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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 3843 articles by Bill Dries :
The Republican district attorney general for Tennessee’s Crockett, Gibson and Haywood counties talks on “Behind The Headlines” about his defense of Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy, who is likely to face a Republican-led ouster attempt.
Four affordable homes planned for a vacant lot in Orange Mound are part of the drive in the city’s competition between owned and rented single-family homes.
If approved by the commission, the county charter amendment would be on the November ballot for voters to approve.
The measure, which would go on the Nov. 5 ballot, allows the Shelby County Commission to hire its own legal counsel. A final vote to put it to county voters is expected some time next week.
Along with a new I-55 roundabout and new bridge, plans for a pedestrian walkway to connect Crump Park with Martyrs Park are also on the table.
Republicans are rallying forces in Shelby County, which Democrats expect to carry in November even as the state is expected to remain in the Republican column.
A problem on the Election Commission’s website led a state House candidate to conclude she won her race when she lost the lead in the last batch of votes by the unofficial results.
Tina Sullivan talked on “Behind The Headlines” about her 12 years as Overton Park Conservancy’s first executive director and what’s next for the greensward as she prepares to step down.
State Rep. Gloria Johnson, the Democrat challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn on Nov. 5, talks about her campaign and the change in the Democratic presidential ticket on The Daily Memphian’s “On The Record” podcast.
A Parkway Village rally for the Memphis delegates showed the challenges Democrats face in turning out the votes in the November election.
Some vote totals changed in the certified Aug. 1 election results for Shelby County. Meanwhile, the Shelby County Election Commission certified the list of candidates in five sets of suburban races on the Nov. 5 ballot.
The council also gets an update on the Memphis Area Transit Authority, finalizes city charter change amendments for the Nov. 5 ballot, and votes on a Whataburger restaurant on Union Avenue.
The issue for the multi-use development is adding another set of drive-thru lanes to an area already dominated by fast-food restaurants.
The final vote on the referendum allowing the County Commission to hire its own independent attorney failed by one vote.
“This was a winnable race. This was a ridiculously winnable race,” Lisa Arnold told Shelby County Republicans of her loss.
Founding executive director Tina Sullivan announced in June she was leaving the leadership role she has held since 2012.
Memphis Democrat Justin J. Pearson, along with Gloria Johnson of Knoxville and Justin Jones of Nashville, had been scheduled to take the national stage just before the balloon drop during the Democratic National Convention.
The Memphis Library Foundation wrapped up a series of brainstorming sessions Friday, Aug. 23, at the Central Library meeting rooms that are the center of the discussion about an expansion of the library.
Democrats rallied in Memphis and three other cities across the state Saturday, Aug. 24, to kick off a get-out-the-vote effort for Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and other down ballot races in the Nov. 5 elections.
The commission meeting also marks the last for Miska Clay Bibbs as chairwoman of the body. Michael Whaley becomes chairman next month.
The incoming and outgoing chairs of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners talked on “Behind The Headlines” about new Cordova and Frayser schools funding and rebuilding Regional One Health’s campus.
“Common sense says local governments can’t override state law to give a 12-year-old a driver’s license, and they can’t override other state laws either,” Hargett said in a statement emailed to The Daily Memphian. TN Repubs threaten to withhold sales tax over Memphis gun votesRelated content:
State reps. John Gillespie and Justin J. Pearson were some of the Memphis-area legislators pushing for local gun-control measures on the Nov. 5 ballot after a threat from state Republican leadership.
Coletta’s tenure running the group that manages 6 miles of the city’s riverfront saw the $61 million redesign of Tom Lee Park and a push to better connect the riverfront to the rest of Downtown.
Commissioners approved a design contract for the proposed mental health center on a second vote. The commission also redistributed the 6% pay raise budgeted in June.