Election
At A Glance
Democrats
SHERIFF
Jerry Dove 2455
?Ronald Hewett 3559
John Marlow 2320
Bill Sisk 70
COMMISSIONER (Dist.1)
Randy Stanley 3536
?Don Warren 3862
COMMISSIONER (Dist. 3)
? -- a i iQ/ci
LUUie n. LOWI) AUW I
?Wayland Vereen. . . . 4555
COmmiSSiunn (Din. 4}
?lom B. Kabon Sr. . . . 4369
Tom Simmons 3193
COMMISSIONER (Dist. 5)
Michael A. Ballard . . 2681
Dan Davis 1 181
?W.M. (Bill) Sue 3243
BD. OF EDUC. DISTRICT 1
Thurman L. Gause. . 3659
?Olaf (Bud) Thorsen. . 3772
BD. OF EDUC. DISTRICT 2
?Clara S. Carter 3531
Polly G. Russ 2769
Gtjorge F. W'iison ... 1 ZYV
BD. OF EDUC. DISTRICT 4
?Donna M. Baxter . . . 4232
Liston Hawes 2966
N.C. ASSOCIATE JUSTICE*
Jim Puller 4150
Louis B. Mever 2510
COURT OF APPEALS*
Elizabeth McCrodden2 1 48
E. Yvonne Pugh .... 1 892
John M. Tyson 2269
DIST. COURT JUDGE DIST. 13*
A I rJ oa<;c
? win rwwi iwyw ? ? ? ? ? ? mm ^ w
G. Phillip David 880
Wayne Long 3839
STATE SENATE DIST. 18*
?R.C. Soles Jr. 4883
Ron Taylor 3208
HOUSE OF REPR. DIST. 14*
?Dewey L. Hill 4163
?E. David Redwine. . . 6229
Gail Claude Spivey . 1 347
Republicans
CONGRESS DISTRICT 7*
Robert C. Andcncr. . 1323
Jim Cooper 851
CTY. COMM. DISTRICT 1
Frances L. Babson . . . 897
?Douglas Simmons . . 1284
CTY. COMM. DISTRICT 3
?Leslie Collier 1 202
Robert Slockett 1116
CTY. COMM. DISTRICT 4
S.L. Doty 657
?Donald Shaw 1502
BttwrMiwaCfC CCwri ? T
TOTALS ONLY
f ?-l
u issue...
Birthdays 2B
Business News .......10-11C
Calendar 7D
avfs UA
Classified
Crime Report
Fishing..
Golf.,
Obituaries 11A
Opinion 4-SA
People In The News 7B
riant t?octor 5B
Sports 1-6D
Television 8-9D
WILL FACE GOP CANDIDATE BROWN IN NOVEMBER
Hewett Takes Sheriff's Demo Primary
ERIC CARLSON
As the vote totals mounted in the
hotly contested Demociatic primary
race for Brunswick County sheriff,
the question on everyone's mind
was: Arc we going to have a runoff?
At about 8:45 Tuesday night, a
deafening cheer erupted at the pub
lic assembly building in Bolivia as
supporters of Deputy Lt. Ronald
compared their final tallies and con
firmrH that KaH indeed paSfrCd the
magic num->er of 41 percent (plus
OTiC VOtv) iiccucu iv? win iiic iiiMiiina
tion.
It was a close race right down to
the wire, with Hewett garnering
3,559 votes or 42.4 percent of the
8.404 ballots cast for sheriff.
Retired State Trooper Jerry Dove
finished second with 2,455 votes
and 29.2 percent, followed closely
by Chief Deputy John Mar low, who
received 2,320 votes and 27.6 per
cent of the total. Long Beach Police
Sgt. Bill Sisk managed only 70
votes.
Hewett received 197 votes more
than he necueu to win without a
runoff. He won nine of 22 precincts.
while Mar low led in eight and Dove
was the top vote getter in five
precincts.
In the glare of television I
Hewett hugged his wife and children
as tiis victory was assured Then he
made his way through throngs ot
STAFF M OTO ?Y EWC OtiSON
Fatal Crash
Rescue workers treat the driver of a Volkswagen Fox which went out of control on VS. 17 Saturday,
sppsrsnity ~hcn the driver fell asleep st the wkaL 7mm Clump l.gjeune Marine diea two Hours later at
New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Tke^VuBcwagen struck a southbound Buick and injured its
two passengers, as weii as a xecomn Marias, its ssory is On i'agw 9A.
Million-Dollar Bond Is Set
For Suspect In Ash Murder
BY EK1L CARLSON
He is accused of trying to rob three elderly people in
two counties and killing them when they tried to resist.
Police say he got just $22 in cash from the 81 -year
old woman he allegedly beat to death during a burglary
in Red Spi nigs Loi uioiiiii.
Three days Inter, they say., he made off with only $60
after shooting Burns Everett Babson in the face as the
74 -year-old Ash store owner fought for his life.
Now he'll hav<? to c?>nv up will) a dollar", ic
get out of the Brunswick County Jail.
Daniel Cummings, 38, of Red Springs made his first
appearance in a Bolivia courtroom Thursday morning,
wH#?r? District Court Qj? Lewis set the SI million
bond and appointed Southport attorney William Fairley
to defend him against a charge of murder.
Three days earlier, Cummings was arraigned on a
first-degree murder charge in Robeson County for al
legedly killing Lena Hales, who reportedly surprised
him after he broke into her Red Springs home on the
night of Aprii i9.
roiice there believe he may aiso be responsible for
killing an 84-year-old man who was found robbed and
beaten to death more than a year ago. Cummings has not
been charged in that case, but authorities say he has
made statements implicating himself in all three mur
ders, according to brunswick County Sheriff's Detective
Tom Hunter.
It was Hunter who interviewed Cummings and ob
tained the incriminating statements from him after he
'.vas arrested in Clinton on a breaking-and-entering
charge the night after Babson's murder.
Hunter said that during three interviews with the sus
pcct, he iCai l(Cu that CuiTiuiltl?.-> WCIII II1IU Dilinuil N rtsn
Beverage muiuuu Coiner store on the evening of April
22 to rob him of money to buy crack cocaine. When
Babson tried to defend himself with a 3K -caliber re
volver, Cummings allegedly '.vrcsticu the guii away from
Babson and shot him at least three times.
Babson's wife Jewell told police that Cummings fired
at her twice before driving off in a white Ford van. The
Sampsu>) County deputy who arrested Cummings called
the Brunswick County Sheriff's Department at'er he
heard a bulletin alerting authorities to watch for a vehi
cle 01 that description.
Local detectives are continuing the investigation into
Babson's murder and more charges against Cummings
(Sec BOND SET, Page 2-A)
well-wishers to shake hands warmly
with his political opponent and fel
low deputy John Marlow. The two
spoke briefly and Marlow patted
Hewett on the back as he waded
back into the crowd of people wait
ing with hugs and handshakes of
their own.
"I just feel so humbled and thank
ful for all the support these people
gave mc," Hewett said. "I didn't win
uiis. Hundreds of volunteers throu
ghout the county won this campaign
for rnc.
"I want to thank the other candi
dates for running a good, clean cam
paign and I look forward to going
into the fall with renewed strength
and a commitment to do what needs
to be done for the Brunswick
County Sheriff's Department,"
Hewett said. "I plan to run the same
high road campaign as I did this
time. There won't be any mud-sling
ing from me."
In an odd moment that puzzled
many onlookers, Ucpubiican sheriff
candidate James Brown approached
Hewett as he spoke with a group of
supporters. The two men shook
hands and Hewett said, "Good to see
you, Mr. Brown. Let's run a good,
v. iv.au tavc.
Brown replied. "I'll run on your
bad side and you run on my bad
side."
In an interview Tuesday night.
Dove also called the primary "a
good race." He said he feii satisfied
with his effort and was proud to sec
that his home precincts of Oak
Island 1, Oak Island 2 and South port
1 gave him a majority of their votes.
"Being on the losing end of the
stick is not the happiest feeling in
the world,** Dove said. "But I think I
brought up a lot of issue* that need
ed to be raised. I listened to the peo
ple and tried to respond to what they
wanted iv?c iu uu.
"I just want to thank all those
good folks who supported me and
helped me. I hope I didn't iet them
down," he said.
Dove said he ran at somewhat of
a disadvantage because the N.C.
Highway Patrol does not allow its
officers to actively campaign, so his
effort could not begin until he re
tired in January.
After a few weeks "enjoying my
retirement." Dove said he plans to
go to work part time as an auxiliary
officer with the Southport Police
Department.
Marlow also praised the other
candidates for running a clean cam
paign. He was philosophical about
tLa ????*. i.i - ... ? ? Ml J.._* * ? I - ? ! ? ? ? ??
UIC UUIWUUIC. I JII.M USAC II ?I2? II
comes." Marlow said. "I'll show up
for work tomorrow morning just like
any other day."
Voters Take 'Anyone- But'
Approach To School Board
BY SUSAN USHER
Anyone but.
That appeared to be the general
sentiment among voters Tuesday
when it came to the county school
board.
If the primary results are an accu
rate gauge, voters aie looking for
,.l ? it., n : -I. n ? ?
vHUHgC iu ti rv wuanwivR vuuniy
Schools, at least in terms of leader
shin. Oimfino Histrirl 1 9twl 2 !S
? ^ ~ ? *? wm ? ? ? ? ? "
cumbents Thunruut Cause and Polly
Russ, Democrats assured that at
least a majority oi 'K: five seats on
the board will be filled by newcom
ers in December.
A decision by District 3 incum
bent Bill Fairley not to seek re-elec
tion vacates the third seat. The
Brunswick County Republican Party
is expected to name a replacement
for !h; iftcr the pri
mary, possibly Robert Slockett, a
former school board member whose
campaign for county commissioner
ended with Tuesday's primary.
Incumbcni Thurman Cause, who
lost a ciusc District i race to first
time candidate Olaf (Bud) Thorsen,
predicted that there will be "all new"
people on the board in December.
He expects November upsets by
board Chairman Donna Baxter of
District 4 and Vice Chairman
Yvimnc Bright of District 5.
Cause said he had expected to be
winner 1\jftib? jw; 2CC2ptid
the defeat in good humor, saying,
"He just beat me in a good, clean
race. He was the people's choice."
His mind had already turned to a
special school meeting called
Wednesday for consideration of the
budget ? which the full board has
not yet seen. "We were supposed to
have it by May 1," said Gause. "If
they're expecting me to approve it
? ? * l i i *: ?- _? ? ?..
W MVM ? IMTVU ? HMM ?OUW tU MIMIJ It,
they're mistaken."
Thorsen, a state juvenile court
counselor whose work brings him in
fSw INCUMBENTS- Pm 2-A)
CLERK'S LAWSUIT DELAYED
f ^ ^ 'jxaajxirr \ C
i ormer v-G:i in iiasi\ji list yc(W?/i jU&5
County, Claims Firing Was Political
BY ERIC CARLSON
A second victim of the 1991 county budget ax
has asked the courts to decide whether he was
firrH for political reasons
Former Brunswick County Commissioner Pea
rly Verecn filed a lawsuit
against the county Monday.
claiming that his subsequent
job in the water department
was eliminated in 1991 by
three Republican board mem
bers because Vereen is a
Democrat
The iawsuit requests a
court order forcing the county
to immediately rc-hire Vereen
and seeks a jury trial on
whether he should be awarded more than $68,000
in hack pay along with benefits, damages in ex
cess of $10,000, punitive damages and legal
costs.
Meanwhile, a federal judge in Wilmington has
postponed trial on a racial and political discrimi
nation suit filed by former Clerk to the Board
nC?i??S AaCXSfldCrt 'wiiC Ciuwuo luT lilllC liu??
commissioners ? Chairman Kelly Holden, Donald
Shaw and Jerry Jones ? voted to eliminate Iter
salary from the 1991-92 budget because she is
black and s Democrat.
Vereen and Alexander were among the 14 em
ployees whose positions were eliminated from the
budget in what the commissioners called a reduc
tion in force.
The Alexander case was scheduled to be heard
May 9. But a judge has agreed to consider
whether the commissioners had "legislative im
munity" from prosecution when they voted to fire
her. She is suing the three men individually and in
their official capacities as commissioners.
The judge could rule that the board members
can't be sued at all Or he could say that the coun
ty is liable for the commissioners' actions.
County Attorney Michael Ramos said Tuesday he
expects the court to make a ruling "in the next
couple of weeks." If the suit moves forward, it
?uiiiu piuuiuly Sk nam in cariy june, he said.
Rstth* said he hud not received a cnov of
Vereen's lawsuit and could not comment about it.
Vereen's suit also names as defendants former
interim County Manager David Cicgg and former
Republican commissioners Frankie Rabon and
Gene Pinkerton. who voted against cutting the po
sitions from the budget. Current hoard members
Way I and Verecn, Tons Rabon and Chairman Don
Warren arc named in the suit in their official ca
pacities.
County personnel records indicate that Vfereen
was hir?j Aug. I!, 1986, a* assistant director of
operational services and water management coor
dinator. At a June 17, 1991, workshop, the board
of commissioners voted 3-lo-2, with Rabon and
Pinkerton dissenting, to eliminate numerous posi
(See VEREEN, Page 2-A)
I,- '
Attention:
West Brunswick High School JROTC cadets were on their best be
havior when a teas s of officers from .V.C State University visited
for the annual inspection last Thursday. Inspectors reviewed the
appearance uf ernck cudei\ uniform and asked each student ques
tions to test general military knowledge. Pictured questioning a
cadet are the chief inspector, Mqj. Mark Lockett (right), and Cadet
1st Li. Brian Johnson. West Brunswick, which has 104 students in
its JROTC program, scored 589 points out of a possible 600.