County commission seeks state oversight of county clerk’s office
The resolution drew bipartisan support with four Democratic commissioners abstaining but none voting against the measure sponsored by two Republican commissioners.
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 4155 articles by Bill Dries :
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August 2022
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Elections -
City of Memphis County election aftermath pushes urgency of city council redistricting process
Council members talk about new district lines a week after council chairwoman Jamita Swearengen was elected Circuit Court Clerk. She has 90 days, under terms of the county charter, to resign from the council.
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Shelby County Minority business contracting plan approved by county commission
The commission also approved Monday, Aug. 8, a resolution that urges local law enforcement make their lowest priority the enforcement of the state’s new abortion law that takes effect later this month.
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Metro Chicago company proposes zip line adventure park for Mud Island
The group is scheduled to make a presentation Tuesday, Aug. 9, to the Memphis City Council for a Mud Island version of the “adventure park.”
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission returns to County Clerk ‘no confidence’ resolution
At the Monday, Aug. 8, commission meeting, the body also votes on a new bail courtroom. And it takes a final vote on a minority business contracting program as well as transferring Orgill Park and Golf Course to the city of Millington.
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Behind The Headlines New Rhodes College president kicks off three-year residency requirement, copes with dorm delays
Jennifer Collins said the pandemic forced some changes in higher education and exacerbated the need for mental health services already surfacing on college campuses.
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On the Record Numbers shift in unofficial vote totals day after election
The unofficial voter turnout in Shelby County for the August 2022 election was the lowest for the election cycle since partisan county primaries began.
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Metro Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael defeated as City Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon wins highly contested race
Several other judges, including two in General Sessions Criminal Court, were either upset in the incomplete results or were in danger of being upset. Meanwhile, voters filled eight court seats to which incumbents did not seek reelection this year, including four divisions of Criminal Court.
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Shelby County Harris wins second mayoral term in race defined by competing calls for change
Harris, who campaigned as part of a “New Era” slate of Democratic candidates, led a Democratic sweep of countywide offices.
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Metro City term limits extension fails again, ending reelection hopes for Strickland, others
The idea of a three-term limit for city council members and the Memphis mayor went down hard for the second time in four years.
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission goes to Democratic majority of nine
The new commission appeared to have a nine-vote Democratic majority with some votes still to be counted into Friday morning in one of the closest races on the entire big ballot.
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Shelby County Halbert re-elected in county clerk’s race, Swearengen takes Circuit Court Clerk
Despite vocal complaints about her office’s delays in processing car tag and license plate renewals, County Clerk Wanda Halbert won re-election Thursday, Aug. 4. Here’s a rundown of the other clerk’s races on the ballot that saw a repeat of 2018’s Democratic sweep of the same offices.
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Elections Polls close but glitches, lines delay release of results in 23% turnout
Voting for one of the more heated local elections in recent history closed shortly after 7 p.m. and after a delay results were finally announced.
Related stories:
Shelby County’s ‘big ballot’ Election Day arrives with theme of change
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Elections Harris, Mulroy, Halbert claim early vote, term limits extension losing
The early and absentee votes are the first to be counted once the polls are closed. The numbers here are the early vote only with separate totals not posted yet on absentee votes.
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Elections As early voting ends, push to Aug. 4 election day heats up
Final early voting turnout numbers should be released Monday, and politicos on both sides of the partisan divide will study the numbers for hints at Thursday’s election results.
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Elections What to watch for in the election night vote totals
While most people will be watching who won and who lost the evening of Thursday, Aug. 4, politicos will be viewing the numbers as the first indication of what could happen in the next election and the elections to follow.
Related stories:
Shelby County’s ‘big ballot’ Election Day arrives with theme of change
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Elections Shelby County’s ‘big ballot’ Election Day arrives with theme of change
Polls across Shelby County open Thursday, Aug. 4, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The major races on county general election ballot reflect calls for change in several areas — at times, competing calls for change.
Related stories:
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Metro Ballot Basics: Aug. 4 Election Day
Here is everything you need to know about voting on Election Day in Shelby County.
Related stories:
Shelby County’s ‘big ballot' Election Day arrives with theme of change
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City of Memphis Memphis’ streetlights to be converted to LED
All 77,330 of the city’s high-pressure sodium streetlights will be replaced with LED lighting in a project that includes an automated management system that notifies MLGW when the lights are out.
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Elections MATA to offer free rides as early voting steams toward Friday peak
Also Friday, the Memphis Area Transit Authority will offer free service on all fixed routes to encourage early voting ahead of the Aug. 4 election day.
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Elections Memphis mayor potentials recalculate after Strickland announces possible third term
Reaction to a third term bid by Mayor Jim Strickland was muted Wednesday, with a lot of questions about whether Strickland will even get the chance to run.
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Elections Early voter turnout tops 86,000 in Shelby County
The 86,637 early voters for the 14-day period ending Saturday, July 30, turned out in force for the last two days.
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Premium
Public SafetyTim Dwyer leaves the bench and a lifetime of politics
General Sessions Court Judge Tim Dwyer is not seeking another term in the Aug. 4 election ending a family journey in politics that began in the early 1950s.
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July 2022
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Elections Early voting ends with clouds, lines and questions
Numbers for Saturday’s final day of early voting aren’t out yet. But turnout is expected to top 80,000 for the two-week period. The final day also saw nonpartisan poll parties in two parts of town to boost overall turnout. Election Day is Aug. 4.
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State Government Gov. Bill Lee says 2,000 families in Memphis, Nashville have applied for school vouchers
Lee said Friday, July 29, at Knowledge Quest’s Teen Tech Center that more than 2,000 families in Memphis and Nashville have applied for school vouchers and 40 schools have expressed interest in accepting those vouchers.
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