Local News

The ABC Store in Ocean Isle Beach is too crowded, town commissioners argue.

The store’s lack of storage was discussed during the board of commissioners’ monthly meeting last Tuesday.

Planning director Justin Whiteside said at the current building, on Causeway Drive, popular liquor is purchased in bulk when its on sale. The current facility does not provide enough storage to do so. With the summer season approaching, Whiteside presented several options for the board to consider.

SHALLOTTE—Town aldermen have decided to revise the sewer transmission fee policy that developers have been complaining about for months.

Last Wednesday, the board instructed town administrator Paul Sabiston to prepare a resolution to be adopted at next week’s pre-agenda meeting. The new policy would require developers to pay $60,000 for 60 units at the time they request preliminary plat approval and another $60,000 when they start the next phase.

“It prevents somebody with 200 units asking to pay for 10 now and the others later,” Sabiston explained.

SUNSET BEACH—Tree-clearing has begun in preparation for construction of a new Intracoastal Waterway high-rise bridge.

The 65-foot-tall span will eventually replace the town’s aging one-lane pontoon bridge connecting the mainland to the island.

Joe Blair, division construction engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, said the contractor for the $32 million project is clearing the right-of-way for alignment of the new bridge.

English Construction Co. of Lynchburg, Va., started work about two weeks ago, Blair said.

West Brunswick is the defending Beach Diamond Invitational Baseball Tournament champion.

The eight-team tournament gets under way Friday with the Trojans already owning three victories against their Brunswick County counterparts.

“He’s already beat me twice,” said South Brunswick coach Lee Shelton, “so I’d say his team is the favorite. And he’s beaten North once. They’re good.”