Chincoteague Reports

2013-04-02T14:37:49-04:00

RON WOLFF FORUM AT CAPTAIN'S COVE MARINA APRIL 15 Ron Wolff, Accomack County District 2 Rep, will have his monthly forum at Capatin's Cove Marina at 7 PM on Monday April 15. Invited guests include Lynwood Lewis, State Delegate. PUBLIC INVITED. Address for Cove Marina is 3323 Dock Court, Greenbackville, VA 23356. Phone 757.824.3465, x161 for Restaurant and 757.824.3465, x163 for Marina Receptionist.

August 2012 Chincoteague CCP Newsletter

2012-08-24T14:55:57-04:00

You can find the just-released U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Planning Newsletter August 2012 here: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/Chincoteague/PDF/chinco_newsletter_Aug_2012.pdf It updates the planning alternatives for the future of the Refuge and the beach.

Town Council members to be sworn in

2012-06-28T13:59:50-04:00

Chincoteague Beacon June 28, 2012 Town Council members to be sworn in By Malissa Watterson Staff Writer CHINCOTEAGUE -- Three newly elected Town Council members will take office on July 1. Arthur Leonard, Gene Taylor and incumbent John N. Jester begin their four-year terms with the local government office. Jester will serve his second term on the council. Voters selected Leonard (615 votes), Taylor (543) and Jester (453) at the polls in early May. "I want to keep open communication with the county and the wildlife refuge so we can work on some major problems," said Taylor about his future plans as a council member. The major problem is especially deciding on an alternative solution to restore and protect beach parking on Assateague Island, he says. Taylor also wants to support local businesses during his term. "I want to keep (business) restrictions to a minimum and entice people to come to Chincoteague," Taylor said. Jester's approach to the parking issue is continuos communication with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and requesting that the federal agency "take more measures to mitigate damages to the beach." During his first term, Jester served as the chairman to the recreation and community enhancement committee, a group that is working toward improving the look of downtown. The committee is involved with multiple phases of a downtown revitalization project, which includes laying down brick pavers on the east side of Main Street. "We want to keep downtown a vibrant place that draws people to the downtown area," Jester said. This term Jester wants to continue work with the committee, as well as help improve local parks by properly maintaining equipment and working with groups who sponsor park programs like the Chincoteague Cultural Alliance. As a first-time council member, Leonard hopes to be a "helping hand"...

ANNOUNCEMENT: Ron Wolff Forum at Captain's Cove Marina on April 16

2012-04-07T06:40:19-04:00

ANNOUNCEMENT: Ron Wolff Forum at Captain's Cove Marina on April 16 On April 16 at 7 PM, Ron Wolff, Accomack County Board of Supervisors District 2 rep, will have his town hall forum at the Marina at Captain's Cove located in Greenbackville, VA. Planned guests include Lynwood Lewis, State Delegate, and Ralph Northam, State Senator. It is also planned to have Bill Wrobel, NASA director at Wallops Flight Facility. The Marina restaurant will be opened this evening for the convenience of attendees. PUBLIC INVITED.

Statement of Fish and Wildlife's Wendi Weber at Congressional Hearing

2012-02-17T12:08:31-05:00

TESTIMONY OF WENDI WEBER, NORTHEAST REGIONAL DIRECTOR, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, WILDLIFE, OCEANS AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, REGARDING THE PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE CHINCOTEAGUE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FEBRUARY 17, 2012 Good morning Chairman Fleming and Members of the Subcommittee, I am Wendi Weber, Northeast Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). Thank you for the opportunity to testify about one of the most popular units of the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System) � Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, located on Assateague Island on the coast of Virginia. My statement below describes the Service�s developing comprehensive conservation plan for the refuge, and how we are approaching future management given the effects of environmental change to this very dynamic barrier island ecosystem. Our goal is to manage the refuge in a way that ensures: (1) its conservation purpose is achieved and maintained over the long term; (2) the public continues to have reasonable, appropriate, and compatible access; and (3) we make responsible decisions about how we utilize taxpayer dollars. In making our management decisions we also recognize the important role of the refuge for local communities. Background Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1943 for the protection and management of migratory birds, especially migrating and wintering waterfowl. Wildlife abounds at Chincoteague. Its barrier beaches, wetlands, and maritime forests provide habitat for more than 320 different species. The refuge is considered a birding hot spot by the Audubon Society and has been designated a globally important bird area by the American Bird Conservancy. The refuge supports Delmarva fox squirrel, piping plover, Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles, and seabeach amaranth, all of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Chincoteague is one of the...

Statement of Wanda Thornton at Congressional Hearing

2012-02-17T12:03:17-05:00

HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, WILDLIFE, OCEANS AND INSULAR AFFAIRS February 17, 2012 Testimony of Wanda J. Thornton Accomack County Board of Supervisors Mr. Chairman, members of the Subcommittee: Good morning. My name is Wanda Thornton and I serve as a member of the Accomack County Board of County Supervisors. My district is the Island District, which includes Chincoteague and Assateague Island in Virginia. I am here to day to talk to you about jobs and the apparent willingness of the Obama Administration and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to destroy hundreds of businesses and jobs in our community. Our Island is seven miles long and 2 miles wide and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service owns 540 acres within our town limits and plan to purchase an additional 200 acres of business property . This business property generated significant revenue and jobs for our town and the county. This past Monday, the Refuge Manager, Lou Hines told our elected officials that he would purchase more land from any willing sellers in our town. This needs to stop. I own a campground on Chincoteague and I have met visitors from all over the world who come to Chincoteague to fish, explore and go to the beach on Assateague Island, which is over a short causeway from Chincoteague Island. We know these families, many of whom have visited our region for decades. We talk to them about their experiences and what they like and dislike about our beaches and our region�s amenities. I, along with my fellow elected officials and the business community, have shared what we�ve learned with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and in particular, Lou Hinds, the Refuge Manager who is responsible for developing the CCP. I have participated in previous CCPs at the...

Statement of Chincoteague Mayor Tarr at Congresssional Hearing

2012-02-17T11:58:00-05:00

Statement of The Hon. John H. Tarr Mayor, Town of Chincoteague, Virginia Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: My name is Jack Tarr and I am the Mayor of the Town of Chincoteague. On behalf of our full time residents and seasonal visitors, I thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR) and the planning process that is underway and its impacts on our Town. I also want to single out for special thanks Representative Scott Rigell and his staff who have been our champion here in Washington and has stood by us during this process. If I may Mr. Chairman, please let me give you a brief history for how we got to this point� The Town of Chincoteague has a 50 year history of support for the Refuge and the Assateague Island National Seashore. Our Town has worked hard to build an international reputation for the Chincoteague wild ponies, and a gateway community that supports over 1.5 million visitors to the Refuge each year. The Virginia portion of Assateague Island is a Wildlife Refuge inside a National Seashore Park. This is different than any other Wildlife Refuge in the country, but the proposed CCP doesn�t even recognize public beach recreation at all. The CCP should address the relationship or agreement that the US Fish and Wildlife Service has with the National Park Service. The question of who is tasked with managing and maintaining the recreational beach is very important. The Chincoteague Bridge and Beach Authority build the first bridge and roadway system to the Beach in the 1962 with the blessing of Congress to promote economic development on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. These valuable public assets were sold to the National Park Service in 1966 to operate and...

Congressional Hearing on Chincoteague: Witness Statement

2012-02-17T11:54:21-05:00

The one hour and 45 minute hearing is concluded. You can find copies of the prepared statements of the witnesses listed below here: http://naturalresources.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=278981 The archived webcast of the hearing should also be available there shortly. -------- Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs Oversight Hearing on "Fish and Wildlife Service’s Proposed Comprehensive Conservation Plan and its Potential Devastating Impact on the Economy of the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia" Friday, February 17, 2012 9:30 AM SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, WILDLIFE, OCEANS AND INSULAR AFFAIRS 1324 Longworth House Office Building Friday, February 17, 2012 9:30 a.m. OVERSIGHT HEARING ON: "Fish and Wildlife Service’s Proposed Comprehensive Conservation Plan and its Potential Devastating Impact on the Economy of the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia" OPENING STATEMENTS: The Honorable John Fleming Chairman The Honorable Scott Rigell Member of Congress WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY: Panel I Wendi Weber Regional Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Honorable Jack Tarr Mayor Town of Chincoteague The Honorable Wanda Thornton Member Accomack County Board of Supervisors Nancy Payne Chincoteague, VA Scott Chesson Owner Best Western Plus Chincoteague Island

February 17 Congressional Hearing on Beach Access - Available on Line

2012-02-16T07:21:20-05:00

On Friday, February 17, at 9:30 a.m. the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs will hold a hearing on "Fish and Wildlife Service�s Proposed Comprehensive Conservation Plan and its Potential Devastating Impact on the Economy of the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia". You may listen to and view this hearing by opening these links: http://naturalresources.house.gov/Calendar/ http://naturalresources.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=278981 The link is supposed to go live ten minutes before the hearing begins. Those scheduled to testify during the hearing include: Wendi Weber Regional Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Honorable Jack Tarr Mayor Town of Chincoteague The Honorable Wanda Thornton Member Accomack County Board of Supervisors Nancy Payne Chincoteague, VA Scott Chesson Owner Best Western Plus Chincoteague Island

Who is running in Chincoteague's May 1 election?

2012-02-09T13:58:38-05:00

Mayor Jack Tarr is unapposed. Incumbent town council members Nancy Conklin and John Henry Howard are retiring. Incumbent council member John Nelson Jester Jr. is running for reelection New candidates for council are James T. "Jim" Frese, J. Arthur Leonard, Barbara Kolinsky Milyko, Gene Wayne Taylor, Deborah A. Ullmann, and Lori S. Walton. At least two new members will be elected.