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Twenty-eighth Year, Number 50 Shallotte, N , ...uiauay, November 1,1990 250 Per Copy 44 Pages, 3 Sections, 1 Insert
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UNITE
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VIOLENCE
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STAFF PHOTO BY TERRY POM
MARCHERS PARTICIPATING in the Domestic Violence Awareness Pay rally last Thursday stres
sed the need to speak out against abuse and to make the public more aware of the problem in
Itrunswick County.
Victims Tell Of Domestic Violence
11Y TKRRY POPK
The people gutlicred at the road
side rest area near Supply last week
were not (here to rest. Instead, they
pickcd up banners and signs anil
marehed down U.S. 17 to Bruns
wiek Community College to speak
out against domestic violence.
Last Thursday was Domestic
Violence Awareness Day in Bruns
wick County. Following the march,
a candlelight service was held at the
college for victims who have lost
their lives in the struggle against
domestic violence.
Sponsored by Hope Harbor
Home of Brunswick County, a shel
ter for domestic violence victims
and their children, and the Bruns
wick Community College Vocation
al Technical Honor Society, the ral
l\ was attended by about 50 people
who gathered to hear testimony
Iroin two women who escaped vio
lent situations.
Keynote speaker Kitty Fitzgib
hon, weather anchor for WWAY
TV-3 in Wilmington, surprised die
audience w hen she told of being ex
posed to domestic violence as a lit
tle* girl. Amanda McDonald, shelter
manager for Hope Harbor, wasn't
aware that Ms. Fit/gibbon was a
survivor when she asked her to be
guest speaker.
"Il jusi shows ihc extent of the
problem," Ms. Fit/gibbon said,
"w hen you can call a speaker at ran
dom and lind someone who has been
affected by domestic violence."
Education and counseling arc
needed to help battered women, Ms.
Fit/gibbon said. Women have to
know that there is help available.
"Most people don't realize dial
when they watch the weather, they
are watching a survivor," Ms. Fitz
gibbon said. Domestic violence is a
topic that's not easy to talk about
and is often overlooked by the me
dia, she added.
"1 was scared to death coming in
here today," she said. "1 had no idea
what 1 was going to say. It's not
easy to break the cycle."
Hope Harbor is only one of 61
domestic violence programs in
North Carolina. Ms. McDonald said
Monday that the shelter is in need
of donations, such as infant and
children's Tylenol, diapers of all
sizes and cleaning supplies.
This year, each shelter received a
S15,(XK) grant from the slate. In the
future, funding for the shelters must
come from other sources.
"We did that even in a very tough
year," said Suite Rep. E. David Red
wine. "Frankly, I'd like lo see us do
more nexl year if we can, and that's
a mighty big if. All state programs
can expect to suffer somewhat."
Redwinc said he believes the
shelter is the "very necessary first
step to help victims of domestic vi
olence on the road to a better life."
Rene McGill, an employee of the
domestic violence shelter in Wilm
ington, also gave testimony of how
she struggled away from the control
of a batterer.
"All he wanted was power and
control," Ms. McGill said. "He
would say that 1 was stupid, igno
rant and ugly. 1 really had become
nothing to myself or my children."
She suffered from a fractured
jaw, broken fingers and toes before
she managed to flee.
"Those were the easiest scars for
me bccausc 1 could see some physi
cal healing," she said. "I was lost. I
was confused."
Ms. McGill admitted herself into
a psychiatric hospital. She had lo
fight for custody of her children.
With S23.15, she found an attorney
who believed in her.
"Start a new beginning today be
cause tomorrow you may not have a
chance," she urged victims at the
rally.
Election Headed
Toward Countdowr
BY SUSAN USHKK
After a fast-paccd final week, a
relatively low-key clcclion season
will peak Tuesday in Brunswick
County when as many as 27,743
voters could go to the polls to elect
leaders at the local, state and nation
al level.
Local voters will mark two large
ballots front and back Tuesday.
Among the offices to be filled are
the following:
?County Sheriff;
?Clerk of Superior Court;
?County Commissioners from
Districts 2 and 5;
?Board of Education members
from Districts 2 and 5;
?State Senator, ISth District:
?Suite Representative, 14ih Dis
trict;
?U.S. Congressman, 7th District:
?U.S. Senator.
?Chief Justice, Associate Justice,
N.C. Supreme Court;
?N.C. Court of Appeals?seven
judges:
?N.C. Superior Court?27 jud
ges, including a new 13th District
scat;
?13th District Judge; and
?County Soil and Conservation
District?two supervisors.
Voters will also decide a biparti
san issue?should the state issue
S200 million in bonds to build new
prisons and youth services facilities.
While county commissioners and
sch(x)l board members run from and
represent the district in which they
reside, they arc nominated and
clcctcd by voters countywidc.
Several of the races on the ballot
arc uncontested: Rep. E. David
Redwinc won a Democratic primary
and is unopposed for re-election to
the 14th District scat in the N.C.
House of Representatives. The dis
trict includes all of Brunswick
County, pius one township each in
New Hanover and Pender counties.
David Wall is unopposed for
election to the 13th District judge's
scat soon to be vacated by William
C. Gore Jr. Gore is unopposed for
election to a new Superior Court
judgeship.
Two candidates, incumbents
James D. Bellamy Jr. of Shallotte
and Harold Robinson of Supply, arc
unopposed for two seats on the non
partisan Brunswick County Soil and
Water Conservation District Board
of Supervisors, though a blank is in
cluded on the ballot for write-in
votes.
Voters can vote a straight Repub
lican or Democratic ticket or split
their ticket. To split a ticket, a can
didate can mark a straight ticket,
then mark the ballot for one or more
candidates of the other party. The
votes will count straight ticket ex
cept for those items, which will be
counted as marked.
Profiles of the candidates in ma
jor local, district and state races are
included in today's edition of The
Brunswick Beacon.
Congress Allots $200,000
For Lockwood Folly Study
Money for an impact study de
signed to find out if navigation pro
jects near Lockwood Folly River
have affected water circulation in
the river has been included in the
1991 federal budget.
Federal legislators appropriated
S2(X),(MK) for the impact study in the
budget approved last week, said
Keith Pitts, spokesman for Con
gressman Charlie Rose (D-N.C).
The Army Corps of Engineers, the
federal agency that will do the study,
Welcome Center Will Greet 1,000-Plus Visitors
A Day
BY SUSAN USHER that our state and this southeast region would
When the Southeastern Welcome Center develop a partnership," he said.
opens in 1992 its staff can expect a thousand The project is a joint effort of the public and
visitors a day. State Transportation Secretary private sector.
Tommy Harrelson told a group of about 75 peo- Located approximately 12 miles north of the
.pie Tuesday at groundbreaking ceremonies for South Carolina-North Carolina border along the
'the Sl.l million facility. U.S. 17 bypass at Shalloue, the regional center
"Probably more than that," Harrelson said lat- is being built with state funds. The center will
er regarding the figure. "People don't realize how operate and staff its visitors center in 1,400
many people ill is road is going to be carrying. square feet of the facility. A state rest area will
"The center in Macon County is already do- occupy the remaining 1,000 square feet. The
ing more than that during its peak season." N.C. Department of Transportation will operate
The lour-lanc bypass of U.S. 17 around the rest area and provide site maintenance.
Shalloue is scheduled to open before the start of The facility will promote attractions and
die 1991 tourist season next May. amenities across the entire region, as well a pro
Tuesday's afternoon ceremony was held viding information about the rest of the state,
along the unfinished bypass, off N.C. 130 West In turn, Harrelson said the state hopes finan
at what will be the entrance to die new facility cial support will be forthcoming from all eight
from the westbound ramp. counties?Brunswick, Bladen, Columbus, Cra
Dean Walters, president of the Southeastern ven, Duplin, Onslow, New Hanover and Pender.
Welcome Center Inc., the non-profit organi/a- Participants in Southeastern Welcome Cen
tion that will operate the visitors center, said its ter Inc. to date include the South Brunswick
construction is "a lone-awaited dri^im" lor Islands Chamber of Commerce. Southport-Oak
many area residents. It was a natural project for Island Chamber of Commerce, Greater Wilm
die area, he said, given its rich heritage, die ease ington Chamber of Commerce and Cape Fear
with which southeastern North Carolina resi- Coast Convention & Visitor's Bureau. Bruns
denis welcome visitors, and the importance of wick County lias channeled $60,000 to the cen
tourism to the coastal economy. "It made sense ter through the two chambers of commerce and
the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
has chipped in S 10,000.
"We'll start our funding program today," Su
sannc Sartelle, executive vice president of the
South Brunswick Islands Chamber of Commerce
and treasurer of the center operating group, told
the Beacon. "We're going to be working mainly
through chambers of commerce and visitors cen
ters."
Mrs. Sartelle, Wallers and Harrelson joined
other officials in tossing shoveslul of dirt along
side the bypass with a chrome-plated shovel.
Also digging in were Southeastern Welcome
Center board members Joe Augustine, of the
Greater Wilmington chamber. Secretary Sabrina
Hodges, visitors center director for the South
port-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce; Judy
Shaffncrof the Governor's Office; Vicki Silenc
er and Dave Kelly, Soulhport-Oak Island Cham
ber of Commerce, and Annette Odom, South
Brunswick Islands Chamber of Commerce; and
Charles Tomlinson, assistant head of DOT's
roadside unit.
"I think it's great. I'm excited that the loca
tion is so close to the South Brunswick Island
beaches," Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Betty Wil
liamson said following the groundbreaking. "It
should help our local economy a great deal."
Varnamtown Officials Hope To
BY DOUG rutter
With some help from residents,
Varnamtown officials think they'll
be able to open the community's
first town hall to the public as an
early Christmas present.
The town board of aldermen last
week voted to buy a lot and house
along Varnamtown Road for
$51,(XX). With a few changes, offi
cials say the house will make a nice
town hall that should meet the
town's needs for many years.
Carol Etheridge, who owns the
property, had rejected an identical
offer from the town board in Sep
tember Mayor Judy Galloway said
last week thai the real estate compa
ny trying to sell the property accept
ed the town's offer.
The town board will use S3(),(XX)
from the town building lund as a
down payment and borrow $21,(XX)
from United Carolina Bank. The
loan will be for two years, anil the
interest rate will not exceed X per
cent.
Town Clerk Paul Vealey saitl last
week that the town has about
S40,(XX) in the bank. The board of
aldermen budgeted $55,863 in its
building fund this fiscal year, plus
S2,4(X) for town hall rental.
Since Vamamtown incorporated
in September ll)XX, town meetings
have been held in the community's
two churches. Last Thursday, when
aldermen approved purchase of the
property, an electrical problem
caused them to meet in a small side
room in Dixon Chapel United
Methodist Church rather than in
their usual room.
llic future town hall property is
located next to an acre of land the
town already owns. The lot is about
one-third of an acre, and the 1.4(H)
square-loot house has four bed
rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen,
dining area, living room and utility
room.
Mayor Galloway said the closing
dale will be no later than Nov. 15.
"If all goes according to plan, we
can meet there and start blocking
out walls," she said last week.
Alderman John David Dawson
was authorized to change the locks
on the doors as soon as the town
takes over ownership of the property.
Town officials said last week
they hope town residents will vol
unteer their time to renovate the
building if the town pays for the
lumber and other materials.
Although the purchase is still in
complete, town officials already arc
talking about holding an open house
when renovations are done and
dressing up the town hall with a
Christmas tree.
(See VARNAMTOWN, I'age 2-A)
Open Town Hall
has estimated its cost at S265.000.
However, Pitts said the work can be
done for the amount budgeted.
The impact study will focus on
Eastern Channel, which is situated
between the west end of Long
Beach and Sheep Island at the
mouth of the Lockwood Folly River.
Eastern Channel served as the in
let between Lockwood Folly River
and the Atlantic Ocean before the
Atlantic lniracoastal Waterway was
dredged and a new inlet was cut.
Brunswick County fishermen say
the Eastern Channel has filled in
with sand in recent years, and the
sand has restricted water Row and
prevented bacterial pollution from
escaping the river, which is often
closed to shellfishing.
The impact study will use a "nu
merical flow model" to determine
whether Corps navigation projects
near Lockwood Folly River have
had adverse impacts on water circu
lation. The study is expected to last
about nine months.
Tom Jarrett, head of coastal engi
neering with the Corps in Wilming
ton, said recent aerial photos and
photos dating back to the 1800s be
fore the waterway was constructed
would be compared to see how
Eastern Channel has changed over
the years.
If the impact study determines
that construction of the waterway
has had negative impacts on water
How through Eastern Channel, Jar
rett said the Corps would develop
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sate for the effects.
The impact study is just one part
ol a two-prong Corps ol tngineers
proposal involving the Eastern
Channel.
(See CONGRKSS, Page 2-A)
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STAFF PHOTO BY TERRY POPE
It's A Ringer!
Shirley Driver lands a ringer
Saturday in the women's doubles
horseshoe pitching competition at
the N.C. Festival By The Sea at
Holdcn Beach. More coverage of
festival events is inside:
Costume Contest 6-A
Horseshoes 12-C
Surfing Contest 13-C
Volleyball, Run 14-C
Parade 8-A
Where Do The
Candidates Stand?
Find out candidates' positions on
the issues before voting Nov. 6.
Profiles arc inside on Pages 10-A
and 8-B through 12-B.
Holden Boord
Upholds
Suspension
Of Officer
BY DOUG RUTTER
Following a closed-door griev
ance hearing Tuesday Holden Beach
Commissioners voted to uphold the
recent suspension of a town police
officer who was earlier convicted of
assault and trespassing.
Commissioners voted unani
mously to uphold the town manag
er's suspension of Policeman Gary
Dancy after meeting in executive
session for more than an hour Tues
day afternoon.
Dancy was suspended without
pay from the police force after he
was found guilty of simple assault
and second-dcgrec trespassing Sept.
25 in Brunswick County District
Court. The case has been appealed
to superior court.
Town Manager Blake Proctor
suspended the policeman until the
case is settled. He said at the lime of
the disciplinary action that Dancy
would be reinstated with full senior
ity, benefits and back pay if he is
found innoccnt in superior court.
Proctor said the policc officer
would be fueu if found guilty in su
perior court.
"Nobody, including myself, want
p(j in <jo it, but it had to be done,"
Proctor said Tuesday of the suspen
sion
Mayoi John Tandy said commis
sioners thought the town manager
had acted correctly when he sus
(See HOLDKN, Page 2-A)
As Early Christmas Gift
STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG *UTT??
VARNAMTOWN ALDERMEN approved the purchase of this house last week, which thei plan to
convert into the community's first town hull.