Young Cancer Patient
Finds 'Guardian Angel'
BY SI SAN I'SIIKR
Sunday afternoon, Jeremy Clem
mons was running across ihc living
room of his family's doublewide
mobile home at Seaside, batting two
balloons toward his brother, Shane,
5,
He appeared healthy, but Jeremy
is a very sicV little boy.
l-arry and Lynn Clemmons learn
ed Aug. 4 that their son has acute
lymphoblastic leukemia, one of two
kinds of childhood leukemia. Doc
tors give Jeremy a 70 percent
chance of beating the cancer, his
mother 'viiu, but uik 1** no guaran
tee.
His fraternal twin sister. Brittany
t.ynn. has also tven tested. She's
fine
Jeremy, meanwhile, has begun a
rigorous, three-year schedule of
chemotherapy.
"The first eight weeks arc the
most difficult." said hiv mother. So
far. Jeremy is taking it all in stride.
"1 don't really think he under
stands," she said. "Bui at the hospi
tal he was good about letting them
hook him up to the IV and giving
him the shots in his legs."
Since his diagnosis, Jeremy has
undergone multiple blood transfu
sions. spinal taps and Kmc marrow
tests. He's received shots in the
muscles of his legs and he has a
right atrial catheter, a tube leading
into his heart that makes it easier to
lake blood samples and administer
medicines.
It helped that Jeremy found a
special friend shortfv after his ar
rival at UNC Hospitals.
Chapel Hill Public Safety Officer
Cindy Felts was there when the
Clcmmonscs arrived around 1 a.m.
Aug. 5. Although she wasn't really
supposed to do so, she had accom
panied an assault victim to the hos
pital emergency room
"To me. she's a guardian angel."
Mrs. Clemmons said. "I don't care
what people may believe. I believe
with all my heart that when we got
there the Lord had her wailing there
for us."
That Friday had been a difficult,
long day. Mrs. Clemmons said she
had taken Jeremy to several doctors
eariicr in ihc week who had diag
nosed his high fever and earache as
most likely a viral type of flu. When
the fever continued, she took him lo
Dr. Lee Langston's office.
"Something told me to check his
bottom eyelid, and 1 did," she said.
"It was as white as that sheet of pa
per." She pointed it out. After strug
gling to get an adequate blood sam
ple, the staff ran a hemoglobin
chock, Hil u didn't register. Then
Langston took a larger sample lor a
complete blood work-up at the hos
pital and said he'd call Monday.
Thirty minutes later. Mrs. Clent
mons was still at the drugstore get
ting a prescription filled when a
family member tracked her down.
'The doctor had called. Jeremy need
ed a Kmc marrow, test. A bed and
doctor were waiting for him at UNC
Hospital in Chapel Hill It was the
next day before they found out what
was wrong with Jeremy.
"We got there around 1 a.m. Sat
urday morning. recalled Mrs.
Clemmons. The pediatric oncology
unit was on the seventh floor. Cindy
Fells was in the lobby, near u?e cie
vator.
Jeremy's mother is afraid of ele
vates. having gotten stuck on them
twice. Fells offered to walk with her
up the seven flights of stairs. It
turns out she also is a twin, as well
as the mother of a 4-year-old girl.
Saturday afternoon. Officer Felts
returned, bringing a dozen balloons.
Sunday she brought clothes for the
children and cash, since the Clciii
monscs had come unprepared for a
long stay.
When Mrs. Felts learned of the
family's financial situation, she did
even more. Working with W'RTP, a
religious AM station and Carolina
Christian Communications, a Dur
ham non-profit organization, she
began a fund. The money will help
pay expenses related to Jeremy's
treatment, including transportation
to and from Chapel Hill.
Mrs. Felts plans to keep track of
Jeremy and came to Shallotte to see
him Monday.
Jeremy came home last Wednes
day after 12 days in the hospital.
So far his medical bills amount to
more than $11,(XX). The family has
applied for Medicaid and expects to
get it, but Mrs. Clemmons isn't sure
how much of the bill must be paid
from the family's own limited re
sources.
I.arry Clemmons is a commercial
fisherman, working irregularly. Mrs.
Clemmons has been given a leave
of absence from her job at a local
grocery store so she can care for
Jeremy and make sure he receives
his treatments.
Each Monday and Friday Jeremy
receives two different types of
chemotherapy treatments at a local
doctor's officc. On Wednesdays he
takes more extensive treatments at
the hospital in Chapel Hill. He is
presently on five types of
chemotherapy. But the end of the
three years, he will taking nine
types. The medicines have side cf
CT?*F PHOTO BY SUi*N USME*
THREE-YEAR-OLD JEREMY CLEMMONS, shown with his
mother, Lynn, and brother, Shane, was befriended by a generous
spirited Chapel Hill policewoman the same day doctors diag
nosed his illness as a form of childhood leukemia.
fpcts thai include nausea, bloating no* could put him back in the hos
and hair loss. pital for at least 10 days at a time.
But by the end of the month. He must avoid mingling where
Jeremy's oncology treatment team there are large groups of people, or
hopes to see signs of remission. At wear a facial mask.
home he leads a fairly normal life, "1 hope everything will be all
but must watch out for cuts and right," she said. "I try not to look at
bruises. the bad side. But it's hard, especial
Jeremy has an immune system, ly at the hospital when he feels well
but it isn't working. Both his red at one moment and down the next."
and white blood cell counts are low Contributions toward Jeremy's
and the chemotherapy treatments aire can be mailed to Carolina
destroy some good cells as well as Christian Communications. P.O.
the cancer cells Box I54(X), Durham. N.C. 27704.
A simple illness or any exposure Checks should be made payable to
to someone with chicken pox or C.C.C. with a notation as to what
who has been exposed to chicken the money is for.
Hankins. Harrison Amono Suoerintendfint Finnlkt<;
_ ? ? ~ ~ """" ~ ? ? ? ? ? ? "* ?" ?
(Continued From Page 1-A)
Baxley, Donna Baxter, Robert
Slockett and James Clemmons will
cach investigate one of the finalists.
They anticipate visiting each candi
date's cunent school district, inter
viewing people in the communities
and the school system.
"The board did not sit down and
list criteria, but they will ask the
usual kinds of questions," said
Peterson, such as the type of person
and type of administrator they arc,
and other background information
the board feels it should know about
before making a hiring decision.
Members will share with each
other the information collectcd.
The starting date for the new su
perintendent will depend on the
candidate and his or her current
work situation. Salary will be nego
tiated. "If we can't get together, we
will go to the No. 2 person on the
list," Peterson said.
Following is a look at the four fi
nalists:
?interim Nuperintendent P.R.
tlankins is well known in Bruns
wick County, both as an educator
and civic leader. Hankins, 60, has
been employed by the Brunswick
County Schools for 33 years, in
cluding the past 31 consecutive
years. He is the only one of the fi
nalists that docs not have a doctor
aic in educational administration,
but thai is not one of the minimum
require men is for the post.
He was named associate superin
tendent in 1978, having served as
assistant superintendent for federal
programs since 1973. He was pro
moted to assistant superintendent
from the post of audiovisual ser
vices director, a position he had
held since 1966.
Hankins taught scicncc and math
in the Brunswick County Schools
from 1952 to 1954, leaving to take a
post in Japan as a Military Educa
tion Center instructor for one year.
He then taught science and coached
in Anson County for three years be
fore returning to Brunswick County
in 1959. From then to 1966, he
served as a teacher and elementary
srhrwtl principal.
Hankins holds a master's degree
from North Carolina A&T Univer
sity and a bachelor's degree from
Johnson C. Smith University.
Assistant Superintendent Wil
liam C. Harrison is the youngest of
the finalists at age 37. He joined the
ccntral office staff in July 1988, and
is responsible for curriculum. He
came Irom Fayeltevillc, where he
had served as principal of Terry
Sanford Senior High School since
1983. He had previously served as
an assistant principal, as principal
of an elementary school and as di
rector of a summer program for die
academically gifted.
Harrison taught in the public
schools for five years. He also serv
ed as an adjunct professor at Metho
dist College and in the graduate
program at Fayetteville State Uni
versity, teaching school law, high
school administration and tech
niques of leaching in the secondary
school.
He has a bachelor's degree in in
termediate education from Metho
dist College, a master's degree and
educational specialist certificate in
education administration from East
Carolina University and a doctorate
in education administration from
Vandcrbilt University.
Betty C. Wallace is on leave
from the N.C. Department of Public
Instruction and is writing a book on
educational reform. The Bell Curve
Syndrome, which is scheduled for
publication early next year. With the
state department she had served six
years as depu?v assistant state su
perintendent for administration.
Previously she served two years as
director of the department's Western
Regional Center in Canton and two
years each as assistant superinten
dent and associate superintendent of
the Maton County Schools. Other
experience includes three yean; with
the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
as an administrative assistant for
curriculum and tcacher, an instruc
tor at Central Piedmont Community
College and as a teacher in Georgia.
Mrs. Wallace, 46, holds a bache
lor's degree in English from Cali
fornia State University, a master's
degree from UNC-Charloue, an ed
ucation specialist certificate in ad
ministration from East Carolina
University and a doctorate in educa
tion adm inistration from the Uni
versity of Georgia.
Barbara D. Rogers of Raleigh
has been principal of East Wake
High School since 1983. She served
the two previous years as an assis
tant superintendent for the Wake
County Schools, in the funding and
development department. She also
served as math and science curricu
lum coordinator and as director of
the ESEA program.
Her experience includes a stint in
1975-76 as a visiting lecturer at
N.C. State University. Ms. Rogers,
51, was a classroom tcacher from
1969 to 1975. She has also written
math workbooks and served as an
educational consultant.
She holds a bachelor's degree in
math and science education from
Clemson University, a master's de
gree in education from Winthrop
College, and doctorates in school
administration and political science
from Duke University.
Calabash Leaders Request Help
(Continued From Page 1-A)
Town officials also asked for help
getting the Calabash River dredged.
Planning and Zoning Board mem
ber Tom Brendgord said there never
would have been a Calabash with
out the river, and it's sull the heart
of the town.
The river hasn't been dredged for
about 10 years, primarily because of
a timing problem. The Army Corps
of Engineers, which is responsible
for waterway dredging, hasn't been
able to gel a dredge boat from South
Carolina to the river at a lime of the
year when dredging is allowed in
North Carolina
To show the need for dredging,
town officials used three pontoon
boats to take guests on a tour of the
river. The ride was scheduled lo co
incide with a low tide. Water depths
in the river channel were as low as
four feel in some areas, according to
readings on a depth gauge.
Redwine said federal legislators
from North and South Carolina, in
cluding Congressman Charlie Rose
(D-N.C.), are working on a dredg
ing plan for the river.
Also last week, Planning and
Zoning Board member Hank Mattu
lat asked for a relaxation of slate
rules dealing with the use of waste
water to irrigate golf courses.
Mattuiat said all of Calabash
could receive sewer service if the
state regulations were relaxed, and
the town could get away from using
septic tanks, which he said threaten
the Calabash River.
Carolina Blythe Utilities, a pri
vate company that serves Carolina
Shores, does not have the capacity
to serve the rest of town. Mauutai
said it cannot expand its capacity,
either, because of limits on the
amount of treated waste it dumps
into '.he Waccamaw River.
If treated wastewater could be
used to irrigate the two golf courses
near Calabash ? Carolina Shores
and Marsh Harbour ? the entire
town could hook onto the Carolina
Blythe sewer system, Mattutat said.
However, state regulations allow
treated wastewater to be used for ir
rigation on new golf courses only
where separate pipes and retention
ponds arc part of the overall design.
Fid Schaack, building inspector
and code enforcement officer for
Calabash, requested more law en
forccment coverage I rum ilie Bruns
wick County Sheriff's r>epartmeni
and a new magistrate's office in the
southern end of the county.
Schaack also asked that the cen
ter turning lane on N.C. 179 be ex
tended all the way through Cala
bash, and directed his request to Jim
Cook, district engineer with the
N.C. Department of Transportation.
Redwine, who said he gets kid
ded in the General Assembly for
creating more towns than any other
legislator, played a key role in last
year's merger of the old town of
Calabash and Carolina Shores.
He said last week he wishes more
communities, particularly those in
the northern section of Brunswick
County, would follow the example
of uxtpcration among neighlxirs be
ing set m Calabash.
T\ a r/~\ Pr? rvlr? I tr% ? i ir/^rl
IVY KJ I UV|Jlt/ II I j U I t/U
When Cycle Hits Dog
Two Brunswick County residents
were injured Saturday when the mo
torcycle they were riding struck a
dog on the side of the road near
Grissettown.
The accident happened Saturday
at 9:45 p.m. about 9 1/2 miles south
of Shaltollc on N.C. WM, said N.C.
Highway Patrol spokesperson Ruhy
Oakley.
Donald Ray Somerset!, 38, of
Shallotte was traveling cast on N.C.
'KM when the 1()S 1 Su/uki motorcy
cle he was driving struck a dog and
ran off Ihi* left side of I ho road.
Somerset! suffered non-incapaci
tating injuries in the accident. A
passenger, 45-year-old Sylvia Som
crsett, had serious injuries. Both
people were taken to The Bruns
wick Hospital in Supply, Ms. Oak
ley said.
Trooper B.L. Wilkes estimated
damage to the motorcycle at $50.
No charges were filed, Ms. Oakley
said.
Elsewhere in Brunswick County,
a Supply man was charged with
driving left of center following a
one-vehicle accident last Friday.
The wreck occurred last Friday at
4:30 a.m. on N.C. 130 East, 38
miles north of lloldcn Reach. Ms.
Oakley said a I*'88 Nissan pickup
traveling south ran off the road at a
curve, struck a ditch Kink and over
turned.
Trooper R.L. Murray chargcd
Christopher Allen Ward, 24, of Sup
ply witli driving left of center. Ms.
Oakley said the driver said he fell
asleep at the wheel.
Ward was taken to The Bruns
wick Hospital with minor injuries.
Damage to the Nissan was estimat
ed at S5,5(X)
Testimony Is Under Way In
Taylor Triple-Murder Case
Testimony began Friday in the
first-degree murder trial of Michael
Anthony Taylor, who is accused of
the October 19XX murders of a
Maco family.
Taylor is being tried for the
deaths of Marion "Cowboy" Mc
etzc, 48, his wife Ginger Mcetze,
32. and Mrs. Mcelze's daughter by
a previous marriage, 10-year-old
Michelle Arnold. Taylor also is
charged with armed robbery in the
then of a gun that allegedly was
taken from the Mcelzc home.
Friday, the state called to the
stand Fdward Barnclt and Albert
Skipper, two men who worked with
Mcct/c at B.F. Goodrich in Wilm
ington and who found die bodies.
They explained how they went to
the home when Meclzc didn't report
for work and found the Ixxiics in the
partially burned home on N.C. 87
south of Maco.
Rarnett, a plant supervisor, said
he visited the Mcetz.es in their home
five days before the murders and
testified dial Mectze said he was ex
peeling Taylor lo visit him to pay
him some money he owed Mccizc.
Monday, Gary Shay, a detective
for the Brunswick County Sheriff's
Department, testified as to what he
found when he went to the Meetzc
home to investigate and State Bu
reau of Investigation ballistics ex
pert Eugene Bishop testified that
some of the shell casings found at
the crime scone were fired from one
of the guns given to him to test.
However, Bishop said none of the
,22-caliber shell casings found at
the scene matched any of the guns
he was given to test. All three vic
tims arc believed to have been shot
with rliffcrrnl wrrpons. according
to documents on file.
Michael McCann and Roger Ben
ton, two South Carolina residents
who knew Taylor and the Mcctzcs
also testified Monday.
The trial is cx pec ted to last at
least two weeks and the suite can
seek either the death penalty or life
imprisonment.
Hughes Has Been Named
New Shallotte Magistrate
In a few weeks, Shallottc's mag
istrate's office will be open for the
first time since Lcla Osborne re
signed the position in March.
Cheryl Hughes lias been appoint
ed by Superior Court Judge Giles
Clark as the magistrate in Shallottc,
according to Diana Morgan, clcrk of
Superior Court. Ms. Morgan said
she received Ms Hughes' comirii**
sion last Monday, Aug. 13.
Ms. Hughes is presently working
out a notice with her employer, the
Powell and Gore law firm, where
she is a legal secretary, Ms. Morgan
said.
She will then work a few weeks
with magistrates at the county Gov
ernment Center in Bolivia before
opening the Shallottc officc, Ms.
Morgan said.
"So it will be the latter part of
September at the earliest before the
Shalloue office will be open," Ms.
Morgan said.
Shortly after Ms. Osborne re
signed, the slate placed a hiring
slowdown, or temporary freeze on
filling vacancies, because of a
shortfall in state revenues. The
slowdown was extended at least
t M IW.
Ms. Morgan said that Judge
Clark, District Court Judge William
C. Gore Jr. and herself had request
ed that the freeze Ik lifted for this
position.
Police chiefs in the Shalloue area
said the absence of a magistrate in
Shallottc has hampered their depart
ments' efforts, because officers
have been forced to drive to Bolivia
to secure the services of a magis
trate.
Permit Issued For Marina
(Continued From Page 1-A)
be reconsidered afler the first year
the marina is open, he said, and
could be shortened to one year at
that time.
Channel Side Corp., developers
of the Lockwood Folly community,
submitted their original permit ap
plication to the state in April 1988
with plans to build a 50-slip marina
and dry storage, area
Area fishermen, however, object
ed to the proposal because plans
called for the marina to be built in a
section of ihe lower Lockwood Fol
ly River that traditionally has yield
ed some of die best shellfish har
vests in the county.
Fishermen said construction of
die marina would result in more
pollution in the river, which has
been closed u> shellfish harvesting
frequendy over the past two years
because of unsafe levels of bacteria.
Channel Side's permit application
was put on "administrative hold" in
September 1988, because the state
needed more information on sewage
treatment plans. The permit applica
tion remained in limbo until April,
when developers submitted die
scaled-down version of their plans
to the state, with 26 boat slips and
no dry storage.
There arc no plans for wastewater
treatment facilities or fuel pumps at
die Genoa Point Boat Basin. Plans
call for die marina channci to be
built so any negative effects on wa
tcr quality are minimized.
To create the upland basin, devel
opers would have to dig out about
2.5(H) cubic yards of material, none
of which is wetlands. Vegetative
buffers anil silt fencing would he
used to control sionnwatcr runoll
and erosion at ihc marina.
Based on plans for ihc marina,
there will be no automatic closure
of shellfish waters if and when it is
built, said George Gilbert, assistant
director of the N.C. Shellfish Sani
tation program.
With 26 boats slips, a maximum
boat length of 21 feet and no marine
heads, Gilbert said the state would
have to sample waters and find high
levels of biiclcriii before ihc urc?i
would be closed to shellfishing.
Gilbert said in a recent interview
that there's no way to predict whe
ther construction and operation of
the marina would create pollution
and force the suite to close nearby
oyster and clam beds.
There needs to be limits on all
lypes of activity alonp the shoreline,
he said, if arc residents want to pre
serve and restore the river.
THE BRUNSWICK&BEACON
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 S10.30
Six Months S5.50
ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA
One Year S14.80
Six Months S7.85
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
One Year $15.95
Six Months S8.35
Sccond class postage paid at the
Post Otlice m Shallotte. N.C.
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