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 3660 articles by Bill Dries :
The exit of Flinn and Colvett makes a field of 17 for Memphis mayor. There are no changes at the Thursday, July 27, withdrawal deadline in the 13 races for Memphis City Council; those races have a total of 44 candidates.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Friday he sought to talk with Justice Department officials ahead of Thursday’s announcement of the “pattern and practice” review of the MPD but was rebuffed.
The Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board let the former superintendent resign and receive a $480,000 payment after allegations of sexual misconduct. Details of the investigation were never released.
The commission votes Monday, July 31 on a solid waste fee hike for Northaven, a move to a two-year property tax reappraisal cycle for taxation purposes and equipment to convert microfilm and microfiche archives to digital files.
The nine Democratic commissioners voted for a resolution for “extreme-risk protection order” measures. Of the two Republican commissioners present for the vote, one recused himself and the other was not in the room for the vote.
Voters on the western edge of Shelby County go to the polls Thursday, Aug. 3, to elect their state representative for the fourth time this year.
A report verified by a third-party arbiter and reviewed by the city administration shows 252 separate items of damage totaling $1.4 million, most of it incurred during the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.
The Downtown Mobility Center is the centerpiece of several parking garage projects, including the renovation of older city-owned lots in the immediate area.
Pearson easily beat independent candidate Jeff Johnston in the second special general election this year for the seat covering the western edge of Shelby County.
Memphis River Parks Partnership president and CEO Carol Coletta talks on “Behind The Headlines” about the road to the September opening of the redesigned Tom Lee Park.
Democratic commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs was one vote short of the seven votes needed to become the new chairwoman during nine rounds of voting at the July 17 commission meeting. Three of the 9 Democrats abstained in a rift that goes back to a June vote to raise the county wheel tax by $25.
Mayoral contender J.W. Gibson talked about the size of the field as he opened his campaign headquarters Saturday, Aug. 5, in southeast Memphis. The issue could come to a head at the People’s Convention.
The special Monday, Aug. 7, meeting was short of a quorum that’s needed to take any action.
The ballot question would go to voters in 2024 if the council approves it. The council voted down a similar referendum last year.
The move to primaries in what are now nonpartisan races began in response to book and curriculum topic bannings in Florida.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee issued a formal call for a special session of the Legislature to begin Aug. 21 in the Capitol. It includes mental health orders of protection, with a lot of conditions, among the topics to be considered.
The council is challenging the administration on the delayed development that is a key part of financing the remake of the Fairgrounds to Liberty Park and what it sees as hesitation in an expansion of the council’s office space at City Hall.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday, Aug. 9, in Nashville federal court seeks to redraw the Cordova-based state Senate district in Shelby County and cites a “larger discriminatory agenda” by the Republican-controlled Legislature.
The three-day session opened with endorsements for four Memphis City Council candidates on the Oct. 5 ballot. About 150 people attended the event at the Memphis Sports and Event Center at Liberty Park.
Memphis mayoral candidate Van Turner says on “Behind The Headlines” the federal investigation of the Memphis Police Department could play a large role in determining whether the next mayor changes MPD leadership.
Mayoral contender Paul Young took the convention’s endorsement Saturday, Aug. 12, but rival Van Turner delivered a fiery speech and both called for changing the city’s political status quo. City council endorsements are also listed.
Shelby County Commissioners also try Monday, Aug. 14, to break the deadlock over the selection of a new chair after two unsuccessful tries since in July.
Commissioners broke their stalemate Monday, Aug. 14, in the selection of a new chair.
In an email to its barbecue teams, Memphis in May President Jim Holt says the festival is “exploring venue options other than Tom Lee Park for the future.”
The Greater Memphis Chamber forum drew six of the seven major contenders for mayor.