Tennessee Education Commissioner faces heat at town hall
Lizzette Reynolds, who discussed school vouchers, drew criticism. Other speakers included Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, MPD Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis and Mayor Paul Young.
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 3661 articles by Bill Dries :
-
March 2024
-
Education -
Premium
MetroFormer council candidate reshaping Youth Services
The city’s new director of Youth Services Brian Harris wants to see more after-school programs in communities as well as some different ways of handling the city’s annual summer jobs program.
-
City of Memphis Young’s second ‘One Memphis’ town hall continues focus on crime
The meeting at Gaisman Community Center focused on the Latino community in the area who complained that they are being targeted by criminals and ignored by police.
-
City of Memphis Crime dominates mayor’s ‘One Memphis’ town hall
If Memphis Mayor Paul Young had any doubts that crime is the most prevalent issue with Memphians, those doubts didn’t last long Tuesday, Feb. 27, at his first in a series of “One Memphis” town hall meetings.
Related story:
-
-
February 2024
-
Elections Nearly 27,000 cast early ballots ahead of March 5 primary election day
The 12-day early voting period saw Democratic primary turnout drop to less than half what it was four years ago while Republican primary turnout was off by almost 1,500 from 2020.
-
Shelby County Wanda Halbert’s revenue reports miss mark — for the third time
On Tuesday, Clerk Wanda Halbert submitted revised revenue reports to County Trustee Regina Newman, who said they were wrong. Meanwhile, a state audit team is due in Memphis to begin a review for the Tennessee comptroller.
-
Shelby County Tennessee Comptroller sending audit team as ‘boots on the ground’ to clerk’s office
“The evidence of incompetence and willful neglect by management in the Shelby County Clerk’s Office is overwhelming,” Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower wrote in a letter to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the Shelby County Commission.
-
Shelby County Commission wants answers from Halbert on problematic financial statements
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert sent a memo Monday, Feb. 26, blaming the bad revenue numbers from her office on the county’s bad system for reporting the financial numbers.
Related story:
-
Shelby County County delays action on first appointment to MATA board
County Mayor Lee Harris has nominated Meggan Kiel to be the first county appointee on the board of the city bus system. But the MATA board hasn’t been expanded yet. County Commissioners balked at moving ahead without an agreement by the city to expand the board.
-
Elections Early voting numbers down from 2020, with Democrats on steeper slide
Early voting in the presidential and General Sessions Court clerk primaries ends Feb. 27. Super Tuesday early voting in Shelby County was almost three times higher among Democrats four years ago than it is currently.
-
Shelby County County Clerk’s revenue figures still missing; County Trustee goes to state auditors
Trustee Regina Newman has “unposted” inaccurate revenue figures from County Clerk Wanda Halbert. The revenue figures, including those for last year’s wheel-tax hike, are needed to build next year’s county budget.
-
Premium
State GovernmentHenri Brooks takes state to court as a survivor of black-market adoption ring
County Commissioner Henri Brooks found out three years ago she was adopted through the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, a notorious black-market adoption operation. Her lawsuit against the state could open a “floodgate.”
-
Premium
State GovernmentGeorgia Tann and The Tennessee Children’s Home Society scandal
Here is a brief history of the scandal surrounding the 25-year tenure of Georgia Tann as the head of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis.
-
Behind The Headlines Paul Young wants first budget to focus on crime, blight, potholes and more
Young said in an interview on WKNO-TV’s “Behind the Headlines” the budget will be “more firmed up” in the coming months. He will take a budget proposal to the Memphis City Council in May.
-
Elections Political Roundup: Early voting off 2020 pace; Brown says no backlog; August ballot action
Turnout through the first five days of early voting in the Democratic primaries shows to be half of what it was four years ago at the same time.
-
Premium
EducationMSCS looks to create district ‘peace force’ to handle school safety
“The creation of an MSCS Peace Force will provide proactive and preventative measures for maintaining school safety and disrupt the school to prison pipeline,” a document filed with the County Commission reads.
-
City of Memphis City Council votes down health insurance benefits for itself
After several moves to delay or table the measure, it failed without getting a single yes vote.
Related story:
-
City of Memphis City Council moves to final vote for health insurance extension
The current council inherited the controversial extension of health insurance coverage for itself from the previous group.
-
Behind The Headlines Mayor outlines new public safety director’s job, still backs Chief Davis
Memphis Mayor Paul Young says the city’s new public safety director is a position that will consolidate the city’s response to violent crime. Young talked about that and other crime issues on WKNO-TV’s “Behind The Headlines.”
-
Elections Early voting begins for Super Tuesday in Tennessee
Early voting in 2024’s first election in Shelby County begins Wednesday, Feb. 14. The Tennessee presidential primaries top the ballot, but Memphis voters haven’t seen much of the presidential campaigns this year.
-
Elections Ballot Basics: What to know about early voting ahead of Super Tuesday
On the ballot are the Tennessee Republican and Democratic presidential primaries and countywide primaries for General Sessions Court Clerk.
-
Elections Candidates begin filing for places on August ballot
The issuing of qualifying petitions to get on the August ballot overlaps with the start of early voting in the March election. Here’s who has a petition out in the first week of petitions for the August election.
-
Premium
City of MemphisTom Lee Park has starring role in documentary
The movie by Last Bite Films makes its debut Feb. 16 at the Halloran Centre at a fundraiser for Memphis River Parks Partnership. Meanwhile, the filmmakers are working on a documentary about the life of Tom Lee.
-
Premium
ElectionsGeneral Sessions Court Clerk’s race in shadow of presidential primaries
The incumbent’s attendance record and the backlog of criminal court cases are issues in the race in the four-way Democratic primary for General Sessions court clerk. The winner of the Republican primary was decided at the filing deadline last year.
-
Education Board names new Memphis-Shelby County Schools superintendent
MSCS’ Board of Education announced Marie N. Feagins as the school district’s new superintendent.
-