO
BOX
SPRINGPORT Mi 4^2;-^
12/31 / S S
.62
Twenty-seventh Year, Number 51 c,- the bwnsw.ck beacon Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, October 26, 1989 250 Per Copy 56 Pages, 3 Sections, 1 Supplement. 1 Insert
1989 SHUCKING CHAMPION Karen McNeil (right) accepts a plaque and a $100 check from
Sartelle, executive vice president of the South Brunswick Islands Chamber of Commerce. Additional cov
erage of the N.C. Oyster Festival can be found throughout this issue.
Former Runner-Up McNeil Wins
Oyster Shucking Championship
BY RAHN ADAMS
In last year's N.C. Oyster Shuck
ing Championship, Karen McNeil
was the "bridesmaid." This year,
she was the blushing "bride."
Before a crowd of several hun
dred spectators late Saturday after
noon at Sea Trail, the 26-year-old
Supply area resident shucked her
way to her first state title by open
ing and arranging 24 raw Chesa
peake Bay oysters in 2:43.24. She
defeated five competitors.
"I'm so happy," Ms. McNeil told
the crowd after her victory was an
nounced. "I've been trying so long.
This makes my third time, and I fi
nally won."
Her performance followed last
year's showing as first runner-up to
three-time state champion and cur
rent record-holder Cathy Carlisle.
The record time is 2:21.40.
Ms. Carlisle was unable to de
fend her slate crown Saturday, be
cause she was in Leonardtown,
Md., competing in the U.S. Oyster
Shucking Championship (see relat
ed story). Ms. McNeil will appear
there next October as North
Carolina's representative in the na
tional competition.
"I was wanting to go," the new
champ said shortly after her win. "I
can hardly wait until next year." In
addition to the expense-paid trip to
the nationals, she was awarded a
plaque and a $100 first- prize check.
She added that even though she
had an easier time opening her oys
ters than last year, she was "nervous
as a dog" during Saturday's contest.
Newspaper, radio and television in
terviews afterwards added to the ex
citement for the young woman, who
has worked as a "picker" at Lloyd's
Oyster House at Shallotte Point for
the past eight years.
- ?
"Bridesmaids" this year were
first runner-up Gloria Daniels of
Shallotte, with a 2:58.77 time; sec
ond runner-up Shirley Simmons of
Supply, 2:59.99; and third runner
up Tara Futch of Supply, 3:04.25.
They won prizes of $75, $50 and
$25, respectively.
Rounding out the six-person field
were Diane Leonard of Supply,
with a 3:19.95 mark; and Ed Brown
of Supply ? the first male contestant
since 1987 ? with a 3:52.83 time.
"We had the largest field we've
had in several years, and I was tick
led to death," said Contest Chair
man Allan Dameron. Increased
prize money from the contest's first
sponsor ? Jones Ford of Shallotte ?
ami Ms. Carlisle's absence drew
more competitors this year, Damer
on speculated.
As far as "raw" oyster shucking
(See SHUCKING, Page 2-A)
Group Forms To Oppose
Nov. 7 ABC Referendum
BY RAHN ADAMS
A citizens group headed by two
local Baptist ministers has mobi
lized to fight passage of Brunswick
County's upcoming ABC referen
dum.
With the Nov. 7 vote less than
two weeks away, "Citizens Against
Alcohol" this week began a series
of newspaper advertisements and
radio spots opposing the referen
dum. The group also began dis
tributing anti-alcohol posters and
handbills.
The organization is co-chaircd by
the Rev. Bryan Dosher, interim pas
tor of Sabbath Home Baptist
Church, and the Rev. M.C. Herring,
pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church,
according to the Rev. Vic Potter of
Town Creek Baptist Church.
Potter, who serves as publicity
chairman, said Tuesday that Citi
zens Against Alcohol formed six
weeks ago. "We purposely waited
until a couple of weeks before (the
referendum) to 'blitz' the communi
ty," Potter said of the group's ad
vertising campaign.
He also noted that the 7,000
m ember Brunswick Baptist Associ
ation went on record against the ref
erendum during the annual meeting
in Southport Friday of the associa
tion's 42 member churches.
However, Potter maintained that
the citizens group isn't just a con
federacy of church members. "It in
volves people both in and outside
churches," he said.
Potter said the organization op
poses countywide alcohol sales be
cause of ihe "havoc it wreaks on the
citizenry."
Old Shallotte Baptist Church also
published an anti-alcohol advertise
ment in this issue of the Beacon.
Deacon Eldridge Ludlum indicated
Monday that his church's effort was
not pan of the Citizens Against
Alcohol campaign.
"We are just trying to create
some positive enthusiasm to defeat
the issue," Ludlum said. "It's right
here on us, and there hasn't been
anything said about it"
Ludlum explained his opposition
to countywide sales. "I think it puts
it on display too much," he said.
"I'm a firm believer that the more
places you liave it on display, the
more you'll sell."
As of Tuesday, no "wet" forces
had surfaced since Aug. 7, when
Brunswick County Commissioners
voted unanimously to call for the
ABC referendum. Commission Ch
airman Frankie Rabon, who made
the referendum motion, said after
wards that his action was prompted
by input from groups in his area
(District 4) and the Southport area.
In March, local resident Sharon
Hardee, saying she represented
"small business owners" in the
county, had urged commissioners to
seek a countywide vote. Also, State
Rep. E. David Redwine told the
board in January that it should con
sider requesting a referendum.
Shortly before the county's last
countywide ABC vote in September
1981, a pro-alcohol group ? Bruns
wick County Citizens for Legal
Control and Revenue ? formed in
response to a campaign by the
Christian Action League of Bruns
wick County.
The 1981 referendum involved
just beer and wine sales. All tour is
sues on the ballot failed; the nar
rowest margin was 500 votes. The
questions included whether or not
to permit on- and off-premises beer
sales; on- and off-premises wine
sales; and just off-premises sales of
each beverage.
According to the Brunswick
County Board of Elections office,
county voters also will be asked
four questions in the upcoming
Nov. 7 referendum: whether or not
to permit on- and off-premises sale
of malt beverages; on- and off
premises sale of unfortified wines;
the operation of ABC stores; and
the side of mixed beverages in ho
tels, restaurants, private clubs, com
munity theaters and convention
centers in unincorporated areas of
the county.
Alcohol sales of one sort or an
other are legal now in a majority of
the county's municipalities. Also,
"sports clubs" in unincorporated
sections of Brunswick County can
obtain ABC permits as a result of
legislation sponsored two years ago
by Red wine.
Pollution May Kill Community Oyster Roast
BY DOUG RUTTER
Creeping pollution that has slow
ly decimated oyster beds in Lock
wood Folly River over the past dec
ade is now threatening to kill the
area's oldest community oyster
roast
Seafood lovers from near and far
gathered Saturday in Varnamtown
to once again mark the start of the
oyster season at the Dixon Chapel
Shallotte
BY DOUG RUTTER
The Town of Shallotte will pay
back more than $20,000 in state
Powell Bill funds it has received
wrongly over the past five years.
From 1984 to 1988, Shallotte re
ceived Powell Bill funds totaling
$21,747.36 for several miles of
roads in Brierwood Estates that the
town didn't start maintaining until
last fall.
Although those miles of roadway
were brought inside the town limits
when portions of Brierwood Estates
were annexed in 1984 and 1985, the
town didn't start taking care of the
streets until last November. Towns
are not eligible for Powell Bill
monies on roads not maintained by
the town.
Powell Bill funds are allocated
each year to municipalities based on
a formula that accounts for popula
tion and miles of roadway main
tained by each town. The funds can
only be used for street improve
ments, storm drainage, grading and
related purposes.
Oyster Roast. As always, the shelter
behind the church was stuffed most
of the day with smiling faces enjoy
ing the annual all-you-can-eat social
affair.
But underneath those smiles,
most knew that they might be at
tending the final Dixon Chapel
Oyster Roast, bringing to an end a
tradition of more than 30 years in
the quiet community overlooking
the Lockwood Folly River.
As patrons entered the eating
area behind the church Saturday af
ternoon, they saw the following
words on a hand-imtde sign lacked
to the pavilion: "We love you. You
have been faithful over 30 years.
Our rivers are tired and in need of a
good cleaning. We hate to say it's
over, but we must. Love, Dixon
Chapel."
The sign was referring to pollu
tion problems in Lockwood Folly
River that have become increasing
ly worse over the past 16 months.
Bacterial pollution, blamed partially
on septic tanks and storm water
runoff, has forced the state to fre
quently close sections of the river to
shellfish harvesting.
Because of the pollution, talk of
(See POLLUTION, Page 2-A)
To Pay Back State Street Funds
In a recent review of Shallotte's
Powell Bill allocation history, the
state Department of Transportation
found that the town added 2.71
miles of roadway to its street sys
tem in fiscal year 1984 which were
not justified.
Shallotte collected $875.17 for
those miles which should not have
been paid in the fust place and will
now have to be paid back. The in
formation was included in a Sept.
11 letter from the manager of the
DOT's planning and research bran
ch to Shallotte Mayor Jerry Jones.
In fiscal year 1985, the letter says
the town added another 1.9 miles of
road to its system that were not jus
tified ? increasing the total unjusti
fied mileage to 4.61 miles. In addi
tion to 1985, the town received state
funds for those 4.61 miles in fiscal
years 1986, 1987 and 1988. The to
tal pay out for those miles over the
four years was $19,375.65.
To recover the money, the state
will deduct $4349.47 each year for
the next five years from the town's
Powell Bill allocation. Annual de
ductions will begin in fiscal year
1990 and end in fiscal year 1994.
Mayor Jones presented the repay
ment plan to aldermen at last
Wednesday's town meeting. There
was no public discussion among
board members relating to the situa
tion.
Following the meeting, Jones
said he wasn't pleased with the pay
back schedule but said the town
will have to accept it. "There's not
much more we can do besides pay
back the money."
Shallotte officials expected to re
ceive about $33,000 in Powell Bill
monies this fiscal year. Based on
that figure, the town will face about
a 13 percent reduction in state street
funds for the next five fiscal years
unless more roads are added to the
town system. The percent reduction
in Powell Bill funds will also de
pend on the state's allocation per
mile, which has increased each of
the past five years.
Beamon Hewett, who was mayor
when the roads were added to
ShalkHte's Powell Bill maps in
1984 and 198S, said in July that the
streets were added to the maps be
cause the town board had every in
tention of accepting the streets
shortly after the subdivision was an
nexed and the roads were improved.
"The developer wasn't supposed
to keep them up forever. And the
city never intended for him to keep
them up forever," Hewett said at the
time.
As it turned out, however, it took
several years for town officials and
the developers of Brierwood to
come to terms on the condition of
the streets. As a result, they weren't
formally dedicated to the town until
March.
Mayor Jones, who took office in
December 1983, said earlier that the
roads were left on the Powell Bill
maps each year because he assumed
when the maps were completed
each July that the streets would be
taken over by the town during that
fiscal year.
Shucks! N.C. Champ Falls
In National Championship
BY RAHN ADAMS
Before Sunday's U.S. Oysier
Shucking Championship, three-time
state titleholder Cathy Carlisle of
Boone's Neck said she wasn't sure
she could retain her national wom
en's division crown.
And when the oyster shells were
down in Lconardtown, Md., her
worries proved to be well-founded.
Ms. Carlisle finished third in a
repeat performance of the 1987 na
tional championship. Her nemesis
that year ? Deborah Pratt of Urb
ana, Va. ? recaptured the women's
tide Sunday afternoon.
According to St Mary's County
(Md.) Seafood Festival Administra
tor Tom Burke, Ms. Pratt won the
women's division by shucking and
arranging 24 oysters in 3:30.59? an
adjusted time that was only about 3
1/2 seconds faster than Ms. Car
lisle's 3:34.26 mark. Second-place
finisher Sarah Hammond of Jamai
ca, Va., clocked in at 3:33.56.
Even though Ms. Carlisle indi
cated last week that she hadn't
found lime to practice for the na
tional contest, she wasn't off her
usual championship form where
sheer shucking speed was concern
ed.
Burke said Ms. Carlisle posted
the fastest unadjusted time
(2:16.26) of any woman in Sun
day's finals. In comparison, Ms.
Hammond's unadjusted time was
2:33.56; Ms. Pratt's time, 2:39.59.
However, Burke noted that judg
nig this year was particularly tough
and that large penalty totals were
common. "Actually, Cathy was the
fastest, but penalty points hurt her,"
said Burke.
To her original time, 78 seconds
in penalties were added, compared
to 51 seconds for Ms. Pratt and 60
seconds for Ms. Hammond. No de
tails were available on the nature of
the penalties.
Ms. Carlisle could not be reached
for comment Monday. She won
$100 for her third-place finish.
In Sunday's shucking showdown
between the men's and women's
winners, 1987 overall national
champion Duke Landry of Baton
Rouge. La., won the right to repre
sent the United States next Septem
ber at the World Oyster Opening
Championship in Galway, Ireland
With a 2:20 adjusted time, he de
feated Ms. Pratt by 35 seconds.
To reach the showdown, Landry
finessed defending U.S. champion
Archie Miller out of the men's title.
Miller, who placed second last
month in Ireland, shucked his oys
ters in 1:39, but was assessed 78
seconds in penalties. Landry, with a
2:15 original time, was penalized
only 15 seconds.
In last year's showdown. Miller's
2:58 adjusted time topped Ms. Car
lisle's 3:09 mark. The 1988 nation
als were held a month after Ms.
Carlisle finished eighth in the world
competition in Galway. She defeat
ed Landry in the 1986 national con
test showdown.
River Closed To Harvesting
Fishermen were chased out of Lockwood Folly River Monday when
the state closed the river to shell fishing after permitting harvests there
for only five days.
After opening to harvesting last Wednesday, the lower section of the
river was closed to shellfidiing Monday morning due to unsafe bacteria
counts, said Bob Benton, chief of the state's Shellfish Sanitation pro
gram.
A quick rise in bacteria counts is often caused by rainfall and runoff
which carries pollutants into the river. But since the area hasn't experi
enced heavy rainfall since last week, Benton said he wasn't sure what
caused the sudden increase in pollution.
"I have no idea what's happened or why the counts went back up
like that," he said Tuesday. "We don't think rainfall had anything to do
with it" The closure was based on tests made Saturday.
Annie Smigiel of Vamamtown, president of the local conservation
group Save Our Shellfish, said she 11 fishermen were confused and disap
pointed by the closure, particularly due to the lack of rainfall.
'To me, it sounds like politics are involved," she said Monday. "It is
very strange since we haven't had any rain. It seems to me that if that
river was polluted today it would have been polluted last week."
When the river was open to harvesting, she said there were very few
oysters to be found. Mrs. Smigiel said she was only able to gather a half
bushel when the river opened to harvesting last Wednesday.
All other shellfish areas in Brunswick County remained open to har
vesting as of Tuesday. Benton said the state planned to sample waters in
Lockwood Folly River on Wednesday. The earliest it can reopen, he
said, is Friday morning.