Senator Lewis conducts town hall meeting Thursday

Senator Lynwood Lewis conducted a Town Hall meeting Thursday at the Workforce Development center at Eastern Shore Community College.  Lewis highlighted actions taken by the General Assembly during the session which ended in June.   Lewis said the General Assembly was able to enact a tax cut while at the same time funding several important programs that will help the Eastern Shore.

Lewis talked about the $2million in COCA funds that he and Delegate Bloxom secured for Eastern Shore teachers.  He also spoke of money to help Wachapreague, Parksley and Accomac be able to hook up to the HRSD sewer system that is currently being built along the railroad bed.  Lewis talked about the dredging fund and the upcoming purchase of a dredge that will do projects on the Eastern Shore.

He also spoke of $45 million that the General Assembly authorized to help Rocket Lab to begin building their facility at Wallops.  Lewis also talked about money for the Eastern Shore Coalition Against Domestic Violence facility in Onancock,  money for the Heritage Center at the new Library,  funding for the Chincoteague Inlet Study and funds to extend a gas pipeline from Pocomoke to Accomac.

A recent fish kill in the Silver Beach area brought questions about the need to fish for menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.  Lewis said that he ushered legislation two years ago that brought the menhaden fishery under the control of the VMRC and that agency was investigating the incident.  Lewis asked for patience to let the investigation process play out.

Lewis said that  a meeting is scheduled next week with the head of the VMRC, Northampton County Administrator Charles Kolokowski and himself.

On the subject of gun violence, the question was asked if Virginia was going to tighten its gun regulations.  Lewis said that Virginia passed a law that enhanced background checks, established red flag laws, reinstated the one handgun per month limit and made it a crime not to report the loss of or the sale of a firearm.

When asked about the abortion issue, he replied that he doesn’t think the 15 week limit will pass in the Senate during the upcoming session.

Peaches Dodge, representing the Eastern Shore Coalition Against Domestic Violence thanked Lewis and Delegate Bloxom for their help in securing funding for the Onancock project.

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