Mud Island review to look at park’s long-term place in larger riverfront
Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen talks about the city’s study of a long-range plan for Mud Island River Park 40 years after it opened.
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 3900 articles by Bill Dries :
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July 2022
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On the Record -
City of Memphis One Beale financing, Frayser flood plain housing top council agenda
The Memphis City Council meets Tuesday, July 12, at 3:30 p.m. Committee sessions start at 8 a.m. at City Hall. Items on the agenda include One Beale financing and Frayser flood plain housing.
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Downtown Tom Lee Park redesign will be ready to host 2023 Memphis In May
The president and CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership says on “Behind The Headlines” that Tom Lee Park’s new look will debut next summer, but it will be available before that, for the Memphis In May International Festival.
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Shelby County Auto dealers call for five-month drive-out tags
The Greater Memphis Auto Dealer Association sent a letter Thursday, July 7, to Gov. Bill Lee pushing for a takeover of car tags, plates and titles from County Clerk Wanda Halbert.
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Downtown What’s next for Mud Island River Park?
Over the next four months, the Memphis River Parks Partnership aims to come up with four possible scenarios for the 40-year-old, city-owned park.
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Elections Here are the changes voters will be navigating when early voting begins
Shelby County Elections Administrator Linda Phillips and Ian Randolph of the Shelby County Voter Alliance join the On The Record podcast to discuss the August and November elections.
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Shelby County Commission delays vote on seven full-time positions for criminal court
Clerk Heidi Kuhn cited the growth of the criminal courts from eight divisions to 10, with a goal of two clerks in each of those courtrooms.
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Shelby County County Commission plans new minority- and women-owned business program
Approved Wednesday were requirements to rotate architecture and engineering firms on smaller county projects and a joint venture requirement for large construction projects.
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Shelby County County employees to get bonuses on top of 5% pay raises
The $8.4 million item was approved by the Shelby County Commission in a special meeting on an 8-1 vote. The bonuses have some exceptions and caps and will go to more than 2,800 county employees.
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Update
Shelby CountyCar dealers call for state takeover of license plates, tags distribution
A poll of dealers in the Greater Memphis Automobile Dealers Association showed their backlog of tags at more than 7,400 with some applied for as far back as April.
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Metro Hagerty doubles down on abortion ruling, calls insurrection hearings ‘show trial’
Republican U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty spoke Tuesday, June 28, at the Memphis Rotary Club during a visit to the city that included a defense of former President Donald Trump and a prediction that 2022 midterm elections will produce a “sea change” in Washington. He also visited with the Republican nominee for Shelby County mayor.
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Elections Weirich, Mulroy clash on abortion prosecutions and focus of DA’s race
The two contenders for Shelby County District Attorney met on “Behind The Headlines” for a discussion on local enforcement of the state’s abortion trigger law, balancing reform with accountability, murder convictions overturned on appeal and dueling campaign ads.
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Elections Ballot Basics: Voter registration deadline and a look at Shelby County voters
The deadline to register to vote the August “big ballot” is Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Here are details and links on how to register to vote. Also included are some details about what the Shelby County base of voters looks like.
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Premium
Shelby CountyCounty Commission Scorecard: The elusive final decision; balancing schools with Regional One
The Commission Scorecard looks at a series of votes on a longer discussion about finding enough capital funding over several years for new schools construction as well as Regional One Health.
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June 2022
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Shelby County Are your car tags coming? Clerk says 8,700 ready to go but backlog persists
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert says her office has been hand-stuffing envelopes, but she remains baffled by what caused the backlog. In the interim, county government has asked for a weekly inspection of the clerk’s license plate and car tag storage space.
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Premium
MetroCity Council Scorecard: MATA’s long haul, death of a car lot and the fine print of term limits
The latest edition of the Council Scorecard features a number of unanimous votes.
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Elections Republican leaders tout ‘Truth in Sentencing’ crime bill
House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally held a ceremonial signing of the bill at City Hall in Memphis.
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Behind The Headlines Three major countywide races in August may mean change
A reporters roundtable on “Behind The Headlines” discusses the nature of change that might occur due to the major countywide races to be decided in the August election.
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Shelby County County weighs bonuses along with pay raise — again
The June 28 Shelby County Commission session saw an attempt to bring back to life bonuses some elected countywide officials proposed three weeks ago.
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Elections Political Roundup: Looking for votes in the heat
The roundup includes the contenders for county mayor clashing over PILOTs and other economic development incentives, reaction to the Roe v. Wade repeal and early-vote strategies.
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Shelby County New voting equipment for November arrives; early voting hours set for August ballot
The new system includes a paper trail along with updated touch screen machines and an option to vote hand-marked paper ballots.
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Shelby County MATA funding clears final hurdle at Shelby County Commission
The 9-2 vote at the Monday, June 27, commission completes city and county action to create an ongoing tax revenue stream expected to total $30 million in the next 8 years.
Related stories:
County Commission caught between capital funding for schools or Regional One
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Shelby County County Commission goals include help for Regional One
And with almost half of Shelby County Commissioners leaving office in two months, they have a firm deadline to find $350 million in funding, their share of the project’s funding, for the county-owned hospital. The Commission also has ambitious plans to revamp the county’s MWBE program.
Related story:
County Commission caught between capital funding for schools or Regional One
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Shelby County County Commission takes final vote on MATA funding
The agenda also includes $300,000 in funding for the Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment Corp. Additionally, commissioners will consider a resolution urging the Tennessee General Assembly to change redistricting maps to reflect an accurate county line between Shelby County and Fayette County.
Related story:
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Shelby County County Commission caught between capital funding for schools or Regional One
At one point Shelby County commissioners forgot they had allocated capital funding to the county’s seven public school systems as they debate how to fund $350 million ask by Regional One.
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