Duct Cleaning in Holden Beach, NC

A woman looking for shark’s teeth on a North Carolina beach stumbled onto something much more mysterious when a sliver of metal appeared in the sand.

It happened Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Holden Beach, and Sandy Dwork was intrigued enough to consult the nearly 18,000 members of the Holden Beach Shark Teeth Facebook group.

“Can someone please help me identify what this is,” asked Dwork, who lives in North Myrtle Beach.

It didn’t take long to reach a consensus: She had found a WWII armor piercing round, and it’s far from the first to show up.

Many of the commenters had also found WWII rounds, and they began sharing photos.

“There are a lot of WWII era 50 caliber rounds and shells in the area due to coastal training during the war,” Tony Shaver wrote on Facebook. “It is a neat historical relic!​”

That training “was vigorous — six days a week — and the air over coastal North Carolina was loud with military activity” around coastal military sites like Fort Fisher and Camp Davis, N.C. Historic Sites reports.

“Planes towing target sleeves on long cables roared back and forth above the beaches of Fort Fisher and Camp Davis’s other firing ranges, while anti-aircraft gunners below pumped streams of shells at the soaring targets,” state historians say.

The end result is occasional discoveries of bullets, bombs and even mines along the state’s beaches.

Four bombs washed up in 2018, according to the Washington Post. And in 2017, two WWII naval mines came ashore 75 miles apart, WITN reported.

Burlington resident Bradley Thomas Dixon is an avid metal detectorist who has a collection of artifacts found on the state’s beaches. He instantly recognized Dwork’s bullet, having found “identical” bullets.

“That is certainly a WWII 50 BMG armor piercing round. You can tell it is a penetrator because it has a steel core. The rust ball at the back is characteristic of that,” he said.

“Though the 50 caliber bullet projectiles themselves are not dated, many times they are found in the vicinity of their brass casings which are dated. All of these casings I’ve found have been WWII dated, 1941-1945. ... It could have been fired postwar, but the odds are that it is WWII original, fired during WWII training.”

A dredging project nourished Holden Beach a few years ago, and it’s possible the bullet was pulled from the ocean and buried on the beach, he said.

Dwork has yet to decide what she’ll do with the bullet, but notes her husband cleaned it with lemon juice.

SOUTHEASTERN N.C. (WECT) - Here is a breakdown of the unofficial winners of races across Southeastern North Carolina in the 2025 North Carolina Municipal Election:

Wilmington – Mayor

27 of 27 precincts reporting

Wilmington – City Council

27 of 27 precincts reporting

Carolina Beach – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Carolina Beach – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Kure Beach – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Kure Beach – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Wrightsville Beach – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Wrightsville Beach – Board of Aldermen

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Bald Head Island – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Bald Head Island – Village Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Belville – Mayor

3 of 3 precincts reporting

Belville – Town Commissioner

3 of 3 precincts reporting

Boiling Spring Lakes – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Boiling Spring Lakes – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Bolivia – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Bolivia – Board of Aldermen

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Calabash – Town Commissioner

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Carolina Shores – Mayor

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Carolina Shores – Town Commissioner

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Caswell Beach – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Holden Beach – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Holden Beach – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Leland – Town Council

7 of 7 precincts reporting

Navassa – Mayor

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Navassa – Town Commissioner, District 1

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Northwest – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Oak Island – Mayor

6 of 6 precincts reporting

Oak Island – Town Council

6 of 6 precincts reporting

Ocean Isle Beach – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Ocean Isle Beach – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Sandy Creek – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Sandy Creek – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Sandy Creek – Town Council, Unexpired Term

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Shallotte – Mayor

5 of 5 precincts reporting

Shallotte – Board of Aldermen

5 of 5 precincts reporting

Southport – Mayor

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Southport – Board of Aldermen, Ward 1

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Southport – Board of Aldermen, Ward 2

2 of 2 precincts reporting

St. James – Town Council

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Sunset Beach – Mayor

3 of 3 precincts reporting

Sunset Beach – Town Council

3 of 3 precincts reporting

Sunset Beach – Town Council, Unexpired Term

3 of 3 precincts reporting

Varnumtown – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Varnumtown – Board of Aldermen

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Atkinson – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Atkinson - Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Burgaw – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Burgaw – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

St. Helena – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

St. Helena – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Surf City – Town Council

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Topsail Beach – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Topsail Beach – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Watha – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Bladenboro – Mayor

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Bladenboro – Town Commissioner

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Clarkton – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Dublin – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Dublin – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

East Arcadia – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Elizabethtown – Town Council

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Elizabethtown – Town Council (Unexpired Term)

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Tar Heel – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Tar Heel – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

White Lake – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Boardman – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Boardman – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Bolton – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Bolton – Town Alderman

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Brunswick – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Cerro Gordo – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Cerro Gordo – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Chadbourn – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Fair Bluff – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Fair Bluff – Town Commissioner

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Lake Waccamaw – Mayor

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Lake Waccamaw – Town Commissioner, East Ward

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Lake Waccamaw – Town Commissioner, West Ward

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Sandyfield – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Tabor City – Town Council

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Whiteville – Mayor

3 of 3 precincts reporting

Whiteville – City Council, District 1

2 of 2 precincts reporting

Holden Beach Pier Bond ($7.3 million for new pier)

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Sandyfield Malt Beverage Election

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Sandyfield Unfortified Wine Election

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Sandyfield Mixed Beverage Election

1 of 1 precincts reporting

Click here to watch WECT’s live election coverage.

The Holden Beach candidates for November’s election participated in a forum Oct. 17 hosted at town hall by the League of Women Voters. Four candidates will vie for two open commissioner seats: Chad Hock, Sylvia Pate, Keith Smith and Maria Surprise.

Two candidates will vie for the mayoral seat. Moderator Nancy Garland said candidate Mike Felmly couldn’t attend because he was returning late that day from Raleigh, where he had been undergoing medical treatment. Alan Holden was the only mayoral candidate to attend.

Garland asked several questions, giving each candidate equal opportunity to respond. The following sections summarize a few of each of the commissioner candidates’ answers, organized alphabetically, as well as Mayor Holden’s answers.

Chad Hock

Hock has been a Holden Beach homeowner for 13 years and became a full-time resident a year and a half ago when he retired from a software executive position with a banking company, he said.

“I’ve come with a common, practical approach to how we can solve some of the problems that we have in front of us,” Hock said.

He said he believes the town cannot afford the pier bond referendum, considering the current cost of living. He said that a firehouse and improved water pressure should be higher priorities, and that the town should not be responsible for the pier in the first place.

“It’s possible,” Hock said, “but quite frankly, it’s gonna cost us a lot to even look for private options for this, and that’s sad.”

Hock suggested that the commissioners should hold Q&A sessions before and after meetings, and that their phones should be government-owned. His slogan is Holden Beach attitude, Holden Beach latitude. He said that despite challenges, he believes the town’s small size and strong sense of community make it possible to overcome obstacles together.

Hock stressed the importance of sitting down, talking through differences and finding ways to work together for the good of the community.

“I’m about compromise,” Hock said. “I’m about trying a practical approach. What I don’t want to be, though, is divisive.”

Sylvia Pate

Pate grew up in Myrtle Beach, and first came to Holden Beach in 1992, when she fell in love with it, she said. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and management from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

“I’m all about looking at things from a positive nature,” Pate said. “I’ve worked a lot with local governments in strategic planning, economic development and community development.”

Pate said she doesn’t think the pier bond referendum should exist because it was a rushed process, and the facts are not all clear. Profit, expenses and an economic impact study have yet to be determined, and she does not think there should be a tax increase, she said.

She emphasized that there are more options to look at in federal funding, donations or public-private partnerships.

“Sometimes it’s just a matter of sitting down with the funding agency,” Pate said, “and telling them what it is you want to do.”

Pate said it is important to seek community input through surveys and open discussions. She emphasized a need for more balance between maintaining a peaceful environment for retirees and offering amenities that attract visitors. She sees Block Q as a key opportunity to strengthen community connections, she said.

“I want to see those amenities all come together,” Pate said. “In addition to that, all the infrastructure needs to be taken care of.”

Keith Smith

Smith said he is a people person, and emphasized that he loves having conversations. He has a blended family with 10 children, three of whom are adopted and live on the island. He is a licensed plumber by trade.

“You’ve got to be able to talk,” Smith said. “You’ve got to have your own ideas, come from your own place, make good arguments for those. Then if you don’t, then you got to compromise and work with each other.”

Smith said he will vote no on the pier bond referendum, but that it is not right to simply tear the pier down. He said he thinks that there are resources that the town can get from elsewhere to pay for the pier.

“Fundraisers, grants, fishing licenses,” Smith said, “there are multiple opportunities for us to be able to look one bite at a time.”

Smith suggested that the commissioners’ emails should become more readily available to the public, and the board should hold more public workshops. He noted that surveys are a great idea, but that they can be phrased in a way that skews people toward a certain answer. He said he hopes the board of commissioners will come together as a united front.

“Have conversations with each other,” Smith said, “and we can blend this place back together, and we can be a family beach again.”

Maria SurpriseSurprise and her husband built a home in Holden Beach in 1999 and became permanent residents in 2018, she said. She is a member of the planning board and president of the Holden Beach Property Owners Association. She said she wants to maintain the town as a welcoming family beach.

“I want your vote because it’s time for an open and inclusive and collaborative board of commissioners,” Surprise said.

Surprise said she does not support the pier bond referendum, and does not believe the town should ask the taxpayers to pay to build a pier that cannot be insured. She is open to other means of funding, if the people want that, she said.

“I know the pier has a lot of nostalgia,” Surprise said, “but maybe there is another solution. Maybe we don’t have to have a 1000 foot pier. Maybe we have something more like Oak Island. Maybe we build something that’s a beautiful, welcoming amenity”

Surprise suggested commissioners hold office hours and work sessions to ensure transparency and public input. She also advocated for more safety presentations and bridge traffic control during peak season. She said that as a commissioner, she will focus on infrastructure, public safety and community.

“It’s time for camaraderie and collaboration on Holden Beach,” Surprise said. “It’s time to end the divisiveness and work together, and it means working to compromise.”

Alan Holden

Holden has lived in Holden Beach for his entire life, 76 years. He said he has taken many trips around the country to represent and advocate for the town. He invited citizens and commissioners to reach out to him or visit town hall to have conversations about anything.

“My vision of Holden Beach is to continue the family beach as it has always been,” Holden said.

Jenna Lapp is the staff writer for The Brunswick Beacon. Feel free to reach out with comments, questions and tips at jlapp@brunswickbeacon.com.

HOLDEN BEACH, N.C. (WECT) - Voters in Holden Beach rejected a bond referendum to demolish the current pier and construct a new one.

In a 351-211 vote, one precinct in Holden Beach showed voters were opposed to the bond referendum that would increase property taxes for town property owners.

According to the town, the referendum included $7.3 million in General Obligation bonds, which only covers demolition and construction costs.

The bonds do not cover debt from the original pier property purchase, construction of a new pier building, maintenance, or operating costs.

For these reasons, voters like Mark Collman opposed the measure.

“A structure like that that can’t be insured, it makes no sense to spend 12 million dollars plus on something that you can’t insure when you live in a hurricane zone,” Collman said.

Other voters expressed uncertainty about the proposal’s details.

“I’m just not sure if I want my taxes raised or not. I understand that but I am for doing something with the pier. I think the referendum was a little bit too early and not explained enough to voters,” said Lisa Holmes.

If the referendum had passed, property owners may have had to pay an additional $31.60 per year in property taxes for every $100,000 of property value.

The proposed pier would be a 996-foot wooden walkway with a covered “T” at the end, similar to the original design. The new pier would be uninsurable for wind or water damage.

The town states that engineers estimate annual maintenance costs at $72,560 to keep the pier functional for 50 years.

The town has not established operating revenues or determined if the pier will generate profit.