Mud Island review to look at park’s long-term place in larger riverfront
Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen talks about the city’s study of a long-range plan for Mud Island River Park 40 years after it opened.
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 3662 articles by Bill Dries :
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July 2022
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On the Record -
City of Memphis Council delays vote on backstop for One Beale debt
At stake is the financing for the last of three hotels at the One Beale development that together would serve as a second convention center hotel.
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City of Memphis City Council approves Frayser expansion of manufactured housing
The decision was one of several by the Memphis City Council in a Tuesday, July 12, agenda that was heavy with planning and development items.
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City of Memphis Council blocks additional funding to enforce state abortion laws
The resolution by council member JB Smiley, who is also seeking the Democratic nomination for Tennessee governor, calls on county law-enforcement officials not to enforce state abortion law.
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City Council approves Frayser expansion of manufactured housing
City attorney ready to make recommendation on energy consultant for TVA-MLGW debate
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Shelby County County Commission to vote on purchase of electric F-150’s
The Shelby County Commission meets Wednesday, July 13, in special session at 10 a.m.
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City of Memphis City Council takes up One Beale hotel financing at special Thursday meeting
The Thursday 4 p.m. session at City Hall comes after the city administration balked at a change in the terms of a city-funded backstop for the hotel project. The delayed Tuesday vote came as the administration got some expressions of concern from state officials.
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Shelby County Ford raises possibility of calling for county audit of MSCS
Ford raised the possibility at the end of a short special meeting Wednesday, July 13, of the Shelby County Commission on several unrelated matters. It came as the MSCS board was meeting on the same matter.
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Elections Early voting opens with Shelby County’s ‘big ballot’
The “big ballot,” which comes once every eight years in Shelby County politics, features 163 races with 344 candidates. Here’s what to expect on the ballot and what has changed for voters.
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Elections Ballot Basics: Early voting is July 15-30
Here is everything you need to know about Shelby County’s early-voting process, which begins Friday, July 15.
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City of Memphis City Council approves financial ‘backstop’ for Grand Hyatt
The standoff over terms to start construction of the third of three hotels at One Beale remains despite Thursday’s council vote.
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Update
City of MemphisStrickland says One Beale ‘backstop’ is too much risk
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says the city has offered more incentives for the proposed Grand Hyatt hotel at One Beale “than any other development in the history of the city.” He also questioned why One Beale developers didn’t go to the bond market sooner.
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Behind The Headlines Outgoing Memphis Chamber CEO looks back on her tenure
Outgoing Greater Memphis Chamber Beverly Robertson talks on “Behind The Headlines” about the chamber’s role in the “fourth industrial revolution” represented by the Ford plant in Haywood County and what that means for “legacy” businesses not yet in that revolution.
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Elections Strickland’s third-term bid has hurdles beyond referendum
The City Council sponsor of the partisan primaries ballot question will be watching to see how the August term limits referendum fares before deciding whether to call for a vote.
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Shelby County County Commission considers asking state to take over license plate distribution
The move comes as the County Commission also considers a “no confidence vote” on Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert.
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City of Memphis Strickland talks about using federal funds to break chain of violence
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says workforce development and a longer-term violence-intervention program are priorities for the use of the federal funding.
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Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk gets five new full-time employees
Heidi Kuhn had sought seven positions but the commission worried it could trigger budget amendments from the other clerks.
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Shelby County County’s minority business vote delayed for six amendments
A series of amendments to the potential program would set percentages for contracts awarded by Shelby County government.
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Shelby County County Commissioners give Halbert three weeks ‘to see results’ in car tag backlog
Shelby County commissioners delayed taking a “no-confidence” vote on County Clerk Wanda Halbert until Aug. 8.
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Elections More than 7,700 cast ballots in first 2 days of early voting
Most of the votes were cast on Friday, which was opening day. A coalition of nonpartisan groups called Shelby County Voters Alliance are planning poll parties for next Saturday at two of the early polling sites.
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Behind The Headlines Harris goes on the offense in first face-to-face clash with Morgan in county mayor’s race
In their separate campaigns, Worth Morgan and Lee Harris have offered vastly different visions of what the county mayor should prioritize. Each has criticized the vision of the other.
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Elections Electing the Clerks: A voter’s guide to eight races in the middle of the big ballot
These eight county general election races aren’t the contests many voters are watching. Still, the offices control some basic yet complex business operations within county government. Here’s what the races look like.
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Elections Political Roundup: Early voting’s first full week, the county clerk’s race, and Latino voters
Shelby County’s early voter turnout so far is higher by far than any other county in the state and mostly Democratic with an estimated 35,000 in the first week once numbers from Friday and Saturday are posted Monday. Meanwhile John Rich campaigns for Brent Taylor and Republicans shuffle their endorsement ballot to highlight the county clerk’s race.
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Metro County Clerk’s license plate backlog stands at 5,200
The Shelby County Clerk’s office will implement a callback system beginning Tuesday, July 26, in an effort to eliminate the long lines of people waiting to renew auto license plates in person.
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City of Memphis How Memphis’ debt could impact One Beale financing
Some City Council members think the city could take on more risk with One Beale’s Grand Hyatt, while some say other projects come first.
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City of Memphis City Council to expand One Beale ‘backstop’ debate
Among other topics, the discussion of the city’s capacity for bond debt will come into play during Tuesday morning committee sessions.
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