Water is entwined in Norfolkâs DNA.
The mermaid city is fringed by 144 miles of shoreline along its lakes, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, including the popular stretch of beach at Ocean View. Much of that land is situated in residential neighborhoods, and a large chunk of Norfolkâs economy and livelihood is centered on its waters.
But this staple of Norfolkian life could become its greatest threat as climate change creates problems for many coastal locales. So the city proposed ways to protect its residents and properties long-term.
Now, Norfolk is poised for big changes.
At an April 25 meeting, the City Council approved the Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, a large-scale series of flood mitigation projects in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the next 10 years â at a cost of more than $2 billion.
The massive undertaking includes 8 miles of new or extended flood walls built around downtown Norfolk neighborhoods over the next decade, as well as surge barriers and pump stations in other areas. The plan would be conducted over five phases, and all of them include new structures â except one.
The final phase, covering the neighborhoods south of the Elizabeth River, will not include new structures and instead focus on improvements to specific properties.
This sparked worries among southside residents that discriminatory practices and decisions made almost 100 years ago were looming within the cityâs plans for the next century of flood protection.
But they fought back. And won.
Read more in the Sunday Main News section 
Hampton Roads voters selected nominees in six House of Delegates primary races Tuesday â in some cases setting the stage for contentious November races, and in others, with no general election challengers, choosing presumptive winners who will head to the Virginia General Assembly.
The closest House races were Democratic primaries in District 92, which includes parts of Norfolk and Chesapeake, and District 96 in Virginia Beach. Read more in the Sunday Break section Also coming in Sunday's newspaper:
Our Sports department unveils its All-Tidewater baseball teams and the All-Tidewater player of the year. Note To Readers: After this Sunday, August 25th - Parade magazine will no longer be included with the e-edition of The Virginian-Pilot. For human interest stories and entertainment stories - the Sunday Break section of The Pilot will always have you covered!
John Slattery & Jon Hamm
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