YO U R C O A S TA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S I N C E M AY 2 0 0 2
February 28 - March 6, 2019
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Volume 18 | Issue 9 | 25¢
Parking enforcement starts Friday in WB Wrightsville Beach’s higher parking rate will go into effect this Friday, as visitors will now pay $3 per hour, or $17 per day. Paid parking is in effect from March 1st through October 31st except where otherwise posted. Parking is enforced from 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (7 days a week), unless otherwise posted, with some following exceptions. Paid Parking will be enforced from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the following parking lots: • South Lumina Parking
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Lot (near the Oceanic Restaurant - public beach access 36) East & West Salisbury Street Parking Lots (adjacent to Johnny Mercer's Pier - public beach access 16) North Lumina Parking Lot ("L" shaped lot - public beach access 4) North Wrightsville Beach Parking Lot (adjacent to Shell Island - public beach access 2) n See PARKING Page 2
Davis, Peterson outline priorities for General Assembly By Terry Lane Staff Writer
With an eye on the environment, water quality and taxes, two state legislators representing Wrightsville Beach outline their priorities in the North Carolina General Assembly during a Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce event last week. At the chamber’s “Meet Your Leaders” event at Bluewater Grill, N.C. State Rep. Ted Davis, R-19th District, and newly-elected Sen. Harper Peterson, D-9th District, showed agreement on some issues, like opposition to a local restaurant tax and changes to redistribution formula of the hotel, and both
talked about their efforts and plans for water quality and environmental protection. The two men also disagreed on certain issues, particularly efforts to enforce penalties for water quality violations on industry. Sue Bulluck, of the Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce, said the organization represented 42 local businesses, and asked several pointed questions on topics related to the beach, including renourishment funding, local taxes and water quality. Davis said that legislation he spearheaded as senior chair of the House Select Committee on North Carolina River Quality, which would
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Bob Gross
Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan McClay, a boatswain's mate at Station Hatteras Inlet, undergoes his final test to qualify as a 47-foot motor lifeboat coxswain, Friday, Feb. 23, 2007. "He passed with flying colors," said Chief Petty Officer Erik Watson, executive petty officer Station Hatteras Inlet.
Standing the watch over the Graveyard of the Atlantic By Joshua L. Canup, Petty Officer 3rd Class U.S. Coast Guard
Beneath the roiling waters of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, thousands of ships rest in a salty graveyard. For hundreds of years, mariners have nicknamed the area the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" based on the history of ships lost in its waters. Even for experienced Coast Guard members, traversing the area can prove a difficult task. “It’s an extremely challenging area,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Joe Hagel,
n See ASSEMBLY Page 2
a coxswain at Station Hatteras Inlet. “You have two major currents colliding right on top of the shoals, and this causes them to constantly shift. What might have been navigable water one week has become hazardous the next. Unless you’re familiar with the area’s recent changes, it can be very difficult to navigate safely.” Even with current technology such as radar and GPS, navigating the waters during a storm can be an intense challenge. The wind and rain and the chaotic swells can impact the crews’ visibility and communication.
“I’ve had to yell just to communicate over the wind, which is throwing rain at us almost sideways,” said Hagel, recalling his experiences carrying out missions in the rough weather. “Storms come up so quickly; it’ll look sunny at dawn and be a storm by the end of the day. The waves also are steep and close together, creating this washing machine effect where they come at you from all directions.” Hagel is just one in a long blue line of service men and women that have journeyed into stormy conditions along n See GUARD Page 6
After battling delays, Shell Island Resort reopens six months after Hurricane Florence By Terry Lane Staff Writer
Nearly four months after its initial projected reopening, Shell Island Resort will check in visitors on Friday for the first time since Hurricane Florence, completing a transformation that the general manager said will improve the visitor experience to the resort on Wrightsville Beach’s north end. But what Shell Island Resort General Manager Dara Newberry said she was most proud of was that she was able to keep most of the staff retained, whose work she credited for the 169-unit property’s turnaround. “They made this happen,” Newberry said, noting that the resort’s board of directors
supported her efforts to keep approximately 50 staff members on board during the six-month closure. “There was lots of cleanup to do and my staff did a wonderful job.” There were 97 employees at the time of the storm, she said, and the resort’s staff can expand to as much as 150 during the peak travel season. “We were fortunate to keep our staff employed,” she said. With windows blown out all over the seaside facing side of the building, Shell Island Resort General Manager Dara Newberry said that the damage to the resort from water intrusion kept revealing itself, pushing back a hoped-for mid-November reopening back more than three months to March 1. The
Staff photo by Terry Lane
Shell Island Resort General Manager Dara Newberry said the 50 staff members she was able to keep during the resort’s closure was instrumental in rebuilding after Hurricane Florence.
resort has been closed since Sept. 11, 2018, just ahead of Hurricane Florence and the town’s mandatory evacuation
deadline. The resort’s restaurant has been completely refurbished, including new flooring on the
entire first floor, a new deck and a new roof for the indoor pool. But not all repairs are finished, including the
large windows that line the transparent corridors of the residential floors. And just one of its three elevators will be operational upon opening. But compared to what’s been accomplished so far, Newberry said those were minor details. With extensive water damage, and backups on labor, repairing the resort was more time consuming than anticipated. “Water intrusion is very sneaky, you don’t know where it lingers,” Newberry said. “As we inspected the damage, the scope just continued to grow. We just found some new damage yesterday.” In addition to making n See SHELL ISLAND Page 2
Town to use budget process to address mooring enforcement, second park ranger By Terry Lane Staff Writer
The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen will use its upcoming budget process to improve enforcement of town ordinances, including how long boats can be moored in Banks Channel. One of the items the board will consider during the budget process is whether to add a second park ranger to help with enforcement of a variety of town ordinances, both on and off the beach. The town currently has a full-time park ranger,
Shannon Slocum, who enforces ordinances on the beach strand and around town. However, board members will consider adding a second park ranger, who could also be tasked with helping enforcement the mooring time limits. The park ranger position could be budgeted as a part-time position for the tourist season to add enforcement coverage for times when Slocum isn’t scheduled. During the budget process, board members said it would consider other ways that it could help enforce the 30-day limit for boat moorings. Last summer, several local residents raised concerns that boaters were mooring their vessels for more than the n See BUDGET Page 2
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February 28 - March 6, 2019
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n ASSEMBLY Continued from Page 1
address local water quality issues, was held up in the state Senate. Davis is also senior chair of the Judiciary Committee and vice chair of the Appropriations Committee. Davis also asserted that the Governor Roy Cooper, D, and the state’s Department of Environmental Quality, could take more serious enforcement action on industry. Peterson, a Democrat, countered that the Republican-controlled General Assembly hadn’t allocated enough resources
for the executive branch to effectively enforce penalties. Other prevalent topics were taxes and funding sources for local priorities, including tourism development and beach renourishment, which could be vital if federal funding isn’t renewed in the coming years. After Bulluck asked whether there should be changes to the formula for redistributing the county’s room occupancy tax, Davis said that opening those negotiations could end poorly for the beach towns, who could lose out on the deal is not structured properly. The county tourism board divides
the funds collected by hotel and short-term rental taxes between tourism promotion and local funding for tourism-related priorities like lifeguards and restrooms. Peterson agreed that the formula should remain the same. Davis said he believes he and other coastal representatives have made “good strides” towards educating lawmakers about funding needs at the beach, including finding a dedicated source of funding for a statewide beach renourishment fund, that would benefit Wrightsville Beach along with other beach communities. Peterson said that being a
freshman legislator, he had to concentrate his efforts on a few key issues “where you can make a difference,” where his focus will be on the environment and water quality. Peterson is a member of the Agriculture/Environment/ Natural Resources Committee and the State and Local Government Committee. “We need to care about the natural, physical environment that we live in. We’re not going to give up,” Peterson said, emphasizing that economic loss from environmental damage, particularly as it related to tourism, would be “catastrophic.” “It will be a challenge, we need to be
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New restaurant announced for Causeway Cafe site The Gulfstream Restaurant, a casual family dining restaurant in Carolina Beach, announced this week it would open a second location at 114 Causeway Dr., the former location of the Causeway Cafe, which closed in November after 32 years of operation.
n SHELL ISLAND Continued from Page 1
repairs in the common areas, Shell Island Resort staff also checked each individually-owned unit and informed owners of the level of damage, before serving as something of a general contractor for the collective ownership of the resort and assigning preferred contractors for repairs. So far, Newberry said bookings were strong, with two weddings scheduled for this weekend, bringing back to life one of the resort’s specialties. “Bookings look great so far,” she said. “People are eager to get back and see it after the storm.”
Wynn Plaza - Paid parking will be enforced from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m Truck and trailer parking is not permitted on Old Causeway Drive, Keel Street, and Marina Street year round. Truck and trailer parking is not allowed on Pelican Drive and Causeway Drive from March 1st to October 31st. Vehicles parked on residential streets on Harbor Island must display a vehicle identification decal, or a residential hang tag. These streets include: North Channel Drive, Coral Drive, South Channel Drive, Live Oak Drive, Cypress Avenue, Jasmine Place, Island Drive, Shore Drive, Point Place, Myrtle Court, Lindy Lane and Pelican Drive.
n BUDGET Continued from Page 1
allotted time. During the Jan. 14 Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen retreat, town attorney John Wessell said that to enforce the 30-day limit on moorings, town officials would have to have visual confirmation of the boat every day during that period. “The people on Waynick Boulevard are getting pretty tired of it,” Alderman Elizabeth King said during the meeting. Last summer, King brought forth concerns from residents who said that the amount of boats were causing congestion, while many were unattended and used as rental properties.
focused locally,” Davis also said that a bill to allow individual municipalities, without approval from the county, to establish a restaurant tax would face opposition. The bill from Rep. Frank Iler, R-Brunswick, was a “local” bill, meaning it could apply to only 15 counties, though it's still moving through the process and now would only apply to Brunswick County. He said that he wasn’t in favor of imposing a tax on restaurant checks, but it would be different if the municipality votes to approve the tax. “I imagine there will be a
lot of push back from the restaurant industry,” he said. Peterson said he didn’t think a restaurant tax was a “good fit” for the region. Another priority for Peterson will be offshore drilling, where he will push is a resolution he introduced to oppose offshore seismic testing, which he and other advocates say harms marine life. The testing, using loud underwater sound waves, helps discover potential offshore oil and shale reserves. “There’s no positive side to the argument,” he said. “We have a thriving economy here. Why endanger that?”
Parking in the Municipal Complex which includes Town Hall, Wrightsville Beach Park, the Visitors Center and the Wrightsville Beach Museum, requires a pay station receipt in order to park in these areas. Paid parking is enforced from March 1st through October 31st, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily at the rate of $3.00 per hour. However, the first two hours of parking are free with a valid parking receipt which must be displayed on the vehicle dash. You may obtain a parking receipt from one of the pay stations that are located by the softball field, park restroom/tennis court area, across from the main entrance of Town Hall, and at the Museum and Visitor Center (see map). If you select more than two hours at the pay station, you will not be charged
for the first two hours. If you select two hours or less, but find you will be staying longer, you may return to the pay station and obtain a new parking receipt with another two free hours. Wrightsville Beach Residents may display their residential hang tag in lieu of a parking receipt. If you hold a reservation for facility use in Wrightsville Beach Park, you are entitled to use the Event Parking Lot as indicated on the map. This area is not a pay-to-park area and a parking receipt is not required in the vehicle dash. If you choose to park in a paid parking lot, you will be required to pay for parking as described above, even with a facility reservation.
One of the proposals forwarded by Town Manager Tim Owens was to install a camera posted at the town’s lift station on Waynick Boulevard that could pan the mooring area of Banks Channel and zoom into boats to track their identification numbers. However, Mayor Bill Blair said before authorizing $7,0000 for the camera, the town should consider all of the options as a part of the budget process, especially if the park ranger position were tasked with the assignment. Police Chief Dan House said that over time, the town’s officers could also be trained and tasked with monitoring the boats. “We don’t want to overprice the problem,” Blair said regarding purchase of a mounted camera.
A second park ranger could also help track the boats, using binoculars to note the numbers and keep a running track of the moored boats. “The goal of this position is to accomplish something with a purpose,” said Blair, noting the need for better enforcement of town ordinances on the beach during early mornings and late evenings, including dog walking. To add the second park ranger position, the town could choose either a full-time or part-time position, which would be staffed from April through September. Adding a second park ranger would also require the purchase of a new vehicle to accommodate the position, Owens said.
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February 28 - March 6, 2019
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Lumina News — Your Coastal Community Newspaper since May 2002
Market Street widening project awarded
Wrightsville Beach Police Weekly Arrest Report
A North Carolina construction company has been awarded a project on a major New Hanover County road. The contractor, Sealand Contractors Corp. of Charlotte, will widen Market Street (U.S. 17 Business) in New Hanover County between Middle Sound Loop Road and Marsh Oaks Drive, approximately 1.6 miles. The work will include
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 • Eusebio Rafael Benitez, 18, was charged with possession of schedule VI drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, exceeding posted speed limit, and operating a motor vehicle under 21 after consuming.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 • Paul Benjamin Yates, 27, was charged with DWI, speeding and failure to maintain lane control.
widening and paving the existing corridor, updating drainage, adding signals and installing a raised concrete median. The contract is worth $24.6 million. In 2018, more than 52,000 vehicles traveled on Market Street daily. That number is projected to grow to more than 65,000 a day over the next 20 years. Construction can begin as early as April. The roadway
portion of the contract is expected to wrap up in May 2022, with additional vegetation work continuing into late that year. Because it’s a heavily travelled road, the contractor will be restricted from closing any lanes of traffic between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. seven days a week. Nightly lane closures should be expected, but at no time will Market Street be closed to
through traffic. This is one of 21 highway and bridge projects awarded recently by the NCDOT. Per state law they went to the lowest bidder among qualified contractors. The 21 projects combined are worth $331.5 million, more than $57 million under engineer estimates.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 • Daiylon Maurice McGhee, 21, was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver, possession of schedule IV drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and littering. • Mikkail Dion Roland, 27, was charged with possession of schedule VI drug.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 • Lane Alma Welborn, 21, was charged with DWI. • Christopher Adam Omeara, 30, was charged with violation of valid protective order, fictitious vehicle title and failure to register vehicle.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 • Benjamin Adam Pugh, 17, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. • Joshua Daniel Edwards, 19, was charged with driving after consuming a controlled substance under 21 years of age.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 • Noah Kimble Walker, 22, was charged with possession of schedule VI drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. • Christopher Harris, 19, was charged with possession of schedule IV drug, speeding and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. • William Garrett-Paarfus Zell, 30, was charged with possession of schedule IV drug.
Downtown bartender struck by car while walking to work; Police seeking help from public Wilmington Police are seeking information about a hit and run that left one man injured Saturday night. Officers responded to the intersection of South Third and Dock Street around 8 p.m. Feb. 23 in reference to a car striking a pedestrian, causing serious injuries, and then fleeing the scene. According to multiple witnesses, the victim was attempting to cross South Third Street at Dock Street, westbound, when the suspect vehicle failed to yield to the pedestrian when making a left turn onto South Third Street from Dock Street. The pedestrian, who was walking to work, had the right of way and was midway through the intersection when the suspect vehicle struck him, ejecting him into the air onto the top of the vehicle. The victim rolled off the hood of the car and into the street. As the victim way laying in the street, the suspect vehicle fled the scene, running over the victim, shattering his foot and ankle. EMS transported the victim to New Hanover Regional Medical Center. The suspect vehicle is described as a white Chevrolet, possibly a Cruze, with dark tinted windows. Anyone with information should contact WPD at 910.343.3609 or use Text A Tip.
• Alejandro Pena Osorio, 24, was charged with intoxicated and disruptive behavior, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and Police charge Leland man in Saturday shooting possession of marijuana paraphernalia. Wilmington Police have charged 40 year old Johnny • Juan Camilo Rincon-Penuela, 23, was charged with intoxicated and disruptive behavior and resisting arrest. • Antone Travis Hrusa, 22, was charged with resisting arrest. • Henry Simon Guevara, 23, was charged with DWI and possession of a concealed handgun
Jermaine Johnson with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and possession of a firearm by felon for his role in a shooting early Saturday morning that left a Wilmington man with serious injuries. Officers responded to New Hanover Regional Medical Center around 2 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 in reference to a gunshot victim. Upon further investigation, officers determined the victim, 36, had been shot outside the Jamaica House Sports Bar & Grill on Carolina Beach Road.
after consuming alcohol.
Week of February 18 - February 24, 2019 Single & Multi-family Homes
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE SALES TRENDS Pleasure Island 2842828449
Topsail Island 28445
Hampstead 28443
Leland 2845128479
Castle Hayne 28429
All of New Hanover County
50
144
146
209
299
38
1,111
17
-
12
9
25
23
4
133
38
20
3
10
4
16
22
5
123
13
16
10
1
4
1
5
20
3
51
3
3
2
2
5
3
3
4
3
2
3
410
1,156
1,998
885
112
530
562
662
1,336
215
5,281
Downtown 28401
Central Wilmington 2840328405
Myrtle Grove/MJ 2840928412
Active Listings
105
250
359
172
New Listings
14
33
53
Under Contract
14
33
Sold Units
4
Absorption Rate** Sold last 12 months
Ogden/ Wrightsville Porter’s Neck Beach 28411 28480
Information provided by Chris Livengood, Vice President of Sales, Intracoastal Realty **Absorption gives you an idea of the number of months it will take for the current inventory to be sold out based on the last twelve months of sales. Note: This representation is based in whole, or in part, on data supplied by the Cape Fear Regional Association of Realtors (CFR) Multiple Listing Service. Neither the Cape Fear Realtors nor their MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the Cape Fear Realtors or their MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.
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Friday, March 8
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Friday, April 5
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Board of Aldermen Public Notice The public shall take notice that the Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, 2019 or as soon thereafter, in the Town Hall Council Chambers, 321 Causeway Drive, Wrightsville Beach, NC, to discuss the following: • An amendment to the Conditional Use Permit for 19 East Salisbury Street, to allow for the construction of an additional driveway off Seagull Street for building 8, the enclosure of 70 square feet of deck area on building 26, for retail use, and a sidewalk connection through the Atlantic View development.
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February 28 - March 6, 2019
Lumina News — Your Coastal Community Newspaper since May 2002
Region
New Hanover County Hurricane Florence Orton Plantation Announces Recovery Coordination Office welcomes Beginning of Controlled Burn Season partners Additional resources will be available at New Hanover County’s Hurricane Florence Recovery Coordination Office beginning Wednesday, February 27. North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) and Hope4NC partners, who have been located in the Disaster Recovery Center at Independence Mall, will move to the Northeast Library at 1241 Military Cutoff Road, in an area next to the hurricane recovery office NCEM Individual Assistance Specialists and Housing Specialists have been helping residents navigate FEMA and receive assistance as a result of Hurricane Florence; and Hope4NC Crisis Counseling has been providing crisis counseling and connecting survivors to resources for continued support. Both partners will move from Independence Mall and begin serving the public from their new space at the county’s hurricane recovery office on
Wednesday. “We want to make accessing state and local resources as easy as possible for our residents, and having our partners co-located with the Hurricane Florence Recovery Coordination Office will help us do that,” said New Hanover County Chief Strategy Officer and Hurricane Florence Recovery Manager Beth Schrader. “Individuals will be able to get help with FEMA assistance and housing benefits, or seek support from Hope4NC, then walk down the hall to check on Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs and other resources at the hurricane recovery office.” Beginning Wednesday, hours of operation for these hurricane recovery services are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To contact the Hurricane Florence Recovery Coordination Office, call 910-798-7007 or visit HurricaneRecovery.NHCgov.com.
New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation District Chairman Awarded Supervisor of the Year New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor and Chairman, William “Bill” Hart, was named the North Carolina Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Supervisor of the Year and is the recipient of the Association’s 2019 President’s Award. Mr. Hart was recognized for his long-standing work in soil and water conservation. He helped create the Community Conservation Assistance Program, which is an incentive-based program designed to improve water quality through the installation of best management practices outside of agricultural areas. The program was signed into law in 2006, and has since become a model followed outside of North Carolina. “I’m happy to congratulate Bill on these well-deserved awards,” said Dru Harrison, New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation District Director. “Bill is an active and engaged board member and a model of what it means to serve the public.” Hart has served as Director of the Nevada State Park System, as Utah Deputy State Forester and on several boards and committees dedicated to conservation in New Hanover County including Cape Fear Tomorrow, the Wilmington and New Hanover County Land Use Plan Update and Comprehensive Plan workgroup and the City of Wilmington Watershed Protection Roundtable. He has served as a board member for the New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation District since 2002.
Register of Deeds provides free service to protect against real estate fraud New Hanover County Register of Deeds has a free online Consumer Notification Service to protect county property owners against fraud. “Many jurisdictions across the country have reported unscrupulous individuals recording fraudulent land documents, making it appear they own another person’s home or property,” said Register of Deeds Tammy Theusch Beasley. “Unfortunately, we have seen this type of crime take place in New Hanover County and the Register of Deeds office is out front actively protecting consumers.” Any owner of real property in New Hanover County can sign up for the Consumer Notification Service free of charge by visiting registerofdeeds.nhcgov.com and clicking on the “Fraud Alert” link. This free program
will not prevent fraud, but will allow residents to find out about it quickly. Owners are able to monitor their real estate records for unusual activities like changes in deeds, mortgages, mortgage discharges, nonmortgage liens, homesteads or other land documents that might be recorded against the property. If a document is recorded against one of the names inputted for monitoring, the subscriber will be alerted via email, usually within 24 hours. If an owner believes a fraudulent land record has been recorded against their property, they should immediately contact New Hanover County Registry of Deeds Customer Service at 910-798-7711.
Prescribed fires will take place from March 1-May 1 to improve forest health and restore Longleaf Pine ecosystem
Orton Plantation will begin its annual prescribed burning between March 1 and May 1 on more than 6,000 acres to improve forest health, restore longleaf pine habitat. Trained experts conduct the controlled burns at Orton, and are in close coordination with the North Carolina Forest Service, the North Carolina Department of Air Quality, the Brunswick and New Hanover County fire departments and 911 services. The burn is overseen by Orton Property Manager, Dillon Epp, a state-certified controlled burner, in accordance with an approved plan to ensure the safety of people and property in the area. Controlled burns are dependent upon optimal weather conditions with an ultimate goal of smoke mitigation. Although the projected burning window stated is two months long, the actual number of days prescribed fire will be applied is around 14 days. Strict criteria such as optimal weather determine when a permitted burn can take place.
Area residents may see or smell smoke, including residents of Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, and Wilmington, as well as travelers on Highway 133. Area residents should contact the North Carolina Forest Service with concerns. Prescribed fire not only benefits the longleaf pine ecosystem by controlling invasive species and encouraging new plant growth, but also mitigates the possibility of wildfire by reducing dangerous fuel loads that accumulate over the course of the year. Highlights • Orton Plantation is starting its annual controlled burns to improve forest health, bring back longleaf pines, and restore habitats. • Controlled burns at Orton will take place between March 1 and May 1, as weather allows and permits are available. • Controlled burns at Orton will take place between March 1 and May 1 in accordance with an approved plan to ensure the safety of people and property in the area. • Area residents should be aware: ◦ Smoke may be visible in the vicinity of Orton, and may at times reduce visibility on Highway 133.
◦ Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington Residents will be able to see and smell smoke at times. • Burning at Orton is conducted by trained experts in coordination with local authorities, including: ◦ NC Forest Service ◦ NC Department of Air Quality ◦ Brunswick and New Hanover County 911 ◦ Brunswick and New Hanover County Fire Departments • Controlled burning is environmentally beneficial to habitat and wildlife and will take place at Orton between March 1 and May 1. • Controlled burning conducted at Orton between March 1 and May 1 benefits the longleaf pine forest by controlling invasive species, encouraging new plant growth, and mitigating wildfire. • Controlled burning mitigates the possibility of wildfire by reducing dangerous fuel loads that accumulate over the course of the year. • Area residents are encouraged to contact the North Carolina Forest Service with question or concerns • North Carolina Forest Service (919-857-4801).
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A publication of: Lumina Media LLC (ISSN 1937-9994) (USPS 025-292) Known office of publication: 530 Causeway Drive, Suite A2, Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 28480 Address all correspondence to: Lumina News, P.O. Box 869, Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 28480 Phone: (910) 719-9180 • E-mail: info@luminanews.com
PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL Terry Lane
Lumina News Since 2002, Lumina News has illuminated Wrightsville Beach with award-winning news, beautiful photography and insightful views of life on Wrightsville Beach. Lumina News is published weekly and is distributed to the public on and around Wrightsville Beach. Printed circulation 1,500. www.luminanews.com.
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THEME: MARCH MADNESS ACROSS
1. Trunk extension 5. Dojo pad 8. *Villanova ____ at end of each half in ‘18 championship 11. Away from port 12. Windmill blade 13. Key material 15. Hefty competitor 16. European sea eagle 17. Walnut ____, MN 18. *____ Sunday 20. Smelling tainted, as in meat 21. Soft and sticky 22. Giant bird of “One Thousand and One Nights” 23. *____-elimination 26. Making sounds like Babe 30. Beatle wife 31. Not absorb, nor repel 34. Twelfth month of Jewish year 35. Batman to Bruce Wayne 37. Elizabeth Gilbert’s “____ Pray Love” 38. Cubic meter 39. Ghost of Christmas ____ 40. P in POI 42. Make work 43. Puffed up 45. ____ and effects
47. Mont Blanc, e.g. 48. Oddball’s attempt? 50. Tropical tuber 52. *Penultimate NCAA round 56. Like cornflakes leftovers 57. Slavic version of John 5 8 . Ta n g e r i n e p l u s grapefruit 59. Chased up an elm 60. Blow off steam 61. Tear violently 62. Da in Russia 63. Before of yore 64. Pasturelands DOWN 1. Falls behind 2. Archipelago unit 3. Square one? 4. Good-for-nothing 5. Nobel Prize winner Curie 6. Bug 7. High school student 8. Rumpelstiltskin’s weaver 9. Green-eyed monster 10. Tie ___ 12. Ruled against, as President can 13. Prod 14. *Fill-in-the-blanks 19. Pepsi and Coke 22. Part of human cage
23. Daytime entertainment, pl. 24. Spouse’s parent 25. Neil Diamond’s
“Beautiful ____” 26. Tiny leftovers 27. Intestinal obstruction 28. N in RN
29. Mirths 32. *1 or 68, e.g. 33. Crew tool 3 6 . *Automatic vs. ____ 38. Creepy one 40. *Coach’s locker room talk 41. Similar to sextant 44. Andrew ____ Webber
46. *Hang a banner, e.g. 48. Abraham Lincoln bill, slangily 49. Lacking sense 50. Ruptured 51. Ice, dark, and middle 52. *Twelve’s opponent 53. Type of molding 54. Forearm bone 55. Purges 56. Slovenly abode
February 28 - March 6, 2019
Lumina News — Your Coastal Community Newspaper since May 2002
Lifestyles
5
Wilmington Music Festival Announces Its 2019 Emerging Artists The Wilmington Music Festival has announced the names of the artists chosen to perform in its 2019 Emerging Artists Program. They are soprano Elizabeth Baldwin and cellist Samuel DeCaprio – both from the United States, Hungarian violinist Abigel Kralik and harpist Sonia Bize from Paris, France. These four artists were selected from over 100 online performance videos, submitted by professional performers from twenty-three countries, including Canada, Brazil, Mexico, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Poland, Hungary, Haiti, South Korea, Japan, Nigeria, Great Britain, Cyprus and the United States. The four selected artists will perform in the Port City as part of WMF’s 2019-20 Season and will be featured in various events. Expert career counseling from established professionals will be provided to every featured artist. This counseling will include guidance in career development, publicity, promotional strategy and effective use of digital media. “We were thrilled to have received so many top-notch submissions from artists all over the world. It represents a growing international interest in our festival and in our beautiful city,” says WMF’s president, Nikoleta Rallis. “This overwhelming
response is another indication that Wilmington’s reputation as one of the most exiting cultural centers in the country is growing. We are confident our hometown will attract more and more international artists to perform here and more and more music-loving tourists to visit and enjoy the amenities of our city as well as the music we offer!” “We are amazed at the number of incredible artists who submitted their mate-
the Wilmington community. And we are confident our generous patrons will be proud to have helped present these four fine artists!” says Aza Sydykov, WMF’s artistic director. “We hope that Wilmington’s local businesses and community organizations will begin to feel the impact of our fledgling festival’s activities,” he continues. “And we hope they will support our on-going mission of
N.C. Swimming Hall of Fame Tabs Allen UNCW Sports
Clockwise from top left, American soprano Elizabeth Baldwin, Hungarian violinist Abigel Kralik, French harpist Sonia Bize and American cellist Samuel DeCaprio were selected as the 2019 Wilmington Music Festival's emerging artists.
rials as candidates for our program. It was difficult and often painful to narrow some 106 fine performers down to just four. But we are confident we made the right choices and are looking forward to presenting them to
providing affordable music education and presenting top quality musical events to the community.” The times, dates and venues for the upcoming Emerging Artists concerts will be announced soon.
Former UNCW swimming and diving head coach Dave Allen, the founder of UNCW’s program and a key contributor in the development of aquatics in the Cape Fear Region for nearly 40 years, will be inducted into the N.C. Swimming Hall of Fame during a special ceremony next month. Allen is one of five honorees who will be honored on April 5, 2019, at the Embassy Suites in Cary, N.C. Individual Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. ceremony are available by visiting ncshof2019.eventbrite.com. In addition to Allen, Jeff Gaeckle, Janis Hape, Abby Johnston McGrath and Todd Torres will make up the five-member class. It marks the third Hall of Fame induction for Allen, who was previously inducted into the Potsdam State Athletic Hall of Fame and Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame. Allen coached 44 years at three different institutions and racked up 542 dual meet wins before announcing his retirement from UNCW in 2014. The Rochester,
N.Y., native fashioned a 494-356 record in 37 seasons at UNCW following one season at Allegheny (4-7) and six at Potsdam State (44-26). Allen, who originated the Seahawk program in 1977-78, led the UNCW men's team to its 13th consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship in College Park, Md., in 2013-14. He also directed the women's team to three CAA championships, including back-to-back crowns in 1998 and 1999, and the 1997 and 1998 ECAC crowns. Overall, Allen guided the Seahawks to a combined 16 conference championships - 13 on the men's side and three for the women, along with a pair of Eastern titles. The successful coach was named CAA Coach-of-the-Year an impressive 15 times, five for women and 10 for the men. The N.C. Swimming Hall of Fame, founded in 1985, recognizes outstanding achievements in swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo and open water swimming. This year's induction will be the group's 10th induction.
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February 28 - March 6, 2019
Lumina News — Your Coastal Community Newspaper since May 2002
n GUARD
Continued from Page 1
the Outer Banks to rescue mariners in distress that have run aground. Members of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, which merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service in 1915 to form the modern Coast Guard, battled similar conditions along the North Carolina coast. With old-fashioned tools at their disposal, LSS members relied on determination, physical strength and willpower. On Oct. 11, 1896, Keeper Richard Etheridge and his crew at the Pea Island Life-Saving Station responded when the schooner E.S. Newman’s crew ran aground in a hurricane. Etheridge and his crew began to set up a line cannon, a device that fired a rope to mariners to help them get ashore. Yet every time they tried to set it up, it sank in the soaking wet sand. The waves themselves were too fierce for Etheridge’s crew to deploy their wooden rescue rowboat. Forced to improvise, Etheridge relied on his crew’s training and tied rope to his three strongest swimmers. Relying on human muscle alone, the surfmen made their way out to the schooner and saved the entire crew. It took nine trips. Later, on Aug. 18, 1899, Surfman Rasmus Midgett, a member of the Gull Shoal Life-Saving Station, left the station to begin a beach patrol during an approaching hurricane. After walking 3 miles, Midgett discovered the ship Priscilla, which had been run aground by winds up to 100 miles per hour and broken apart on the beach. With the ship split in two, 10 survivors were clinging to the back half of the shipwreck, shouting for help as violent waves crashed over the wreck. The Priscilla wrecked roughly 3 miles from Midgett’s station, so walking back for assistance would use precious time – time the mariners might not have. Weighing his options of risking his life or returning to the station for assistance, Midgett leaped into the swells. Yelling instructions to the
victims and swimming between swells, Midgett managed to bring them ashore one by one. After saving all 10 men, Midgett ensured that they were brought back to the station, where warm food and shelter awaited them. In time, many successors of the Outer Banks’ Life-Saving stations would follow in their predecessors' footsteps, enlisting in the LSS and, later, the Coast Guard. In 1918, while the world was engaged overseas in World War I, one such descendant, Keeper John Allen Midgett, was standing watch at the Chicamacomico station when disaster struck. The German submarine U-117 torpedoed the British tanker SS Mirlo near Chicamacomico. The ensuing explosion could be seen for miles and sent fuel pouring into the water around the tanker. Midgett and his crew prepped their wooden motor surf boat and began their journey to the tanker. Midgett had not received training on how to respond to fuel spills, nor had any of his crew. The liquid fuel technology was relatively new at that time, so no such training even existed. Midgett improvised and steered the boat into the flames, smoke and extreme heat, determined to fulfill his duty of saving lives. The crew struggled through smoke and heat with one crewmember passing out from exhaustion. Braving the dangerous conditions, Midgett and his crew made several trips back and forth, rescuing a total of 42 survivors. Today, the history of the Outer Banks’ Life-Saving Service lives on with the Coast Guard men and women at Stations Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet. They stand the watch over the Graveyard of the Atlantic, continuing the legacy of maritime rescue. On Sept. 16, 2017, crewmembers at Station Oregon Inlet received a report that a 50-foot charter vessel carrying five people capsized in a fierce storm. The boat crew quickly launched their 47-foot Motor Life Boat and headed out into the turbulent seas.
Once they arrived, they found the five mariners near their capsized boat in heavy seas. Navigating to the capsized boat between shoals and surf, the Coast Guard U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy National Park Service/ Released crew rescued The 54-foot fishing boat Synergy washes up the mariners on the beach after capsizing in Oregon Inlet, and brought North Carolina, Sept. 16, 2017. Watchstanders them back to at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina, were alerted at the station. about 5 p.m. that Synergy had capsized and “What’s nota- five people were in the water. ble wasn’t just the stormy conditions, but the crew's inexperience,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Mark Dilenge, officer-in-charge at Station Oregon Inlet. “Our coxswain had only qualified for heavy weather a few months before, and the rest of the crew were young members. Together, however, they were able to respond and pull all five mariners from the water in under four minutes.” The Graveyard of the Atlantic remains a hazardous environment for mariners, especially in foul weather. However, Coast Guard men and women stand the watch, just as the crews before them did. “I can say nothing other than ‘wow’ when thinking on the history in this area,” said Dilenge. “Our service is interwoven into the country’s beginning at every pivotal point, and that is reflected very strongly here in the Outer Banks.”
CLASSIFIED
Classified and display deadline: Friday noon • Call 910-719-9180 • classifieds@luminanews.com LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Nancy J. Rosenkrans a/k/a Nancy Jane Rosenkrans, late of 3954 Echo Farms Boulevard, Wilmington, NC 28412, New Hanover County, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned’s attorney, Kelly M. Shovelin, Four Pillars Law Firm, at 2202 Wrightsville Ave., Ste. 213, Wilmington, NC 28403, on or before the 22nd day of May, 2019 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 21st day of February, 2019. Michael Rosenkrans, Executor of the Estate of Nancy J. Rosenkrans
Kelly M. Shovelin, Attorney Four Pillars Law Firm 2202 Wrightsville Ave., Ste. 213 Wilmington, NC 28403 February 21, 28, March 7, 14, 2019 EXECUTOR’S NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT EXECUTOR’S NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Connie Faye Gurganious (Deceased) of New Hanover County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned at the address shown below on or before the16th day of May 2019, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recov-
ery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 14th day of February 2019. Lisa Lavoie, Executor 421 Okeechobee Road Wilmington, N.C. 28412 February 14, 21, 28, March 7, 2019 EXECUTOR’S NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT EXECUTOR’S NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Nancy S. Rose (Deceased) of New Hanover County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons having claims
against said estate to present them to the undersigned at the address shown below on or before the16th day of May 2019, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 14th day of February 2019. Lawrence C. Rose, Jr. Executor 2105 Ainsdale Court Wilmington, N.C. 28405 February 14, 21, 28, March 7, 2019 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Christine W. Cunnane, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned do hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned
c/o J.C. Hearne, II, 265 Racine Drive, Suite 104, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403, on or before the 16th day of May 2019, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 14th day of February 2019. William P. Cunnane, II, Executor of the Estate of Christine W. Cunnane c/o J.C. Hearne, II 265 Racine Drive, Suite 104 Wilmington, NC 28403 February 14, 21, 28, March 7, 2019
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the ESTATE OF MERRITT E. HARTZ, deceased of Wilmington, North Carolina, this is to noti-
fy all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 26TH day of April 2019, or this Notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment. Claims should be presented or paid in behalf of the undersigned at c/o The MacDonald Law Firm, PLLC, 1508 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 102, Wilmington NC 28403 This the 24th day of January, 2019. WAYNE E. HARTZ
payment to the undersigned. This is the 7th day of February 2019. Jeffrey Cliff, Executor 133 High Bridge Road Summerville, SC 29485 February 7, 14, 21, 28, 2019
FOR SALE Boston Whaler 17 Montauk 1991, with 90 HP Yamaha 2003 and trailer. Docked in water at Seapath Yacht Club. Call Dell Hocutt (910) 509-9490.
ESTATE OF MERRITT E. HARTZ James A. MacDonald The MacDonald Law Firm, PLLC 1508 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 102 Wilmington, NC 28403
FOR SALE Boston/Steinway Baby Grand Player Piano, CD & Floppy Disc, mahogany. $10,000.00. (910) 796-8174.
January 24, 31, February 7, 14, 2019
EXECUTOR’S NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT EXECUTOR’S NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Lloyd Curtis Cliff (Deceased) of New Hanover County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned at the address shown below on or before the 9th day of May 2019, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate
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Church Services NEAR THE BEACH LITTLE CHAPEL ON THE BOARDWALK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.) Rev. Patrick Thomas Rabun, pastor 2 W. Fayetteville St., 910-256-2819, ext. 100 www.littlechapel.org Sunday School (for all ages): 9:15 a.m. Traditional Worship: 10:30 a.m. Nursery provided. BETH SIMCHA MESSIANIC JEWISH CONGREGATION Congregational Leader/ Rabbi Marty Schilsky 7957 Market St. Wilmington, N.C. 28411 910-681-0117 Shabbat Services 10:30 a.m. Saturday
WRIGHTSVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Doug Lain, senior pastor 4 Live Oak Drive, 910-256-4471 Worship Services: 8:15, 9:45, 11:15 a.m., 6 p.m. Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. ST. THERESE CATHOLIC CHURCH Rev. Trent Watts 209 S. Lumina Ave., 910-256-2471 Mass: Saturday, 5:30 p.m., Sunday, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.,
ST. MARK CATHOLIC CHURCH Father Patrick A. Keane 1011 Eastwood Road, 910-392-0720 Vigil Mass: Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday Masses: 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. en Español Monday Mass: 8:30 a.m. Tuesday Masses: 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday Mass: 8:30 a.m. Thursday Mass: 8:30 a.m. Friday Mass: 8:30 a.m. followed by Adoration with Benediction at 9 p.m.
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH BAPTIST CHURCH John McIntyre, senior pastor 601 Causeway Drive, 910-256-3682 Traditional Worship: 9-10 a.m. Sunday School for all ages: 10:10-11 a.m. Contemporary Service: 11:10 a.m to 12:20 p.m
ST. ANDREW’S ON-THE-SOUND EPISCOPAL The Rev. Richard G. Elliott, rector 101 Airlie Road, 910-256-3034 Monday-Wednesday at 8:30 a.m 7:45 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m., Celtic Service 5:30 p.m.