Firestone site in North Memphis won’t house new jail
The Shelby County Commission has approved a resolution that rules out the New Chicago area of North Memphis from being the site of any new jail county government may decide to build.
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 4044 articles by Bill Dries :
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September 2025
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Shelby County -
Shelby County Commission narrowly avoids moving MSCS board elections (for now)
After a motion to move all board elections to the 2026 ballot failed on a tie vote, the commission voted to try again in two weeks on a proposal for the 2030 ballot.
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Shelby County After County Commission delay, mayor ‘not coming back’ with ethics appointments
The vote came after harsh words were exchanged between Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr.
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DowntownHow does the reopened Riverside Drive work?
Mayor Paul Young cut the ribbon on a new Riverside Drive that works for those on foot, on bicycles and in cars and narrows down access to parking for Tom Lee Park.
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City of Memphis City Council talks MATA and Regional One Health rebuild
City Council members will talk about next steps for the city’s bus system as one member calls for talks with County government on Regional One Health’s campus rebuild.
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Behind The Headlines MATA roils in turmoil. What’s the next step?
Reporters’ roundtable looks at the problems plaguing Memphis Area Transit Authority, and the new trial for former Memphis Police officers convicted in Tyré Nichols’ death.
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Shelby CountySchool board elections, a new jail and ethics top County Commission agenda
The Shelby County Commission is scheduled to vote on cutting short the terms of some Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members and a new jail resolution that would rule out the old Firestone plant site.
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MetroPolitics infiltrates festivals; school board races show signs of life
Also in the political roundup, County Mayor Lee Harris has connections to several contenders on the 2026 ballot and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen signs onto the Epstein files discharge petition.
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Shelby County Memphis Zoo expands ‘Free Tuesdays’ program, adds new rules
The Memphis Zoo is expanding its program to offer free admission on Tuesdays year-round.
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Public SafetyPardoned for his crimes, DeAndre Brown built a life helping other former inmates. That changed abruptly this past week.
Former public official DeAndre Brown and his wife Vinessa Brown were charged with misusing $1.38 million in public money. The pair ran the Lifeline to Success non-profit, which is now also under scrutiny.
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August 2025
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Shelby CountyMayor Young says police task force getting to ‘nitty gritty’ after delays
Also in the Political Roundup: Jerri Green at Wiseacre and one less contender for Shelby County Mayor.
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City of MemphisMajority of MATA board quits as city flexes control over CEO search
The departing MATA board members appear to have been surprised by City Council members asserting a role in hiring the new permanent CEO. One former member called the move “insulting.”
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BusinessThe former Firestone site is a brownfield. Does it matter?
Proponents of a plan to move the Shelby County Jail to the former Firestone plant say the site’s status as a brownfield is a positive for the project.
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Shelby County County Commission plans next steps for Shelby County Jail
The Shelby County Commission has an amended plan to seek proposals on where and how to build a new jail. The detailed process was pushed Monday, Aug. 25, to a Sept. 3 committee meeting for more discussion.
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State Government Jerri Green’s run for TN governor hits a red road
Green acknowledged that part of her campaign’s struggle is to convince Democrats that a Democrat can win in Republican-dominated state political landscape.
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Shelby County Steps toward Shelby County Jail planning on commission agenda
Major moves by the county toward a new jail are on hold, but County Commission votes could push it closer to more specific plans.
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City of Memphis Could Memphis’ Zodiac development be sign of starter homes return?
A set of 10 new homes near Zodiac Park in Whitehaven Hills is the latest milestone in the city’s affordable housing movement.
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Shelby County‘What in the world’ is Bonner spending money on, Harris asks
Sheriff Floyd Bonner’s lawsuit seeks $67 million in proposed funding for his office that he says was not included in the county’s $1.7 billion consolidated budget.
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State Government Trump tells KWAM he’s reluctant to endorse in GOP primary for governor
Trump also talked generally about possibly sending National Guard troops to Memphis to help battle crime although procedures for activating the Guard in states differ from the laws that allowed him to put troops on Washington, D.C. streets.
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East Memphis New police precinct symbolizes efforts to grow police, drop crime
As the perception of crime and safety in the city remains a challenge, Memphis Mayor Paul Young called the new precinct “an investment in safety, service and trust in our community.”
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Shelby County Questions continue to swirl around how, where new jail could happen
The maneuvering for a new jail plan at the site of the old Firestone plant in North Memphis has been pushed off until at least October.
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City of Memphis City Council votes on xAI tax revenue, MATA money, Oak Court OK and more
The Council voted 11-0 to direct property tax revenue from the two xAI data centers to nearby communities.
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City of Memphis City to put $900,000 into more aggressive battle against blight
The City’s more aggressive stance on blighted properties is focused on taking court cases to Chancery Court instead of Environmental Court. The funding would fuel that effort and could be sustained with money from the sale of properties out of receivership.
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City of Memphis Liberty Park Southern Avenue entrance could get new look
The Memphis City Council will dive into a revamped entrance and security upgrades for Liberty Park along with a $14.6 million “action plan” from Mayor Paul Young.
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Behind The Headlines How to keep interest in Downtown Memphis ahead of big projects
The head of the Downtown Memphis Commission talks on “Behind The Headlines” about what’s beyond Downtown’s waiting period for several new and renovated institutions to come online.
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