North Carolina Newspapers

TH r nmiiu* i t i " Lit - 1 J ? ' '<?? Year, Number 1 C1M9 THE BRUNSWICK B?ACON Shallotte, North Caroitna, Thursday, November 9, 1989 25c Per Copy 38 Pages, 3 Sections County Voters Say 'Yes' To All Four ABC Issues BY RAHN ADAMS In a referendum lhat drew little attention until two weeks before voters went to the polls, Brunswick Countians Tuesday put their stamp of approval on countywide alcohol sales. Thirty-seven percent or 9,615 of the county's approx imately 25,500 registered voters turned out Tuesday to solidly endorse all four issues on the referendum ballot: on- and off-premises sale of beer; on- and off-premises sale of unfortified wine; operation of ABC stores; and sale of mixed beverages in hotels, restaurants, private clubs, community theaters and convention centers in unincorporated areas of the county. Elections Supervisor Lynda Britt said the 37-percent turnout was "good for a referendum." In October 1981, when countywide beer and wine sales were overwhelm ingly defeated here, voter turnout was only 29 percent According to the Board of Elections, unofficial vote totals were: on- and off-premises beer ? 4,727 yes, 4,231 no; on- and off-premises wine ? 4,678 yes, 4,223 no; ABC stores ? 5,158 yes, 3,704 no; mixed bever ages ? 5,117 yes, 3,856 no. Comparisons between Tuesday's vote and the 1981 referendum underscore the growth and change that Brunswick County has seen over the past decade. In 1981, only six of the county's then 20 precincts ap proved any of the four beer and wine issues on that bal lot. Tuesday, 13 of the county's present 22 precincts ap proved at least one of the four alcohol issues. All four issues were approved in 10 precincts: Secession II, Hood Creek, Southport I and II, Oak Island I and II, Frying Pan, Grisscttown, Shingletree and Boiling Spring Lakes. At the same time, all four issues were defeated in nine precincts including Bolivia, Supply, Longwood, Ash, Freeland, Leland, Town Creek, Secession I and Shallotte. Voters were split on the issues in Mosquito, Woodbum and Belville. The Rev. Vic Potter, spokesman for Citizens Against Alcohol, attributed Tuesday's outcome to the large number of newcomers who have moved here from sec tions of the country where alcohol is more acceptable and to his figures that "58 percent of the adults in Brunswick County are not associated with any church." "I'm just extremely disappointed that we've got that many people in Brunswick County who are willing to be a part of something that is so destructive to the com munity, the family and society as a whole," Potter told the Beacon Tuesday night Citizens Against Alcohol, co-chaired by local Baptist ministers Bryan Dosher and M.C. Herring, formed about two months ago but waited until two weeks be fore the election to begin an anti-alcohol advertising campaign. A pro-alcohol group called Concerned Citizens of Brunswick County surfaced last week with local news paper ads supporting passage of the referendum. According to spokesman David Winch, the group con sisted mainly of members of the Oak Island Moose Lodge. "I think it's great," Winch said Tuesday of the refer endum's outcome. He added that he feels countywide (See ABC ISSUES, Page 2-A) Election Results At A Glance Shallotte MAYOR V Jerry Jones 265 ALDERMEN VPaul Wayne Reeves 238 V Sarah Tripp 206 Chris Lane 157 Joseph "Gene" Ebright 45 Calabash MAYOR %'Doug Simmons 426 Robert Cook 295 COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1 (Calabash) V Keith Hardee 414 V Edward Rice 430 DISTRICT 2 (Carolina Shores) V George Anderson 381 Thomas Brendgord 153 James Deehan 245 William Durr 71 Robert Johnson 59 yJ Phyllis Manning 268 John Myeri ' 60 James Nay 54 Darrell Peters 1 26 Wesley Reynolds 148 J I C 1 OTT 1 # V( ? WMtlMVi li m V Edward Schaak 340 Alfred Smith 234 Paul Swanson 81 V George Taubel 347 Stuart Thorn 1 92 Sunset Beach MAYOR V Mason Barber 98 TOWN COUNCIL A Edward M. Gore Sr 78 Katharine Love Peed 44 Fran S. Salone-Pellotier 37 VD. G. "Bud" Scrantom 84 V Julia Thomas 79 Clete Woldmiller 40 Ocean Isle Beach MAYOR V Betty Williamson 99 COMMISSIONER V Terry D. Barbee 90 VWilliam "Bill" Benton 101 Holden Beach MAYOR Vjohn Tandy 192 COMMISSIONER V Gay Atkins 123 Guilford "Gil" Bass 118 V Robert "Bob" Buck 172 William Williomson 95 Aleck Alexiou 20 V Kenner Amos 165 V Gloria Barrett 189 George Bradshaw 73 ^Jjudy Bryan 147 Don Pollard 77 Carole Rogers 79 Varnamtown MAYOR VJudy Galloway 113 Barbara "Bobbie" Varnom ....30 ALDERMEN VJohn David Dawson 108 VAda McDonald 109 V Ennis Swain 120 V Roger Robinson 106 Pam Galloway 49 Vjoseph Herring 86 Luellen Norris 79 Samuel Terry Varnam 74 Bolivia MAYOR -i Ina Mae Mintz 40 ALDERMEN Deborah "Debbie" Stanley....l 7 VEIIa Jane Wescott 29 V Robert S. Willetts III 35 V Sarah E. Knox 39 V Cecil D. Robbins Jr. 43 (See ELECTION RESULTS, Page 2-A) Gore Becomes Early Entry In 1 3th District Attorney Race BY RAHN ADAMS Although news of his candidacy leaked out sooner than he intended, local attorney Rex Gore last week announced his intentions to seek the Democratic nomination for the 13th District Attorney's office next year. In a Nov. 2 letter mailed to Demo cratic precinct chairmen in Colum trict attorney who announced last month that he plans enter next year's Democratic race for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Sen. Jesse Helms. "I want to build upon the pro grams in place in the district attor ney's office," Gore said in the letter, "but I also want to make the office more accessible and responsible to the public. My experience in private practice will help me run an office that is responsive to its clients ? you, the people of the district." Gore ? a partner in the Shallotte law firm, Powell and Gore ? told the Beacon Tuesday that he had not intended the letter to be a formal political announcement but that he inadvertently mailed a copy to pre cinct leader James High, who is bct GORE bus County, the 4 1 -year-old Gore stated that he will enter the 1990 District Attorney's race. The DA's office will be vacated by Southport resident Mich ael Easlcy ? a two-term dis ter known in Columbus County as editor and general manager of The News Reporter. Gore's candidacy was reported in Monday's edition of the Whiteville newspaper. Gore said he also intended to per sonally notify precinct leaders in Brunswick and Bladen counties of his intentions before making a more formal, public announcement. No public announcements have been made by any other possible candi dates. A Columbus County native. Gore has practiccd law in Brunswick County for the past eight years. He served as assistant district attorney in Columbus County from 1980 to 1982, and lost the 1982 Democratic DA's nomination to Easley. Both Gore and Easley were assistants to former District Attorney Lee J. Gre er Sr. Gore is president of the 13th Jud icial District Bar Association and Legal Services of the Lower Cape Fear, and is chairman of the South eastern Center Board of Directors. He is former chairman of the Bruns wick County Democratic Party, and former president of the West Bruns wick High School Booster Club and Shallottc Middle School PTO. A graduate of N.C. State Univer sity and Campbell University Law School, he is married to Janice Suggs Gore of Guideway. They have a daughter, Felicia, who is a sophomore at USC-Coastal Caro lina, Conway, S.C. Gore is a teacher and deacon at Calvary Baptist Church, Shallottc. ? CALABASH RE-ELECTS MAYOR SIMMONS Holden Beach Votes Against Annexation BY DOUG RUTTER AND SUSAN USHER Annexation proved to be the ma jor election issue at Holden Beach, helping draw 297, or approximately 74 percent, of the town's 403 voters to the polls in what was one of the best turnouts of the 15 municipal and two special district elections conducted countywide Tuesday. Once at the polls, the islanders elected all four candidates for com missioner who said they would vote to overturn an ordinance to annex 67 acres bordering the mainland causeway. And, in one of the biggest elec tion-day surprises, residents of the Carolina Shores golf course com munity helped return Mayor Doug Simmons to office in the newly consolidated town of Calabash. Holden Beach Incumbents Bob Buck and Gay Atkins each were re-elected for an other two years. Clhcr winners were former commissioner Gloria Barrett, former mayor Kenncr Amos and political newcomer Judy Bryan. Along with incumbent Buck, Barrett, Amos and Bryan all cam paigned as annexation opponents. Commissioner Atkins, who has served on the board since 1985, has previously voted in favor of main land annexation. Mrs. Barrett, who received the most votes among the 1 1 candidates for commissioner, said her stance on annexation was the key to her victory. "I think annexation was on everybody's mind today," she said Tuesday. "It was an exciting night" In ciaiming her first elccted of fice, Mrs. Bryan agreed that annex ation was the biggest single issue. "It wasn't my victory. It was the people's victory," she said. "The people finally got to vote on annex ation like they should have all along." Mayor John Tandy, who was the only person lo file for mayor at Holden Beach, was elected to his third consecutive two-year term with 192 votes. Commissioner Georgia Langley, who did not seek re-election to a second term and will go off the board next month, received 65 write-in votes for mayor. She said Tuesday she had nothing to do with the write-in campaign and said she had refused several requests to run as a write-in candidate. Tandy said he wasn't upset about the write-in campaign. "It's simply a pleasure to have the opportunity to serve for another two years," he said. Though the new town board will feature three new faces, Tandy said the newly-elected officials have a lot of experience: "We should be able to move around pretty well and get things done." Annexation and related growth issues were also voter concerns in towns as far-flung as Calabash, Sunset Beach and Southport, with sometimes surprising twists in vot ing. Calabash In one of the biggest surprises of Tuesday's elections, voters in the recently-enlarged Town of Calabash elected incumbent Mayor Doug Simmons over Carolina Shores Property Owners Association Presi dent Robert Cook. Simmons, who defeated Cook by 131 votes, said Tuesday he felt good going into the election but was still surprised at the wide margin of vic tory. The Calabash native has serv ed as mayor for seven years and was elected Tuesday for another four years. "I knew I had a lot of friends over there, but it really made me feel good that 1 had that much sup port," he said. "1 appreciate the sup port everyone gave, and 1 look for ward to working with the new coun cil. We've got a lot of work ahead of us." Following an Aug- 22 referen dum, the Town of Calabash was ex panded to include all of the Carolina Shores golf course com munity. The town's current five member council will be replaced next month with a seven-member board of commissioners with repre sentatives from both districts. Incumbent Councilmen Ed Rice and Keith Hardee, the only two can didates from District 1 (Calabash) where two commission seats were available, were elected with 430 and 414 votes respectively. Also claiming seats on the new board of commissioners were five persons from District 2 (Carolina Shores). Chosen from 16 candi dates, winners were George Ander son, George Taubel, Edward Schaack, Jon Sanborn and Phyllis Manning. To set up a system of staggered four-year terms on the town board, the top vote-getter from District 1 and the top three from District 2 will serve four years and the three other winning candidates will each serve two years. Rice, Anderson, Taubel and Schaack will each serve four years. Those elected to two-year terms were Hardee, Sanborn and Man ning. In \99\ , the three seals up tor clcctior will be for four-year terms. Shallotte In Shallotte, incumbent Alder men Paul Wayne Reeves and Sarah Trip p were both rc e!cc:cd for an other four years and Jerry Jones, un opposed, was voted to his second four-year term as mayor. Reeves and Mrs. Tripp held off challenges from two other town board candidates. Reeves received 238 votes and was elected to his fourth consecutive term on the (See MUNICIPAL, Page 2-A) STAff PHOTO *AHN ADAMS All Dressed Up... This stern-faced crane appears to have just missed his boat, as he stands on the dock of a canal home at Ocean Isle Beach. Local Governments Hoping For $690,000 In Public Assistance BY DOLIG RUTTER Local government officials hope to receive about $690,000 in federal funds to offset costs associated with Hurricane Hugo. If all goes well, Brunswick Coun ty and seven local municipalities should have the money in hand be fore the end of November, accord ing to state public assistance officer Jeff Amdt. The local governments have ap plied for the federal public assis tance program which reimburses counties, towns and other groups for some of the money spent as a re sult of the hurricane. Expenses such as clearing debris and repairing roads and water lines are eligible for reimbursement Public assistance becomes avail able to local governments and pri vate non-profit groups whenever a site is declared a federal disaster area. Brunswick County was de clared a disaster area on Sept. 28, one week after Hugo's storm surge caused an estimated $89 million in damage along the coast In addition to the county, the towns of Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach, Long Beach, Yaupon Beach, Bald Head Island and Southport are seeking public as sistance. Federal and state inspectors came to the area about two weeks ago to fill out damage survey reports list ing costs already incurred by the lo cal governments as well as antici pated costs. The reports must be approved at the state level by the governor's au thorized representative before any checks arc written, said Amdt Brunswick County Emergency Management Coordinator Cecil Logan said the county is expecting about 569,000 in public assistance. That total would cover emergency response and overtime hours in sev eral county agencies, including the health, social services and sheriff's departments, as well as the hours county equipment was used. But the $69,000 county toial is small compared to expenses in curred by several of the local beach towns. Any public assistance to the bcach towns would be given in ad dition to the $300,000 in slate and federal funds already allocated for emergency dune construction in Brunswick County. Officials at the South Brunswick Islands beaches ? Sunset, Ocean Isle and Holden ? said they hope to receive about $220,000 in federal public assistance. The Town of Ocean Isle Bcach alone may be entitled to more than $125,000 in public assistance, ac cording to damage survey reports on file at town hall. A good chunk of that total ? $ 56,000 ? would pay for repairs to 21 beach acccssways along the length of the island. Other major ex penses resulting from the hurricane include $25,000 for sand fencing and beach grass and $20,000 for de bris removal. Ocean Isle officials also hope to be reimbursed $12,287 for repairing the eastern section of East First Street, about $9,000 for personnel costs relating to the storm and $3,545 for replacing 450 of water line at the east end. Holden Bcach Town Manager (See GOVERNMENT, Page 2-A)