Radioactivity Released
A 'minor' accident at the Brunswick Nuclear
Plant is being investigated. Page 14-A.
Agony Of Defeat
The Trojans fall to Waccamaw's Wolf pack
in the conference opener. Page 10-B.
Spot Season Gets started
They're not here in full force yet, but fall
fishing is better by the day. Page 10-C
STAFF PHOTO BY tWC CAKISON
Rescue Drama
Johnny Corbett, assistant chief of the Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department, uses a Hurst cutting tool
to remove the top of a car that flipped over in the median of U.S. 17 near Town Creek last Thursday af
ternoon (Sept. 24). Winnabow Chief David Short holds a sheet to protect the trapped victim from
falling debris. The Highway Patml Report is on Page JO-A.
State Approves Upgrade
Of Suspended Advanced
^ Life Support Program
BY ERIC CARLSON
For the first time in two months,
beginning at 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2,
Brunswick County emergency med
ical technicians will be authorized to
use defibrillating equipment to stabi
lize the heart rhythms of cardiac pa
tients.
BrunswicK county emergency
Medical Services Director Dr. Harry
L. Johnson announced Tuesday that
the state had upgraded the county's
previously suspended Advanced
Life Support (ALS) program to the
defibrillator level.
The county's ALS rating, signify
ing that rescue personnel have inter
mediate EMT training, was down
graded Aug. 3 after state inspectors
discovered tnat program supervisors
had not maintained records to prove
that EMT's had completed their in
ternships.
Suspension of the ALS program
meant EMTs on ambulances were
no longer authorized to defibrillate
patients or administer intravenous
injections.
Johnson and Brunswick EMS
"We all have copies
of the rule book
now....and we will
make sure that we
keep those
records
? Dr. Harry Johnson
Supervisor Doug Ledgett have since
developed a training program and
schedule to return the system to
ALS certification. The plan is being
reviewed by the state and officials
hope to have enough EMT-I's certi
fied to bring full ALS on line by
November.
As an interim step, EMTs were
offered a chance to earn or recertify
their defibrillator certification by at
tending three six-hour training ses
sions. About 60 EMTs completed
the course, allowing the county to
ask for state approval to bring the
ALS program up one notch, Johnson
said.
"A lot of people have put in a lot
of hard work and I feel satisfied
with the training they've received,"
Johnson said. "I'm comfortable
enough to say let's go for it Friday
at 6 a.m."
tu- a. : ? - -? ?
iiiv up^i uviv to cui ittipv/i uxiii
for local rescue workers. Not only
can they now use the defibrillator to
re-establish a heart patient's normal
heart rhythm, but the they can also
use heart monitors to better deter
mine a patient's condition.
Johnson said considerable im
provements have been made in the
ALS training program. He said the
medical professionals, including
himself and the program's two nurse
liaisons, would be "taking a much
more active role" including a closer
monitoring of training procedures
and record keeping.
"We all have copies of the rule
book now. We all know what
records need to be kept. And so we
will make sure that we keep those
records," Johnson said.
Debate Resumes Monday On Septic Tank Rules
BY DOUG RUTTER
Holden Beach homeowners inter
ested in the proposed ordinance
aimed at stopping abuse of septic
systems may want to be at town hall
Monday night.
That's when town officials arc ex
pected to resume their debate of the
controversial rules that were tabled
lastweek after a lengthy discussion.
Three of five buaru members
voiced opposition to the regulations
at last Wednesday's town meeting.
Commissioners David Sandifer,
Gil Bass and Gay Atkins said they
oppose the ordinance as written,
while Sid S warts and Jim Foumier
favor the rules.
The proposed regulations would
prohibit people from advertising that
a house can sleep more people than
its septic system was designed to ac
commodate.
State health regulations say con
ventional septic systems are usually
designed for two people per bed
room.
The ordinance also would allow
the building inspector to inspect va
cant homes to see if they comply
with sewage collection and treat
ment rules.
The intent of the ordinance is to
prohibit overuse and limit failures of
"We're polluting
for profit is what it
amounts to "
? Commissioner
Sid Swarts
septic systems.
Some rental cottages are filled be
yond capacity with vacationers in
the summer, and some officials be
lieve overcrowding leads to septic
system failure and pollution of
ground and surface waters.
Most Holden Beach homeowners
who spoke at recent public hearings
opposed the rules. They said the
proposal would threaten family va
cations by limiting the number of
people who can stay in a house.
Speakers also described the rules
as subjective, unenforceable and dis
criminatory and said the town has no
proof septic tank systems are failing
and polluting water.
Town Attorney Ken Campbell
said last week the only thing the
proposed rules would allow the
town to do is prohibit false advertis
ing of houses for sale or rent.
"The city isn't going to throw
anyone oul of their house," Camp
bell said. "They can't shut down any
houses as this is written."
If town officials suspcct a home is
being occupied by too many people,
they can refer the case to the
Brunswick County Health Depart
ment.
While commissioners didn't come
to terms on the ordinance last week,
ihey did agree to mail letters to
homeowners letting them know how
many bedrooms their septic tank
permits allow.
Commissioner Atkins, who sug
gested the letters, said some people
may not know they're putting a
strain on their septic system by hav
ing more bedrooms in their house
than they're permitted.
Sandifer said last week he backs
the large majority of people who
spoke out against the rules at the
two public hearings held in August
and September.
While he admitted the town has a
density problem, Sandifer said en
forcing the proposed rules and in
vading people's privacy isn't the
way to attack it.
"This is overkill," Sandifer said.
"This is going to threaten everybody
on this island."
Atkins, who also opposes the
rules, said the town should go after
people who flagrantly overcrowd
houses and make an effort to edu
cate people about how septic sys
tems work.
Mayor Pro Tern Bass said he's
concerned about the legality of the
proposed ordinance and if it would
stand up in court. Nobody answered
his question about how many sys
tems have failed or. Holder. Beach
due to overcrowding.
Bass said the town may be able to
work something out with homeown
ers and rental agents to reduce over
crowding. "The property owner is
ultimately responsible for his prop
erty," he said.
Commissioner Swans, who
chaired the committee that came up
with the proposal, was the most vo
cal supporter of the rules last week.
He said property owners can't
keep building houses on 50-foot
wide lots and think pollution won't
occur.
"We're polluting for profit is
what it amounts to," he said. "Pol
luting for profit, and that's exacUy
what we're doing."
Swarts said a lot of people who
spoke at hearings want the town to
let them continue violating the con
(See SEPTIC, Page 2-A)
Small, Vocal Group Voices
Opposition To Zoning Plan
BY ERIC CARLSON
Some called it apathy. Others blamed it on a lack of understand! rf
A few said it represented a vote of confidence.
But nearly everyone was surprised that only 75 people showed up
for a public hearing on a law that will officially establish the permitted
uses for every piece of property in the unincorporated areas of
Brunswick County.
Residents were invited to speak for three minutes each at a joint
meeting of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners and the
Brunswick County Planning Board Tuesday night. Commissioners
Chairman Kelly Holden said each speaker's comments were recorded
for future consideration and specific questions would be answered by
letter.
Of the 22 residents who voiced their opinions, only one was entire
ly in favor of the law. The largest number said they disagreed with the
idea of government deciding how a property owner should use land.
Others opposed the way their land had been zoned or took issue with
specific regulations in the law.
A few speakers noted the bleak job market in Brunswick County
and cautioned that zoning would inhibit growth and discourage industry
from locating here.
Brunswick native Wanda Beam of Holden Beach said, "It would
take a lawyer to understand your book. Zoning is OK to a certain extent,
but you went too far. We own the land. We pay taxes on the land. And
then you tell me what we can do with it. To me that's communist!"
She expressed concern that the law might prevent her from rebuild
ing her mobile home if it was severely damaged. She asked the board to
revise the law.
George Mintz of Lcland agreed saying, "I haven't read your book,
but I'm totally against zoning. If I have a piece of property I ought to be
able to do what 1 want with it."
(See CITIZENS, Page 2-A)
Abnormally High Tides Force
Bridge To Close On 5 Days
BY DOUG RIITTER
Exceptionally high tides forced
operators to temporarily close Sun
set Beach Bridge to motorists five
days in the past week and caused
erosion at Holden Beach.
The one-lane, pontoon bridge at
Sunset was closed a total of 6 hours,
20 minutes between last Thursday
night and Monday morning. The
tide never got high enough to re
quire a closing Tuesday.
The bridge was first closed to ve
Inside. . .
Birthdays .2B
Business News 9C
Calendar of Events 5 A
Church News 10A
Classified 1-8C
Court Dockets...... 11C
Crime Report ,.~..........12C
Entertainment .
Fishing IOC
Golf ..8-9B
Obituaries .... 10A
Opinion 4-5A
People In The News ....12 A
Plant Doctor 3B
Sports ..........8-12B
Television Listings .....6-7B
hicular traffic last Thursday from
6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. It was shut down
again Friday from 7:10 a.m. to 8:40
a.m. Operators also closed the span
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
mornings for at least an hour each
day.
At Holden Beach, Town Manager
Gary Parker said the abnormally
high tides didn't affect traffic but
caused "considerable erosion" at the
east end of the island. Waves
washed away sand near the end of
Ocean Boulevard East, exposing
protective sandbags and moving
closer to threatened homes on the
north side of the street.
"We lost a good bit on that end of
the road over the weekend," Parker
said Tuesday afternoon. "Pavement
fell in and sand washed away from
behind the sandbags."
BJ. Jahy of the National Weather
Service in Wilmington said tides
were one to two feel above normal
due to the moon's gravitational pull,
and a tropical depression off the
Atlantic coast.
The moon's relative position to
the earth caused tides to be 6 to 12
inches above average. A depression
off Florida fueled persistent easterly
and southeasterly winds, which kept
water from draining when the tide
fell.
"It was really a combination of
the monthly astronomical tides and
the depression," Jahy said. "The
were complementing one another."
Gerald Mcsser, operators supervi
sor at the Sunset Beach Bridge, said
the span must be closed when tides
lift the floating section of the bridge
12 inches to >13 inches above the
normal high tide mark.
The level of the floating bridge
normally fluctuates 5 1/2 feet be
tween low and high tide, Messer
said. When the tide is too high,
ramps connecting the fixed portion
of the bridge to the floating section
aren't safe.
Sunset Beach Police Chief J.B.
Buell said Monday he was con
cerned for the safety of residents and
visitors who got stranded on the is
land.
Whenever the bridge is closed,
police cars, ambulances and fire
trucks can't get to the island.
"Thai's the scary part, not know
ing what's going to happen over
there," Buell said. "It's consistent
right now and that's what disturbs
??
me.
Buell said school teachers and a
school bus had to wait to get off the
island last Friday morning.
"Odds are something's going to
happen sooner or later," he contin
(See TIDES, Page 2-A)
STAFF PHOTO BY LYNN CARLSON
A COMBINATION of lunar tides and a tropical depression off Florida brought unusually high tides
which made instant waterfront in some Brunswick County neighborhoods. Here, an expanse of marsh
at the 500 block of Ocean Boulevard West in H olden Beach was full enough on Friday to resemble a
broad canal. The high tides continued through the weekend and early this week to cause beach erosion
and to force the closing of Sunset Beach's one-lane floating bridge during high tides on five consecu
tive days. On Tuesday, another tropical depression off the Atlantic coast was becoming increasingly
well-defined.