Bill Dries
Reporter
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
There are 3417 articles by Bill Dries :
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November 2018
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City of Memphis Memphis River Parks Partnership eliminated the full-time positions of five to six employees at Mud Island River Park as the organization moves to more centralized management of the riverside and prepares for significant changes in the park this spring. -
City of Memphis Strickland ponders hotel-motel tax limits
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland told 120 hospitality industry leaders Wednesday he would like to see more agreement among them before he commits to anything like an increase in the city hotel-motel tax to fund Memphis Cook Convention Center improvements beyond its coming $175 million overhaul. -
City of Memphis Johnson doesn’t want to consider implications of MLGW switch from TVA
At $1 billion, the new TVA Combined Cycle plant has been described by Tennessee Valley Authority president Bill Johnson as a “Rolls Royce Lamborghini” and “the most technically advanced plant in the world.” -
Metro Numbers, trends from Election Day Nov. 6
The day after the last election of 2018 in Shelby County was down time for politicos in the thick of statewide and district campaigns that in some cases began two years ago. And contemplation about why some efforts fell short and others didn’t. And some efforts that were still in limbo. -
City of Memphis Eight apply for open City Council seat so far
The head of Latino Memphis and the former Shelby County Probate Court clerk top a list of eight citizens who have applied to fill a vacancy on the Memphis City Council. -
Metro Majority of Shelby County voters turn out for the vote
For the first time in 24 years a majority of Shelby County voters showed up for an election other than the presidential general election. -
City of Memphis TVA head tells City Council Bellefonte power plan ‘risky’
Tennessee Valley Authority’s leader told the Memphis City Council Tuesday that the cost of activating the Bellefonte nuclear plant in Alabama as a source of electricity for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division would be “incomprehensible” and come with significant risks. -
City of Memphis Both sides of partisan divide push Memphis voter turnout
At his next-to-last campaign stop in his bid for the U.S. Senate Monday evening, former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen had trouble getting in the door of Jim Neely’s Interstate Barbecue in South Memphis. -
Shelby County Ballot Basics: Election Day
Polling places at 166 Shelby County precincts are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. -
City of Memphis Council session features Fullilove exit, head of TVA, South Cordova de-annexation
The Memphis City Council will be down two members when it meets Tuesday in an Election Day session. -
City of Memphis Eight Catholic priests with Memphis assignments on list of abuse allegations
Three of eight former Roman Catholic priests connected to the Catholic Diocese of Nashville accused of child sexual abuse and dismissed from the priesthood had church assignments in Memphis. -
State Government Top statewide contenders expected in Shelby on election eve
With no partisan primaries on the Nov. 6 ballot, it’s not clear whether voters will shift to blue or further solidify the state’s status since 2000 as a red or Republican state. -
Metro Past the Election: Issues remain after the last election of 2018
The last election of 2018 will decide winners and losers in numerous local, state and federal offices and three city referendums. -
Shelby County Ballot Basics: Early voting turnout
A total of 188,668 Shelby Countians cast early ballots during the early voting period that ended Nov. 1. The largest turnout day was the last – 20,332 – the only day that topped 20,000. -
City of Memphis Tom Lee Park remake goes beyond park borders
The remade Mississippi River Park with its own “River Garden” opens in a week. The River Line trail running along the east side of Wolf River Harbor to Big River Crossing will debut the same day. Mud Island River Park is closed until the spring after a season of experiment and minor tweaks. -
Real Estate Convention Center bids come in below $175 million target
The rebidding of the renovation of the Memphis Cook Convention Center has come in below the $175 million the city has to spend on the project. -
City of Memphis Local GOP tables attempt to censure Billingsley
Shelby County Republicans tabled a move Thursday evening to censure Republican county commissioner Mark Billingsley for showing support for Democratic state Senate nominee Gabby Salinas. -
City of Memphis Early voting ends with ‘robust’ turnout, Medicaid stand by Dean
Early voting in advance of the Nov. 6 Election Day ended Thursday evening with Shelby County turnout expected to remain below 200,000 and below the early voter turnout for the November 2016 presidential general election. -
Business Strickland backs regionalism in new economic development push
An emerging plan for a better local economic development strategy will include a healthy dose of regionalism, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says, and adhere closely to recommendations from ad hoc groups calling for better research, closer management of companies looking at Memphis and setting and sticking to goals for pursuing specific industries. -
City of Memphis TVA gathers public input on developing coal ash plan for Old Allen
The Tennessee Valley Authority will conduct comprehensive research on coal ash from its Allen Fossil Plant in southwest Memphis as part of a look at waste from coal plants across the TVA system.
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October 2018
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City of Memphis Appeals court stays most of ruling on voter registration forms
The Tennessee Court of Appeals stayed Wednesday, Oct. 31, the effect of most of a ruling last week by Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins governing how the Shelby County Election Commission handles a backlog of voter registration forms. -
City of Memphis Kyle dismisses challenge of council referendum campaign
The Memphis City Council can spend $30,000 to $40,000 of city funds on a “public information campaign” about the three city charter amendment referendums on the Nov. 6 ballot, a court ruled Tuesday, Oct. 30. -
City of Memphis City Council takes applications for Morrison vacancy
The Memphis City Council will begin accepting applications Thursday to fill the District 1 council seat that becomes vacant that day with the resignation of council member Bill Morrison. -
City of Memphis Economic development overhaul proposal takes shape
A group working on changes to the local approach to economic development is recommending a larger role for the Greater Memphis Chamber. -
State Government Early vote turnout surge gives both parties hope without details
The second and final weekend of early voting brought the Democratic and Republican contenders for Tennessee governor to Shelby County as well as Democratic Senate nominee Phil Bredesen.
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