Bugged Out!
Some Holden Beach residents say
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control a pesky mosquito problem.
See the story on Page 9-A.
Thirtieth Year, Number 26
THEL
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to try something new- stepped-up "VSTLS.-. U"'WS
septic tank monitoring. See the
story on Page 3-A.
Breaking Ground
A handful of local towns are ready
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Election '92
Wondering who to vote for in the
local primaries? Profiles are in this
week's issue . See Pages 1-B
through 4-B.
? lm THf MU?5W?a MACON
Shollotte, North Carolino, Thursday, April 30, 1992
50 <t Per Copy
48 Pages, 4 Sections, 5 Inserts
Four Democrats
Want Chance
In State House
BY SUSAN USHER
Four Democrats want to represent
the newly-resimcturcd two-member
14th District in the N.C. House of
Representatives.
The new district includes most of
Brunswick County and parts of
Columbus, New Hanover and
Robeson counties.
Rep. E David Rcdwine is hoping
to keep his scat, while three oth
ers-Shirley T. Greene, Dewey Hill
and Michael T. Mills-want to gain a
seat. Two of the four will emerge
from the May 5 primary with a spot
on the ballot in the Nov. 5 general
election, in which they will face
Republican Kelly Holden of
Shallotte.
All the primary candidates re
sponded to The Brunswick Beacon's
candidate questionnaire.
Rep. Let) Mercer of Columbus
County withdrew from the race ear
lier, leaving Redwine the only in
cumbent in the running.
The candidates' lists of top issues
facing the district's representatives
during the coming term are similar,
with improving education and the
economy and reducing crime mak
ing all the lists, followed by health
care.
E. David Redwine
Redwine supports improving ex
ceucncc aim accountability in the
c'a".sroom; improving teachers'
salaries; making classrooms safe so
"kids car. learn and teachers can
teach," and improving student test
scores.
In addressing the problem of
crime, Redwine's focus is on pun
ishment. He advocates increasing
prison spacc so that criminals will
serve more of the sentence given
them by the court system, as well as
increased use of intensive probation
and house arrest.
He voices continued support for
the tourist economy and giving the
slate's economic development de
partment the tools it needs to attract
high-paying jobs to the area. Also,
Rcdwine supports efforts to increase
workplace safety and advocates the
state's helping to provide infrastruc
ture such as water and sewer to at
tract industry.
While believing that the issue of
available and affordable health care
needs to be solved at the federal lev
el, Redwinc said North Carolina
must continue to try to Find solutions
for its own uninsured and underin
sured as well.
Redwine's performance earned
him a ranking by the N.C. Center for
Public Policy Research of 18th most
effective of the 120 members of the
House, based on surveys of fellow
legislators, the media and lobbyists.
In announcing his re-election bid,
Redwinc pledged "to work for the
betterment of our state without re
gard for party or special interest".
The Shallotte native says his pur
pose in seeking officc is to improve
the quality of life for his communi
ty; Red wine says tie likes working
with people and helping them to
solve problems and improve their
lives.
"Experience and effectiveness are
the keys to good quality representa
tion in the General Assembly," he
said. "I have both of these qualities
(See FOUR, Page 2-A)
CANDIDATES RUNNING. . .
Name: E. David Redwine
Age: 44
Address: Ocean Isle Bcach
Occupation: Vice president of insurance, really firm;
businessman
Education: Shallottc High School; B.A. in history,
East Carolina University
Family: Wife Penny; three children ages 15, 13 and
7
Previous Experience: N.C. House, 1984-; co-chair
man of the Appropriations, Justice and Public Safely
Committees; House Chairman, Seafood and Agri
culture Commission; member. Legislative Research
Committee; Council of Slate Governments, 1991;
chairman, Brunswick County Democratic Party , 1978-1982; trustee,
BCC, 1982-1990; president. South Brunswick Island Chamber of
Commerce, 1981; N.C. Battleship Commission, 1982; Brunswick
County Parks and Recreation Board, 1978
Name: Shirley T. Greene
Age: 53
Address: Bamesville
Occupation: Semi-retired farmer and businessman
Education: Prc-standard and standard degrees,
American Institute of Banking; L.L.B. and J.D.,
LaSalle University; honorary Bible degree, Fred
ricksburg Bible College.
Family: Wife Vivian
Previous Experience: Served on Virginia Child
Neglect and Abuse Commission, 1973-1977; adjunct
professor at five universities; U.S. Feed Grain Coun
cil; National Board of Directors, National Corn Growers Association
Name: Dewey Hill
Age: 67
Address: Lake Waccamaw
Occupation: Self-employed businessman
Education: Whiteville High School; business man
agement courscs, UNC-CH and Cornell University
Family: Wife Muriel; two children ages 47 and 42
Previous Experience: N.C. Milk Commission,
1983-1987; president, N.C. Food Dealers Associ
ation, 1985; director, National Grocers Association,
1987-1991; president, Columbus County Shrine
Club, 1969, and Whiteville Rotary Club, 1985
HILL
Name: Michael T. Mills
Age: 34
Address: Bolton
Occupation: Self-employed attorney
Education: Acmc-Delco High School; B.A., UNC
CH, 1979; J.D., UNC-CH, 1982
Family: Single
Previous Experience: Chairman, 7ih Congressional
District Young Democrats; N.C. Youth Advisory
Council; assistant N.C. attorney general; administra
tive assistant and special counsel to U.S. Rep. Char
lie Rose
T
STAFF PHOTO BY DOUG tUTCR
A Real Nail-Biter
Kelli Carlyle had cause for concern Saturday, as her Cubs were in
wived a close ball game against the A's. The Cubs won the game
11-6 as the Supply-Shallotte Dixie Youth Baseball league opened
its 1992 season at Supply Park. For more coverage, see the sports
pages.
OFFICERS SEARCH FOR CLUES
Body Identified
As Missing Woman
BY TKRRY POPE
Law officers hope a badly-de
composed body found near Maco
last week will hold clues as to how
the woman died.
Charlene Page Thigpcn, 24, of
Wilmington had been missing since
Feb. 27 when her body was discov
ered last Thursday lying beneath a
discarded sofa off of Saw Mill Road
(S.R. 1425).
"As of now, we're treating it as a
homicide that occurred here," said
Brunswick County Sheriff John Carr
Davis.
Brunswick County Detective Phil
Perry and New Hanover County au
thorities arc assisting SB1 agents
with an investigation. Lab tests may
I W
be able to determine a cause of
death, but officers are not overly op
timistic.
"We may not know anything for a
while," said Davis.
The body is believed to have been
beneath the couch for more than a
month.
Ms. Thigpen was a Myrtle Grove
Middle School teacher in Wilming
ton who was last seen at a conve
nience store two months ago. The
former basketball standout at the
University of North Carolina at
Wilmington has a six-month-old
daughter and was separated from her
husband.
Two employees of Rowe Tree
(See BODY, page 2-A)
.31
STAFF PHOTO BY Tt**Y K> ft
A TATTERED COUCH marks the spot where workers discovered
the body of Charlene Thigpen near Maco last week.
May 5 Day Of Choices
For Brunswick's Voters
"The shouting and the tumult
dies, the captains and the kings de
part..." the poet Rudyard Kipling
wrote, and it could have been de
scriptive of the coming election day,
when political rhetoric and cam
paign fervor will give way to the
quiet act of citizenship.
Tuesday, May 5, is primary elec
tion day in North Carolina, when
Brunswick County voters will
choose presidential nominees, as
well as those for governor and lieu
tenant governor, and a number of
other state and county party stan
dard-bearers as well.
The Democratic ballot will offer
six choices for president, only two
of which, Jerry Brown and Bill
Clinton, arc now viable. Tom
Harkin, Bob Kerrey, and Paul
Tsongas have dropped out of con
tention, but the sixth choice, "No
Preference" may get the most votes
as voters across the country have ex
pressed dissatisfaction with their op
tions.
The Republican ballot is more
straightforward, with the names
George Bush and Pal Buchanan the
only ones appearing, along with the
same "No Preference".
Republicans also have a choice of
Lauch Faircloth, Larry E. Harring
ton, Eugene Johnston and Sue
Myrick for U.S. senator and Robert
C. Anderson and Scott C. Dorman
for U.S. congressman, 7th congres
sional district.
Democrat candidates for Con
gress, 7th District Rep. Charlie Rose
and Sen. Terry Sanforu, do not have
primary opposition.
Gubernatorial choices for
Republicans are Gary M. Dunn, Jim
Gardner and Ruby Thompson
Hooper, while Democrats may vote
for M. Wendell Briggs, Jim Hatcher,
James B. Hunt Jr., Lacy H. Thom
burg and Marcus W. Williams.
In the lieutenant governor's race,
Republican candidates arc Doris
Rogers Huffman, Art Pope and Trip
Sizemore, while Democratic candi
dates arc Jim Crawford, Charles P.
Ginn, Edward Renfrow and Dennis
A. Wicker.
State auditor candidates include
Democrats Ralph Campbell, Frank
lin Freeman and Charles M. Hicks.
Republican J. Vernon Abemethy is
unopposed.
The Republican candidate for
Commissioner of Insurance, Mike
Causey, is also unopposed, while
Jim Long and Charles Pax ton are
the Democrat contenders.
In the Commissioner of Labor
race. Democrats will vJioOsC be
tween John C. Brooks and Harry E.
Payne, Jr., and Republicans between
Nelson Dollar and Henry McKoy.
For Superintendent of Public
Instruction, two Democrats, Bob
Ethcridgc and Owen Phillips, and
three Republicans, Teena S. Little,
Vernon Robinson and Tom Rogers,
appear on the ballot.
There arc two Democratic candi
dates for Associate Justice, Sidney
S. Eagles Jr. and Sarah Parker. I.
Beverly Lake Jr. runs unopposed on
the Republican ticket.
Three seats on the Court of
Appeals have attracted six Dem
ocrats, but only two Republicans.
Steven A. Bemholz and Jack Cozort
have no Republican counterpart, but
John C. Martin and John Hill Parker
are Democratic contenders for the
seat whose Republican candidate is
Ronald E. Bogle, and a third seat is
sought by Democrats Joseph R.
John Sr. and M. Gordon
Widenhousc, as well as Republican
Ralph A. Walker.
In the State Senate race, 18th
Senatorial District, R.C. Soles, Jr.,
Claude Spivey and Ron Taylor arc
Democrats in contention, while Jim
Whitworth, Republican, runs unop
posed.
The Slate House of Repre
sentatives, 14th District, race offers
Democrats Shirley T. Greene,
Dewey Hill, Michael T. Mills and E.
David Redwine, while Republican
Kelly Holdcn has no opposition.
Some northern Brunswick County
voters will vote in the 98th District,
with only Democratic candidates
Thomas E. Wright and Johnnie
Fields on the ballot. Those who arc
not listed with the Board of
Elections supervisors may show the
location of their residence on a map
provided at their precinct and be ad
vised in which district they should
vote for a state house representative.
County races have attracted a
large field of candidates. The
District 3 county commissioner
nominee choices on the Republican
ballot are Steve Foster, Joseph Tyler
Lenins, William Sisk, Bob Slocketl
and Tom Yeagle. Their Democratic
counterparts are M.E. Sharpe,
William R. Thorsen and Wayland
Vereen.
In District 4, county commission
er candidates include Republicans
(See MAY, Page 2-A)
Attempt To Serve Warrants
Leads To Felony Drug Arrests
BY SUSAN USHER
An attempt to serve outstanding out-of-county warrants on a couple
staying at Sunset Beach resulted in arrest of the two on felony drug
charges.
Chief J.B. Buell said that when he went to the Barringer residence
at 608 E. Main Street last Wednesday at around 2 p.m., he spotted drug
paraphernalia and asked permission to search the premises.
That search, agreed to by the occupants "reluctantly," he said, re
sulted in warrants charging Robert H. Barringer Jr., 46, of Air Harbor,
Greensboro, and Sunset Beach, and Ruth Elizabeth Waters, 31, who
listed her second address as North Anderson Street, Morganton, with
possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana and possession with
intent to sell or deliver cocaine.
Officers seized approximately 38 grams of marijuana, 12 grams of
cocaine and 3 grams of hashish, assorted prescription-type drugs not yet
identified; several semiautomatic weapons; and drug paraphernalia that
included automatic rollers and pipes.
Additional charges may be filed once results from the SB! hb are
received, said Buell.
The confiscated drugs had an estimated street value of $3,000.
Sunset Beach Police Department stands to receive 75 percent of a
$6,500 controlled substance tax levied against the two by the N.C.
Department of Revenue for failure to purchase tax stamps on the drugs.
Buell said this is a first for the department and that the money "will be
put to good use".
Barringer and Miss Waters were also served with the outstanding
warrants from the Guilford County Sheriffs Department for failure to
appear in court on similar drug charges in that county. The Guilford de
partment took the two suspects into custody and also confiscated a
Porsche owned by Barringer which was allegedly used to transport
drugs.
In Guilford County, Barringer was released on S70.000 cash bond
and Miss Waters on $50,000 cash bond. Barringer was admitted to a
drug center for evaluation and treatment on a judge's order, said Buell.
The Brunswick County warrant was served on Miss Waters Monday
in Guilford County; Barringer cannot be served until released from the
center, Buell said. No local court date has been set for cither of the two.
Buell was assisted in searching the Sunset Beach premises by Lt.
David Crocker of the Brunswick County Sheriffs Department narcotics
unit, SB1 agents Kelly Moser and Teresa Church, and Sunset Beach Lt.
Sam Grantham and Patrolman Ed Rudloff.