Lightning Blamed For Fire
Damage To Hawes Residence
Lightning was blamed for a fire
Monday that causcd an estimated
$25,000 damage to the N.C. 130
home of Liston and Ruby Hawcs of
Ash.
The couple watched from their
yard with friends and family mem
bers as firelighters worked in the
rain to extinquish the smoldering
fire that began under the eaves of
the two-story frame house.
Mrs. Hawcs, who staffs the N.C.
Forest Service Fire Tower at Shal
lottc approximately a mile east of
the house, was at home when the
fire started.
In the midst of a thunderstorm
moving through the area Mrs.
Hawcs said she had heard a sharp
crack of lightning. Fearing the
worst, she had gone upstairs to
chcck for damage, she said, adding,
"I didn't sec anything."
It wasn't long after, however,
when passers by called the fire to
her attention. Among those to stop
were Brunswick Electric Member
ship Corp. employees Wcndall Ray
Evans and Pat Long of Ash.
Hawcs, a lieutenant in charge of
the civil scction of the Brunswick
County Sheriff's Department, said
he had called and talked with his
wife "not 10 minutes before" he
was notified of the fire.
Brunswick County Fire Msrshs!
Cecil Logan said a bolt of lightning
apparently struck the television an
tenna mounted on the house, ran
down the chimney and "jumped
through the side of the house" at the
roof line.
He estimated damage to the
structure at $25,000. Logan said the
roof of the house must be replaced.
The fire gutted one of the two up
stairs bedrooms while the other re
ceived extensive damage from heat
and smoke. The downstairs areas al
so sustained extensive damage from
smoke and water.
Waccamaw and Shallotte volun
teer fire departments responded to
the 10 a.m call and remained on the
scene until mid-day. Firefighters
from several other departments, in
cluding Shallotte Point and Supply,
also assisted.
Mobile Home Burns
Elsewhere, a Winnabow area mo
bile home was destroyed in an acci
dental fire last Thursday afternoon.
According to Logan, Winnabow
and Bolivia volunteer firefighters
were called to the Jcretta Lewis res
idence on Benson Road last Thurs
day at 3:30 p.m. Ms. Lewis was
home alone at the time of the blaze.
The fire marshal said Ms. Lewis
reported the fire after she discov
ered a section of wall burning near
an electrical outlet behind her wash
ing machine. Logan added that the
blaze apparently was causcd by an
electrical short in the trailer's
wiring.
No one was hurt in either fire.
Sunset Accepts Lot Owner's
Offer Of New Parking Space
Additional public parking soon
will be available to beach goers and
surf fishermen at Sunset Bcach.
Town Council voted unanimously
Monday to accept an offer to lease
an occanfront lot just west of Sunset
Bcach Pier from property owner
Lcroy Lindscy, said Mayor Mason
Barber.
Prior to the board's March meet
ing, Lindscy advised the town that
he has no plans to develop the lot
during his lifetime. He said he was
willing to lease the property to Sun
set Beach if the town would pay
town and county taxes on the lot.
Barber said property taxes on the
lot amount to approximately
51,100. He added that the lot should
accommodate approximately 50 ve
hicles.
In another matter, the council de
cided to seek state legislation which
would enable the town to assess
property owners for installation of
underground wiring.
The mayor said board members
unanimously approved a resolution
to ask State Rep. E. David Rcdwine
to introduce the local bill to allow
assessments for underground instal
lation of telephone, electrical and
cable television lines.
Rcdwinc is expected to introduce
the legislation in the N.C. General
Assembly's June short session. If
approved. Town Council would
hold public hearings to gather pub
lic input on the project. Barber indi
cated.
Also, the mayor said the town
board concurred with the N.C. De
partment of Transportation's plan to
leave the town's water line buried
beneath the Intracoastal Waterway,
rather than have utility crossings
added to the design of the island's
proposed new high-rise bridge.
Barber said DOT has agreed to
lower the water line along the por
tion of the island causeway that will
be reverted to wetlands after the
new bridge is constructed.
Officials Express Concerns
(Continued From Page 1-A)
While the visit yielded no official
results, the DOT representatives as
sured Clegg, Pinkerton and Harvey
that Brunswick County will have a
"substantive voicc" on a transports
tion steering committee that will be
formed to study alternative routes
for the proposed Wilmington by
pass.
At a March 9 work session in
Bolivia, county commissioners au
thorized the local delegation to set
up the Ra
leigh meeting, after Harvey
brought the board up to date on the
TAC's recent actions. Harvey
served as Brunswick County's
member on the advisory co-imittee
until he was replaced by Ms. Beas
ley earlier this year.
The committee voted March 1 to
propose extending its planning
boundaries farther south in Bruns
wick County. The last extension oc
curred in 1982, when the bound
aries were redrawn to include the
Leland area. The proposed new
boundary line crosses U.S. 17 near
N.C. 87, then extends southeast to
Town Creek and follows the tribu
tary to the Cape Fear River.
Clcgg said Monday that formal
extension of the planning srss
boundaries will be considered at to
day's TAC meeting.
Despite local opposition, the
committee also continues to plan for
the Northern Outer Loop's route to
be built through the hearts of Na
vassa and Leland. The Wilmington
bypass, which is part of a 14-year
highway improvements package,
will connect Interstate 40 in New
Hanover County to U.S. 17 in
Brunswick County.
Until the committee changed the
route several months ago, the by
pass was expected to loop northwest
of Navassa and Leland through
largely undeveloped areas before
turning south toward U.S. 17. Har
vey said DOT has begun an envi
ronmental impact study of the pro
posed new route.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO
THE BRUNSWICK#ftACON
POST OFFICE BOX 2558
SHALLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28459
FOR AWARD-WINNING NEWS COVERAGE
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen
In Brunswick County 06.30 05.30
N.C. Sales lax .32 .27
Postage Charge 3.68 3.68
TOTAL 10.30 9.25
Elsewhere in North Carolina Q6 .30 LI5.30
N.C. Sales Tax .32 .27
Postage Charge 8 18 8.18
TOTAL 14.80 13.75
Outside North Carolina 06.30 05.30
Postage Charge 9.65 9.65
TOTAL 15.95 14.95
j Complete And Return To Above Address
Name..
Address
City, State
uit
STAFF mOTO BY SUSAN USMH
FIREFIGHTERS from Shallotte and Waccamaw teamed up Monday to tackle a fire at the Liston
Howes residence at Ash that was apparently started by a lightning strike.
Pilkev Rates Barrier Islands
J
(Continued From Page 1-A)
tour ? entitled "Recovering from
Hugo: Preparing for Hilda" ? was
conducted by Pilkcy and other staff
members with the Duke geology de
partment's Program for the Study of
Developed Shorelines. Other sched
uled stops on the northward trip
were Pawleys Island, S.C., Myrtle
Beach, S.C., and Topsail Island.
Pilkey said he and Miller rated
the 25 barrier islands as if the two
men were advising their own par
ents about the safety of various
communities. "If our parents asked
us where to retire on the North Car
olina coast, we would first recom
mend not living on an island,"
Pilkcy stated in a news release that
accompanied the rating list, "but if
they insisted on living on an island,
we would give them the information
we used to rank these islands.
~ ? ? ? ? t
VU III UUIII^ UIIA ItUUV*
ing is to educate people as to the
dangers on barrier islands and there
by save property and lives," Pilkcy
added. He and Miller stressed that
the rankings are subjective and also
will change over time.
Miller also noted thai the rank
ings were drawn from an invest
ment standpoint rather than a com
pletely environmental approach.
"From an environmental standpoint,
preservation of the beautiful barrier
island environments for the future
generations is best served by no de
velopment at all," Miller said.
Rankings were based on the four
following qualities: natural charac
teristics of the island, quality of
management, anticipated develop
ment and physical changes, and po
tcnlial danger to people. In each of
the four categories, the highest pos
sible score is four and the lowest is
zero.
Sunset Beach's total score was
12, receiving high scores across the
board but particularly in the areas of
natural characteristics and quality of
management. According to Pilkey
and Miller, Sunset Beach is the only
island in the state that continues to
accumulate sand, rather than erode.
Also, development on the island is
located well beyond a wide expanse
of dunes.
The two men noted that Sunset
suffered very little damage from last
September's Hurricane Hugo, while
islands to the south and north suf
fered what they described as exten
sive damage. "(Sunset Beach) lost a
lot of dune during Hurricane Hugo,
but that's cxactly what dunes are
supposed to do," Pilkey said. "They
tuC ouppGSCu tO uiSuppCuT ITi SiOiTTio
and then hopefully they will come
back in later years."
Total scores for Brunswick Coun
ty's other barrier islands were: Long
Beach and Bald Head Island, eight
points; Holden Beach, seven points;
and Ocean Isle Beach, five points.
Pender County's North Topsail
Shores was ranked 25th with a total
score of one point.
In the news release, Pilkey said
Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach
and other bcaches low on the list
rated poorly because "all of these
communities are built on low eleva
tions and have small dunes. The
town government on these islands
also is largely controlled by devel
opers because so few of the home
Vet Drops Appeal
(Continued From Page 1-A)
board's legal counsel had not yet
scheduled an expected hearing in
Neal's case.
The executive secretary indicated
that the status of Neal's veterinary
license remains unchanged and that
he may continue practicing veteri
nary medicine in North Carolina
until board action, if any, is taken.
"It can't be revoked without a
hearing," Zweigart said of Neal's li
cense.
Neal could not be reached for
comment on his decision to end the
appeal or on the clinic's move to
the Little River area. An announce
ment on a telephone answering ma
chine at his Calabash office stated
Friday that the animal hospital was
still in operation and that a new vet
erinarian had joined the staff.
A different message Monday an
nounced that Neal's office had
moved to Graystone Plaza, which is
located on U.S. 17 just south of the
state line near Litde River. Both an
nouncements were in Neal's voice.
No Little River telephone listing for
Neal was available Tuesday.
Ncal was arrested Jan. 31 on the
animal cmelty charges following a
month-long investigation by Bruns
wick County Animal Control. He
was accused and convicted of beat
ing two cats and two dogs at Cala
bash Animal Hospital on separate
occasions between Nov. 7, 1988,
and Jan. 4.
owners arc local residents," Pilkcy
said.
He added that none or the 25 is
lands received a high rating for
safety to people, because any barri
er island can be completely devas
tated during a major storm. Howev
er, Pilkey noted, "Development on
North Carolina's barrier islands is
light compared to, say, Florida. And
we don't have anything like Myrtle
Beach."
Last December the National
Academy of Sciences completed a
17-month review of the National
Flood Insurance Program, which
underwrites and subsidizes with tax
dollars property insurance for prop
erties located within flood plains.
Its major conclusion was that the
program's managers have inade
quately informed the public about
coastal erosion, its causes and po
tentially devastating impact on de
velopment. A more informed or
educated public ? including buyers,
sellers, developers, planners, engi
neers and public officials ? woulu
be able to make better long-term
coastal development decisions," the
143-page report indicated.
Wet Weather
To Continue
Cooler than normal temperatures
and above average rainfall are on
tap in the Shallottc area over the
next several days, according to
Shallottc Point meteorologist Jack
son Canady.
Temperatures through the week
end 2T? expected to average froft*
the mid-40s at night to the mid-60s
during the day. Precipitation should
measure more than three-quarters of
an inch.
For the period ofc March 27
through April 2, the daily average
temperature in the Shallotte area
was 61 degrees, which Canady said
was three degrees above average.
The daily average high tempera
ture was 68 degrees, and the nightly
average low temperature was 54 de
grees.
The maximum high temperature
during the period was 73 degrees on
April 1. The minimum low temper
ature was 48 degrees on March 27,
28 and 30.
Canady measured 3.53 inches of
rain during the seven-day period.
He noted that a seasonable rainfall
amount would have been approxi
mately three-quarters of an inch.
Road Greenhouse
1 Mile from Shallotte-off Hwy. 130 E.y
754-6691
ficc&t ut time
fa* Saaten...
\
?All types of garden
and bedding
plants
?Hanging flowering
plants
?House plants
Open 9-9 ? Monday - Saturday
C1W0 THt WgUMfrgCK M Ar
Roadwork Funds
On Board Agenda
Several routine items relating to
Brunswick County roads will be
considered when the State Board of
Transportation meets Friday at
Duck, at the Sanderling Inn Con
vention Center.
Board members will be asked to
approve these items, according to
the published agenda:
? Allocation of an additional
$100,000 to supplement the
$500,000 already approved for pre
liminary engineering, right of way
and utilities on U.S. 17 from N.C.
211 north of Supply to N.C. 87 at
Bell Swamp Creek. The length of
the four-laning project is 13.66
miles.
? Allocation of $31,000 U) con
struct an access road to serve the
new Victaulic Company of America
plant now locating in the Lcland
Industrial Park. The company will
begin operations with 30 employ
ees, expanding to 100 people in
three years. The road will later be
extended to serve Exide Electronics,
which is now under construction.
? To reflect participation by
Brunswick County, reduction of
$2,010 from the $2.76 million ap
proved earlier for construction on
U.S. 17 from N.C. 211 northwest to
soUuiwcst of S.R. ! 40 1 , a distance
of 1.72 miles
? An increase of $648 to com
plete construction of S.R. 1825, in
volving grading, draining and stabi
lization.
Items on the board's agenda usu
ally meet with routine approval.
Tommy Pollard of Jacksonville
represents Brunswick County and
other counties in Division 3 on the
board.
THE BRUNSWICKfcttEACON
Established Nov. 1, 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year $10.30
Six Months S5.50
ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $14.80
Six Months $7.85
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year ....$15.95
Six Months $8.35
Second class postage paid at the
Post Office in Shallotte, N.C.
28459. USPS 777-780.
Business Service
Xerographic
Copier
Pacer
8v*x11
APRIL IS
KEEP
AMERICA
BEAUTIFUL
MONTH
Brunswick County Keep
America Beautiful
Affiliated with K.A.B., Inc.
"WE DID NOT
INHERIT
THE EARTH
FROM OUR
PARENTS.
WE ARE
MERELY
BORROWING
IT FROM
OUR
CHILDREN"