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Delmarva May Be Spared Hurricane Florence

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Delmarva may be able to avoid the heavy damage of Hurricane Florence as the storm has shifted southward more towards the Carolinas.

Scott Schuman with the National Weather Service told the Salisbury Daily Times that the region appears to have been spared major problems.

A moderate storm surge is expect along the Maryland and Virginia coasts.

But expect high winds of up to 35 mph as the storm approaches the coastline.

Jessica Waters with Ocean City told the paper that resort officials say they are not that concerned now given the current projections for the storm.

But expect coastal flooding along the Maryland Eastern Shore with some damage expected to hit waterfront properties.

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Chincoteague Area

In Accomack County the beach areas have been warned for possible rip currents and other rough surf conditions.

The Daily Times reports that the town of Chincoteague is still under a mandatory evacuation for non-residents.

A local shelter has been set up at Arcadia High School.

Chincoteague residents at the end of the island should prepare for flooding including the inlet.

The paper reports there is also wind threat for the region including Salisbury and Ocean City as well as Sussex and Accomack counties that could reach 40 mph or more by Friday and Saturday.

Evacuation Imposters

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A Virginia city official says residents have reported that people in fluorescent vests are going door-to-door and trying to get residents to evacuate their homes and businesses.

Norfolk spokeswoman Lori Crouch tells The Virginian-Pilot that reports started Tuesday of people trying to force residents to leave an area under a mandatory evacuation order from the state. Crouch says these people aren't city employees, and the city would not force people to evacuate as it's "a personal decision."

Norfolk police Officer Joann Hughes says the department is alerting patrol officers to the reports. The newspaper reports officials don't know the motives or identities of the people attempting to force evacuations.

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Staying with the Chickens

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) - A Virginia woman says she and some neighbors have decided to be cooped up with their chickens and other pets as Hurricane Florence approaches.

Grace Hoss is housing her chickens in the utility room of her neighbor's Chesapeake home. She and others are planning to hunker down together during the storm, although Hoss says her family has supplies ready to take with her in case they need to flee.

Hoss' neighbor John Hembree has also decided to wait it out. He, along with his husband Scott Perkins, owns chickens, a turtle, dogs and a cat.

Perkins says he would have had to travel too far to find a hotel that would have let him stay with his three dogs.

Chesapeake is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Virginia Beach.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.