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Unpacking Tacoma's zoning changes, Washington's middle housing push – Northwest Public Broadcasting

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Unpacking Tacoma's zoning changes, Washington's middle housing push – Northwest Public Broadcasting


By Phineas Pope and Lauren Gallup

Phineas Pope: “For years, the majority of Tacoma was reserved for single family housing development. But the city, as well as the state of Washington, is moving away from that. NWPB’s Lauren Gallup has been reporting on this, and she joins me now to discuss. Hey, Lauren!”

Lauren Gallup: “Hi Phineas, how are you?” 

Pope: “I’m good. So let’s start with House Bill 1110. Can you explain some of the key provisions of this bill?”

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Gallup: “This is a bill that passed last year in the 2023 legislative session. Put really simply, what it does is allow for more housing development and then more housing types in neighborhoods that traditionally would only have allowed for single family housing. Cities of 25,000 to 75,000 people — so some of our like more midsized to smaller cities — have to allow for development of at least two units per lot on all lots zoned predominantly for residential use. So essentially, what that does is say, as a state, all of our cities, we’re moving away from single family zoning.

As the size of the city increases, the number of units allowed per lot increases. There are also more units allowed when the neighborhood is within a certain distance of major transit, and when there are some units reserved for affordable housing.”

Pope: “How does House Bill 1110, then, aim to address the housing crisis in cities like Tacoma?”

Gallup: “It’s really looking to address what we’re calling middle housing. So these are places that are achievable for people with more of a moderate income. Maybe they’re, you know, area median income, they’re hovering right around there. They are not affordable housing. There are provisions to create affordable housing, but that is not the main aim of this bill. So if neighborhoods allow more housing types, like duplexes, for example, the idea is that those are going to be less expensive, more affordable, maybe, you know, as a starter home or for someone to rent while they’re saving up to buy a bigger space.”

Pope: “You’ve attended some City Council meetings in the course of your reporting. What’s been the public’s reaction to all of this?”

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Gallup: “The city council held this public hearing to talk about Home in Tacoma phase two, these zoning changes they’re considering. A lot of people showed up, and a lot of people have a wide range of opinions. There’s some that are opposed, there’s some that are in favor of it. But even amongst those two camps, people feel really differently.”

Pope: “I want to talk about one of the pictures you took of a yard sign. It said, ‘save our homes and tree canopy.’ Can you talk about the environmental impacts tied to rezoning for middle housing?” 

Gallup: “So, when I spoke with Lowell Wyse, who’s the executive director of the Tacoma Tree Foundation, he feels really strongly, actually, that the provisions that are included in this phase, phase two, actually really help ensure protection for existing trees, create more tree canopy and green space when we’re developing.”

Lowell Wyse: “Sometimes it comes down to housing versus trees, but we think that that’s a false choice.”

Gallup: “I think people are rightfully worried that more housing development could lead to loss of these green spaces and tree canopy. We have definitely seen that in Tacoma. We have the lowest level of tree canopy in the Puget Sound. But I will say that a lot of people are happy with what is being proposed regarding to this, because it’s the first time that in Tacoma, there would be regulation of existing trees on private property.”

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Pope: “All right, last question for you, Lauren. Are there any upcoming policy decisions or votes related to rezoning in Tacoma that residents should be aware of?”

Gallup: “Yes. So, the City Council is going to vote on these proposals in mid-November. That’s what’s scheduled, always subject to change. Over this month and into the beginning of November, city council members will get opportunities — they’re called study sessions — to look over what’s being proposed and, you know, do their homework before they make a vote. There was a lot of opportunity for public input. But of course, you’re always welcome to reach out to city council members in the planning commission and reporters like me, you know, to ask questions and just understand what’s going on in your local government.”

Pope: “NWPB’s Lauren Gallup has been reporting from Tacoma. Lauren, thanks so much!”

Gallup: “Thanks, Phineas!” 



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Washington

18-year-old dies after shooting in Tenleytown

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18-year-old dies after shooting in Tenleytown


An 18-year-old who was shot and wounded in Northwest D.C.’s Tenleytown neighborhood on Thursday afternoon has died, authorities say.

Brady Flowers Jr., of Southwest, was the victim, police said in an update Saturday.

Flowers was found shot in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW, behind the CVS store. Jackson-Reed High School and American University are nearby.

Flowers was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and pronounced dead a day later, police said.

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Police said 10-15 teens were seen running after the gunshots.

An investigation is underway. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.



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Governor Moore Continues “Delivering for Maryland” Tour in Washington County, Highlighting Transportation Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Early Childhood Education

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Governor Moore Continues “Delivering for Maryland” Tour in Washington County, Highlighting Transportation Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Early Childhood Education


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ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today continued his statewide “Delivering for Maryland” tour with a series of engagements in Washington County, highlighting vital investments in local transportation infrastructure, manufacturing job growth, and early childhood education. The governor emphasized state contributions to modernize the Hagerstown Regional Airport, toured the state-of-the-art Hitachi Rail facility, and celebrated the opening of a new child care center in the South End of Hagerstown funded by the administration’s historic ENOUGH Initiative.

“From investing $1.5 million to update Hagerstown Regional Airport’s aging control tower to supporting 1,300 jobs at Hitachi Rail, the Moore-Miller administration is delivering for Hagerstown, Washington County, and Western Maryland,” said Gov. Moore. “Through our administration’s ENOUGH Initiative partnerships and investments, we’ve tripled child care capacity in the South End of Hagerstown — because no parents should be forced to pick between staying in the workforce or securing quality care for their kids.”

The governor began the day at the Hagerstown Regional Airport, touring the Air Traffic Control Tower and airport grounds. During the visit, Governor Moore highlighted the State’s $1.5 million Fiscal Year 2027 investment to complete the design for a critical replacement of the airport’s aging air traffic control facility. As a primary airport in the Maryland Aviation System Plan, the Hagerstown Regional Airport is a vital economic engine for Washington County, supporting more than 1,800 jobs and generating over $140 million in local business revenue.

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Following the airport tour, Governor Moore visited the Hitachi Rail STS facility alongside Congresswoman April McClain Delaney, Senator Mike McKay, Senator Paul Corderman and state transportation leaders. The governor toured the factory floor and rode a test train to observe the manufacturing process. Opened in September 2025 with the support of a $1.6 million state conditional loan, the 307,000-square-foot, carbon-neutral facility is a $100 million capital investment by Hitachi. The factory supports 1,300 jobs — including 460 newly created jobs — and is actively manufacturing railcars for both the Maryland Transit Administration and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

“Hitachi Rail has built a cutting-edge model for advanced manufacturing here in Western Maryland which is focused on delivering clean, safe, efficient regional transportation across our state and the rest of the country,” said Congresswoman April McClain Delaney. “This facility is powered by Maryland’s second-to-none workforce and world-class innovation environment. I’m proud to work with Governor Moore and our public, private, and philanthropic partners to drive global investment that supports jobs and economic growth along our I-270 Tech Corridor.”

Governor Moore concluded the day at the Children’s Learning and Empowerment Center in the South End of Hagerstown, where he met with parents, children, and community leaders. During the visit, the Governor highlighted the administration’s ENOUGH Initiative, which provided critical support for the center’s opening. The new facility is a major win for the community, tripling local childcare capacity with 24 new slots and generating six new early childhood education jobs.

Governor Moore Speaking With Children

The Children’s Learning and Empowerment Center’s opening was accelerated by a $100,000 investment from San Mar Family & Community Services, the ENOUGH grantee in Hagerstown. ENOUGH grant funding was also supplemented by a $100,000 philanthropic contribution from the Bainum Family Foundation — a member of the ENOUGH Alliance — to complete necessary facility upgrades. The center’s completion underscores the strength of the ENOUGH Initiative’s public-private partnerships to deliver on community priorities and work towards ending child poverty.

Governor Moore’s visit to Washington County follows the third stop of his “Delivering for Maryland” tour in Montgomery County, where he marked a historic milestone by installing the final segment of rail for the Purple Line. This installation completes the 16.2-mile light rail corridor connecting Bethesda and New Carrollton, with passenger service expected to begin in late 2027. The governor also visited Max’s Best Ice Cream in Bethesda, a local business dedicated to creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the Best Buddies Jobs program.

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Washington shooting suspect seeks to bar DoJ officials from prosecution role

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Washington shooting suspect seeks to bar DoJ officials from prosecution role


A man charged with attacking the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is seeking to disqualify top justice department officials from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case, creating a potential conflict of interest.

The acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, and US attorney Jeanine Pirro were attending the 25 April event at the Washington Hilton hotel when Cole Tomas Allen allegedly ran through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer.

In a court filing late on Thursday, Allen’s attorneys argued that it created at least the appearance of a conflict of interest for Blanche and Pirro to be making any prosecutorial decisions in the case.

“As this case proceeds closer to trial, the country and the world will continue to wonder – how can the American justice system permit a victim to prosecute a criminal defendant in a case involving them?” defense attorneys Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe wrote.

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Ohm and Abe, who are assistant federal public defenders, suggested that the appointment of a special prosecutor might be warranted. They urged US district judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump nominee assigned to Allen’s case, to disqualify Pirro, Blanche and possibly other justice department officials from direct involvement in the investigation and prosecution.

“Both heard gunshots, which presumably forced them to duck below the tables with the rest of the occupants. They were quickly evacuated. Shortly thereafter, they learned that law enforcement believed the target was certain administration officials,” Ohm and Abe wrote.

Pirro said her office would respond to the defense lawyers’ arguments in its own court filing.

“We will not tolerate people who come to the District of Columbia to engage in antidemocratic acts of political violence; and we will prosecute all such acts to the fullest extent of the law,” Pirro said in a statement.

Allen is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday on further charges in an indictment handed up Tuesday by a grand jury in Washington.

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The charges include attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, who is a longtime friend of Pirro. Blanche served as a personal attorney for Trump before joining the justice department last year. Blanche, through a spokesperson, referred a request for comment to Pirro’s office. Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, is also charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two additional firearms counts.



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