in Playoff Opener Here Friday, Details Page 9-B
HE BR
Thirtieth Year Number 2
? TMf BRUNSWICK MACOW
Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, November 14, 1991
50< Per Copy 32 Pages, 3 Sections, 4 Inserts
STA* * PHOTO Bv CAROLYN SWEAT
CAI ABASH BEVERAGE MART was one of three Brunswick County properties seized last week hv
L.S. Marshals , who allege the business was purchased m IVN7 with illegal drug money.
Agents Seize Calabash Store,
Lots Linked To Cocaine Deals
BY IKRRY I'OPK
Investigators sa\ a Calabash business seized by led
cral agents last week had served for several years as a
from to launder illegal drug money.
U.S Marshals placed the Calabash Beverage Mart
and two lots then, undei federal seal lasi Thursday,
claiming the owners purchased the properly with pro
ceeds from illegal cocaine deals.
The seizure wits the result of a two-yeai investigation
mio the business transaction ol Harold Gray Winters,
of Route 7. Calabash, and his wife, Maria Ashley
Winters. The couple also has a home in Yadkinvillc.
where othei pioperties were seized.
According to U S. Attorney Margaret Person Currin.
the Calabash projierty was ordered confiscated by U.S
District Court Judge W. Earl Briti on Sept 10 on the ba
sis ol findings by a federal grand jury
Briu's order found probable cause existed to believe
lhai the beverage slorc and three lots? tine in the
Roumlirv F-sIhIcs subdivision and iwo at River Vii'*
Acres, where th<- store is Uvalcd had been purchased
with "illegal druc proceeds' or had been used to "facih
tale illegal drug aclivity".
The properties had also been used to "facilitate ille
gal money laundering ol alleged drug proceeds" or had
been acquired through illegall> "structured" financial
transactions, the order alleges
Using a detailed affidavit compiled by Social Agcm
Vickie I.. Howard, ol the Internal Revenue Service's
Criminal Investigation Division in Greensboro, Ms.
Currin 's office filed lor the forfeiture of property in
U.S District Court on Aug. M).
A review of the Winters' financial records shows ihe
couple made expenditures ol approximated VMi.lXXi
m excess ol all reported legitimate souiccs ol income
between January 19X7 and December I9K9. the affi
davit alleges
The coupli also allegedly engaged in numerous li
nancial transactions made 10 specifically avoid tiling a
Currency Transaction Reix>rt with the IKS, u claims.
Such reports require thai individuals mdicau among
oilier things when he 01 stu. acquires .. ash pmcecd- m
excess of SH),(KXt intended loi use in a financial trails
action. Ms. Currin stated.
The U.S Attorney s office can sei/e drug-related
property purchased in illegal drug operations 01 money
laundering schemes t-oi fiscal year IWl th?- bastcm
District of North Carolina has seized more than S-4 mil
lion in properly it alleges was obtained illegally.
By law. 80 percent ol the proceeds Irom forleuuics
can be shared with participating state and local law en
lorcemeni agencies thai assist with a ease Hu nionev
is earmarked for programs ti> help deal "wiiJi the diug
problems 111 their 1 oiiinuinities." said Ihoinas Swann.
assistant li.S Attorney 111 Raleigh, who filed the tinier
I01 sci/urc and arrest warrants againsi the Winteis
Drug Sales Alleged
The investigation involved a federal grand jury the
IKS, the Yadkin County Sheriff's Department and the
Winston-Salem Alcoholic Beverage Control Board The
three properties seized last week included 1.01 52 111
Boundary L-states subdivision mid Lots 2 (sue ol ihe
store) and 3 in Kiver View Acres
(See ACiKN'l S, Page 2-A)
Former Island Owner Seeks Court
Order To Allow Sandbaq Bulkhead
BY dolk; RUri KR
Bald Head Island's tormei owner
has filed a complaint against a state
agency and us policy making board
allei he was denied a permit to pro
tec t his eroding island properly with
sandbags.
Waller R. Davis seeks a "declara
tors ruling" in his complaint against
the N.C. Department of Environ
ment, Health and Natural Resources
and the N.C. Coastal Resources
Commission
Davis also a.sks lot a preliminary
injunction and temporary restrain
ing order prohibiting the agency and
commission from interfering with
construction ol a sandbag bulkhead
to protect his house on Bald Head.
Kenneth M. Kirkman of More
head City, an attorney for the prop
erly owner, filed the complaint last
week in Brunswick County Sup
erior Court The next session of su
perior court is scheduled the week
ot Dec. 2
Davis, who lives in Kut> Hawk
and owns a home and several
beachfront lots on Bald Head,
owned the island until he sold it to
the Mitchell family about eight
years ago, according to lown Man
ager Wallace Martin.
According to the complaint.
Davis' beachfront residence on
Sand Spur Trail. is being threatened
by the encroaching Atlantic Ocean.
High tides and waves have erod
ed a protective dune between the
house and ocean, and the ocean was
within approximately 25 feet ol the
home's foundation the week before
the court document was filed
Davis applied for a state permit
early last month seeking permission
to build a teinixirary erosion-control
structure made ol sandbags to pro
ted the residence.
He wanted to build the 90-foot
long structure priot to a major
bcach nourishment project ai Bald
Head Island which is expected to
include the strand near the Davis
house, according to thi loiiiplaint
The pcimil application was de
nied CX't 21, because the erosion
escarpment was noi within 20 feet
ot the foundation ot the house, the
document states.
North Carolina officials normally
use 20 feet as the standard when
they consider it houses aie "inimi
nently threatened" by erosion and
eligible for protection.
Davis argues in thi complaint
(See FORMER, Page 2-A)
VOTE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
County Zoning Back
On The Front Burner
BY TKRKY P()|?K
Brunswick County's commission
crs say they will follow the voice of
the people who voted last Tuesday
in lavor ol a count) wide zoning or
dinance and esuiblishmeiit ol lire
and rescue service districts
In a non-binding exit poll vours
lavored a coiiif>rchciisive county
zoning ordinance by a majority in 12
"' 22 county precincts. 3.449 to
Residents also voted in lavor
ol service districts as a was to fund
J'o'untccr lire and rescue un.Ls,
3,856 to 1,625
( omponenLs of a zoning ordi
nance have sat idle in the Brunswick
^riyo,Plan"'n* s'nee
, X ' Planners were told la>i week
to start work on the ordinance im
mediately.
As far as I know they've nevei
been told to stop." saw Kelh Hol
den, chairman of ihe Brunswick
( ount> Board ol Commissioners
I ne (Brunswick County i Planning
Board been directed to pnx/ced
with a county zoning ordinance.'
"olden has favored county /on
'">! sum In |i uned ttu hoard In,
Planning Department began studs
|ng zoning most recent K
February 14X7. and a series ol f?.
ruins were held to gather public in
put in 19X9
Ihe Planning Board has been
charged wnh creating the ordinance
wiui holding public hearings on the*
uralt and with certifying it u> the
Hoard ol Commissioners lot adop.
lion I ne ordinance would regulate
land use outside ol mcorpoiated
lowns i hat have then own zonim;
laws.
"We re going to do evervthmg we
can in the next two years to adop. ;:n
ordinance," Holden said while
watching the exit poll returns elet
Hon night ai ihe Brunswick County
Government Center "I'm go.ng ,o
push it as hard as I can "
District 2 Coiimussiotici Jeuv
Jones a prominent ol zoning, said
he was also pleased with the poll re
suits.
Howevei die issue is likely to
lace a light on die Board ol
Commissioners.
District 4 Commissioner Frankie
Kabon has been an outspoken oppo
nem of county zoning He contends
Propcits owners face too many
regulations and should b- allowed
Ira- use ol their own land
Although work will proceed mi
mediately, as County Manager
David Clegg said. "Don t expect an
ordinance tomoriow."
'We've got 911 and water expan
sion that the board must deal with.''
said Clegg. "It's going to take urne."
Of die 6.X9P people, oi 24 per
cent, who voted in lasi week's elec
lion, ?>.4m responded to the zoning
question on the optional exit poll
According to Supervisoi ol Elec
tions Lynda Brut. 2X.405 people are
registered to vote in Brunswick
C ounty.
Proponents say zoning helps to
lessen street congestion prevents
overcrowding of land, plans lor
uaiis|K>ruilion and public ulililics,
conserves ihe value of buildings and
land, provides lor orderly growth
and development and entourages
appropriate uses ol land
lhe following prccincLs voted in
favor ol zoning by a majority: Hood
Creek Woodburn, Belville, Town
Creek, South port I, Southpon II,
Oak Island 1. Frying Pan, Gnssct
town, Slungletree, Boiling Spring
1-akes and Oak Island II
Moie people answered the ques
tion on service districts, 5.481.
Holden said Brunswick County's
fcmergency Medical Services Direc
tor Doug Ledgett has been told to
draft a plan for service districts prior
to adoption ol the 1991-92 county
budget
Commissioners plan to establish
five or mort districts to ta> property
owners foi volunteer lire and rescue
service R> law. property can be as
sessed up to 15 cents per SI 00 in
valuation Funds collected from a
district go to lire and rescuc units
within that district.
County voters also lavored non
partisan elections lor the Brunswick
County Board of Education. 1 - 2x
to 1,136.
Commissioners soughi voter
opinion on the matter since it wasn't
added to die official ballot
By a 4-1 margin, voters chose
two-year terms rather than four- your
terms for both commissioners and
school board candidates, 4, 569 to
1.330. Both boards now elect mem
bers to staggered four-year terms.
Stale Rep E. David Redwine
placed the term issue on lite ballot
after the county's political parties
split ? with Brunswick Count) Re
publicans opposing two-year terms
and Democrats favoring two-year
terms.
Commissioners then added the
non-partisan issue to their non-bind
ing exit poll.
"There were two political issues,"
said Holdcn, "and he (Redwine)
chose not to address one. Now he's
going to have to make a decision on
this one.
Man Injured, House Lost
In Heater-Related Fire
A man was injured and his fami
ly's mobile home destroyed in a
heaiei -related lire Monday night at
Ash.
James Bennett was treated for
hums and released Irom The Bruns
wick Hospital Monday night said
Diana Ramsey, director of nursing.
Gregg Warren of the Waccamaw
Volunteei Fire Department said
Waccamaw and Grissctiown
Longwood VFDs responded with
personnel and equipment to the 10
p.m. lire Firefighters were on the
scene approximately two hours.
"The house was a total loss." said
Warren li *as located on Old King
Road <S k I.s26) near its intersec
tion with N.C. 130
The lire is the first known heater
related bla/e of the season, he indi
cated alter talking with Brunswick
County Fire Marshal Cecil Logan.
From an interview with Mrs.
Bennett alter the fire. Warren said
apparently Bennett had had prob
lems when filling a kerosene heater
located in a living room of what ap
peared to be a two-bedroom mobile
home.
"It caught lire." said Warren.
"The mother saul that when it flared
up his shirt caught on fire. He
grabbed the baby and ran out the
door on one end and she ux>k the
other children and left by the other
door. The tire was in the middle be
tween them."
The lire department and rescue
squad were called from a neighbor 's
house.
When firefighters first arrived,
said Warren, they entered the mo
bile home in search of the two to
four children they had been told
might still be inside.
However, all the children had
been safely evacuated.
"They were with their father at a
neighbor's waiting for the rescue
squad." said Warren.
Members of the fire department
were bringing clothing they had col
lected for the family to the fire de
partment Tuesday night.
Warren said James Willard
Milligan. the Bennetts' landlord, al
so wants to help the family get re
established Others interested in
helping the family may reach
Milligan at 2157-6530, or at the
Waccamaw Mini Mart, 287-4454.
Beaches Escape Northeaster
Brunswick County beachcs es
caped the brunt of a weekend north
easter thai caused erosion along
North Carolina's Outer Banks and
other east-lacing beachcs.
The local beaches, which lace
south, suffered only minor erosion
while some beaches to the north lost
several feel of sand.
"We didn't have any damage,"
Ocean Isle Beach Building Inspec
tor Druied Roberson saul Monday.
"With the wind blowing out of the
north we didn't have any problems
at all."
Sunset Beach Town Administra
tor Linda Fluegel said the storm
caused "very slight" erosion near
Tubbs Inlet at the east end of the
beach. No buildings were damaged.
There was no serious erosion at
Holden Beach, said Building In
spector Dwight Carroll. "There was
nothing to speak of." he said
WILLETTS COMES UP WINNER IN BOLIVIA
Fournier Wins Holden Beach Seat On Coin Toss
BY !><>(><; RUTTER
"That's got to Ik the first gambling thing I've over
won in my life."
That was Jim Fournicr's reaction after winning a
seat on the Holdcn Beach Board of Commissioners last
week on the toss of a coin.
Fournicr called "tails" to beat out Koger Williams in
the coin toss alter the two candidates tied with 136
votes each in last Tuesday's election.
Holden Beach Board of Elections Chairperson
Elizabeth Dameron had the honor of tossing the coin
last Thursday at town hall.
Instead of a traditional coin toss, however, Mrs.
Dameron dropped a quarter into an empty coffee mug
shook the mug and turned it ovci on a table to reveal
the winner.
Three witnesses verified that the coin had heads on
one side and tails on the other before the "toss."
The tie breaker was needed after Foumier and
Williams locked even lot htth place in last luesday's
clccuon, when voters elected a new mayor and the full
board of commissioners.
Fournicr said the outcomc ot ihc coin loss k'fi hint
wiUi feelings t)l relict and apprehension.
"I'm glad it's over with " he said. "I hojK- I can do a
jhkxI job and serve the people well. It's a big rcsponsi
biliiy."
Williams, who is chairman ol the town s planning
and zoning board, was out ol town last Thursday anil
missed the coin toss
Jim Shalor, another planning hoard member anil
candidate lor commissioner, represented Williams at die
event, which drew a small crowd to town hall
Mrs. Damcron said there were no changes in an> ol
the vote totals that were announced election night
Holden Beach election officials had counted die
ballots twice on election night because ol tin- tie and
decided not u> count again last ^ hursday
This wasn't the first Ume a Holden Beach election
had ended in a tic. It first happened in 1971, according
to John Holden. the town's first mayor
Holden said Keriint Coble and L>avc Bowers drew
straws to determine who would sit on the town board.
Cobic . ar.
Toss Breaks Bolivia l ie
The Holdcn Beach coin loss also wasn't iho only
one lasi week in the county A seal on the Bolivia Board
ol Aldermen came down to "heads 01 tails' attei Shcriy
YVilleUs and Thurston "Tut" Clemmons tied with ll>
votes each.
Mrs. Willetts won the coin toss at ihe Brunswick
County Board of Elections office last Thursday.
At Holdcn Beach. Fourmei will officially take of
fice at the Dec. 2 town meeting alone with new com
missioners Ciil Bass, Sid Swart* and David Sandifci
Ciay Atkins, who has been on the hoard since 11>8.S.
was re-elected for two more years She was the only in
cumbent commissioner who ran lor re-election
Wally Ausley who defeated Commissionei Bob
Buck in the mayor s race, ilso will also take office Da
2. He will replace John Tandy and become Holdcn
Beach's fourth mayor.
"I think we've got a good board." Foumier said fol
lowing the coin loss. "I tii i nk wt had a ical good slate
of candidates. We would have had a gixxl board no mat
ter who was elected."
STAFF PHOTO BV OOUG RUTTfR
JIM FOVRNIER is all smiles after winning a
seal un the llolden Reach Hoard of Commis
sioners on a coin loss las! Thursday. Fournier
culled "tails" to break a tie with Roger Williams.