Holden Police Say Weekend Arrests 'Clear Up' Break-Ins On Oceanfront
BY l)(>r<; RI TTKK
Holden Beach Police believe ihey have solved 17
breaking anil entering cases with the arrest ol two men
Friday night and two others Saturday.
"Saturday night we really hit the jackpot." Chief
Robert Cook said. "This clears up cver> thing we've had
all year as tar as breaking and entering."
Saturday night olTicers arrested Theodore Kixtseveli
Lewis and Jeffrey Lee Johnson, two 21-year olils Irom
Loris, S.C.. alter noticing a suspicious vehicle parkeil .11
a vacant home, said Cix>k.
Lewis was charged with 14 counts ol breaking and
entering and one count ol possession ol burglary tools.
Johnson was charged with three counts ol breaking and
entering.
Both suspccls remained in Brunswiek County Jail
Monday. Ct>ok said Lewis" bond was set at S75.UM) and
Johnson's was set at S2.S,(XH).
C'iH>k said Lewis confessed to breaking into homes at
<>0*. <>s<>. (ol 665. <>B>. <>0| (twiee). 7(>')A. 76'>B.
77 v 41? and 42? (Vean Blvd. West and 313 Hillside
Drive Ivtween late July and December.
ITte thiol said lewis allegedly stole more than
S20,(XX) in household merchandise during the 14 break
ins and described him as a member of a "ring" that has
Ken ojvrating in the area. C'ix>k said he e\|vcis addi
tional arrests.
Both Lewis and Johnson were charged in connection
with hreak-ms .11 (>l4>, f>s \ ami 665 Ocean Blvd. West.
C'vHik said both sus|vcts told 1* iluc 11 was Johnson's
first time breaking into homes at llolden Heath
I'oliee eontiscated 1 ewis' 1*)S*> Nissan Saturday ami
were still searching the strand Monday l??r a 9niin pistol
that was re|M?rtcdly thrown on the Ivaeh prior to the ar
rest .
Cook said most ol the items taken from the Ivaeh
homes were televisions, video cassette recorders, clock
radios anil other household appliances
The |x>lice chiel said most ol the stolen g?x>ds were
sold to individuals in South Carolina.
"We're hoping to recover most ol it." he said.
In an unrelated matter I inlay night. |x>lice arrested
Brian Alexander WaLson and Cheyenne Jan Brooks.
Cook vml both are I ?)- year-old college students Iroin
l-aycttev die.
liaeh was charged with three counts ? >1 breaking and
entering and tHie count ol possession ol burglary tiH)ls.
ITiey allegedly broke into cottagcs al 470, 4N < and 4'H
Ocean Blvd. West.
l-ach suspect was released from Brunswick County
Jail Saturday under a S4,(KHI sccured bond.
Cook said an alarm dial sounded at one of the houses
led |K)lice to the suspccts.
One of the teens was found on the beach and the other
was apprehended when he relumed to a Charlotte Street
house where the two men were staying.
Family's Stolen Gifts
Recovered By Officers
BY TKKKY I'OI'K
A Lclanil family's Christmas wasn't so blue alterall.
Their Christmas presents were recovered from a stolen ear stopped b\
the S.C. Highway Patrol Friday morning.
Warrants have been issued against a Wilmington man who is accused
of breaking into the Leland home from which the gifts anil several appli
ances were taken just a few hours earlier.
Most of the presents and guxls stolen from the Old Forest subdivision
home were recovered by law officers and returned to the family.
The suspect had apparently stolen a car from Wilmington last
Monday. Dec. 16. according to Brunswick County Sheriff's Detective
Gary Sha>. who filed a warrant against the 25-year-old suspect Monday
morning. The suspect's name has been withheld pending an arrest in the
case.
State Trooper T.W. Caulder stopped the I l>Nl) Buick on Chappell Loop
Road near Leland Friday morning, but the driver managed to flee the
scene, with the keys to the car. reported Deputy Steve Mason.
When notified Friday, the owner of the car. also a Wilmington resi
dent. hired a locksmith to open the trunk. Sha\ said. The car had been
impounded and taken to Guyton's Wrecker Serv ice in Leland.
Officers were surprised by what they found inside ? two video
recorders and 10 Christmas presents taken during the break-in. he said.
However, several of the Christmas presents are still missing.
The items recovered were valued at SI. 850, said Mason, who investi
gated the break-in.
He reported extensive damage to a door and door frame frame at the
house, where the suspect had apparently kicked a front door open, caus
ing $300 in damage.
The car was abandoned near a sand pit on Chappell Loop Road, sever
al miles from w here the break-in occurred, reported Deputy Pete Moore.
Best Oyster Harvest In Years
(Continued From Page 1-A)
Richard Carpenter, district man
ager of the Wilmington Marine Fish
eries office said the situations differ
in the upper and lower coastal areas.
"It's iwo completely different
things." he said. "In Brunswick, we
haven't had the same problem as up
north \\ ith overharvesting."
Vamam said that he'd read reports
thai Hogarth was considering clos
ing down oyster harvests for as long
as three years, possibly before the
current season was scheduled to end
in March.
Vamam admitted having fears
that such action would bring hard
ship on oyster dealers.
"I hope he don't. It wouldn't be
THE BRUNSWKK&EACON
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Telephone 754-6X90
Published Every Thursdav
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte. N.C. 2X459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year S 10.36
Six Months S5.55
ELSEWHERE IN
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One Year SI 5.95
Six Months S8.35
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780. Postmaster, send address
changes to:
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right to dose down Brunswick when
we've got more lhan enough," he
said. "It's further up the coast that's
got the problems."
Ernie Galloway, an oyster har
vester in Vamamtown, added.
"You've got to work a river to make
it good. We've had enough closures,
and there's no problem down here."
Hogarth saul the comments re
ported earlier referred to possible
closings in the Pamlico area.
After Christmas. Hogarth said
that he might consider closing down
the area to mechanical dredging on
ly, but that he believes hand-harvest
ing is permissible there.
"Closure won't help the disease
anyway; it's best to go ahead and
harvest." he said. "It's nothing we
have a real answer to. we'll just
keep hoping that a gotxl freeze
comes and kills the disease."
In the past, closing waters to har
vest activity has helped replenish
supplies of healthy oysters.
The season opened Oct. 15 this
year and will run through March.
Both Varnam and Galloway re
called a time "a few years back,
around 19X7," when MFX infection
wiped out most of Brunswick
County's oyster supply, but that har
vests have been good since dien.
Varnam reports that enforcement
of cull laws has helped greatly. "The
cull laws are working real gotxl, and
enforcement has helped. I think
that's working just fine," he said.
Cull laws mandate that an oyster
must be at least three inches long in
order to be harvested.
Carpenter said that the actual
count of how many bushels Bruns
wick County brought in during the
1991-92 season \mII be available
"by the time the season's over."
1
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO
THE BRUNSWICK^ BEACON i
POST OFFICE BOX 2558 " |
SHALLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA 28459 I
NOTICE: Reliable or consistent delivery cannot be
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen
In Brunswick County _l6 30 J5 30
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TOTAL 10.36 9-30
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Planning Board Not Sure On Turnarounds
BY TKRRY POPK
Some Brunswick County Plan
iting Board members arc having sec
ond thoughts about requiring tuni
arounds on lots that connect to bus\
mads.
Holden Boach area developer
Benny Ludlum told the board last
week that the controversial require
ment isn't a part
of the Bruns
wick County
Subdivision Or
dinance. He also
accused the
board of select
ing which devel
opers must ad
here to the rule.
The board
agreed to discuss 11 ,>'*1 Nl
the issue further at its Jan. 22 meet
ing.
I .as i month, the board approved a
subdivision between Shallottc Point
and Ocean Isle Beach, Ludlum said,
without the requirement that devel
opers provide turnarounds on lots to
prevent cars from backing onto the
highway.
"To me, you're making me do
something that's not a law," said
Ludlum. "That's why I went to the
commissioners."
Ludlum approached Brunswick
County Commissioners Dec. 2 dur
ing their public comments forum and
asked that the turnaround require
ment on his Lakeside Subdivision
along Oxpen Road (S R. 1140) near
Holden Beach Ik- lifted. Saying that
all land should Iv treated fairly, com
missioners voted 4-1 to lilt the re
quirciiicnt lhal was placed on
Ludlum's plat in July h'Xft.
However, cum tn i sMi mkts calloil a
special meeting Doc. in where tliey
voted 3-0 to reverse that decision,
saying the matter should have been
appealed first to the planning hoard
The vote didn't affect l.iidlum's sub
division. lor prior to the reversal he
had already filed and recorded a plat
at the Brunswick County Register of
Deeds' office without the turna
round provision.
The N.C. I Vpaniik'M of Trans
portation encourages the plaiting of
service roads and/or turnarounds on
subdivision lots that Iront on streets
to help reduce the possibility of traf
fic accidents.
However, Planning Director John
Harvey said DOT officials will not
and have not enforced the policy
since 1986.
Two of the 12 subdivisions ap
proved by the planning board last
week did contain the turnaround
provision.
Board member A I ton /a Roach,
who is Ludlum's business partner on
the Lakeside project, questioned
why the board should put special re
quirements on a plat when there is
no way to enforcement them.
"What's the use ol filling this
map full and having no control over
if.'" Roach asked. "If we can control
it. that's fine."
The fallout from recent commis
sioners' action prompted Harvey to
ask IX)1' olficials lor a printout of
posted speed limits along Brunswick
County's public highways. He also
studied the county's latest thorough
fare plan to see if there was a logical
way to require the turnarounds on
major thoroughfares and not on
streets less traveled.
Harvey told the hoard that three
commissioners had indicated the
turnaround provision was "going
further than the subdivision ordi
nance should require. I iirnarounds
have been placed on lots as early as
1981, he noted.
DOT records show that one of ev
ery two county rivids has a 55 mph
sjved limit, said Harvey.
"Now that I know that, I'm not
sure what the official application is,"
he noted.
Chairman Michael Schaub said the
Nurd may have to continue its case
by case examination of individual
plats to determine when situations
could be dangerous to motorists.
"We don't want to put a restric
tion on a lot just for the joy of
putting restrictions on a lot," Schaub
said. "1 think we do have to have
some point of reference in making
this decision."
District 2 Commissioner Jerry
Jones, who serves on the planning
board, told members that he had
made a mistake when he voted to lift
the restriction at the Dec. 2 meeting.
"I assure you the next time it w ill
come back to the planning board,"
said Jones.
1 low ever, he questioned why the
I .akeside project needed turnarounds
in 19X6, when it was a dirt street.
Planners have to consider future
traffic problems along those streets,
he noted.
"At least it brings it to the pub
lic's attention." said John Bar bee, of
the planning board. "1 don't see any
thing wrong with putting it on the
map. We should serve as a go-be
tween for the public. I think that's
our job. That's what we're here for."
Earlier in the meeting. Roach
asked board members if they had
heard comments made at the Nov.
21 meeting about a turnaround pro
vision for a subdivision on N.C". N7
near Maco. The restric tion had been
recorded in the minutes, but Roach
did not remember it being discussed.
The board agreed to listen to a
tape of that part of the meeting in
question, where Harvey's voice was
heard indicating the developer's
agreement to the turnarounds. Roach
gave up his argument and voted with
the board to approve the minutes.
As far as adding the statement to
the plats. Roach noted, "1 don't see
what we're going to get out of it."
Harvey said the board must look
five, 10 or 15 years down the road
when making the decision to require
turnarounds.
"In some instances, 1 think it's an
issue of genuine concern," said John
Thompson, board member. "In other
cases, it may not be important."
Ludlum said he didn't think any
towns required turnarounds. He told
the planning board thai he carried
his argument to commissioners be
cause he fell he was not being treat
ed fairly.
"Mr. Harvey was so strong on that
in 19X6." said Ludlum.
At that time. Ludlum said he
agreed to widen Uie lots fronting
Oxpen Road from 50 feet to 75 feet.
A plat showing ihat change was
filed in December 11>X6.
MAIN LINE CUSTOMERS FACE FEE
New Wafer Charge Policy Begins Feb. 1 6.
BY TKRRY POPK
I lomeowners who lap onto the
county's main water linos alter Feb.
16 will pay a S4 S( ) service charge
plus a S4(X> tap-on lee, the same av
erage cost charged to a Special
Assessment District (SAD) cus
tomer.
Brunswick County Commission
ers, who approved the policy by a 4
1 vote last week, said the charge is a
lair way of making sure all residents
pay something to get county water.
In the past, residents who live
along the main lines have paid only
a tap-on fee when hooking onto the
system.
By law, counties cannot assess
residents for main distribution lines
that arc a part of a capital improve
ments project and financed through
revenue bonds. However, residents
who live in designated SADs must
pay both an assessment and tap-on
fee.
SADs are areas where water lines
are routed into neighborhixxLs off of
adjacent distribution lines. At public
hearings, SAD residents have con
sistently told commissioners that the
system was unfair.
For residents who live along the
main lines, there is no mandatory
tap-on. The new point of service
charge applies only to those persons
who decide to tap onto the system.
District 4 Commissioner Frankie
Rabon voted against the plan, saying
the county was "backing up on the
people" with a policy years after the
main lines have been installed.
"It makes a big difference to
someone like myself who doesn't
have the money," said Rabon.
He argued with District 3 Com
missioner Gene Pinkerton over
whether the policy was needed.
"If you're arguing with me, Mr.
Rabon," said Pinkerton, "I think it
should have been done nine years
ago."
Persons who live along the main
lines can apply at the Brunswick
County Water Department to lap on
before Feb. 16 and save the S4S0
point of scrvice charge.
The Brunswick County Utility
Operations Board recommended the
$450 charge for residential cus
tomers. According to figures com
piled by the Water Department staff,
the average assessment per paael in
the county's 13 SADs is S452.
"Thai's not bad at all," said
District 2 Commissioner Jerry
Jones, who added that he was sur
prised the figure was that low.
"Thai's not what we hear at the pub
lic hearings."
The service charge will increase
"This is what we need to do to
day to make the system fair to
everybody. ? Gene Pinkerton
Disirict 3 Commissioner
for commercial water users, ranging
from S5(X) to $5.(XX). depending on
the size of tap needed. All customers
will also pay a $25 meter deposit.
Brunswick County has installed
$1.9 million in water lines in the 13
SADs, serving 4,520 parcels.
Commissioners wanted the policy
before new lines are routed to
Seaside and the Shallotte Point com
munities in Phase III and 1 1 1 - A of
the county's capital improvements
project next year.
"I would say that this is close to
being lair to everybody," added
Pinkerton. "This is what we need to
do today to make the system lair to
everybody."
The UOB had recommended an
immediate effective date of Dec. 17;
however, commissioners decided a
transition jvriixl was needed for res
idents.
In other business last week, the
board:
?Voted unanimously against con
structing SAD ll>, which would
have routed water lines to neighbor
hoods in the Town Creek and
Winnabow communities. Residents
there opposed the plan, saying they
did not like the assessment method
and cost of the mostly iuial ptojcct.
?Accepted a low bid of S67.9M)
from Johnson Brothers of Pittsburg
to paint water towers at Shallotte
and Calabash.
?Set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Jan.
6, in the commissioners' chambers
on an ambulance franchise ordi
nance. Eleven units have applied to
provide a medical trans|H>rt service
in Brunswick County.
?Authorized County Manager Da
vid Clegg to spend up to SI(),(XX) to
purchase an easement for the Ocean
Isle Transfer Station trash disposal
site from the heirs of Lizzie Bland.
Clegg said the county should own
the roadway before making im
provements to it.
?Delayed a vote on a single bid for
an articulated trencher for the Water
Department. Prime Hquipment Co.
of Wilmington bid $29,958 but com
missioners, who had budgeted
$.V5,(XX), said they want a cost com
parison since just one bid was sub
mitted
?Authorized Clegg to work with
Public Utilities Director Jerry Webb
and County Engineer Robert Tucker
to hire an engineering firm to design
the Special Assessment District for
the Shallotte Point community.
?Appointed Jack Scarborough and
Shirley Waggoner Eisenman to the
Shallotte Planning Board and Board
of Adjustment to represent the
town's new extraterritorial jurisdic
tion.
?Appointed Pinkerton, Tucker atul
Bill Dunn of Boiling Spring Lakes
to the Cape Fear Council of Gov
ernment's Solid Waste Advisory
Committee.
?Appointed Commissioner Donald
Shaw to the Cape Fear Council of
Government's Water Quality Task
Force.
?Accepted die resignation of Dr.
Bill Phillips from the Brunswick
County Health Board, but delayed
filling the vacancy.
?Adopted a resolution congratulat
ing the West Brunswick High
School football team for its 1991
success and competition in the 2-A
Suite Championship game in Chapel
Hill Dec. 14. Hill on Saturday.
Mild, Calm Weather Expected
Meteorologist Jackson Canady
predicts more mild, calm weather
for the holiday week, w ith tempera
tures to remain "somewhat above
average," and rainfall to stay near
normal.
He said the outlook calls for lows
in the low 4()s, and daytime highs in
the low Wis.
"It should be a nice reprieve from
the depths of w inter," he said.
For the period Dec. 17-22, Cana
dy reported that the maximum high
temperature of 70 degrees was re
corded Dec. 21, and ihe minimum
low temperature of 18 degrees was
recorded on Dec. 20.
The average daytime temperature
was 58 degrees, and the evening av
erage was 28 degrees, for a daily av
erage temperature of 43 degrees.
Canady said that reading is 4 de
grees below normal for this time of
year.
He said that he recorded no rain
fall at his Shallotte Point home dur
ing the past week.
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