Shelby County
With days left in office, second ouster attempt of Wanda Halbert is near dismissal
An order requiring the county to pay Halbert’s attorney's fees was signed this week, although the county’s outside attorney objected and could appeal.
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 4421 articles by Bill Dries :
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August 2026
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Shelby County -
Shelby County County Commission ends term with cap on school-takeover legal fees
Shelby County commissioners closed out their four-year term of office Monday, Aug. 24, by capping the county’s share of legal expenses at $200,000 in the ongoing federal-court case about the state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
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Elections How AOC, Cohen shared flight illustrates the Democratic divide
Also in the political roundup: more from state Senator Brent Taylor on Behind The Headlines, a closer look at the 5th Congressional District Democratic primary results and Mongo’s campaign art.
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Elections Changing of the guard at Shelby County Commission
The Monday, Aug. 24, session of the Shelby County Commission is the last of the four-year term for eight of the 13 commissioners. Here is a rundown of the old commission versus the new body that takes office Sept. 1 and a few last-minute moves on Monday’s agenda.
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Arts & CultureBaron Von Opperbean weathers HVAC problems to draw more than 10K people
Leaders of the immersive experience built in the old River Museum on Mud Island are hoping the recent activity can bring some momentum to the city-owned river park.
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Behind The Headlines Brent Taylor said legal immigration should be ‘paused’
The “Behind the Headlines” interview with the Republican nominee for the 9th Congressional District also covered Taylor’s support for limiting birthright citizenship, war in Iran, the economy, the Epstein files and whether President Donald Trump won the 2020 election.
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Public Safety Sawyer federal corruption case stays on track to January trial date
The Jan. 11, 2027, trial date stands in the public corruption case as defense attorneys continue to review 50,000 documents from discovery.
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City of Memphis MPD chief looks to post-Task Force future
Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis said she and other police brass have asked leaders of the federal law enforcement agencies making up the Memphis Safe Task Force to have a permanent presence in the city after the deployment ends.
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State Government 4 Memphis attorneys nominated for 2 new Criminal Court judicial positions
The four applicants include three prosecutors and an attorney with the Tennessee Innocence Project.
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City of Memphis City Council will talk data centers and medical debt
Also on the Tuesday agenda: a move of MATA funding, money for the Mud Island amphitheater and more.
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ElectionsJerri Green’s game plan and Marsha Blackburn’s primary numbers
Also in the political roundup: a look at turnout in the Nov. 3 general election, Gov. Bill Lee on the mix of public and private and a possible Senate vacancy, campaign sign rules and write-ins.
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Elections Jerri Green sees path to victory in Tennessee governor’s race
She also talked on “Behind The Headlines” about why her call to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement doesn’t mean she wants to abandon enforcement of immigration laws and how she would handle the state appointed board to run Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
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Metro Application open for General Sessions judicial vacancy
The County Commissioners who were elected on the Aug. 6 ballot will fill the vacancy left by the election of Judge Lonnie Thompson to Chancery Court on the same ballot.
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Shelby County Ford sentencing delayed several times as County Commission seats turn over
As eight Shelby County commissioners prepare to leave office at the end of August, the federal corruption case of former commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., who resigned earlier this year, is still on its way to sentencing.
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ElectionsBlackburn wants to close Tennessee’s primaries. History shows why that’s complicated
A 1972 state law is receiving renewed emphasis. What the law means still depends on which party and which of its leaders you talk to.
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Shelby CountySigns of trouble: Inside the vandalism charges against Erika Sugarmon
The chain of events chronicled in the two misdemeanor traffic camera footage, Facebook video and a chain of events chronicled in two misdemeanor citations trace the months-long path to a not-guilty plea by the county commissioner.
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Update
Shelby CountyCommissioner Erika Sugarmon charged with vandalism
Shelby County Commissioner Erika Sugarmon made a brief appearance Tuesday, Aug. 11, in General Sessions Court on at least four charges of vandalism under $1,000.
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Shelby County County Commission tries one last time on new-jail study
Shelby County commissioners debated whether they should do nothing and let the new commission with a new majority start anew on the issue.
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ElectionsAugust elections continue turbulent history for judicial appointments
Also in the political roundup, two write-in candidates appeared to fizzle by the unofficial vote totals, the Memphis narrative moves into the general election campaign and a D.C. Scorecard going into the August recess.
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Shelby County Newly elected commissioners will watch as outgoing board tackles school budget, jail plans
The two agenda items come as commissioners prepare to give way on Sept. 1 to a new commission and a new county mayor.
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Behind The Headlines Outgoing mayor Lee Harris said state oversight will make Mickell Lowery’s job harder
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris talks about his eight years as mayor on “Behind The Headlines” and the challenges facing his successor, Mayor-elect Mickell Lowery.
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2026 elections
ElectionsShelby County Commission keeps 9-vote Democratic majority with 8 new faces
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners’ new majority elected with the Thursday, Aug. 6, Election Day will retain the 9-vote Democratic majority it currently has.
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2026 Elections
ElectionsMost of Shelby County state Legislature incumbents clear primaries — even those running for U.S. House
District 96 Democratic incumbent Gabby Salinas lost to primary challenger Telisa Franklin in a rematch of the 2024 primary Salinas won.
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2026 elections
ElectionsMemphian Jerri Green to meet Marsha Blackburn in race for Tennessee governor
The November general election matchup between Marsha Blackburn and Jerri Green will end with voters electing the first woman to be governor of the state.
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Blackburn equates Democrats with communists in Memphis Election Day stop
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2026 elections
ElectionsWhat the early vote shows in Shelby County
The early and absentee vote totals for the 14 days of the early voting period were the first released Thursday, Aug. 6, by the Shelby County Election Commission.
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