Newspapers / West Craven Highlights (Vanceboro, … / June 30, 1988, edition 1 / Page 1
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(tniiittij$Iauntg West Craven Highlights News From Along The Banks Of The Neuse [ppr MArnNALtCWT' AMOCUnON VOLUME 11 NO. 26 JUNE 30,1988 VANCEBORO, NORTH CAROLINA PHONE 244-0780 OR 946 2144 (UPSP 412110) 25 CENTS SIX PAGES Reggie Fountain demonalratcs a boat similar to the award winner (Rk Cortsr photo) ‘TFeVe All No. 1,’ Says Fountain By MICHAEL ADAMS SpecisI to the West Craven Highlights Reggie Fountain, president of Fountain Powerboats, held up an index finger and told his employees, “We*re all number one.” Fountain had reason for his boast. Bob Nordskog, pub lisher of Powerboat Magazine, had just presented him with the trade journal's award for “Offshore Boat of the Year.” Several of the powerboats can be found skimming the sur face of the Neuse River in Craven County and the Trent River in Jones County, not to mention other parts of the world. The employees of Fountain’s company gave him a standing ovation as the award was pre sented at a luncheon Monday. Nordskog, who still races offshore boats at age 75, said to Fountain in a press conference before the official presentation, “You have come up with the finest, best quality, best hand ling boat” in its class. “It’s nice to know that people are in a boat that can get the job done and do it safely,” he said. Fountain was emotional as he received the award, saying he owed a great deal to the quality of his employees. “I’m just real ly overcome by it, to tell you the truth.” The award winning boat is (See FOUNTAIN, Page 5) Town Board OKs Budget Of $208,814 Vanceboro Residents To Pay Same Tax Level As Last Year By MIKE VOSS Editor Vanceboro's Board of Aider- men last Thursday adopted a $208,814 general-fund budget for fiscal year 1988-89 that will keep the town's tax rate at 50 cents per $100 valuation. The budget is slightly over $18,000 more than last year’s budget of $190,494. The aldermen also approved $134,255 to be included in the overall budget for the town's wa ter and sewer fund. The largest revenue source for the general-fund budget is the $70,000 expected to come from ad valorem taxes. Sales and use taxes are expected to add $43,000 to the town’s coffers. The third- largest source of revenue for the town is expected to come from garbage fees totaling $25,200. Another $24,000 is expected to come from the Powell Bill, a state program to fund street construc tion and improvements. The largest expenditure item in the budget is the $60,242 ear marked for sanitation. The budget provides $53,752 for the town's administration depart ment. The budget also provides $58,523 for the town's streets. Although the town doesn't have a police officer at present, $24,941 had been budgeted for the police department. Other sources of revenue and amounts include the following: Franchise tax, $17,500; library, $8,614; earned interest, $3,000; sales tax refund, $1,100; ad valorem taxes from previous years, $1,000; privilege licenses, $1,000; old exemption refund, $900; gas tax refund, $800; rent, $900; cable TV, $1,500; beer and wine tax, $3,900; intangibles tax, $5,000; auto tags, $500; traffic sig nals refund, $500; officers' fees, $200 and interest and penalty on taxes, $200. Other areas of expenditure are library, $9,556; fire protection, $1,000; park, $300 and cemetery, $500. Revenue for the water and sew er fund is expected to come mostly from water and sewer charges. The budget calls for (See BUDGET, Page 5) State Study Suggests Link Between Discharges, Crab Disease A new state study concludes that there is a link between areas of the Pamlico River where crabs have been hard hit by a shell dis ease and areas with high levels of chemical discharge from Texas- ■gUirChemicals Co.’s Lee Creek operation. Crabs with the disease have also been found in the lower Neuse River, but not to the de gree reported in the Pamlico. State ofTicials say the disease is commonly found in crabs, but not at such high numbers as the area around Texasgulf has pro duced recently. But the study, conducted by researchers for the state Marine Fisheries Division and North Carolina State University, does not say wastewater discharged from the company’s phosphate mining plant is responsible for the shell disease. “I don’t think anybody could link it directly,” said Terry Sho- lar, the Marine Fisheries district manager in Washington. “The association between Tex asgulf and the outbreak of shell disease in the Pamlico River can not be dismissed as a fortuitous event and warrants further inves tigation,” the study says. Texasgulf officials agree that more study is needed and are willing to cooperate and take part in additional study, said J. Randolph Carpenter, manager of public relations and governmen tal affairs. “What they have said is that it warrants further study,” said Carpenter. He said Texasgulf is interested in cooperating with Marine Fisheries in any way possible. Researchers said they thought the outbreak resulted from abnormal growth or hardening of shells caused by a chemical im balance. The disease, which was re ported last summer, causes weak spots in the shells of blue crabs, liie spots can develop into large sores. Division officials said Monday fishermen were still catching diseased crabs. Carpenter said company offi cials had been briefed on the study findings Monday but had not reviewed the study in detail. He said the study indicated a ’’geographic correlation” be tween the company’s plant and the general area of the outbreak but did not say the company caused it. Carpenter said the company was working on a wastewater re cycling discharge of some of the chemicals cited in the study. A proposed permit for the dis charge would reduce the amount of phosphorous discharged into the river by 90 percent and cut 75 percent of fluoride. State offi cials are reviewing the permit. The company has been allowed to discharge up to 60 mil lion gallons of nutrient-rich wa ter a day into the Pamlico. In the last year, the company’s dis charges averaged about 50 mil lion gallons a day, containing ab out 3,168 pounds of phosporous and 2,429 pounds of fluoride per day on the average. According to the study, sam ples of crabs taken from 60 places on the river indicated that the highest prevalence of the disease occurred on the south side of the river between Durham Creek and Indian Island, near the plant's location. Researchers said that healthy crabs placed in cages at four sites had developed lesions or sores but that development of the dis ease was significantly faster in high-risk areas, one of which was near Texasgulf. Carpenter said he had heard re ports that crabs in other areas were affected but said he had no specific information on the matter. He suggested that both point and non-point sources of possi- (See CRABS, Page 5) Windsurfing Actor Finding His Niche At The Lost Colony By .MIKE VOSS Staff Writer MANTEO — What does the Master of the Queen's Cere monies in The Lost Colony do when not on stage? He spends time windsurfing, when not re hearsing or catching up on sleep. Dan Brunson said his role as Master of the Queen’s Cere monies is a little bit court jester and a go-between for the com mon folk and Queen Elizabeth I. Brunson said the job today would be similar to a chief of pro tocol. Resplindent in his 16th Cen- 4«fy costume, complete with start and handkerchief, Brunson carried himself as one would ex pect from a member of the queen’s court. Using the hand kerchief almost as an exclama tion point, Brunson’s speech announcing the queen’s garden party sets the mood for frivolity. Brunson added a new twist to this year’s production when he tossed his staff into the air with his foot. The director liked it and it remains in the show. This is Brunson’s second sea son with the show. He appeared as Ralph Lane last season, a nonspeaking part, but a part. “I came in last summer and had a wonderful time,” he said. But things are a bit different this year. The differences are new cos tumes, new scenery and back- stage tours for visitors. The cos tume he wears this year was the costume for Sir Walter Raleigh last year. Two new platforms have been built on the stage. But even among the changes, some things remain the same, includ ing some costumes from the first production in 1937. Brunson also sings with the Madrigal singers that perform before the show. Brunson, from Charlotte, said he prepared him self for acting and singing by studying both for two years at the North Carolina School of the Arts. He worked with a previous outdoor theater group in West Virginia before coming the The Lost Colony. Brunson said he researched his role and talked with people who knew about the period. He said the role last year was played as a flamboyant fop. Brunson said he is trying to make the character more of a integral part of the queen’s court than a foppish character. But the ever-present handker chief does seem sort of silly — until Brunson explains its’ pre sence. The handkerchief, held delicately in the left hand, is used for swatting flies, wiping one’s face and as an ornament. Cast members are allowed to hold jobs, although under li mited conditions. When not in the garb of the Master of the Queen's Ceremonies, Brunson is in beach attire. He teaches wind surfing at Waterworks, a beach business that also rents ski jets. Cast members can work about 25 hours at a job that is not too de manding, said Brunson. “There are more things to do than I can do,” he said when asked how busy he is between the two jobs and other commit ments. Those commitments in clude a girlfViend and taking part in Manteo’s Sunset Festival each night. Brunson's barbershop quartet, another singing group and juggler David Stuart peform fl'om 5 to 8 p.m. About half the cast have pre viously appeared in the show and current cast members are always (See COLONY, Page 5) Watch Out — It’s Time For Ticks This Summer By TERRI JAMIESON Staff Writer Summer not only means in tense heat and related health problems, it also means tick sea son. And that means another possible threat to one's health. For people who work or spend a lot of time outdoors in other acitivities, it is best to be on the lookout for the eight-legged pa rasites. Careful screening is needed to find ticks on a body and they are often mistaken for freckles because of their small size. Ticks can be found almost anywhere, but they are particu larly fond of pastures, vacant lots and brushy and wooded areas. Ticks are not able to fly, run or drop out of trees, but than can climb. They use their climbing abilities to work their way up bodies and attaching them selves. There arc several diseases that are thought to be carried by ticks, perhaps the most well-known being Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The second disease that has recently been identified is Lymes Disease. It was first iden tified in 1975 by researchers from Yale University. Both diseases can cause serious illness or death. The best way to avoid contract ing these diseases is to prevent contact with ticks. The following precautions can help prevent tick contact: — Dress appropriately when walking in the woods or tall, gras sy areas. — Make routine inspections of your body, children’s bodies and pets. Four times a day is not cons idered often enough. When inspecting your body, search through hair, hairlines, in ears, around eyes and under arms. When bathing inspect aU folds and creases in the skin. — If in woods or marshes wear (See TICKS, Page 5) Summer Reading Program At Libraries Begins In July The annual summer reading games at the Vanceboro- Craven County Public Library and the Cove City-Craven County Public Library will be- ginJuly 1 and will run through July 26. “Catch a Ride on the Read ing Railroad" is the theme for this year’s statewide game. Each child who registers for the reading game will receive materials specially designed for this year’s program. De signed by New Bern High School's Nelle Hayes, the materials are provided to lib raries by the State Library. Each child who reads and re ports on at least 10 books dur ing July will receive a certifi cate signed by Gov. Jim Mar tin. Prizes will be awarded for different amounts of books read. As part of the summer read ing program, children can en joy a Story Hour every Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Vanceboro-Craven County Library and every Friday at 2:30 p.m. at the Cove City- Craven County Public Lib rary. 'Die 1988 Summer Reading Game is co-sponsored by the State Library, a division of the Department of Cultural Re sources, and is funded through Title 1 of the Library Services and Construction Act. Brunson in costume '•-vm Ik r «
West Craven Highlights (Vanceboro, N.C.)
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June 30, 1988, edition 1
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