I FTTFRS TO THE EDITOR
Burdens Of A Small Business Owner
To the alitor:
The N.C. Small Business Admin
istration names Brunswick County
number one as a work surplus coun
ty. The N.C. government has bcauti
ficalion projects to hcip draw busi
ness to the area. This means that our
representatives and commissioners
want to create jobs for the county.
So maybe someone could explain
to me why they stick it to the small
businesses? I've spent the last three
years building a business. When 1
say build, 1 mean I built it from the
ground up. 1 work all of the hours
myself.
Last year when the state put a
heavy tax on beer and wine, I didn't
complain. This year when it came
time to renew my license, I find that
the state raised them from $20 cach
annuaiiy to S100 cach annually with
no advance notification and 30 days
to pay a bill that hits not just doubled
but more than quadrupled! This is in
addition to a federal, county and a
privilege licensc that also must lie
paid annually.
To a Food Lion, this is nothing.
To a small business it is another nail
in the coffin. Why would the same
people who arc trying to create busi
ncss in the area vole to pass a bill
that hurls the small businesses?
Where docs all the money generated
in this manner go? Perhaps it goes to
unemployment, welfare or food
stamps which, by the way, I would
not be eligible for if I were to go out
of business because 1 am a business
owner.
If other businesses feci this way I
urge you to contact your commis
sioner, Kelly Holdcn, or out of state
representative, David Rcdwinc.
Robert W. McMahon
Rt. 1 . Ash
Sympathy Is Expressed For Island And Owner
To the editor:
As long time visitors and enthusi
asts of Sunset Beach, we have been
following your articles and editorial
on the bridge problem and Bird
Island with interest.
Wc arc nature lovers and enjoy
the nesting birds, pelicans and all
the sea birds that live on the island.
It would be a pity to develop Bird
Island and lose these nesting
grounds. But on the other hand, wc
sympathize with the owner very
much. This is a problem wc hope
can be resolved by the purchase of
the land by Nature Conservatory, the
state or some other group.
However, we firmly believe that
the owner has rights too! It some
how docs not seem right for out
siders to be able to tell her what she
can or cannot do with and on her
own property. This would surely be
an infringement on property rights.
We do not think this is the way to go
about restrictions in this country.
It would be the same thing as if
the town of Sunset Beach could tell
a property owner not to build a dock
on the bay or canal, tie up a pleasure
boat to the dock, or even erect a bas
ketball backboard on their own
property for their children to en
joy-or even build a bridge that the
majority does not favor.
We sincerely hope the town coun
cil does nothing precipitous to in
fringe upon the rights of any proper
ly owner, and especially, that the
matter can be settled amicably.
George J. Fcatherstone
Bluclield, West Virginia
Urges Others To Stand Up For Bird Island
To the editor:
A few weeks ago I brought a spe
cial friend to Sunset Beach for hcc
first time. I have been coming to
Sunset for over 30 years and each
lime is unique and very special.
When we were there, we walked
over across the western inlet to Bird
Island. It was so special and as pris
tine as always. When we walked
back to Sunset, we were approached
by some very concerned individuals
who did not want the island to be
subjected to commercial develop
ment. We both signal a petition to
preserve this special place.
I would like this letter to add a
special emphasis to my strong con
victions that more people need to
dig in their heels and prevent the de
structive development of this valu
able natural resource.
Tom Kip
Elgin, S.C.
Introduction to Island-'An Unforgettable One '
To the editor:
Several weeks ago I had the plea
sure of being introduced to a beauti
ful island on your coast.
I found Bird Island's beauty un
touched by commercialism. 1 will al
ways need a last resort for nourish
ing my physical, emotional and en
vironmental appreciation.
What a refreshing island! What a
beauty in her small surfacc! What
balancc between God, mankind and
nature!
1 need to be able to visit "kindred
spirit" and record my thoughts
through the years. It's a natural way
to be able to leave personal history
behind and know that those who fol
low will have the same opportunity
to record thoughts while viewing the
same beauty.
I am strongly recommending that
the commercial development of Bird
Island not be allowed.
Jann Turbcvillc
Columbia, S.C.
Deputy's Widow Sues Countv
The widow of former Brunswick
County Sheriffs Deputy Jimmy R.
Bryant, who died in 1989, has Hied
a Superior Court lawsuit against
Brunswick County.
Peggy G. Bryant of Route 3,
Supply, claims Brunswick County
officials misled her husband about
retirement programs he could partic
ipate in as an employee.
As a result, his bcncficiaries were
deprived of payments upon his
death, the complaint suites.
Bryant was employed by the
Brunswick County Sheriffs Depart
ment as a jailer from Feb. 1, 1976,
to May 20, 1977, and then became a
sworn law enforcement officer.
As a deputy, he became eligible
to enroll in the Law Enforcement
Officer's Retirement System, with
benefits that included a percentage
of statewide court costs receipts and
a supplemental retirement annuity
fund.
However, from the date of his
employment Bryant was coded as a
general employee for retirement pur
poses. He died Jan. 14, 1989.
The lawsuit claims the county per
sonnel and sheriff's departments "in
tentionally misrepresented" to Bryant
lhat there were no differences in ihc
two retirement systems available to
state employees. The complaint
doesn't outline what the difference
was in terms of available benefits.
It states the difference "was sig
nificant" in that Bryant would have
obtained a share of court costs and
annuity funds set up by employers
for law officers. It was the employ
er's duty to inform Bryant whether
annuity funds were available, the
suit claims.
Bryant was not coded as a law en
forcement officer with the State
Retirement System until August
1988, it states. His retirement fund
did receive a share of statewide
court cost receipts from August
1988 to his death in 1989, but no an
nuity funds were contributed to his
retirement, it states.
Failure to contribute annuity
funds constituted a breach of Bry
ant's employment contract and caus
ed damage to his beneficiaries, it
claims.
The lawsuit filed by Raleigh at
torney Theresa Marlowe asks for the
correct amount of retirement bene
fits, a trial by jury and other relief
the court rules equitable and just.
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PHOTO BY BILL FAVt*
SOME BUTTERFLIES have spots near the trailing edge of the wings so birds pecking them there
will do little harm.
Evading Predators Is Interesting Subject
BY BILL FAVKR
Wc all know something about the food chain and
survival of the fittest. We know that prcdation takes
placc in the natural environment
and know that we arc a part of that
as well. We arc a carnivore, wc cat
meat, and that is prcdation.
rr Many animals in the wild have
w- evolved spccial features to help
them evade predators. Some cam
ouflaged animals, like quail and
/
woodcock, stay very still until the
last possible moment, and then
burst forth with such noise and
FAVKR confusion the predator is almost
stunned, giving the birds time to cscapc.
Many insccts use the "look-like" approach, evolv
ing features that resemble another insect undesirable to
the predator. Some llics look almost like a yellow
jacket. Some moths and butterflies look very much
like others which arc distasteful to the predator.
Another example is the monarch butterfly. It is large
and conspicuous and even gathers in large clusters. It
would seem to be an easy prey for birds but docs not
suffer from heavy prcdation. Some monarchs have a
chemical defense and some birds find them bad tast
ing. Others do cat them, only to "get sick" and vomit a
few minutes later. Experiments have shown birds can
remember the experience and avoid eating monarchs
in the future.
Oilier insects remain motionless on a tree trunk or
twig and are passed over by a predator. Some even
look like the tw ig itself. All arc colored so that as long
as they are motionless the predator can't tell them
from the background. Some animals "play dead,"
knowing the predator will overlook them if they arc
"not alive."
Some moths and butterflies arc brightly colored
and very evident to predators. They usually have large
spots and can flash them at the predator to startle them
and remind them of cat or owl eyes. This few scconds
gives them time to cscapc. Also, butterflies and moths
arc most vulnerable on their heads and Uiorax. These
spots sometimes so resemble eyes, the predator bird
will peck at the spots and do little harm to the insect.
Escaping predators is an interesting subject for us,
but it is absolutely essential for survival of many ani
mals. Wc can understand the complexities of their
lives by learning about this relationship between
predator and prey.
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