Iconic Overton Park landmark starts major renovation
A midcentury building in Midtown is undergoing a transformation to become the new gallery and studio space for one Memphis museum.
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 3660 articles by Bill Dries :
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September 2024
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Visual Arts
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August 2024
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MetroMemphis v. Tennessee: A Republican majority meets a Democratic one
How do groups who disagree work together? They go to court, if the lawsuit filed by the City Council against the Election Commission about not including a gun-control referendum on the ballot is any indication.
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City of Memphis20-year-old case could impact gun control legal battle
The current path of the legal dispute over a multi-part city ballot referendum on gun control is expected to hinge on the outcome of the payroll tax ballot question’s 2004 controversy.
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City of Memphis Mayor Young calls gun control referendum futile
He said the city council’s lawsuit to get the referendum on the ballot could hurt efforts to work with Republican leaders of the legislature.
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Memphis City Council sues Election Commission over gun-control vote
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City of Memphis Memphis City Council sues Election Commission over gun-control vote
“We won’t back down and d--n sure won’t be bullied,” Memphis City Council Chair JB Smiley Jr. said, as council members announced the lawsuit.
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Elections Tami Sawyer takes oath as General Sessions Court clerk
The former county commissioner and a set of 15 appointed staff members formally take office Sept. 1 in the office that administers the day-to-day business of the largest court in the state.
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Shelby County Wanda Halbert uses Donald Trump case as defense
“No law or rule that allows Shelby County to utilize taxpayer funds to circumvent the will of the people,” reads a memorandum defending Halbert from ouster. “The people voted for Ms. Halbert.”
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Shelby County Election Commission won’t add gun-control referendum in November
The Election Commission’s decision could set up a legal battle a day after the state’s Republican leadership came out against Memphis’ vote on gun control.
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Shelby County Mental health center, pay raises move forward at County Commission, but not without friction
Commissioners approved a design contract for the proposed mental health center on a second vote. The commission also redistributed the 6% pay raise budgeted in June.
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City of Memphis Carol Coletta leaving Memphis River Parks Partnership helm
Coletta’s tenure running the group that manages 6 miles of the city’s riverfront saw the $61 million redesign of Tom Lee Park and a push to better connect the riverfront to the rest of Downtown.
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State Government Local reaction to gun-control threat crosses party lines
State reps. John Gillespie and Justin J. Pearson were some of the Memphis-area legislators pushing for local gun-control measures on the Nov. 5 ballot after a threat from state Republican leadership.
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State Government Secretary of State won’t let Memphians vote on local gun control
“Common sense says local governments can’t override state law to give a 12-year-old a driver’s license, and they can’t override other state laws either,” Hargett said in a statement emailed to The Daily Memphian.
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TN Repubs threaten to withhold sales tax over Memphis gun votes
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Behind The Headlines County Commission leaders talk new schools, Regional One
The incoming and outgoing chairs of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners talked on “Behind The Headlines” about new Cordova and Frayser schools funding and rebuilding Regional One Health’s campus.
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Shelby County County Commission to weigh reworked pay-raise proposal
The commission meeting also marks the last for Miska Clay Bibbs as chairwoman of the body. Michael Whaley becomes chairman next month.
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ElectionsPolitical Roundup: Democrats rally; White-Nordstrom state House race, and a Whitehaven school district?
Democrats rallied in Memphis and three other cities across the state Saturday, Aug. 24, to kick off a get-out-the-vote effort for Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and other down ballot races in the Nov. 5 elections.
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City of Memphis Groups brainstorm about how to expand Memphis Central Library
The Memphis Library Foundation wrapped up a series of brainstorming sessions Friday, Aug. 23, at the Central Library meeting rooms that are the center of the discussion about an expansion of the library.
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Elections ‘Tennessee 3’ bumped from final day of Chicago Democratic convention
Memphis Democrat Justin J. Pearson, along with Gloria Johnson of Knoxville and Justin Jones of Nashville, had been scheduled to take the national stage just before the balloon drop during the Democratic National Convention.
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City of Memphis Overton Park Conservancy names new director
Founding executive director Tina Sullivan announced in June she was leaving the leadership role she has held since 2012.
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Elections Republican court clerk candidate blames suburbs for August loss
“This was a winnable race. This was a ridiculously winnable race,” Lisa Arnold told Shelby County Republicans of her loss.
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Shelby County County Commission denies new ballot question for November
The final vote on the referendum allowing the County Commission to hire its own independent attorney failed by one vote.
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City of MemphisWhataburger complicates Midtown mixed-use project
The issue for the multi-use development is adding another set of drive-thru lanes to an area already dominated by fast-food restaurants.
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City of Memphis Memphis City Council to weigh $3,000 bonus for city retirees
The council also gets an update on the Memphis Area Transit Authority, finalizes city charter change amendments for the Nov. 5 ballot, and votes on a Whataburger restaurant on Union Avenue.
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Elections Election commission certifies August election results, moves to Nov. 5 ballot
Some vote totals changed in the certified Aug. 1 election results for Shelby County. Meanwhile, the Shelby County Election Commission certified the list of candidates in five sets of suburban races on the Nov. 5 ballot.
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ElectionsLocal Democratic delegates head to Chicago for national convention
A Parkway Village rally for the Memphis delegates showed the challenges Democrats face in turning out the votes in the November election.
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ElectionsCan Gloria Johnson turn Tennessee blue?
State Rep. Gloria Johnson, the Democrat challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn on Nov. 5, talks about her campaign and the change in the Democratic presidential ticket on The Daily Memphian’s “On The Record” podcast.
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