West Craven Highlights
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VOLUME 12 NO. 14
APRIL 6,1989
VANCEBORO, NORTH CAROUNA
PHONE 244 0780 OR 946-2144
(UPSP 412-110)
25 CENTS
SIX PACES
Down East Refuges, Parks Allow ^Needed Escape
Escaping to less civilized
worlds flrom time to time is an
idea that appeals to most of us,
and in the Down East region
there are many such worlds to
choose fl'om. The central and
northern Coastal Plain is home to
over 30 large refiiges and natural
areas, most of which are easily
-a^itilable for camping, hiking
and other respites ftom the work
aday world.
Despite this variety of places to
choose from, though, many peo
ple are unaware of the location or
accessibility of the parks. In
order to familiarize more Coastal
Plains residents with the natural
areas here, this column will brief
ly describe a few, and will list the
Jobless
Rates
Increase
RALEIGH — February unem
ployment rates decreased in
Craven, Jones and Lenoir coun
ties and increased in Pamlico
County when compared to un
employment rates in February
1988, according to figures re
leased by the N.C. Employment
Security Commission in R^eigh.
Craven County’s unemploy
ment rate fell fiom 4.3 percent in
February 1988 to 3.3 percent in
February. There were 1,040 peo
ple unable to find employment
out of a work force totaling
31,470. In February 1988, the
labor force numbered 30,310 and
1,300 were without jobs.
Jones County’s unemploy
ment rate decreased from 5.2 per
cent in February 1988 to 3.7 per
cent in February 1989. The
February 1989 work force totaled
4,320 and there were 160 of that
labor pool without jobs. There
was a labor force of 4,250 in
February 1988 and 220 could not
find work.
Lenoir County’s unemploy
ment rate fell from 5.4 percent in
February 1988 to 4.6 percent in
February 1989. The county’s
work force totaled 29,580 in
February 1989 and 1,360 were un
able to find jobs. ’The work force
ayearearlierwas 28,130 and 1,520
were unemployed.
Pamlico County saw its unem
ployment rate increase from 5.8
percent in February 1988 to 9.9
percent in February 1989. The
work force in February 1989
totaled 4,950 and 490 of that num
ber could not find work. The
work force in February 1988
totaled 4,510 and 260 were unem
ployed.
•rGnham County had the high
est rate in February 1989 with a
21.4 percent mark, followed by
’Tyrrell County at 16.9 percent,
and Swain County at 14.6 per
cent. The lowest rate was 1.9 per-
cet in Orange County and the
second-lowest rate was 2.1 in
Greene County.
(See JOBLESS, Page 5)
locations of the remaining ones.
— Alligator River Refuge
(Dare County): This nearly
200,000-acre tract in mainland
Dare represents the state’s best
remaining coastal swamp forest.
Extensive pocosins, vast stands
of loblolly pines and white cedar,
and miles of blackwater creeks
create a true wilderness that
serves as the last major habitat in
eastern North Carolina for large
predators like black bear and red
wolves. ’Diere are no established
camping areas in the refUge and
access is basically limited to
waterways or old logging roads,
so the reflige is not fortenderfeet.
In terms of size and diversity,
however, this refUge is unques
tionably one of the most impor
tant natural habitats left in the
southeastern United States.
— Merchant’s Millpond (Gates
County): Now a magnificent in
land swamp forest, this 2,600-
acre park began as a grist mil!
with a manmade dam over 175
years ago. ’The pond itself covers
some 600 acres and is sur
rounded by cypress and tupelo
gums, with some stands scat
tered through the open water.
Over 160 species of birds and a
variety of mid-sized mammals
make their home at the millpond.
Hiking and canoeing are easily
managed at the park, which is
among the most beautifUl in the
Coastal Plain.
— Goose Creek (Beaufort
County): 'Though not as large as
other parks (1,300 acres). Goose
Creek is an excellent example of
an estuarine wetland and upland
pine forest. It is one of the few
large habitat areas left on the
Pamlico River, and is home to
such species as osprey and red-
cockaded woodpeckers. The
park is excellent for day hiking
and overnight camping, and, like
Merchant’s Millpond, is set up
for interpretive nature study.
— Cliffs of the Neuse (Wayne
County): Located along the fall
line where the Piedmont becom
es the Coastal Plain, this park fe
atures a 100-foot high cliff rising
over the Neuse River. The cliff
exposes layers of sedimentary
deposits which have formed over
millions of years and show the
many changes the Coastal Plain
has undergone through the ages.
Several forest types are scattered
over the park’s 600 acres, and
there are visitor exhibits describ
ing the geologic history of the
area.
— Rachel Carson Sanctuary
(Carteret County): This park is
composed of small islands,
shoals and salt marshes straight
across the Intracoastal Waterway
from Beaufort. Of estuarine char
acter, the sanctuary is filled with
over 200 species of birds, includ
ing osprey, plovers, terns, hawks,
pelicans and loons. Feral horses
also inhabit Carrot Island, and
marine and estuarine mammals
are frequently seen. The sanctu
ary is easily accessible by a short
boat ride from Beaufort. Re
search and education are two
primary activities which occur in
the sanctuary.
Obviously not every park in
the Down East region can be de
tailed in this space. However, the
following county-by-county list
will show the additional public-
access natural areas we have to
choose from. The N.C. Depart
ment of Parks and Recreation
can supply further information
about these areas.
(See RIVERS, Page 5)
Rep. Perdue
Wants Panel
Established
Commission Would Study
Costs Of Health Insurance
RALEIGH — Rep. Beverly M.
Perdue, who represents the
Third District in the N.C. House
of Representatives, has intro
duced legislation calling for a
health insurance cost study com
mission.
The bill would establish a com
mission consisting of 16 mem
bers representing the House and
Senate, as well as members of the
business community, repre
sentatives from the insurance
and health-care fields, elected
officials and citizens.
Rep. Perdue, whose district in
cludes Craven, Pamlico and
Lenoir counties, is a second-term
legislator and is actively in
volved in health care issues. Mrs.
Perdue said the study commis
sion is needed to examine esca
lating costs and methods of pro
viding health care to all North
Carolinians, regardless of in
come. “We have to look at the ris
ing costs of health insurance.
This issue affects all segments of
society — middle-income fami
lies, people on a fixed income
and the entire business commun
ity,’* she said.
Mrs. Perdue, who holds a
doctorate from the University of
Florida, was instrumental in
securing the $6.5 million 1988
appropriation for services for the
elderly. She said her work on the
Aging, Medicaid and Facility
Subcommittee of the Human Re-
(See BILL, Page 5)
Different Twist
At this time of year it is not unusual to see low-
flying planes, some that bring back memories of
the bi-planes used in World War I, skimming
along flelds doing a bit of crop dusting. Farmers
have relied on cropdusters for years to apply che
micals and fertilizer to their crops in a fast, easy
manner. But this helicopter doing a little dusting
recently probably caused a few stares. With their
ability to hover, helicopters can get into tighter
spaces than a plane could. (Ric Carter photo)
Eagle Netters Served
8-1 Defeat By Pack
West Craven’s tennis team is
still a relative newcomer to
tennis in the Class 3-A Coastal
Conference and face formidi-
ble opponents as the season
progresses. A glimpse of what
the season may be like was ex
perienced earlier this week.
The team ran into an experi
enced squad, but that experi
ence ofplaying a tough oppo
nent could pay off for the
Eagles later in the season.
Washington gave up but
nine games in six sets of sing
les and two of doubles in earn
ing its first win of the season.
defeating the Eagles 8-1 at the
Craven Community College
tennis courts Tuesday after
noon.
Jim Cox and Kevin Williams
saved the Eagles from a shut
out by taking an 8-5 win over
Jim Boyette and Jonathan
Kuhn in a doubles match.
The Pack evened its ledger
at 1-1 with a sweep of singles
and the first two doubles in
playing its second match in as
many days. Washington will
host Havelock in a pivotal ear-
(See TENNIS, Page 5)
Area Farmers Use New Means
To Combat Tobacco Problems
Growing problems with
finding enough labor to work
their tobacco fields could lead
more Craven County farmers
to join their neighbors in the
county and in Jones County
this year to find alternative
methods of starting their
crops, local agricultural exten
sion officials say.
’The two prominent systems
in use in the county this spring
are the float system and the
overhead system, Minton C.
Small, director of the exten
sion service in ’Trenton, said
recently in an interview.
Craven County farmers are
also using the two systems.
The first overhead system was
instaUed at Jack Anderson’s
farm at Vanceboro, said Jim
Holton, Craven County exten
sion agent. ’The overhead sys
tem has been in the county for
four or five years and the float
system is in its third year, said
Holton.
For the third year in the
county, farmers have been us
ing the float system to grow
tobacco plugs fiom Florida in
vats standing in about6 inches
of water in greenhouses. When
they arrive in the county,
Small says, the plugs are not
quite the size of a quarter.
'They are transfered to trays
that have drainage holes in the
bottom, then placed in the
greenhouses.
’The plants also are fertilized
through the water in which
they stand. Small noted.
It takes 8 to 10 people. Small
said, about three days to trans
fer the tobacco into one of the
float system greenhouses. But
it only takes about 4 people to
transfer it to the fields once
the tobacco has reached a cer
tain stage of growth.
Under the traditional “bare-
root” system. Small pointed
out, farmers need IS to 20 peo
ple working over a period of
three weeks to transplant
tobacco to their fields.
In the overhead system for
growing tobacco. Small said,
fiomers work for about three
days to seed the trays of tobac-
co. The trays are set on
nursery pads with rock below
for drainage. The plants are
fertilized and irrigated by
means of a boom situated
above the plants.
Holton said three or four
more float systems are in use
this year. He expects Craven
County farmers to increase
, their use of the systems in the
coming years. Holton said that
although their are up-front
costs with buying and install
ing the systems, farmers
should end up saving money
through lower labor costs.
Phil and Andy Moore of the
Beaver Creek area in Jones
County, Small said, have ab
out 3,800 trays with 165 tobac
co plants per tray in their
greenhouse for a total of
627,000 plants — or about 75
acres worth. Under normal
conditions. Small noted, a
small percentage of the plants
grown by the overhead system
does not germinate.
The Moores will need only
one or two people to trans
plant the tobacco from their
greenhouse to the field. Small
said.
’The greenhouses in which
the overhead system is used.
Small said, must maintain a
temperature of 90 degrees
over a 2-week period for the
seeds to germinate. After ger
mination, the temperature
(See TOBACCO, Page 5)
Lady Eagles Slide By Lady Pack
West Craven’s softball team
“embarrassed” and “upset” an
opponent, but came away with a
win.
To say Washington High
School girls’ softball coach
Becky Rogers was upset after her
team lost its Coastai Conference
opener at home to West Craven
Tuesday afternoon is an under
statement.
“I don’t know what I’m going
to do,” Rogers, who had just
watched her Lady Pack fall to 0-2
after a 16-1 thumping by the
Lady Eagles. “We practice drills
and I think we're making prog
ress, but... I (feel) totally embar
rassed by what happened here
today.”
West Craven improved to 2-0
overall as the Eagles, which
pounded out 16 hits, held
Washington to just six.
Lisa Murrell picked up the vic
tory after going the distance on
the mound for West Craven.
Angela Smith, a transfer from
Aurora’s Class 1-A state cham
pionship squad, was saddled
with the loss.
Defensively, the Lady Pack
was hampered by eight errors
while West Craven committed
two.
Jennifer Peele led the Lady
Eagles with a 3-for-4 outing
which included a two-run home
run. Amy Bizzell doubled in a 2-
for-3 outing while four others —
Tammy Wolfe, Murrell, Gaskins
and Patricia Daughtery — each
batted 2-for-4.
(See LADY EAGLES, Page 5)
Washington Rally Downs Eagles
By JIM GREEN
Sports Writer
Washington rallied for seven
runs off a total of four West
Craven pitchers in the bottom of
the fifth inning and got sparkling
relief pitching in winning 11-8 in
the Coastal Conference baseball
opener for both teams ’Tuesday
night at Kugler Field.
Washington improved to 4-1
overall while West Craven
emerged 4-2.
The Pack’s victory, its third
straight, wasted a good pitching
effort by Eagle starter John
Dizon, who pitched through the
third and to two batters in the
fourth. He was lifted because of a
shoulder injury suffered the pre
vious inning when he was hit hy a
pitch.
“When you spot your starter a
five-run lead like the one we had,
and you can’t hold the other team
down, you’re not going to win
many games,” West Craven
coach ’Dm Hardison said. “And
defensively, we played poorly.”
Washington coach Steve Coats
cited his team’s comeback.
“We got down by a few runs
and the guys didn’t stop play
ing,” he said. “They hung in there
and played together as a team.
“We got some good relief pitch
ing from Rod (Gorham) and
’Tripp (Leggett) and a lot of clutch
hitting tonight. ’The kids battled
hard.”
’The Pack scored its seven runs
on just three hits in the fifth but
took advantage of two errors, five
walks, two wild pitches and a
passed ball.
Gorham led off the frame with
a walk and his courtesy runner,
Adam Williams, went to second
on a wild pitch. Dizon was re
lieved by Gene Roach, who
allowed an infield hit to Jere
miah Jackson which placed run
ners on first and third. After Wil
liams was retired in a rundown at
the plate, Jackson advanced to
third. Leggett followed with an
RBI single and pinchrunner
Dean Leitschuh stole second. Af
ter Charlie Manning was hit by a
pitch, Monty Brown relieved
Roach for the Eagles.
“We were just trying to find
somebody...”, Hardison said. “It
wasn’t shaky relief pitching that
(See EAGLES, Page S).