Norfolk redeveloping St. Paul area, redistricting early voting, tariff refunds: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: Norfolk redeveloping St. Paul area, redistricting early voting, tariff refunds

1. Six years after construction began at the former Tidewater Gardens neighborhood, the city of Norfolk is working to finalize a plan to redevelop Young Terrace and Calvert Square.

   'People first': Norfolk finalizing master plan for redeveloping Young Terrace, Calvert Square

   As of the beginning of March, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority says 701 units have been built on and around the former Tidewater Gardens — now known as "Kindred" — with more to come. “Another 191 units currently under construction at the site and then, another 191 units that will be constructed hopefully later this year," said Steve Morales, Chief Development Officer for NRHA.

   At the end of January, Morales and Susan Perry, Norfolk's Director of Housing and Community Development, presented an update to Norfolk's City Council during a retreat about the St. Paul's redevelopment project. The project seeks to tear down low-income housing in three neighborhoods near Downtown: Tidewater Gardens, Young Terrace and Calvert Square. Built in the 1950s, the communities have been historically associated with poverty and crime. With the redevelopment, residents that are displaced are allowed to return once mixed-income housing is built.

   “We’ve had more than 103 residents return on site and they retain their right to return for up to five years,” Perry told News 3 in a recent interview. Morales adds that not only is NRHA helping get residents into the new spaces, they're committed to helping them throughout the entire transition. He and Perry say it'll be the same as the city looks to redevelop Young Terrace and Calvert Square in the coming years. Residents can still weigh in on the project in neighborhood meetings and have their voice heard on NRHA's Fiscal Year 2027 Draft Plan.

2. Early voting on a referendum to allow mid-decade redistricting is set to begin on Friday, following a recent action by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

   State Supreme Court suspends lower court's pause on redistricting referendum

   The Tazewell Circuit Court granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) requested by the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee over the ballot referendum’s timing and phrasing on Feb. 19. This was done in an attempt to stop election officials from working on the upcoming referendum. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Virginia determined the TRO can be treated like a preliminary injunction, meaning they have the ability to put a "stay" (suspension) on the order.

   "The Supreme Court of Virginia’s decision ensures that this referendum will move forward and that Virginians will have the opportunity to make their voices heard. This question has always belonged to the voters, and I’m glad the Court made clear that the people will decide," House Speaker Don Scott said in a statement sent to News 3.

   This was the second time Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. ruled against Democrats’ redistricting agenda. In January, Hurley ruled that a resolution for a constitutional amendment was illegally passed in a special legislative session and taken up too close to an intervening election. That case has been appealed to the state Supreme Court, and justices had said they would allow the referendum to proceed while they review the appeal. Following Wednesday's decision, early voting will begin this Friday, with the special referendum set for April 21.

3. Companies in the U.S. that paid tariffs invalidated by the Supreme Court in February are legally entitled to refunds, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday.

   CBS reports Judge Richard Eaton of the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York said that U.S. importers were "entitled to benefit" from the high court's February 20 decision that President Trump lacked the authority to impose sweeping tariffs last year under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

   The U.S. Customs agency must now develop a way to process the refunds. The agency routinely refunds tariffs in cases of error, but its system was "not designed for a mass refund," said trade lawyer Alexis Early, a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. "The devil will be in the details of the administrative process."

   A coalition of small businesses that has demanded tariff refunds cheered Eaton's ruling. "This is a victory for small businesses who have paid billions in unlawful tariffs and deserve their money back," Dan Anthony, executive director of We Pay the Tariffs, said in a statement. "The court acted swiftly and correctly. Now the ball is in the government's court, and small businesses are concerned they will drag this out further."

This morning's weather: Back to the 70s, Showers this weekend

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says watch out for a few areas of fog this morning. We will see a nice mix of sun and clouds today. Temperatures will warm to the mid and upper 70s today, about 20 degrees above normal for this time of year.

For the latest weather updates, watch Myles live on News 3 This Morning here.

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