Unexpected Booty
The State of North Carolina may have a pleasant
surprise for you. as It tries to match unclaimed
property such as forgotten bank balances and
uncashed checks with their rightful owners, is
your name on the list? See Page 9-A.
How Sweet It Is!
Winning's Just as sweet the second time
around, says Wendy Williams of Leland. who
was crowned Miss Brunswick County Saturday
night for the second time In three years. The
story and photographs are on Page 2-B.
Twenty-eighth Year, Number 3 w?-wt?nuH?wcKB6*cow Shallotte, North Carolina, Wednesday, November 22, 1989 25C Per Copy 42 Pages, 3 Sections, Plus Insert
' Shopper * On The Job
Billy Ingram. Brunswick County's first
purchasing officer, assumed his new duties last
week. His first Job? Taking stock of supplies, as
the county moves toward centralized
purchasing. The story's on Page 7-A.
HOAG & SONS
PC
springport
Varnamtown
Race Results
Different?
BY DOUG RUTTER
Correction of an election day
mixup has apparently resulted in a
change on the incoming Varn
amtown Board of Aldermen.
Luellen Norris ? who prior to this
week thought she had come seven
votes short of election Nov. 7 to the
town board? said she found out
Monday that she had won a seat on
the board. Her election apparently
eliminates Joseph Herring as an al
derman -elect.
Brunswick County election offi
cials could not confirm Monday
night whether the mixup resulted in
a change in the outcome of the elec
tion The complex matter came to
light at Monday night's town mect
? mg m Varnamtown.
?*~?nt?cted at her home Monday
night, Brunswick County Elections
Supervisor Lynda Britt said she was
on vacation and refused to comment
on the election. She told The
Hrunswick Beacon to contact mem
i?Li0??!hC. Brunswi<* County
Board of Elections for information.
Elections board member One
Gore said he hadn't heard anything
about a problem with the Varnam
town election. He noted that the
Varnamtown election results were
certified in the Nov. 9 canvass along
with the results of most of the coun
ty s other municipal races. "I
t.hCa?? any^'ng about it, and
nobody s called me," he said.
Board Chairperson Glcnda Walk
er of Leland and the election
board s only other member, Patricia
Ramsey of Oak Island, could not be
night comment Monday
Mrs. Norris said she received a
certificate from the Brunswick
County Board of Elections last
week stating that she had been
elected to the board of aldermen.
Thinking it was a mistake, she
went to the elections office in Bo
livia Monday to check it out. She
said an employee in the elections
office informed her that she had in
fact been elected. The original elec
tion results had been changed due to
an error in ballot counting.
Discussion at Monday's meeting
in Varnamtown indicated that the
error occurred when judges for the
municipal election counted votes on
some of the ballots twice.
More than a dozen town voters
wrote in Alderman Marion Davis
for mayor of Varnamtown. Due to a
misunderstanding in the instructions
provided by county elections offi
cials, judges for the town election
counted votes on all of the ballots
containing write-ins twice. The
votes marked on the ballots were
apparently counted on the voting
machine once and then again bv
(See VARNAMTOWN, Page 2-A)
STAFF PHOTO *Y SUSAN USHEt
Something To Gobble About?
The 27 youngsters in Melanic Avolls* kindergarten class at (Joion Primary School got a taste of Thanks
giving early Friday. Using modern shortcuts and packaged foods, the students mixed and cooked their
own menu of sliced ham, pumpkin pie with whipped topping, cut corn, candied sweet potatoes, dressing
and cranberry sauce, with combread from the school cafeteria. Most students dug in enthusiastically,
like (counterclockwise above) Jeff Wolford, Brandi Joplin, Lamont Hill, Blaire Ansley and Rhonette
Phillips. The youngsters also made their own Indian and Pilgrim costumes and place mats.
Judge Rules In Town's Favor;
1 2th Street Can Be Improved
BY RAHN ADAMS
An attempt by a group of non
resident property owners to block
construction of a neighborhood bea
ch accessway at Sunset Beach fell
short last week, as a Superior Court
judge ruled that the property be
longs to the public.
Last Wednesday in Brunswick
County Superior Civil Court, Judge
Dexter Brooks decided the "12th
Street" lawsuit in the Town of Sun
set Beach's favor by issuing a pre
trial judgment in the case. A hearing
was held Nov. 14 in Bolivia.
Sunset Beach, which filed the
suit in February 1988, was repre
sented by Town Attorney Michael
Isenberg. Charlotte lawyer Timothy
Sellers was counsel for the defen
dants, six couples who own proper
ty along the now undeveloped 12th
Street
Defendants are Mr. and Mrs. Ev
erett L. Wohlbruck, and Mr. and
Mrs. John F. Youngblood III, all of
Mecklenburg County; Mr. and Mrs.
Richard L. Layton of St. Croix, U.S.
Virgin Islands; Mr. and Mrs. Sam
uel S. Conly III of Lewisburg, W.
Va.; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hogg of
Wake County; and Mr. and Mrs.
Larry W. Calhoun of Horry County,
S.C.
The lawsuit, however, may go to
the N.C. Court of Appeals. Defend
ants have 10 days from the date of
the Superior Court judge's ruling to
appeal the decision, according to
Isenberg.
Twelfth Street is a 30-foot-wide
right-of-way connecting Canal Dr
ive and Main Street on the eastern
section of Sunset Beach. Although
the "street" ? now basically a grassy
gully ? has never been developed as
a thoroughfare, it originally was
platted as a public roadway in 1958
and again as late as. 1976.
In October 1987, Sunset Beach
was awarded a $43,502 grant from
the N.C. Office of Coastal Manage
ment to develop neighborhood bea
ch accessways at 12th Street and
one other site. The 12th Street ac
cessway was to include seven park
ing spaces north of Main Street
Town Council did not accept the
grant after the board learned that
property owners had purportedly
withdrawn 12th Street's public
dedication in October 1987, two
months after the development firm.
Sunset Beach & Twin Lakes Inc.,
deeded them the right-of-way.
(See JUDGE RULES, Page 2-A)
Beer And Wine
To Flow Sooner
Than Expected
BY RAHN ADAMS
Brunswick County business own
ers learned Monday that they may
be selling beer and wine sooner
than they previously thought, while
state Alcoholic Beverage Control
officials were simply surprised at
the turnout for the information ses
sion in Bolivia.
"We expected a great number, but
I don't think we expected this many
people to come out today," said
ABC Commission Chairman Paul
Powell of the more than 100 indi
viduals on hand. He added that this
is the first time in recent history that
a county has passed all four ABC
issues in one referendum, as Bruns
wick County did on Nov. 7.
The referendum cleared the way
for on- and off-premises beer and
wine sales, the operation of ABC
stores and mixed beverage sales in
hotels, restaurants, private clubs,
community theaters and convention
centers throughout Brunswick
County.
At the outset of Monday's meet
ing, Powell announced vthat tempo
rary on- and off-premises beer and
wine permits will be issued Dec. 1
to local retail businesses whose ap
plications arc turned in to Alcohol
Law Enforcement officers on Mon
day, Nov. 27, from 10 a.m. to 11
a.m? at the Public Assembly Build
ing.
Powell explained that the tempo
rary permits will be issued after the
applications are reviewed by the
Wilmington ALE office and the
state ABC office in Raleigh. Regu
lar permits will be issued to eligible
businesses after ALE conducts thor
ough background investigations,
which take three to four weeks to
complete.
"We're doing this to help the
business folks of this county get
started," Powell said. He also em
phasized that a temporary permit
can be revoked immediately if an
investigation turns up any false in
formation on the respective firm's
application.
Only businesses that turn in ap
plications to ALE Monday morning
will be eligible for the temporary
permits, Powell said. Businesses
that apply at any other time must
wait through the investigation pro
cess before they are issued permits.
Powell also explained that restau
rants and private clubs in three mu
nicipalities ? Shallotte, Belville and
Boiling Spring Lakes ? will be able
to obtain temporary liquor-by-the
drink permits immediately, since
those towns already have ABC
stores.
Establishments elsewhere in the
county cannot receive mixed bever
age permits until county commis
sioners set up a Brunswick County
ABC Board and open a county
ABC store, he said. As of the Mon
day morning information session,
county commissioners had not met
since the referendum passed Nov. 7.
In response to several questions,
Powell noted that there is no regula
tion on the distance between ABC
stores and that the county could
conceivably locate its store relative
ly close to one of the four existing
ABC stores in the South Brunswick
Islands area. However. Powell said
he didn't think the ABC Commis
sion would allow the county to
build a store in a town that has its
own ABC system.
"It's a complicated situation here,
because you've got so many sys
tems," he said. )n addition to the
new couniy sysfcjn being formed,
' eigfit mWicipati^s have AfeC sys
tems of their own. Those town sys
tems can continue to operate.
Officials pointed out Monday that
no more municipal ABC systems
can be formed in Brunswick Coun
ty, now that a countywide referen
dum on the issue has passed.
Also, ABC Commission Legal
Specialist Ann Fulton told the gath
ering that the only way for any spe
cific areas to become dry again
would be for alcohol sales to be vot
ed out of the entire county in some
future referendum. Another county
vote cannot be called for three
years.
Basic requirements for all ABC
permits are as follows: All appli
cants must be at least 21 years old;
a North Carolina resident (unless
the applicant is a corporation); not
convicted of a felony within three
years; not convicted of an ABC of
fense or misdemeanor drug offense
within two years; and not have had
an ABC permit revoked within
three years.
Additional requirements for cer
tain types of alcohol sales include:
?On-premises beer ? The estab
lishment must have two restrooms.
?On-premises unfortified wine ?
The location must be an eating es
tablishment where food is regularly
and customarily sold. No food per
centage is required for the permit
(See BEER & WINE, Page 2-A)
OWNERS TO MEET SATURDAY
Congressman Requests Closer Look At Sunset
Beach Bridge Proposal
BY DOUG RUTTER
Congressman Charles G. Rose has joined a group of
concerned residents in asking that
state transportation officials recon
sider proposed construction of a
high-rise bridge to Sunset Beach.
In a Nov. 2 letter to N.C. Trans
portation Secretary James Harring
ton, Rose requests that the state re
consider the economic feasibility
of the bridge, which would replace
the existing pontoon bridge. The
new bridge is currently in the de
sign stage, and the state plans to rose
accept bids for construction of the high-rise in Septem
ber 1990.
"I realize you are probably under pressure from
boaters along the waterway to build a bridge they
would not have to wait for," writes Rose. "However, I
ask you to take at least one more look at this particular
project to reevaluate its feasibility and prudence."
In his two-page letter. Rose indicates that his interest
in the project was spurred in part by local opposition to
the high-rise bridge.
The Sunset Beach Taxpayers Association (SBTA), a
non-profit group made up of Sunset Beach property
owners, has spearheaded the opposition. The organiza
tion recently started a "Save Our Bridge" campaign
aimed at keeping the pontoon bridge and doing away
with plans for the 65-foot-high span, which would be
similar to fixed-span bridges to Ocean Isle and Holden
beaches.
"Several residents have contacted me expressing
their concerns over not only the bridge, but the long
term effects it would have on the community," Rose
state* in his letter. "Largely, the concerns center around
the fear of a possible push toward commercialization."
Repeating the concerns of local residents. Rose said
they feel the $6.9 million estimated price tag for bridge
construction is too high considering it will only serve
an island with 200 permanent residents. He said the
debt service on $6.9 million would be higher than the
$100,000 the state now spends each year to maintain
the pontoon bridge.
Also, he said opponents of the planned high-rise
bridge fear it will result in damage to the environment
"They contend that with the existing structure leading
to the causeway, automobile emissions are dissipated
into the marsh and the sound along the way stretching
in total over approximately a mile and a half," antes
Rose. "The proposed bridge would collect these emis
sions on its concrete structure and allow them to be
washed down hill to collect at a central point."
Quoting Durham attorney Jim Maxwell, who repre
sents the SBTA in its "Lot 1-A" lawsuit. Rose further
states thai the high-rise bridge would affect the public
boat ramp on the approach to the island.
Also, Rose quotes Maxwell as saying that the bot
tom of the bridge on the island side would be at a
"dangerously low sea level" which could affect evacu
ation in the event of a hurricane.
The latest update on the high-rise bridge and the
election of directors will highlight this Saturday's
meeting of the SBTA. Members will gather at the fire
station for fellowship at 10 am., and the meeting is
scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m? said President Harold
Wells.
Property owner groups at Ocean Isle Beach and
Hoi den Beach will also meet Saturday morning for
their Thanksgiving holiday sessions.
Wells said this week that the SBTA has taken no le
gal action regarding the high-rise bridge as it was au
thorized to do at the group's annual meeting Labor
Day weekend.
He also said there has been no official polling of
members concerning their feelings on the bridge. Most
who attended the annual meeting, however, indicated
that they oppose a new bridge.
Wells is one of four persons on the SBTA's board of
directors whose term expires Saturday. Others are
Warren "Bud" Knapp, Alan Russ and Minnie Hunt.
All four have been nominated for re-election to the
board. Nominations will also be accepted from the
floor at Saturday's meeting. All terms are for two
years.
Ocean Isle POA
The Ocean Isle Beach Property Owners Association
will hold its annual meeting Saturday at 10 a.m. in
town hall.
President Stuart Ingram said the membership will
elect Ave persons to two-year terms on the board of di
rectors. Various committees will also report at the
meeting. "We're not expecting any bomb shells," said
Ingram.
Holden Beach POA
It should also be business as usual when the Holden
Beach Property Owners Association (HBPOA) meets
Saturday at town hall. The board of directors will meet
at 9 a.m. and the general meeting starts at 10 a.m.
Directors and members will have an opportunity- to
meet the three new town commissioners who will take
office next month. They are Gloria Barrett, Judy Bryan
and Kenner Amos, who is president of the HBPOA.
The only item of discussion on the preliminary
agenda is overcrowding of rental homes, a problem
town commissioners and county health officials have
discussed for several months.
The general meeting should also feature a report
from the town manager on town projects and reports
on finance and membership from the HBPOA's execu
tive secretary.