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 3909 articles by Bill Dries :
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.
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.
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.
The Downtown Mobility Center is the centerpiece of several parking garage projects, including the renovation of older city-owned lots in the immediate area.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
Colvett pulled out of what is now an 18-candidate race at Thursday’s deadline for candidates to withdraw from the October Memphis ballot.
The parking lot is the first part of a broader plan to end overflow zoo parking on the Overton Park Greensward sometime next year and turn more than 17 acres of zoo land to the Overton Park Conservancy.
In addition to infrastructure, the council approved two more years on the Memphis Showboats contract and discussed a late-term reappointment to the MLGW board by outgoing Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.
The list of a dozen drainage and sewer projects come as the city is still repairing damage and restoring power lost in recent storms. The council also takes first votes Tuesday, July 25, on a pair of ballot questions for city voters in 2024.
Floyd Bonner responded to the protesters outside his headquarters and talked about changing state law if necessary to curb youth violence. Meanwhile, everyone’s talking about the field of 19 in the mayor’s race and its impact on who wins.
Memphis mayoral contender J.W. Gibson talked on “Behind The Headlines” about crime, power outages, garbage pickup and the state of the city’s politics. The interview is the latest in a series of one-on-one conversations with contenders for mayor.
Two council incumbents were effectively re-elected at the Thursday, July 20, deadline because they had no opposition. Two other council races drew fields of seven candidates.
As council contenders weigh their options, several races are filling up. Meanwhile, two former council members have filed their petitions to get back on the body and a third is considering it.
The wheel tax hike approved last month is a done deal. But the commission’s Democratic majority is still fractured over the decision.
Also, Councilwoman Cheyenne Johnson calls off her campaign for a second term in favor of Janika White, a contender in last year’s Democratic primary for Shelby County District Attorney General.
Commissioners also elect leaders for the second year of their four-year term of office Monday. And the election of a chair and chair pro tempore could indicate what divisions remain among the commission’s Democratic majority after last month’s tumultuous wheel tax debate and vote.
Here’s a look at some of the newest names on the still-forming October Memphis election ballot. The deadline for candidates to get their names in the races for city council and mayor is noon Thursday.
Mayoral contender Karen Camper says on “Behind The Headlines” the city’s public safety strategy is too focused on the “tactical” when it should include a longer-term approach to crime.
Colvett said he would appoint a “housing director” if elected to move more Memphians toward homeownership.