CD-fr>cn * * msms * oc.no.- * 33 33 * ODCD * mr~mtD * —in-,—1<=* South Carolina's Oldest Newspaper; Established 1798 orot- * STDESUl ZZZt- * o ro * to r-«s* nor-- * —I CDS* 33 Ul * x>-~*.* 30r-- * * 5> s"n 'Hues •—I fi s ro ro un -> Serving historic Georgetown County, including Georgetown, Andrews and Waccamaw Seek ro -fc- J3 S I •01, No. 71 Friday afternoon, June 11,1999 Still Only 250 rLl-l.i.H.LiilLLLLllLLL, Black Reporter's leaders Notebook demand Chamber of Commerce execu­ tive director Mary Michel used an overheard projector and screen Tuesday as she delivered an excellent talk to the Rotary Club of apologies Georgetown about what she has learned since moving here from Ohio in January. Appearance guidelines One thing she said she has found is the press here is relent­ less in its quest for news. But her draw opposition from main point was that people in a diverse community such as TIMES photo/Woody Thompson Georgetown County should strive The steeple above the new sanctuary of Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church on Neck African-Americans to listen carefully to what others Pawleys Island rises above the church, which was dedicated last Sunday. have to say before acting. By Scott Harper She received heartfelt applause STAFF WRITER Our Opinion Leaders of a group of African- at the conclusion of her talk. County Council should American property owners on Meanwhile, Rotary president Precious Blood of Christ delay vote on guide­ the Waccamaw Neck demanded McRoy Skipper stepped up to the lines until public hear­ Friday that County Council microphone and said: ings are held. See Chairman Ron Charlton and "I'd like for Mary to come forward Page 4. so that we can give her a token of dedicates new sanctuary Councilman David Hood apolo­ our appreciation for being our gize to fellow Councilman Tom speaker today ..." Swatzel. By Woody Thompson III residential areas. If this hap­ But Michel was busy unplugging STAFF WRITEH Four members of the Con­ pens they say property values the projector and gathering up her The Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church, cerned African-American Com­ notes and other materials. which first began holding worship services in a munity of the Waccamaw Neck will increase, forcing middle- "Mary, please come forward to four-car garage 14 years ago, dedicated its new (CAAC) held a press conference and lower-class families from receive your gift," Skipper asked sanctuary on Feast Sunday, June 6. Friday morning. They said they their homes. again. The church's first mass was celebrated on July are upset at remarks made by Charlton and Hood accused But she continued to pack up her 7. 1985. inside a Pawleys Island garage that had Charlton and Hood in the Swatzel, a fellow Republican stuff. been converted into a church by Father John Times and other local newspa­ who represents the northern Skipper, never at a loss for Bench and 76 Catholic families. Today the new pers following Tuesday's Coun­ portion of the Waccamaw Neck, words when it comes to one-liners, $1.8 million sanctuary seats about 800 people. ty Council meeting. of spreading misinformation then dead-panned: Clem Thoennes, the project finance manager, About 150 people, mostly about the appearance guide­ "I'd like to thank Mary Michel for began soliciting every family in the parish for African-Americans, attended lines in order to draw the large giving us such a wonderful pro­ donations in 1996. "I am very proud of the new the Tuesday meeting and spoke crowd. gram on listening to others while church and my friends that worked so hard The Precious Blood congregation first in opposition to proposed "I think this was done in they speak. Now, if I could only get together," Thoennes said. "It was a team effort." began holding services in 1985 in this appearance guidelines. order to fuel the flames of oppo­ her to listen to me, I'd be able to During last Sunday's dedication, the Rev. building, a former garage. If approved by County Coun­ sition," Hood said Wednesday. give her this special pen ..." David B. Thompson. Bishop of Charleston, led cil, the guidelines would govern In a telephone interview Which finally got Mary's atten­ Thursday, Charlton agreed the ceremony and blessed the church. Bishop ship, education and other parish activities. the look of new businesses tion and brought on another heart­ Thompson said it was inspiring to celebrate the along Highway 17 on the Wac­ with Hood. He said he under­ felt round of applause by the atten­ On Oct. 15, 1990, Bishop Thompson reas­ stood Swatzel had told mem­ occasion on the Feast of the Body and Blood of signed Father Charles J. Snopek from Lake City camaw Neck. tive Rotarians. Christ. Speakers at Tuesday's meet­ bers of the African-American • •• to Pawleys Island. Father Snopek has been the community on the Waccamaw He also said that adding to the joy of the occa­ pastor of the parish since. ing said their main fear is that It appears the national exposure sion was the parish's ability to convert its old once the ordinance is in place, recently enjoyed by Georgetown's sanctuary into a parish hall, a place for fellow- it can be amended to include See APOLOGIES, Page 2 Alan Walters as he appeared for See SANCTUARY, Page 2 two straight days on Jeopardy caused him to rethink his priorities. After returning, Walters announced he would not seek another term as SPA OKs $314,000 for improvements to Georgetown port the head of the county's Republi­ can Party once his seat expires lat­ By Jesse Tullos because of a major increase in business this year by er this year. Walters also hinted he TIMES EDITOR Holnam. The Port of Georgetown will have another record "Without a doubt, we're going to have may seek political office in 2000, a good Increase In overall tonnage for Holnam has a 20-year contract to use the port. It although he did not say which year in tonnage with still two weeks left before the fis­ imports cement in bulk by ship, stores it in a silo at office. In 1996 Walters ran unsuc­ cal year ends on June 30. fiscal year '99." the port, and then transports the product inland on cessfully for the Sheriff's seat. Port Director David Schronce said Thursday that rail and trucks. Georgetown Port Director David Schronce • •• through the end of May, the port had already sur­ "Nothing succeeds like success," said SPA board Georgetown recently received passed last year's total tonnage of 1.6 million tons. member Jack Scoville, who was appointed to the an unfavorable review from nation­ Schronce said final figures for this year won't be approved for dock improvements at the port for board by Gov. Jim Hodges last month. al radio talk show host Ken Hamlin, available until after July 1 but added, "Without a cement distributor Holnam Inc. "Jimmy Moore deserves a lot of credit for represent­ who is known as "The Black doubt, we're going to have a good increase in overall Officials said the improvements should dramatically ing the port's interests," Scoville said of former SPA Avenger." Hamlin is heard locally tonnage for fiscal year '99," he said. increase the Holnam's business, and also keep feder­ member Jimmy Moore Jr., a Georgetown attorney, weekday afternoons on WRNN The tonnage increase continues a streak of record- al dollars coming into Georgetown's port. who sat on the board until Hodges replaced him earli­ 94.5 in Myrtle Beach. The Avenger setting performances for the port this decade. The money approved this week by the SPA will be er this year. "All of these figures can be attributed to spent a week broadcasting from That disclosure follows a Wednesday announcement used to improve the wharf at the Georgetown dock Myrtle Beach and apparently found by the State Port Authority that $314,000 has been See PORT, Page 2 time to travel to Georgetown. When questioned by a caller about his thoughts on the Port City, Ham­ lin wasn't very kind, calling Cultural Council visits Georgetown "boring." "Georgetown is a nice little town, if you like that sort of thing. But N.C. facilities for ideas there is nothing there. It is a nice, sleepy town. That's all I can say. It is charming, but boring," Hamlin responded. on restoring old auditorium I guess if you are like Hamlin By Woody Thompson III and find a place to call home," said and are used to living in a place STAFF WRITER Matthew Temple, a Cultural Council with a couple of murders a day, The Cultural Council of Georgetown board member. throat-burning smog, traffic night­ was in North Carolina last week, tour­ Georgetown City Council allocated mares, sky-high rent for a one- ing facilities that they hope will lead to $6,300 in February to help the Cultur­ room shack, and no space to hard­ a multi-purpose civic facility for a dete­ al Council develop a plan for the old ly breath, Georgetown would seem riorating Georgetown historical struc­ auditorium. Part of that funding will sort of "boring." But Ken, WE LIKE ture. pay for fact-finding trips to other cities IT THAT WAY!! Thank you. The old Winyah High School audito­ that have renovated old structures for rium on Highmarket Street, which is civic uses, such as those in Durham listed on the National Historic Register, and Fayetteville. Deaths has been vacant since fire destroyed "I think that we achieved a huge the school in the early-1980s.