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West Craven Highlights
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VOLUME 12 NO. 34
SEPTEMBER 7,1989
VANCEBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
PHONE 244-0780 OR 946-2144 (UPSP 412-110)
25 CENTS
SIX PAGES
Barbecue ‘experts’
journey to purveyor
of Southern delicacy
(Ediiitr’M note: When People
magazine gave Ayden'e Skylight
Inn tie ^ur^rib rating oj beet 6or>
beetle in the nation after vUiting
^~80 barbecue Joints in 19 etatee, a
group of Journaliits dispatched
its own expedition to check it out.
This is the panePs report.)
By Mike Vo«
Editor
AYDEN — It was a tough job,
but somebody had to do it.
When the assignment came to
And out about the barbecue at
the Skylight Inn in Ayden, rated
best in the nation by People Ma*
gatine, four of us headed toward
Ayden. We found it and began
our tedious work.
Right off, we learned that Peo
ple magarine is a lately-come. In
the early 1980s, the Skylight Inn
barbecue was rated b^t in the
'^:orldin the Barbecue Bowl com
petition in Washington, D.C. llie
austere Notional Geographic
Society, which knows something
about the world, agreed.
Co-owners |
Walter B.
‘‘Pete* Jones I
and Jeff Jones I
trace their be-1
ginnings back [
to 1830 when I
Pete's great-1
great
grandfather!
sold barbecue I
from a covered |
wagon.
Alter estab- [
lishing the _ „
background, BBQ tOO WOt
we dug in. TTiis is what the jour
nalistic panel had to say about
the borl^ue:
— Lisa Krochmal, who rates
piiza and chocolate as the best
foods in the world. — *Not the
best barbecue I've ever had—too
wet, and I prefer more of a vine
gar taste. The cole slaw was very
good. Also, the combread was
tasty. And a 10-ounce bottled
Pepsi for only 30 cents was great!
*The best barbecue I recall
ever having was served at a pig
pickin' at the home of Bill Smith
of Bill Smith Ford, Southern
Pines. The pig pickin' was given
in honor of Bill Elliott, the race
car driver, who did attend.”
— Mike Voss, who just loves
to eat. — *It's in the top three in
my book. I would suggest serving
the barbecue on a steamed bun.
It was a little too moist, but I
understand they didn't let the
grease run olT as much as they
usually do.
*1 also ei\joyed the crunchy
pieces of ski n they included i n the
rarhecue. It was something im-
ique and adds to the flavor. All in
all, I could become addicted to the
stufT.And t wish all solt drinks
were as coldas the ones they had.
"I enjoyed |
the way the |
mild sauce al-
lowed thel
smoked flavor I
to tempt the
tastebuds.
That's whet
makes this
barbecue spe
cial in my
book. I think
the creamy,
sweet slaw
and combread
ril go Dack’*
compliment the meal well. Ill go
bock, that's for sure.”
*TiMng to decide who has the
best bai^rue is like deciding
what your favorite movie is. Un
til something better comes along,
vour last favorite will still be the
best. Of course, there will also be
the classic movies — Gone With
the Wind, Casablanca — and
there will always be favorite re
staurants. The Skylight Inn is
and will remain a classic.”
— John Burnell, a Yankee.
— Tm from Cleveland, and
proud of it, and my role on the
? ane] was to provide a (damn)
ankee's point of view of eastern
North Carolina barbecue.
*Cleveland is a meat-and-
potatoes town and that's how we
like our barbecue — big, meaty
ribs. I'm not accustomed to this
pork pudding/all call barbecue,
but I do like it.
*Skylight's barbecue has a fla
vor all its own. Alter one bite, I
could feel the smoky, menthol
taste whisk through my mouth
and chest. Ihe mild smoky flavor
was very good and made for a
pleasant meal. I don't have alife-
time of experience with North
Carolina bar-1
becue to make {
a comparison,
but Skylight's
was the best
I've had so far.
IthinkIcanbe
happy here.
“Now, will
someone
please tell me
pudding”
— Mo Krochmal, self-
proclaimed barbecue and sports
expert — 'On first bite, the bar
becue at the Skylight Inn was
salty and a bit wetter than I
would have liked. The buns were
cold and there were bone chips in
the nicely shredded meat. But af
ter a bite or two, the smoky flavor
danced across my taste buds.
“I had ordered a sandwich be-
causee that is what I normally
eat when I go for barbecue. 1
didn't adulterate the taste with
Texas Pete or vinegar. 1 waslook-
ing for the real stuff.
“The sandwich was satisfying.
Creamy cole slaw heaped on the
meat complemented the delight
fully smoky flavor. A little Texas
Pete sprinkled on top raised the
temperature to where I liked it.
And a long draw on the ice-cold
long-necked Pepsi got all the fla
vors percolating in a symphony of
sati^action.
“After eat-1
ing the sand
wich, I got a
small tray ofl
barbecue withF
a side dish off
coleslawandal
piece of corn-l
bread and wasL
a bit more "Satisfying”
careful in making an analysis.
“In the end, I liked it. It's worth
driving 60 miles for.
“Whether it's the best in North
(Carolina or the best in the world,
I don't know.
“I've eaten and enjoyed bar
becue in Wilson, Raleigh, Hali
fax, Salisbury, Gamer and Kan
sas (3ity. llie barbecue in each
See PANEL, Page 6
John Burnell 'hams* it up in cooler with soon-to-be barbecue.
Regular customers
think barbecue joint
just a ‘capital’ idea
By Mike Voas
Editor
AYDEN — Hie rotunda on the
Skylight Inn lets you know how peo
ple in this town feel about barbecue.
Ayden considers itself the bar
becue capital of the world and the
rotunda, modeled after the one on
the Capitol Building in Washington,
D.C. adds authority to the town's
claim.
And the elder statesmen of the
barbecue places in and around Ay
den, and eastern North Carolina for
that matter, is the Skylight Inn.
Walter B. *Pete” Jones and Jeff
Jones, co-owners, can trace the be
ginnings of their empire to 1830,
when Pete's great-great-
grondfather sold barbecue from a
covered wagon.
Other than the traditional slaw
and combread on the side, barbecue
is the only thing on the menu at the
Skylight Inn. And barbecue is de
fined as pork cooked over oak and
hickoiy wood, chopped and with a
hint of vinegar, Texas Pete hot
sauce, salt and pepper. Forget the
other pretenders to the throne —
western North Carolina's pork with
a tomato-base sauce and Texas' beef
with its tomato-base sauce.
While People magazine and
others have named the Skylight Inn
the best barbecue joint in the world,
the townsfolk of Ayden can't even
agree on who has the best barbecue
in town. In downtown Ayden, Bum's
Barbecue sits as a threat to the
Skylight.
“Even among families there is
disagreement as to who has the
best,” said Washington's Mrs. Zeno
(Robin) Edwards III, who grew up in
Ayden. “My father and I probably
have the longest disagreement go
ing. I think Bum's is the best and he
thinks Pete Jones has the best,” she
said.
The people there are probably
split right down the middle on who
has the best barbecue,” said Mrs.
Edwards.
In the Aug. 28 edition of People,
Skylight Inn received the highest
rating possible — four ribs. The ma
gazine ranked lObarbecuejoints ar
ound the nation, with one rib on the
low end and four ribs as “hog
heaven.” Hie only four-rib designa
tion was the Skylight Inn.
Well, Pete and Jeff are getting
used to another round of publicity.
They said newspapers, television
stations and magazines have been
droppingin almost daily to see what
all the commotion is about.
Ten years ago their establish
ment was rated the best barbecue
joint in the world in “Back Roads of
America,” a publication of the Na
tional (geographic Society. And the
publicity has continued since.
“When you make a living selling
barbecue, who would want to sell
anything else,” said Pete when
asked about the simple menu. Per
haps the most shocking discovery,
at 1 east to Southerners, i s no iced tea
is sold. Why?
“It slows us down and would prob
ably cost us about a third of our busi
ness,” said Pete. Having to get out a
cup, fill it with ice and pour in the
tea wastes too muc>i time — time
better used selling barbecue. Expect
to wash down the barbecue with ice-
cold soil drinks that are whipped
See BARBECUE, Page 6
Martin backs
plan to create
7 ORW areas
Gov. Jim Martin is backing the
plan before the Environmental
Management Commission to create
seven areas of “outstanding re
source waters” on the North Car
olina coast, including protection for
three waterways in this area, a
spokesman said last week.
Martin announcedhisbackingfor
the ORW designation in a memor
andum to Charles L. Baker of Char
lotte, chairman of the Enviromental
Management Ckmimission, accord
ing to Debbie Crane, spokesman for
the Division of Environmental
Management.
“I support your efforts to move
forward to designate outstanding
resource waters,” Martin said in the
memo. “I believe this will provide
greater protection to our important
coastal resources.”
The commission is expected to
take action on the recommendation
at its next meeting Sept. 14 in
Raleigh.
“In addition, I will encourage
other regulatory commissions to fol
low management strategies that
provide the protection and priority
given tocoastal ORWs,” Martin said
in the memo.
The memo was released last week
by the Division of Environmental
Management ond supports a report
on the ORWs submitted earlier last
week.
In the report, part of the Pamlico
Sound near the mouth of the Neuse
River, Swan Quarter and Juniper
bays in Hyde County and most of the
Alligator River between IVrrell and
Dare Counties were recommended
for protection by an ORW
classification.
The waterways ere among seven
areas along the coast that merit the
designation, according to the report
released Wednesday in Raleigh by
EMC Vice Chairman Virgil L.
McBride. He heads the commis
sion's water quality committee and
presided over a series of public hear
ings on the topic in June.
Hie report also recommends that
the lower Lockwoods Folly River in
Brunswick County not be desig
nated ORW. Instead, it calls for a
water quality management strategy
for the waterway.
In his memo, Martin supported
this strategy ibr the Lockwoods
See ORWs, Page 5
n«sw humss Jr. fCwie
Hoizworih unleashes pass against Rams.
Quarterback^ s passing
earns gridiron award
Junior quarterback Kevin
Holzworth fired up the “Air Jor
dan* passing attack for the West
Craven Bogles last Friday night
for 216 yards in the air and three
touchdown strikes.
For his efforts, Holzworth is
the second recipient this football
season of the Flying Eagle
Award. Holzworth's performance
in the Eagles' 26-7 win over
Greene Central's Rams helped
pace the Engles to 403 yards on
offense.
Holzworth hit Kip Bryan on
scoring strikes of nine and 65
yards and later teamed up with
Adrian Cameron on a 31-yard
touchdown pass. He completed
10 of his 22 attempts, for an aver-
See HOLZWORTH, Page 6
Holzworth tosses Eagles over Rams
I'Seascape with Sharks and Dancers' begins Its run tomorrow
'night at Dominic's Italian Restaurant, five miles south of Vanceb-
oro on U.S. 17. The comedy stars Emily Litchfield and Michael
QIachetll. Tickets for the play and dinner, beginning at 6:30 p.m.,
'are $25 a person.
By Greg Stroud
Special to Sports
SNOW HILL — Junior quarter
back Kevin Holzworth threw for
three touchdowns ond 216 yards
Friday night to lend the West Cra
ven Eagles to a 26-7 non-conference
win over Class 2-A Greene Central.
Hie Class 3-A Eagles showed
their offensive strength with both
the run and pass. The “Air Jordan”
attack combined with the ground
game gave the Eagles 403 total of
fensive yards. Hie Eagles also
turned two Ram miscues into scores
after the defense handed the offense
the boll.
West Craven missed the chance
to score first when a field goal at
tempt went errant on a bad snap.
The Rams, however, started the
scoring with a 78-yard scoring jaunt
by senior John Dixon, who lead all
rushers with 122 yards on 11
rushes. The PAT was kicked by
Jimmy Hardy for the Rams* only
lead at 7-0.
The Eagles took control in the sec
ond quarter, scoring on a nine-yard
toss from Holzworth to Kip Bryan
with 7:48 left in the second period.
Chris Stilley added the PAT to knot
the score at 7-7. Facings second and
10 from hisown 35,Hdzworth again
found Bryan, this time with a
6S-yord TD toss, giving the Eagles a
13-7 lead. The PAT was blocked.
The score entering halftime was
13-7 in favor of the Eagles.
While the third quarter was une
ventful pointwise, West Craven
padded its lead in the fourth quar
ter, using interceptions and fumble
recoveries to set up scoring plays.
West Craven, threatening again
with a first-and-10, was flogged for
holding in the fourth quarter, just
oneof 13penaltiesfor 125yards,but
scored on the next play os Holz
worth hit Adrian Cameron with a
31-yard strike on a first-and-20 situ
ation with 9:32 left in the game.
Holzworth stumbled on the two-
point conversion attempt and was
tacklfd, leaving the score at 19-7.
With the Roms in possession at
their own 49, Cameron intercepted
Rick (Arbeit's pass in the flat at the
Eagle 40 ond returned the boll 30
yards to the Rams' 30. On the next
play, Cameron broke off tackle and
raced to the end zone with 6:33 left
in the game. Stilley added the PAT
for the final 26-7 margin.
The Roms could only get to the
Engles' 38-ynrd line in the second
halfas the Engles'defense sparkled.
When the Roms threatened from
the 38, West Oaven's Ray Hardy
picked off Corbitt's errant toss, kill
ing a drive that started at the Rams'
35.
The leading rusher for the Engles
was tailback Lee Becton. Becton,
who rushed 225 yards for two touch
downs last week, gained 120 yards
in 23 carries. Becton, a junior, was
named the North Carolina High
School Athletic Association's 3-A
player of the week for the first week
of the season.
West Craven claimed its second
victory with no losses while Greene
Central was opening its season.
West Craven visits intracounty ri
val New Bern in New Bern tomor
row night.
Engle coach Clay Jordan cited
Cameron's play.
“He was the player for us to
night,” Jordan said.
“I liked our passing game. Kevin
showed what he can do. Greene Cen
tral was taking away Becton and
Kevin hurt them with his pasring,”
snid Jordan.
Jordan said he was displeased
with the penalties his charges were
hit with. “We had three ridiculous
penalties but a lot of it was aggres
siveness. We just have to learn to
piny aggressive and smai%*he said.
Jordan said his defense “shut
down” the Rams. “Other than that
long run for the touchdown, we
stopped them pretty much.”
Ram coach Spencer Grantham
agreed. They just wore us down.
Becton just wore us down. We hit
See EAGLES, Page 6