PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Riverside Gets Flag
Preston Phillips, left, and Marion Davis prepare to raise a United
Slates flag in the Riverside community at Varnamtown. Congress
matt Charlie Rose donated the flag after it h as flown over the U.S.
capitol Nov. /.?, 1990.
Crack Cocaine Suspect
Arrested Second Time
BY TERRY POPE
Brunswick County narcotics offi
cers have arrested a Shallottc man
on drug charges just two weeks af
ter he was placed on probation in
Brunswick County Superior Court
for the same offense.
Jerry Lee McNeil, 37, of Airport
Road, was arrested following a
search of his mobile home last
Thursday which uncovered "28 hits
of crack cocaine," said Lu David
Crockcr, head of the narcotics squad
for the Brunswick County Sheriff's
Department.
According to Crockcr, Detective
Charlie Miller received an anony
mous tip that drug activity was al
legedly taking place at the suspect's
home. A search warrant was obtain
ed and officers, aided by State
Highway Patrol Trooper Jerry Dove
and his drug-sniffing dog, Augustus
Marcos, uncovered the estimated
S3,(XX) worth of crack cocaine.
Detectives went to the home
around 11 a.m. and were let in by a
woman.
"On entering the premises, the
suspect was about to be read his
rights when he ran from a bedroom
to a bathroom," Crocker said. Offi
cers forcibly entered the bathroom
and placed McNeil under arrest.
Instead of officers searching the
mobile home, Marcos was brought
in to sniff for drugs. The dog led of
ficers to a medicine cabinet in the
bathroom where the man was arrest
ed, Crockcr said.
In the back of the cabinet was the
crack cocaine, each piece wrapped
in an aluminum foil packet, he said.
Dctcciivcs also seized SI 10 in cash
and found wrappers and razor
blades with what may be drug resi
due on ihem.
McNeil was charged with posses
sion with intent to sell and deliver
cocainc, maintaining a residence for
keeping and selling cocainc. posses
sion of drug paraphernalia and ob
structing and delaying a police offi
cer.
He was uken to the Brunswick
County Jail where he was later re
leased under S20,(XX) bond.
In Superior Court on Dec. 10,
McNeil was given a three-year sus
pended sentence and placed on five
years' supervised probation after
pleading guilty to possession with
intent to sell and deliver crack co
cainc. He was also fined S300 and
ordered to perform 2(H) hours of
community scrvicc.
Judge Lynn Johnson also ordered
that he not use or possess illegal
drugs or controlled substances or
associate with anyone w ho docs. Me
was also ordered to enroll in a sub
stance abuse program.
Those charges stemmed from a
May incident in which he was stop
ped by a Shalloite Policc officer for
driving left of ccntcr on N.C. 130
west of Shallotle. When McNeil
stepped from the vehicle, a medi
cine bottle containing 29 pieces of
crack cocainc fell onto the ground,
the report stated.
Another bottle containing four
pieces of crack cocaine was also
confiscated from the car along with
SI,067 in cash and the suspcct's
1977 Ford Thundcrbird. The drugs
were valued at S3,300.
Change Of Weather In Store
For South Brunswick Islands
After enjoying springlike temper- For the pcrkxl Dec. 18 through
atures last week that ran 16 degrees 23, Canady recorded a maximum
above average, local residents can high of 77 degrees, which occurred
expect a sharp change of weather on the 22nd.
over the next few days. The minimum low of 47 degrees
. . was recorded Dec. 18.
Shallottc Point meteorologist A daily avcragc high of 71 dc.
acksonCanady said temperatures a combined with an average
! average, ranging from ^ hU , f 55 d f a ^
the mid-30s at night .mo the mid- avbcra^c lcmpcraturcfcof 63 degrees
50s during the daytime. Canady .said that is 16 degrees
While no snow is in the forecast, above avcragc.
he said he expected normal rainfall. Also, he recorded .74 inch of
about a half inch. rainfall.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO
THE BRUNSWICK# BEACOM
POST OFFICE BOX 2558
SHALLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28459
TO START THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT!
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen
In Brunswick County J6.30 35.30
N.C. Sales Tax .32 .27
Postage Charge 3.68 3.68
TOTAL 10.30 9.25
Elsewhere in North Carolina ?6.30 ?5.30
N.C. Sales Tax .32 .27
Postage Charge 8.18 8.18
TOTAL 14.80 13.75
Outside North Carolina ?6.30 ?5.30
Postage Charge 9.65 9.65
TOTAL 15.95 14.95
Complete And Return To Above Address
City, State
Zip
Water Director Asking County For Workers
(Continued From Page 1-A)
and maintenance," Webb stated.
The department needs additional
personnel to set up a "tnic preventa
tive maintenance program," he add
ed. The water department's func
tions no longer consist of just oper
ation of the water system, but in
cludes operations of the wastewater
system for the government complex
in Bolivia, the wastewater collec
tion system, and the wastewater
pumping station and treatment plant
for the Leland Industrial Park.
"Staff training cannot be accom
plished overnight," Webb adds,
"and we must have sufficiently
trained staff to operate this utility
with the integrity it not only de
serves. but requires."
The number of water customers
has grown from less than 700 ini
tially in July 1986 to more than
3,000 today. The department's num
ber of employees has grown by only
a couple since the 1987-88 budget
year, when the county began adding
water users through the first Special
Assessment Districts (SADs).
SADs are projects in which the
property owners arc assessed the
"Staffing,funding
inadequate for county water
system headed "upward and
onward'.
?Jerry Webb
Director of Public Utilities
cost of running water lines from
main trunk lines into adjacent neigh
borhoods. Properly owners pay
based on either highway frontage or
the square footage of their loLs.
Since 19S8, the county has ap
proved of 12 SADs while two, SAD
7 and 9, arc still under construction
off of the Holden Beach causeway.
Those will be finished in February.
SAD 12, approved by commission
ers last month, will include 10 sub
divisions between Ocean Isle and
Calabash.
"Where arc we headed in the com
ing years?" Webb asks. "Very sim
ply, upward and onward. This sys
tem will continue to require both
capital improvements as well as in
fnistructure, as indicated by our
Master Plan, through the year 2010."
The Daniels and Associates report
has indicated the county will need to
spend in excess of S18 million be
fore 2010 in capital improvements.
Those cost estimates are based on
1990 figures for materials only, no
labor or legal costs included.
Another concern Webb mentions
in his report is the continued use of
SAD funds to pay for water line
oversizing.
"This fund will become depleted
and if this process of installing in
frastructure is to continue, it will re
quire additional funding," Webb re
ported.
In 1991, the master plan recom
mends the counly start construction
of a main distribution line from the
Shallolte elevated water tank to the
Georgetown Road area. That line
would follow the Shallolte bypass,
travel along U.S. 17 south to
Thomasboro and down N.C. 904 to
tic in to the existing line at N.C. 179
at Seaside.
Estimated cost of the project,
which includes materials only, is
S3.8 million. For the 1989-90 fiscal
year, the county appropriated ap
proximately S4 million for the en
tire water system.
Webb's report shows that in 1989
90, collections exceeded the budget
ed amount for the second consecu
tive fiscal year while expenditures
remained around S3.5 million.
Just how fast is the water system
growing? Eight subdivisions were
dedicated to the county for water
extension projects in 1990. Those
included Inlet Waachc, Windsong
Villas and The Beach at Brickland
ing Plantation; Carol Lynn Estates;
Cmwnstrcam Subdivision; Forest
Hills; Lakeside Subdivision Phase
II; and Ocean Isle Estates.
News, Advertising Deadlines
Earlier During The Holiday
Bccausc of the New Year holiday, there will be earlier news and ad
vertising deadlines for The Brunswick Bcacon's issue of Jan. 3.
Routine news items should be submitted no later than Friday, Dec.
28, for the Jan. 3 edition.
Real estate advertising deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27 for the
issue of Jan. 3.
Classified and display advertising must be in by noon Monday, Dcc.
>1 for the Jan. 3 issue.
The issue will be mailed on regular schedule and mail subscribers
should receive their copies on the usual delivery day.
The Beacon office will be closed Jan. 1.
Leland Man Sues Sheriff's
Deputies For Broken Arm
BY TERRY POPE
Thrcc deputies with the Bruns
wick County Sheriff's Department
have been sued by a man who
claims they broke his arm and de
nied him medical treatment during
an arrest last year.
Edward Noble Jr., 61, of Lcland,
filed suit against the deputies and
the sheriff's department Dec. 12 in
Brunswick County Superior Court.
He is seeking damages in excess of
S10.CXX) and asks that a jury dccidc
the ease.
Named in the suit arc Deputies
Gene Browning, Kenneth Mcsscr
and Timothy J. McGinn. In the suit
filed by his attorney, David Ford of
Long Beach, Noble claims that on
July 16, 1989 Deputies Browning
and Mcsscr grabbed him from be
hind and twisted his arms until he
heard the bones breaking.
Noble was handcuffed and trans
ported to the Brunswick County Jail
in Deputy McGinn's vchiclc. He
was kept in jail for two hours, the
suit states, before he was released.
After seeking mcdical treatment
it was learned Noble had suffered
multiple breaks in his left arm, the
suit suites. He was required to wear
a cast for six months. The suit
claims Noble suffered permanent
damage in the arm and is still un
dergoing medical treatment and has
been unable to work.
"I think it's highly inappropriate
for me to comment on it while it's
in litigation," said Sheriff John Can
Davis.
Davis said he has given his copy
of the lawsuit to County Attorney
David Clcgg.
"We're going to defend it," Clcgg
said Friday. "We'll be filing an an
swer in due course. I have definite
opinions about it, but I'd rather not
say anything."
Noble was charged with resisting
and obstructing a public officer and
found guilty of the charge in Bruns
wick County District Court. His at
lorncy, David Stanley, appealed the
decision to Superior Court, where a
jury on Oct. 11, 1989, found Noble
not guilty, according to documents
filed at the Brunswick County Clerk
of Court's officc.
According lo the suit, those
charges stemmed from a heated dis
cussion Noble had with a neighbor
on the day of his arrest. The discus
sion took place on the defendant's
property and "was not violent and
neither participant had requested as
sistance from any law enforcement
agency," the suit states.
It claims Deputy Messcr, out of
uniform and without a warrant, ap
proached while the two were argu
ing and told Noble to go home.
Noble had exited his vehicle and
was walking toward his house when
McGinn, who was in uniform, ap
proached and placed the defendant
under arrest, it states. McGinn did
not have a warrant for Noble's ar
rest.
Noble told the deputy that he was
on his own property and had broken
no laws and "then proceeded to his
house," it slates. Deputies Brown
ing and Messcr then grabbed Noble
from behind and twisted his arms
behind his back.
The suit stales that Browning and
Messcr both admitted under oath at
Noble's trial that they "heard the
bones breaking in the plaintiff's arm
and continued to twist his arm and
when asked why they had done so
staled they didn't know."
The suit claims the deputies treat
ed Noble in a rough manner "by
pushing, shoving and striking him
all of which was unnecessary and
aggravated injuries he had previous
ly received." Both in transport and
while at the jail, Noble asked for
medical treatment but was refused,
the suit states.
He was held in jail for two hours.
The lawsuit states Noble was denied
his rights under the 14th Amend
ment to the Constitution.
New Shallotte Postmaster
To Report In Mid-January
A new postmaster has been ap- ing postmaster until Bringoli re
pointed for the Shallotte Post Of- ports.
fice, but he won't report until about Bringoli, 41, has held his Beach
mid-January. Haven post, his first in management,
Frank Bringoli, a native of Stalen since 1984. He began his postal ca
Island, N.Y., and currently superin- reer in 1967 as a special delivery car
lendcnt of postal operations at Beach rier at the general post office in New
Haven, NJ., will succeed Frank York City and in 1978 was transfer
Patton, who retired in August. red to Beach Haven, NJ., as a clerk.
His appontmcnt was announced He has completed a number of
last week by Bill Austin, general postal detail assignments and taken
manager of the Postal Service's several courses in postal technology.
Columbia Field Division. He and his wife, Maureen, also a
L.B. Black, who has served as native of Staten Island, reside in
acting Shallotte postmaster since Barnegat, N.J. They have two sons,
Palton's retirement, said last week Frank and Brian.
that today (Thursday) would be his Bringoli was selected on the basis
last day at the office. He begins of merit from a list of qualified can
work Friday as posUnaster at Hainp- didatcs as determined by a review
stead. committee, a news release from
Ronald Reaves, superintendent of John E. Vcmeire, sectional center
posial operations, will serve as act- manager
Sunset Town Council To Look
At Needs Identified In Plan
BY SUSAN USHER
Come January, Sunset Beach
Town Council intends to take time
out to study a community facilities
plan completed last August and pre
sented by Town Administrator
Linda Flucgcl in September.
The plan examines the adequacy
of existing facilities and projects fu
ture needs for space, equipment,
and to a lesser extent, workforce.
The plan was developed by the
town with assistance from the N.C.
Division of Community Assistance.
Topics addressed include the
town's possible development of a
sewer system. "If the town docs not
act soon the opportunity (for state
assistance) will again evade us and
the property owners will have to
bear the entire cost of a system."
writes Ms. Flucgcl in the closing
paragraphs of the study. "The time
will come very soon when the
Brunswick County Health Depart
ment will not allow any additional
development on the island."
Mrs. Flucgcl said she has been
advised by a state official that the
town "might be in a good position"
to receive grants or loans to help
underwrite the cost of a sewer sys
tem. Also, cooperation from Sea
Trail Corporation might also be pos
sible, she said, in the form of hold
ing ponds and spray irrigation for
the courscs.
The town's last attempt to gain a
sewer system was a sewer bond ref
erendum in 1979 that failed by one
vote.
Ms. Flucgcl said she wants the
council to discuss this and other
needs identified in the plan before
members begin work on the 1991
1992 fiscal year budget.
She is proposing that the town es
tablish a "set-aside fund," designat
ing a specific amount in each year's
budget toward meeting future facili
ty needs. If designated in this way,
said Ms. Fluegel, then the funds
cannot be tapped for other purposes.
At one lime the town had infor
mally maintained separate funds for
future development, beach erosion
and beautification. But these were
merged into the regular budget by a
past finance officer bccause the
funds had never been formally cs
tablishcd by council action.
The plan looks at the town hall.
jx)lice department, water system,
town garage and maintenance shop,
stormwatcr and drainage, streets
and the volunteer fire department.
Remodeling the existing minis
tralivc offices at town hall and con
structing a separate council/meeting
room area is another of the recom
mendations included in the plan.
It also suggests adding a police
department storage area, garage
doors to secure the garage area and
conducting a water rate study to de
termine if the town's water system
is independent and self-supporting,
including sufficient reserves to pay
for future maintenance and repairs.
The town might also want to base
future contributions to the fire de
partment on a formula developed by
dividing the current 515,000 annual
contribution by the number of lots
or houses in town.
Since its completion, however, the
12-page document has languished as
council members dealt with more
immediate matters such as annexa
tion and zoning ordinance revisions.
Its consideration has been de
layed from one month to the next.
In November the plan was to be one
of the topics discussed at a work
shop session. But most members
admitted to still not having read the
document or having misplacing
their copy of it.
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 $10.30
Six Months $5.50
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.
so
Best wishes for the peace and joy of the
holiday season to live in your hearts
throughout the New Year.
We appreciate your kind support and
look forward to serving you in 1991.
DEPARTMENT STORE
Main St., ShaHotte ? 754-4846