City Council pushes final votes on primary elections, mayoral runoffs
Final votes on the two 2024 ballot questions are now set for the Nov. 21 council session. The city council also approved the first increase in city tow rates in 16 years.
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 3905 articles by Bill Dries :
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November 2023
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City of Memphis -
Shelby County Amid Poplar Plaza office closure, County Clerk focuses on new location
Shelby County Chief Administrative Officer Harold Collins said Monday, Nov. 6, County Clerk Wanda Halbert has fallen behind on rent payments for her office in the Poplar Plaza shopping center. Halbert makes no mention of past-due rent.
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City of Memphis City Council to hear proposed solid waste fee hike, weighs 2024 ballot questions
The monthly city solid waste fee for residential properties would rise 37% — from $29.96 to $41.05 — under a proposal from Mayor Jim Strickland’s administration.
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Elections Political Roundup: Early voting turnout, Huseth vs. Gillespie, more ballot moves
More than 700 Memphians have cast early ballots in the runoffs for three city council seats through the first four days of the voting period.
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October 2023
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Metro Cohen says combined Israel-Ukraine aid package in Senate could overcome House opposition
Cohen said Tuesday, Oct. 31, time is of the essence in approving the aid package. He also again spoke in support of humanitarian aid for Gaza in Israel’s war with Hamas.
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City of Memphis Overton Park greensward compromise plan moves forward
The $3 million in federal funding is being subbed for $3 million in private funds raised by the Overton Park Conservancy and the Memphis Zoo toward the parking solution.
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Shelby County County Commission votes down study about tying tax incentives to wages
The resolution directing the Economic Development Growth Engine to conduct a study of the controversial idea fell short by two votes. The commission also delayed votes on the county land bank and a police review board.
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State Government Kustoff and Lee urge support for Israel in visit to Margolin Hebrew Academy
U.S. Rep. David Kustoff and Tenneessee Gov. Bill Lee visited the East Memphis school to also look over new security measures funded with state and federal grants since a July incident on campus.
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Shelby County County Commission takes final vote on county real estate department
The commission also considers a study of wages paid by economic development projects that get property tax abatements as incentives at its Monday, Oct. 30, meeting.
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Behind The Headlines Behind ‘Community Conversations’ on crime and public safety
Beverly and Howard Robertson talk on “Behind The Headlines” about what they heard about crime from focus groups across the city as part of The Daily Memphian’s “Community Conversations” series.
Related content:
Memphis is in a ‘crime crisis,’ focus group participants say
Who’s responsible for reducing crime? For some, the onus is on the mayor
Like a weed, crime needs to be addressed at the root
‘Not willing to give up:’ What focus group participants said about crime
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Elections Ballot Basics: Early voting is Oct. 27-Nov. 11
Here are the voting basics for the three Memphis City Council runoff elections during the early voting period that begins Friday, Oct. 27.
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Elections Early voting opens for city council runoffs
Early voting in three city council districts runs Oct. 27-Nov. 11. Runoff Election Day is Nov. 16.
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City of Memphis Ricky Wilkins, passionate advocate for Black political unity, dies at 58
The attorney, congressional contender and former chairman of the Memphis Housing Authority Board died last week when his brain cancer returned. Wilkins charted a political course that called for greater Black political unity in recent years.
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Shelby County D.C. Scorecard: Rep. Kustoff backs new speaker of the US House
The Daily Memphian’s D.C. Scorecard tracks the votes of the city’s two representative in the U.S. House as a new speaker was chosen Wednesday, Oct. 25.
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City of Memphis Comcast clashes with City Council, rival company in broadband discussion
The council also moved closer to final votes next month on two ballot questions for next year that would change city elections, approved extra funding for the Cobblestones river landing restoration and was told it will take the National Ornamental Metal Museum longer for its renovation of Rust Hall in Overton Park.
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City of Memphis City Council weighs election changes, including partisan primaries
Council members JB Smiley Jr. and Chase Carlisle want the council to choose either a return of the runoff provision or allowing partisan primary elections. Both referendum ordinances are up Tuesday, Oct. 24, for the second of three readings.
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Behind The Headlines Chase Carlisle says Memphis needs more state money for stadiums
City council members Chase Carlisle and JB Smiley Jr. on “Behind The Headlines” say they are ready for a more assertive city council in the new term that begins in January as well as a more collaborative mayor.
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City of Memphis Mayor-elect taps former U of M prez, former MPD director to transition team
The 28 people named Wednesday, Oct. 18, will lead a team of more than 85 in making recommendations between now and Jan. 1, 2024, when Paul Young takes office as the mayor of Memphis.
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ElectionsElection certification total adds 31 provisional ballots
The increase reflected in certified vote totals approved by the Shelby County Election Commission did not change the outcome of any of the races on the Oct. 5 city ballot. The commission also approved early voting locations and hours for the Nov. 16 runoffs in three city council districts.
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Elections Memphis election results certified; council candidate says too many ‘red flags’
The Shelby County Election Commission may take a closer look at its procedures after a poll inspector’s car was broken into the day before election day. The commission voted unanimously Monday, Oct. 16, to certify the election results.
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission moves closer to replacing land bank
A plan to replace the Land Bank with a county government Real Estate Division moved ahead on the second of three votes. The commission also delayed revisiting a link between EDGE board incentives and wages.
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission to revisit linking wages to EDGE incentives
Shelby County commissioners kick off a new effort Monday, Oct. 16, to require a certain level of pay for companies getting property-tax incentives from the Economic Development Growth Engine.
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Music History of Downtown music festivals holds plenty of off-stage drama
The music festival that began as an off-shoot of the Memphis In May International Festival 46 years ago has at times had a turbulent history as it has grown into a major attraction.
Related story:
Mempho producing a new music festival in Tom Lee Park in May
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Arts & Culture Mempho producing a new music festival in Tom Lee Park in May
The group that started the Mempho festival is behind the effort and in recent years has branched out to booking a variety of other music events beyond the festival.
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Music Beale Street Music Festival ‘paused,’ barbecue contest moves to Liberty Park
Memphis in May confirmed in a Thursday, Oct. 12, press release that, at least for next year, the music festival would be “paused” and the barbecue fest would move to Liberty Park.
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