It is No Surprise
Trojan Aldwln Lance Is co-player of the year on
the Brunswick County All-County Prep Football
Team. Details on the full 27-man iine-up are on
Page 6-B.
iliM" The speed-limit on ^own-owned I j Breaking The Cycle
streets at Holden Beach may be Counseling may be the key to breaking the cycle
Increased. This and other Holden of sexual abuse. Local agencies talk about the
Beach news on Page 7-A. problem and the solution on Page 3-B.
THE BRUP
[ Twenty-ninth Year, Number 4 ***>themonswcxbeacon Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, November 29,1990 25c Per Copy 34 Pages, 3 Sections, 3 Inserts
JONES STEPS DOWN
Tripp Chosen New Shallotte Mayor
i K! I .*
1 W * <1
STAFF rHOTO BY DOUG *UTT6?
SARAH TRIPP (left), Shallotte's new mayor, takes the oath of
office with Town Clerk Mary Etta Hewett officiating.
BY DOUG RUTTER
Sarah Tripp bccamc mayor of
Shallotte last week on a split vote
by the town board of aldermen.
She was first elected to the board
in 1985, and is the first woman to
serve as a Shallotte alderman or as
mayor.
Board members David Gause and
Wilton Harrclson supported Mrs.
Tripp to succccd outgoing mayor
Jerry Jones, who resigned from his
town post to serve as a Brunswick
County Commissioner.
Alderman Jody Simmons nomi
nated Paul Wayne Reeves, who is
mayor pro tcm and has served on
the town board since 1977.
Following the vole at last Wed
nesday's meeting, Mrs. Tripp said
she wanted the support of all of the
hoard members. "I appreciate the She said a lot of people in the
chance to be mayor, but I would community asked her if she would
like for it to be unanimous," she serve as mayor prior to last week's
said. "I would like to know you meeting. Mrs. Tripp said she would
(Reeves) and Jody support me." like the full support of the board.
Gause, who said he nominated "Well, based on the vote you
Mrs. Tripp after a lot of thought, have the chair," Reeves said.
said he knew Reeves wanted to be Prior to the appointment, the
mayor and heard rumors that Sim- board accepted the resignation of
mons also wanted the position. Jones, who will take office as a
"To settle the difference, that's county commissioner next month,
the reason I settled with Sarah, and "This is one of the hardest things
that is the reason," Gause said. "It's that I have had to do in a while,"
no personal thing against either one Jones told the town board members,
of those boys." "I've enjoyed working with all of
Mrs. Tripp, who was elected to you, and I will continue working
the town board in 19X5 and rc-clcct- with you," he said. "As county
cd in 1989, said, "To me it's been an commissioner, I will see that Shal
honor to be the first woman to serve lotte and District 2 gets their share
on the town board, and I think it of representation on our county
would be an even greater honor to board."
be the mayor." In his letter of resignation to the
board, Jones said it had been a plea
sure lo serve the town for nine
years, both as alderman and mayor.
"You and the citizcns of Shallottc
have shown great confidence to al
low me to serve you during this
time, and I want you to know that I
will always be grateful to each of
you," Jones wrote. "Shallottc has
the most wonderful people in the
world and I am proud to let others
know that Shallottc is my home
town."
Harrelson, who made the motion
to acccpt the resignation, said,
"You've made a choice that 1 think
we should honor."
Town board members took no ac
tion last week to appoint someone
to the board to fill the seat vacated
by Mrs. Tripp.
Barefoot New 13th District Judge
Napoleon "Poli" Barefoot Jr., judgeship in the 13lh District. His
Brunswick County assistant district scat on the district court bench will
attorney, has become vacant Dec. 31. Both
been appointed judges arc cxpcctcd to be sworn in
the new 13th to their new seats Jan. 2.
Judicial District <gH The 13 th Judicial District in
Court judge to J* eludes Brunswick, Columbus and
fill the seat be- - Bladen counties. Barefoot's was one
ing vacated by ^ of three names submitted to Gov.
Judge William % Martin on Nov. 1 as possible re
C. Gore Jr. placemenLs for Gore.
Barefoot was Also nominated by the 13th Judi
appointed Mon- cial District Bar Association were
day by Gov. barefoot James Melvin, a lawyer in Eliza
James Marun, said Nancy Pckarck, a bcthtown, and Tom Aldridgc, an as
spokesperson at the governor's of- sistant district attorney in Columbus
fice. "We haven't gotten the paper- County. Barefoot received twice as
work yet, but it has been confirmed." many votes as the other candidates
Judge Gore was elected Nov. 6 to in a caucus of bar association mcm
a newly-created Superior Court bers in October.
According to state law, the new
district court judge must belong to
the same political party as his pre
dcccssor. Barefoot is a Democrat.
Barefoot joined District Attorney
Michael Easlcy's office in March
1984 after two years of general
practice in Hyde County. He is a
graduate of Wake Forest University
law school.
District court judges preside in
both criminal and civil court and
hear cases ranging from routine
traffic offenses to assault, arson, ju
venile issues and child support dis
putes.
Barefoot's appointment is for two
years, to fill the unexpired portion
of Judge Gore's term. District court
judges earn a base salary of $60,060.
PARADE IS SATURDAY
Santa's Coming To Town
Santa Claus will follow a fleet of fire trucks and a bevy of beauty
queens through downtown Shallottc Saturday morning in the annual
Shaliottc Christmas Parade.
The parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and will feature more
than 100 entries from across Brunswick County and southeastern North
Carolina.
For the best view, parade watchers can line up along Main Street
between N.C. 130 West and the main branch of United Carolina Bank at
Smith Avenue.
Among the entries will be fire trucks from eight different depart
ments, three local saddle clubs. Brownie and Girl Scout troops and sev
eral area church groups.
Miss Brunswick County 1990 Wendy Williams, who was first run
ner-up to Miss North Carolina, will among the pageant winners appear
ing. The Brunswick County Cloggcrs and Sudan Thunderbolts should
be among the crowd favorites.
Several roads leading into the downtown area will close early
Saturday morning to accommodate line-up of parade entries, according
to Phcbic McLean, secretary at Shallottc Town Hall.
Closed starting at 8:30 a.m. will be Village Road/N.C. 179 from
Copas Road to Sellers Road, and Blake Street, the short connector be
tween Village Road and U.S. 17 at Shalloue Middle School.
Bands that will march in the parade arc to meet at the main en
trance of Shallottc Middle School, while floats will line up along Powell
Street, behind the UCB south branch.
Those bringing participants to the parade line-up area are asked to
park in the lots at Maxway and Hill's Food City, said Ms. McLean, and
then walk to the appropriate location.
During the parade, U.S. 17 from the south end to the north end
stoplights at N.C. 130 will also be closed to traffic. Vehicles will be de
toured along the Whitcville Road (N.C. 130 cast), Bridgcrs Road, White
Street and Smith Avenue.
The parade line-up is on page 11 of this section.
Judge Gives 12-Year Sentence
In 1983 Ocean Isle Drug Case
BY TERRY POPE
Time was running out for both
the defendant and the prosecutor in
a major drug smuggling sentencing
in Brunswick County Superior
Court Monday.
Bailey Owen Cooper of Charlot
te, who pleaded guilty in 1985 to
drug trafficking charges in Bruns
wick County, was finally sentenced
to 12 years in prison and fined
$50,000 by Judge Giles R. Clark.
Special State Prosecutor William
E. Wolak said an agreement signed
between Cooper and District At
torney Michael Easley in July 1987
specifically stated that sentencing
would be held for Cooper while
Easley was still in office. Easley did
not run for re-election this year and
will leave the district attorney's of
fice in December.
Wolak told Judge Clark Monday
that the state is not finished using
Cooper as a key witness in other
drug smuggling cases. He asked for
a split-sentence that would force
Cooper to truthfully testify in up
coming eases as part of his proba
tion. However, under a split-sen
tence agreement the defendant can
only receive up to a six-month ac
tive prison term.
"It would be ludicrous for this
court to sentence this man for six
months for the kind of crimes that
have been committed," Judge Clark
told Wolak. "Once he receives his
sentence, he is under no obligation
to cooperate with anyone. You've
let it drag on and now time's run
ning out."
Cooper was originally connected
to three drug smuggling operations
in Brunswick County dating back to
July 1982, January 1983 and May
1983. He pleaded guilty to one
count of conspiracy to traffic in
more than 2,000 pounds but less
than 10,000 pounds of marijauna
and to one count of trafficking mari
juana. Other charges were dismis
sed under the condition that Cooper
give testimony to a Brunswick
County Grand Jury about the smug
gling operations.
SBI Special Agent Fred McKin
ney testified Monday that although
Cooper did provide information
about the smuggling operations and
listed "quite a few people involved"
in the ring, he also lied to investiga
tors about other details. A lot of in
formation Cooper volunteered, Mc
Kinncy said, was common knowl
edge to investigators.
According to Cooper's defense
attorney, Howard Twiggs, Cooper
gave substantial assistance, includ
ing a description of how sailboats
were used to offload the larger ships
off the Brunswick County coast.
Cooper even took SB1 investigators
to Somersett Landing and showed
them how the operation proceeded,
Twiggs said.
In May 1983, federal, state, coun
ty and Ocean Isle Beach police offi
cers seized 14,380 pounds of mari
juana with a retail value of $1.1
million from a mobile home at
Lakewood Estates near Ocean Isle
Beach. At the same time, another
multi-ton load of marijuana was be
ing shipped to Onslow County by
the same drug ring, Mc Kinney said.
The investigation that followed un
folded a three-year drug operation
that involved increasingly larger
amounts of contraband smuggled
into Brunswick County.
Cooper's role in this operation
(See JUDGE, Page 2-A)
Teen Faces Additional
Driving-Related Charges
Just iwo months after receiving a in August to the charge of misde
suspended sentence for a misde- meanor death by motor vehicle. The
meanor death by motor vehicle charge stemmed from a traffic acci
charge, a Sunset Beach teen-ager dent on March 18, 1990, that
faces a number of new charges in- claimed the life of Clyde Justice
eluding driving while his license Olive, 37, of Supply.
was revoked. District Court Judge Jerry A.
Matthew Shawn Arnette, whose Jolly gave Ametie a two-year sus
17th birthday was Nov. 25, has had pended sentence and placed him on
11 charges filed against him since unsupervised probation. His license
Oct. 31, 1989, according to docu- was revoked until November 1991.
ments on file at the Brunswick In that March 1990 accident.
County Clerk of Court's office. All Arnette was also charged by
but one were for alleged driving-re- Trooper C.E. Ward with running a
lated offenses. stop sign and failure to wear a seat
Arnctte, then 16, pleaded guilty (See TEEN, Page 2-A)
Parents Will
Pay Up
Or Make
'Scrooge
Listing'
The slate of North Carolina is
putting together its own list of
"Scrooges," in this case parents
three monihs or more behind in
child support payments.
David T. Flaherty, secretary of
the state Department of Human
Resources, said the parents have un
til Friday, Nov. 30, to either make
good on their obligations or face be
ing included on local "Scrooge
Lists".
Mary Cornish of the Brunswick
County Department of Social Ser
vices says the local "Scrooge List"
at this time includes approximately
250 names of those who failed to
make court-mandated child support
payments for the period September
through November.
In mid-December participating
agcncies plan to purchase space in
local newspapers to print their
"Scrooge Lists," similar to how
counties publish the names of per
sons delinquent in paying property
taxes. Each list will include the
names and last known addresses of
non-supporting parents.
"We want non-supporting parents
to realize that the state of North
Carolina is serious about child sup
port enforcement," said Flaherty.
"We're making a pro-active effort to
collect the millions of dollars of
child support payments that go un
paid each year."
In September the Child Support
Enforcement Section unveiled its
"10 Most Wanted" poster of parents
delinquent in child support pay
ments. The list included at lea1" one
local man.
In October two of lite "10 most
wanted" were located by local law
enforcement agencies.
State Will Buil
BY DOUG RUTTER
A wall of sandbags will be buik at the east end of the
Ocean Boulevard at Holdcn Beach in an attempt to save
the erosion-threatened road.
Wysco Contractors of Morehead City has been hired
to build the seawall at an approximate cost of $36,620,
saiu Jim Cook, division engineer with the N.C.
Department of Transportation (DOT).
The slate owns the street and will cover the full cost
of the project. The DOT funded a similar project in
May 1988 to protect the road. "It's a stop-gap delay ac
tion again," Cook said.
Holden Beach Building Inspector Dwight Carroll
said he expected to receive an emergency CAMA per
mit Tuesday that would allow the work to be done in
the street right of way.
Due to abnormally high tides and rough seas this fall,
Holdcn Beach has experienced significant erosion dam
age, particularly at the eastern end of Ocean Boulevard.
A section of the road undermined about two weeks
d Sandbag Wall
ago remains closed to car traffic. There arc about six
second-row houses between the blockade and the east
end of the street.
Cook said the sandbagging work to be done before
the end of the year will differ from the last sandbagging
project because the bags will be arranged more effee
uVCiy.
Four sandbags will be stacked on top of each other to
build the wall, which will be about 300 feet long. "It's
an improved design people have learned through trial
and error," he said.
Cook said woik oil the piojcct coulu begin at any
time. The state contract says it has to be completed by
Dec. 22.
The DOT will put dirt behind the sandbag wall once
it is built. Cook said, and repair the edges of die road
that have collapsed.
Beyond the sandbagging project. Cook said the stale
has no long-term plans for the eastern end of Ocean
Boulevard. Future action will be based on the rate of
In Effort To Sav
erosion or renourishment.
Meanwhile, the Holdcn Beach Board of
Commissioners arc looking into the possibility of relo
cating the street.
Town officials arc developing a proposal to move the
threatened scction of the road away from the ocean and
iuii ii behind a iow of houses liiai are now considered
second row.
While the slate plans to protect its street, Carroll said
people who have witnessed dune erosion near their
beach homes this fall can do something to protect their
investment as well.
Property owners who lost part or all of the sand dune
that was built adjacent to their lots last winter can have
sand pushed up on the dune starting Dec. 15.
Landowners will have until April 15 to get the work
done. Carroll said bulldozers will not be allowed to dig
more than one foot deep in the beach when getting sand
for the dunes.
People who own homes that are in serious danger
e Island Road
don't have to wait two weeks to take action.
Carroll said homeowners can have sand pushed or
sandbags placcd at their property immediately if the
main part of the structure is within 20 feet of the edge
of the dune.
If lot owners choose to have bulldozers push sand in
from of their homes, Cairoii suggests uic saiiu be iakcn
from as far out on the bcach as possible, near the low
water mark. Taking sand next to the dune to rebuild the
dune would defeat the purpose of the project, he said.
Although Holdcn Beach has suffered more beach
erosion this faii than its neighbors, officials in at least
one other South Brunswick Islands community are tak
ing action aimed at holding off the encroaching sea.
Ocean Isle Beach Building Inspector Druied Roberson
has been working to get a permit that would allow the
town to place sandbags at the end of East Second Street,
which also has been threatened by erosion.
The town must get approval from adjacent property
owners before it can receive the sandbagging permit.