One of two competing redistricting plans clears first hurdle
The plan approved Tuesday would create a Cordova council district. A second plan didn’t make it onto the Tuesday, May 2, agenda but will be back for a first vote in two weeks.
Bill Dries
Reporter
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
There are 3833 articles by Bill Dries :
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May 2023
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City of Memphis -
State Government Gov. Lee, other TN leaders hope for gun safety laws in summer special session
During a visit to Memphis, Gov. Bill Lee said a special legislative session, likely this summer, will consider several options from him and legislators of both parties.
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Behind The Headlines Strickland says many details of juvenile curfew still uncertain
On WKNO-TV’s “Behind The Headlines,” Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said he is still working through details of the Downtown juvenile curfew, is worried about a new ordinance limiting traffic stops, and will not weigh in on residency.
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State Government Pearson has challengers in Tennessee House special elections
The deadline for candidates to file in the special election was noon Thursday, May 4. Justin J. Pearson and David Page are in the June Democratic primary.
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On the Record County budget season hinges on property tax drop for wheel-tax deal
County Commission Budget Committee Chairman Michael Whaley talks about the proposed doubling of the county’s capital budget on The Daily Memphian’s “On The Record” podcast.
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Arts & Culture Poetry contest honors Tom Lee’s heroism 98 years later
The recipients of the second annual poetry and spoken word competition continued the theme set by last year’s winner of a broader interpretation of Tom Lee’s heroism.
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City of MemphisCity Council Scorecard: Traffic stop ban, redistricting and residency
The City Council has two ongoing political potboilers: the residency requirement to seek a citywide office and moving City Council district lines.
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Update
ElectionsCity Council chair says body did not vote to file residency lawsuit
The Memphis City Council filed a lawsuit against the Shelby County Election Commission and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland to stop a five-year residency requirement for elected officials from being enforced.
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City of MemphisCouncil attorney says 1992 resolution authorizes lawsuit against mayor
A lawsuit filed on behalf of the Memphis City Council, though without explicit council approval, about residency requirements for those candidates running for mayor raises questions about the charter.
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City Council chair says body did not vote to file residency lawsuit
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City of Memphis Mayoral residency lawsuit narrows to city council and administration
The Shelby County Election Commission is about to be dropped entirely from the lawsuits over how long mayoral candidates have to live in the city.
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Shelby County Harris argues for doubled wheel tax
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris pushed for the wheel-tax hike to help rebuild Regional One during Memphis Rotary Tuesday. The Shelby County Commission will take its first look at the proposal today.
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Shelby County Property tax cut and wheel-tax hike proposal is on shaky ground
During Wednesday committee sessions, Shelby County commissioners set up later votes on a property rate that would remain the same while a commissioner’s resolution to do away with the wheel tax altogether waits in the wings.
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Shelby CountyCounty Commission Scorecard: Filling in the budget blanks
The commission scorecard tracks critical votes so far to fill in the blanks on a resolution that could raise the county’s wheel tax and an ordinance that could drop the county’s property tax rate.
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Shelby CountyWheel-tax increase faces first vote by Shelby County Commission
The doubling of the $50 annual wheel tax is integral to County Mayor Lee Harris’ plan to expand the county’s capital budget from $75 million annually to $150 million.
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Behind The HeadlinesMemphis voters could choose gun control laws
A city ordinance that could prompt a court fight with the state over gun control has morphed into a potential ballot question for voters. The sponsors of the measure talk about it on “Behind The Headlines.”
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City of MemphisMemphis City Council considers taking stand on mayor’s race
Some council members claim they came to a “consensus” about entering the lawsuit at a closed May 2 meeting with their attorney without taking a formal vote on it.
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Shelby County Vote on wheel-tax hike delayed at County Commission
The delay in the vote came after it became apparent the nine-vote two-thirds majority wasn’t there in the first of two votes.
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County Commission calls on judges to enact new release restrictions early
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Shelby County County Commission calls on judges to enact new release restrictions early
The new state law requiring elected judges to make decisions about releasing defendants accused of violent felonies takes effect July 1. The County Commission is asking General Sessions judges to start doing that immediately.
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City of Memphis Memphis City Council members seek to end elected City Court Clerk’s office
The ordinance to eliminate the elected clerk’s office and take it off the October ballot could come up for the first of three votes tomorrow.
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Elections City Council isn’t taking a stand on residency in mayoral race
A resolution to back a five-year requirement for those running for Memphis mayor and Memphis City Council was tabled Tuesday.
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City of Memphis Myron Lowery stunned by council move to take clerk’s office off October ballot
A year ago, council members spoke privately with their attorney about an issue in the city charter. The resulting step to change the clerk’s office only surfaced the day before Tuesday’s council session.
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City Council isn’t taking a stand on residency in mayoral race
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City of Memphis Memphis City Council members strategize gun control measures
Council attorney Allan Wade says the council can put gun control measures on the ballot. He expects they’ll be “inundated” with challenges. He wouldn’t rule out a court fight over whether they could override state law.
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Elections Bonner, Turner can run for Memphis mayor
The two mayoral candidates, neither of whom have lived in Memphis for two years, and the City Council argued that a 1996 referendum repealed residency requirements.
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Behind The Headlines A decade after Delta de-hub, Memphis airport becomes more strategic
Scott Brockman, the airport’s president and CEO, talked on “Behind The Headines” about incentives for flights to and from certain cities and other adjustments a decade after Delta ‘de-hubbed’ Memphis International.
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Elections Memphis mayoral candidates react to the residency court ruling
Here is what some of the Memphis mayoral contenders had to say about the Chancery Court ruling that there is no residency requirement for candidates in the October 2023 elections.
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