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Strawberry Festival-Rescue Day In Vanceboro Saturday (Craiit^ounlo West Craven Highlights News From Along The Banks Of The Neuse V NAnoNAt rcwvapfs AStOCtATON VOLUME 11 NO. 20 MAY 10.1988 VANCEBORO, NORTH CAROLINA PHONE a^ OYBO OR 946 2114 (UPSP 412-110) 25 CENTS SIX PAGES Accident Leaves 1 Dead, 8 Injured ■■ ■' ... Arrow idenUfies ruptured tank and (right) Cove City rescue personnel leave site By MIKE VOSS Editor A man died Wednesday morn ing of ir\)uries that he suffered Tuesday when a tank at the Weyerhaeuser pulp mill between Vanceboro and New Bern rup tured, spewing a hot mixture of wood fiber and bleach. Eight other Weyerhaeuser workers were injured, two criti cally. Lonice E. “Butch” Thomas Jr., 37,ofNewBcm,dicdat 1:15a.m., said Linda Staunch, spokesman for the Craven County Hospital. She said Thomas died of com plications from suffocation. He had worked at the plant since 1969. Ms. Staunch said two of the in jured were in the intensive care unit in critical condition, one was in a medical ward in stable condi tion, three were treated and re leased Tuesday and one was kept overnight and released about 7:15 a.m. today. Weyerhaeuser identified those (See DEATH, Page 5) 8 Pakistanis Journey Through Southeast On TFay To Mecca By MIKE VOSS Editor Their calloused and cracked feet give evidence of their long journey. So do the well-wom sandals and bedrolls. Ten miles each day the eight- man Muslim caravan from Pakistan travels along U.S. 17 on its way to an eventual pil grimage to Mecca, the holiest of Islamic shrines. But before the travelers arrive for their 40-day stay in Mecca, they are travel ing in the United States “to bet ter understand our American brothers.” The men made their way through Craven County last week on their way north and eventually to home. Wednesday they stopped to spend the night in Chocowin- ity. Thursday they slept in Washington. They usually call towns a day in advance to set up lodging. Their home Wednes day was in the town garage in Chocowinity. They arrived in New York in December and went flrom there to Miami to began their walk. They were advised by other Pakistanis who visited Amer ica to follow U.S. 17 during their walk from Miami to Nor folk, Va. The route was sug gested because of the small towns that dot the trail and be cause of the climate. The men have seen more “trees and jungle along the way” than they have seen any where in Pakistan, said one. They plan to arrive in Norfolk on June 21. After leaving Nor folk, they travel to Washington, D.C to obtain visas from the Saudi Arabian embassy for the trip to Mecca. After their hajj (trip) to Mecca, they return home. The highway has become a path of knowledge for them, said the group's interpreter, Faiz Muhammed Khan. Muhammed, who wears a tur ban and beard, is an assistant professor of philosophy and psychology at the government- run university in Dera Ismail Khan, the city where the men live. *^6 group’s spiritual lead er Jehan Zeb Khan owns two rice factories and a brick fac tory. All are professionals and businessmen, said Muhammed. Jehan Zeb Khan, asked ab out the politics of the Middle East, said it would be innap- propriatetoansweron behalf of the others but added, “We do not think the American pre sence is a threat to peace in the Middle East,” according to Muhammed’s translation. The trek is part of a planned tour of the world. Their trip through the United States is to “study the complicated machinery of mankind” and to learn about the West for them selves, Muhammed said. They are also concerned about the image that Westerners have ab out Muslims. “We have come to show Americans that all Muslims are not the kind of people por trayed in the Western media,” said Muhammed. “We are good people, like any other people. We are not terrorists and do not like being associated with peo ple who do bad things. It is un fair for the actions of a few men to represent the whole of a people.” The men are impressed with the hospitality “and respon siveness of your nation,” said Jehan Zeb Khan. But hospital ity does little to ease their minds when they think of home. “We certainly feel the absence of our families,” he said. Muslims and Pakistanis in the United States have shown them home-style hospitality. “They honor us,” said Jehan Zeb Khan. What reactions do they get from passers-by on the highway? “Sometimes we have our hands and they wave hands,” said Jehan Zeb Khan. Watch ing cars stop on the shoulder, people jumping out and taking pictures and asking questions has become routine. “When in our country, we heard that Americans are a (See PAKISTANIS, Page 6) Club Members Driving Force Behind Car Show’s Success NEW BERN — The oldest en try at the West Craven High School VICA Club car show Sun day literally outshined the com petition and earned the Best of Show trophy. Gene Howard’s 1941 Ford pickup took the top honor and first place in the ibll-size truck category at the VICA club’s first car show. If it didn’t shine, the plF^asn’t made of metal. To call Howard’s entry just a truck would be an insult It was more like an experience. It looked as if an interior decorator worked overtime on the truck. Although periods of drizzling rain might have hampered parti cipation in the event, organizers were happy with the participa tion. As the gray skies began slowly moving out, more and more spectators stopped at Twin Rivers Mall to view the collection of cars. Entries began arriving about 10 a.m. and those showing the cars and trucks began wiping, waxing and polishing metal to get the edge they sought in the competition. Rain beaded up on hoods, was wiped away, reap peared and was wiped away again. The cycle continued tl^ugh most of the day. From classics such as a 1956 canary-yellow Ford Thunderbird to the newest offerings of Mus tangs, Camaros and mini trucks, the show featured style, chrome, nostalgia and raw power. From the purr-purr-purr of the small- engined vehicles to the rocky thundering of the monster en gines, horsepower was on dis play. A.B. “Brownie” Futrell, pub lisher of the West Craven High lights, won first place in the ori ginal division with his 1956 Ford Thunderbird. Second place was given to Landers Gaskins and he also took first place in the street rod division with his 1966 Chev rolet Chevelle In the Camaro/Firebird divi sion, Richie Roberts took first place with his 1969 Camaro and Rodney Moore took second place. Both showed Camaros. Moore's car was a 1984 model. Mike Edwards took first place in the Mustang division with a 1984 model, outpointing Darlene Wetherington’s 1965 model that took second. Jeff Dunn finished second be hind Edwards in the full-size truck division with his 1986 fSee CAB SHOW, Page 5) VICA Club members wail for entries to be registered Lots Of Class(es) Found At Reunion Of Farm Life Alumni By TERRI JAMIESON Staff Writer Two hundred and sixty-four people attended the Farm Life School Alumni Association ban quet Friday night at Vanceboro’s Farm Life Elementary School. About 150 attended the dance that followed in the school gym. The gathering was the 68th annual meeting of the associa tion. The banquet and dance allows local and out-of-town alumni a chance to renew fiiendships. Out-of-state visitors came bom as far away as Califor nia, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia. The annual banquet and dance are held on the second Friday in May. 'The annual meeting began at 7 p.m. with the banquet held in the school cafeteria. Mrs. Sybil Har dy gave the invocation. The ban quet was served buffet-style by Bum's Restaurant of Ayden. After the banquet. Association President Beverly Bryan recog nized attending dignitaries. They included Dr. Ben Quinn, super intendent of the New Bern- Craven County Schools; Jimmie L. Morris, mayor of Vanceboro andamemberoftheClassofl952 and former state Sen. Joe Tho mas, presently on the University of North Carolina Board of Gov ernors. The audience sang the school song that was led by Morris with piano accompaniment by Ethe- leen Butler. Gospel music was provided by Change of Heart from GreenviUe. In a business session, the nominating committee announced the 1988-89 slate of officers. They are Patricia Eat- mon, president; Earl Wright, vice president; Janice Morris, secret ary-treasurer and Peggie Mills, assistant secretary-treasurer. The Class of 1920 was recognized as the school’s first graduating (See REUNION, Page 5) Volunteer Efforts Help Renovation Of Center TERRI JAMIESON Surr Writer Vanceboro residents are tak ing note of the changes con tinuing at the Vanceboro Com munity Center and about 15 volunteers are the force behind the efforts to renovate the center. An influx of money from a leg islative discretionary fund came about at the end of the 1987 ses sion of the Legislature. The cen ter has been topped with a new roof, given a facelift of paneling on the inside, been insulated and new tiles put in. Arlene Coward, president of the Vanceboro Community Cen ter Organization, said, “Every thing is going quite well.” She listed several improvements that had been made to the building — such as casing windows and the installation of a new front door. (See CENTER, Page 5) Strawberries To Reign Saturday In Vanceboro Alumni eujoy food at banquet Sunshine, smiles and, of course, strawberries are only a few things that are expected to attract approximately 4,000 peo ple from all over the state to the Strawberry Festival-Rescue Day in Vanceboro this Saturday. This year’s festival promises to be the best ever as several new events have been added. The fes tival begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday with the Strawberry Festival 5K run, followed by a lOK run at 8 a.m. The runs begin on Farm Life Avenue and end at the corner of Farm Life Avenue and Buck Street. Following the runs. Main Street will be lined with impa tient children and eager adults as strains of music and wailing sirens signal the beginning of the annual parade. Those who have an interest in fSee FESTIVAL, Page S)
West Craven Highlights (Vanceboro, N.C.)
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May 19, 1988, edition 1
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