Free Republic

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va.- The federal government has shut down the Assateague National Seashore and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. But that is not stopping residents from trying to get inside. "if they send me a summons, I'll send it to the White House," Anna Stubbs said. She and dozens of other protestors are rallying for the parks to reopen, so the Chincoteague economy can get back on track. "I have a motel and I had 10 cancellations last night, we have the biggest festival we have this year, the oyster festival and they are starting to cancel for that," Stubbs said....

Chincoteague, Va. — Over the years, residents and tourists in this picturesque resort town have been guided by five gentle words: “Relax, you’re on island time.” But these days, laid-back Chincoteague is on edge. In a new plan to deal with beach erosion and prepare for sea-level rise, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed changes that the mayor, the chamber of commerce and homeowners say would eventually drive away summer tourism and drive down the economy that depends on it. Some of those changes would involve closing the beach and its parking lot, then opening a beach with parking...

A judge ruled Friday that a 16-year-old boy fighting to use alternative treatment for his cancer must report to a hospital by Tuesday and accept treatment that doctors deem necessary, the family's attorney said. The judge also found Starchild Abraham Cherrix's parents were neglectful for allowing him to pursue alternative treatment of a sugar-free, organic diet and herbal supplements supervised by a clinic in Mexico, lawyer John Stepanovich said. Jay and Rose Cherrix of Chincoteague on Virginia's Eastern Shore must continue to share custody of their son with the Accomack County Department of Social Services, as the judge had previously...

<p>CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. (AP) — A tanker carrying industrial ethanol exploded and sank about 50 miles off the Virginia coast Saturday night, the Coast Guard said.</p> <p>The 570-foot tanker was traveling from New York to Houston when it called in a mayday to the Coast Guard just after 6 p.m., saying there had been an explosion on board, Petty Officer Stacey Pardini of the Coast Guard Atlantic area in Portsmouth said.</p>