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West Craven Highlights
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VOLUME 12 NO. 52 DECEMBER 28. 1989 VANCEBORO. NORTH CAROLINA PHONE 244-0780 OR 946 2144 (UPSP 412-110) 25 CENTS SIX PAGES
Basnight says
he will not run
against Jones
Winter's artwork
Even In biller cold and a winter storm, Mother Nature finds the
lime to provide a llllle winter beauty by using melting snow, wind
and sub-freezing temperatures to produce these curvy Icicles. A
Ric Csrtsr pholo
few more glances here and there can result in other natural artls>
tic works using snow, Ice and other winter mediums. But lt*s hard
to beat the traditional white snow at night for beauty » but
Mother Nature keeps on trying.
liy Relty Gray
Special (o the
West Craven Hli^hllghtfi
State Sen. Marc Basnight an
nounced recently he will not run
next year for the U.S. 1st Congres
sional District sent against Demo
cratic incumbent Walter B. Jones.
In o telephone interview from his
olfice in Manteo, the senator said he
will probably run for the sent in
1992, when Jones is expected to step
down.
Basnight also said he would file
for re-election to the N.C. Senate
from the 1st N.C. Senate District in
the 1990 campaign.
Jones, who has represented the
21-county 1st District in the U.S.
Congress for 23 years, said Dec. 7 he
would seek re-election.
Top Down East Democratic Party
ofRcials, facing n hotly contested
race between two popular Demo
crats if Basnight had run, said Bas-
night’s decision will help preserve
party unity going into the November
electicms.
*My first reaction is I’m very
happy we’re not going to have n
primary, assuming no one else
runs,* said Bill I lodges, chairman of
1st Congressional District
Democrats.
*Mnrc is n mighty fine young man
and he has plenty of time,” Hodges
said. “Now we can put all our energy
into the party."
In neighboring Beaufort County,
Joyce Cutler, Beaufort County
Democratic chairman, said, *7darc
has shown excellent concern for the
unity of the party. This unites us
together behind Walter Jones."
Another county Democratic
chairman. Bill Joyner, said he was
looking forward to an exciting race
between Basnight and Jones in the
May primary. But Basnight’s deci
sion not to run is better for the
party, he said.
*'! think he’s doing the right
thing," Joyner said. “And I think
he’s doing what he thinks is right.”
During the Inst few months, Bas
night has traveled throughout the
1st Congressional District, which
includes 21 counties in eastern
North Carolina, measuring his
chances and talking with Democra-
tic leaders.
See BASNIGHT, Page 5
Fisheries division faces controversial shellfish-leasing issue
After reopening many of the
state’s waters to mechanical
harvesting of oysters, the Division
of Marine Fisheries faces another
controversial decision — on shell
fish leasing in one Down East
county.
The issue could expand to include
other public trust waters bordered
by other counties, including Craven
County.
That question ns well as length
ening the menhaden purse seine
season and restrictions on shark,
snapper and grouper will be taken
up at n series of DMF hearings next
month.
Requests for four shellfish leases
in a tributary of Swan Quarter Bay
will be discussed nt a public hearing
in Swan Quarter 7 p.m. Wednesday
Jan. 10.
This is one of four shellfish hear
ings sponsored by the N.C. Division
of Marine Fisheries next month.
Others are planned for Jacksonville,
Hampstead and Hatteras.
DMF will also hold public hear
ings on lengthening the purse seine
season for menhaden by six weeks.
Those hearings will be 7 p.m. Jan.
17 in Beaufort at the Carteret
County Courthouse and Jan. 18 in
Wilmington.
The proposal would open the sea
son April 1 instead ofMay 15 for me-
nnhnden in the ocean and sounds,
with a Jan. 15 closing. The fishery
will continue to be closed some
weekends during the summer and
on some holidays, DMF officials
said.
Menhaden fishing in the state’s
rivers will not be affected by the
proposed regulation.
Another proposal to be considered
at the public hearings would grant
proclamation authority to restrict
the shark, snapper and grouper
fisheries by imposing restrictions on
sizes, seasons, areas, quantities and
fishing meth^s.
While some fishermen say leais-
ing land under the state’s water
ways shuts ofTsmall fishermen from
prime fishing areas, others see the
state program as a means of replen
ishing the state’s oyster resources.
The week’s low temperatures and
bad weather have kept most fisher
men off the area’s waterways and
unable to take advantage of the pro
clamation reopening the mechani
cal oyster harvest season, said Mar
garet Hopkins, owner of Hopkins
Seafood at Wright’s Creek.
The season was closed just five
weeks after it opened because most
of the oysters being caught were
under legal size, division officials
said at the time. The division
reopened some of the state’s waters
to mechanical harvest fishing Inst
week.
Most fishermen could not go out
Tuesday and Wednesday, Mrs.
Hopkins said.
‘^Ve’ve got some oysters," she
said. *And we’re selling all we can
get and the fishermen are tickled
with what they can get," she said.
Four fishermen — Dell A. New
man, Lyle D. Gaboon, T. Edward
Newman Jr. and Larry Gill — have
asked to lease about 15 acres of wa
ter bottom each in Eastard Bay, a
tributary of Swan Quarter Bay, said
Jeff French, DMF marine biologist.
I'he four applied for the leases
July 7 which, if approved by the
Marine Fisheries Commission, will
run for 10 years, French said.
Only one lease has been issued
previously in Hyde County waters.
Leases are only issued for nonpro
ductive water bottoms, meaning if
the area naturally contains shell
fish producing 10 bushels or more
per acre, it cannot be leased, French
said.
Fishermen receiving leases musi
bring the area into production
within three years and a Icaswl
shellfish area must produce nt least
25 bushels per acre each year fin* the
lease to be valid, he said.
This year, leases cost $5 per acre
per year, he said.
\Vhen an area is leased, only
shellfish harvesting on the water
way bottom is designated for private
use. Others can still use the area to
set crab pots, for boating and swim
ming, French said.
If the lease request is approved 1 >y
fisheries director William T. Ht>-
garth, it will be submitted for ap
proval by the state Marine Fisheries
Commission.
The tradition of shellfish leasing
in the state dates back to the early
1900s, becoming more fretpienl in
the last lOto ISyears, French said.
“The division is obligated by law
to consider shellfish lease requests
when we receive them," French
said. “We have to respect the rights
of people who want lenses and pro
tect the public trust at the same
time."
“We encourage public comments
on this,” he said.
The division will study its shell-
fi.sh lease program in conjunction
with studies of its oyster rehabilita
tion program, said Jess Hawkins,
head of the Division of Marine
Fisheries regional office in
Washington.
The division is able to plant about
70 to 80 acres of bottom material for
oysters each year and relies on shell
fish leasing as part of its oyster re
habilitation program, he said.
Other states also offering shell
fish leasing include Virginia and
Louisiana.
'^Ve have had several comments
from the general public concerning
removing the water bottom from
public use," Hawkins said.
Gold weather sparks
usage of fireplaces
Nothing spells home like a fire
crackling in a fireplace. But a fire
place requires care to keep it at its
best. Here are some tips that will
helpensure that your fireplace looks
good and works well.
Chimney Care
— The chimney should be
cleaned once a year and more often if
you use your fireplace frequently.
For best results, call in a profes
sional chimney sweep to do the job.
— Inspect the interior of your
fireplace with a flashlight. Look for
bricks and gaps in the mortar.
If the chimney posses through the
house, inspect it for loose mortar or
bricks wherever it is visible, for ex
ample, in the attic. Repair any
defects.
You should be able to look up a
chimney and see daylight, even if
the chimney has an offset. If you
can’t see daylight, it may mean an
obstruction, such as a bird’s nest,
which must be removed.
Fireplace Care
— Before you start the first fire of
the season, clean the walls of the
firebox with o dry bristle brush or
the dusting attachment of the vac
uum cleaner. Wash and dry the at
tachment before using it on any
other surfaces. Don’t scrub the fire
brick or cement block with water; it
may reduce heat retention.
— Clean the fireplace at least
once a week during the months you
See FIREPLACE. Page 6
Curiosity did not kill
this traveling feline
By John Perry
Staff Writer
WILMAR — Curiosity killed
the cat — except for one cat.
It’s 6 a.m. on a cold day last
week and Hubert A. Perry of Wil-
mar goes out to start up his com
pany truck for work. An ordinary
morning it seems, yet an extraor
dinary morning in the making.
Perry is ready to begin another
day of making sales calls for
Standard Electric Co. of Rocky
Mount. One day last week Perry
had several calls tomakeand any
setbacks in his daily schedule
would be costly.
Enter Murphy’s Law. When
Perry started the truck, he heard
a sound — a sound of a cat. The
sound did bother Perry to the
point where he turned his truck
off and popped the hood to look
for the cat. When he popped the
hood, there was no sign it a cat,
or even the sounds that a cat
makes. So, he started the truck
again — again he heard a cat’s
meowing under the hood. He
turned the truck offa second time
and looked for the cat and once
again there was no sign of a cat.
The search for the elusive cat
went on for about 30 minutes and
because of his dislike for cats and
See CAT, Page 6
Gas shortage is blamed
on record cold weather
By Belly Gray
Special to the
West Craven Highlighla
Record low temperatures across
the nation combined with increased
demands for fuel to heat homes and
offices have combined with distribu
tion problems to create a shortage of
natural and liquid propane gns in
the Down East area.
Down East gas suppliers say con
servation by their customers and
wanner weather could alleviate
most of the problem. But despite
shortages, area propane gas dealers
say they can serve their customers
on a routine basis and have asked
customers n»>t to disrupt delivery
schedules except in an emergency.
“They’ve been great," said n
spokesman for D.S. Swain Gns Co.
Half Moon’s Spalding lives history
in Vancelxiro. The spokesman,iden
tifying herself only as “Pat," said
there have iK-en no problems meet
ing requests for gas in the Vanceb-
oro area.
"A few degrees will make a big dif
ference," said Wilber Logan, district
manager for PetrolnneGnsof Belhn-
ven of the wonther. “Our biggest
concern is to convey to the public to
conserve energy any way they can.”
Many of the conservation mea
sures Americans used during the
gns and oil embargo of the
mid-1970*s could help conserve
propane gns now — including caulk
ing around w'indows and doors, clos
ing off rooms not used, lowering
window shades and curtains — Lo
gan said.
See GAS, Page 6
By Mike Voss
Editor
Troubador, curator, sailor and
historian.
Those words either together or se
parately can describe Simon Spald
ing. But Spalding’s work with the
Hdf Moon at Haven’s Wharf is
much more than those four words.
Spalding has done a little design
work, scrounging for material and
public relations since arriving in,
Washington fron San Francisco the
day before Thanksgiving Day. Now
that the Half Moon is tucked away
safely at Havens Wharf, a few of the
problems that Spalding faced are
gone.
Just who is Spalding? If you’ve
seen a young man walking the
streets of Wnsninston lately dressed
ns somebody from the 17th Century
and probably playing one of several
instruments he plays, then that’s
Spalding. If you’ve twen at the mu
seum at Havens Wharf and saw a
young man trying to decide where
the exhibits go and what needs to be
done, that’s Spalding.
And if you think you’ve seen
someone living on the Half Moon,
that’s Spalding.
“Some of my earliest memories
are visiting other historians and
seeing their incredible displays of
history,* said Spalding who has a
music degree from the University of
Colifomia-Berkley. Growing up Just
n few blocks away from the San
Francisco Maritime Museum also
influenced Spalding at an earlv age.
The curators must have felt like
mv babysitters. I would arrive in the
morning and not leave until night,”
said Spalding. “I used to spend
hours looking nt everything, espe
cially the ship models."
How did a person with a music de
gree become enthralled with his
tory? Spalding’s parents, particu
larly his father who is a military his
torian, are responsible for some of
bis interest in history. 'Die other
part is just Spalding’s own natural
curiosity.
“I had a chance of graduating
early with my music degree,” said
Spalding. And that’s what he did. “I
do regret that I didn’t stay and get a
double major in music and histoiy,”
said Spalding. Already performing
professionally, Spalding said he
graduated early because he “was
chomping nt the bit” to spend more
time performing.
Among the instruments Spalding
plays are the fiddle, five-string
banjo, dulcimer, cittern (English
guitar), nyckelharpn and hnrdnng-
fete from Sweden and Norway, a re
plica of a 17th Century pocket fiddle
and other ethnic and early-bowed
siring instruments. He has also
studied and taught 17th and 19th
Ontury dance, marlinspike sea
manship and traditional skills and
crafts.
His travels over the world include
performing in Renaissance festivals
from Texas to Europe. He has sev
eral recording of his music and has
scored music for three stage produc
tions, including a performance of
The Glass Menagerie.
Spalding was hired to direct the
Sec SPALDING. Page 6 Spalding finds North Carolina on globa in captain’s quarters