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 3663 articles by Bill Dries :
The Hospitality Hub undertaking Downtown, on land donated by the city and funded by private donors along with the city and county governments, is next to the Hub’s intake area for the homeless.
The absence of four county commissioners, including three of the “yes” votes for the $3.45 property tax rate set two weeks ago, was crucial to undoing the tax hike. However, the issue is likely not over.
Marcia E. Lewis is retiring as the CEO of the Memphis Housing Authority effective Aug. 28.
The proposed review of appointees to the ethics body comes as County Mayor Lee Harris is about to propose new ethics regulations.
In a 50-50 party line procedural vote, Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee remained vocal critics of the bill that passed the majority Democratic House in March.
The state comptroller commented Tuesday during a visit to the county on the idea of reopening county government’s tax rate after the July 1 start of the fiscal year. But the county commissioner who vowed Monday to do just that next month says there is wiggle room in state law.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland also called on the state of Tennessee to use its federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to put more highway patrol officers on the city’s interstates permanently as well as cameras to combat shootings.
During a Friday, June 25, visit to the city, the Tennessee governor also defended the state’s open gun carry law that takes effect July 1. Local leaders are worried the permitless gun carry provision could contribute to a summer surge in violent crime.
Sarah Houston, executive director of the nonprofit “Protect Our Aquifer,” talked on “Behind the Headlines” about the end of a truce between the City Council, County Commission and the builders of the proposed Byhalia Connection oil pipeline.
The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast recaps local political development including the county’s budget season and campaign openings for the 2022 county elections. Also, the partisan divide among area legislators remains in place on voting rights and the infrastructure bill.
Sorry, but it’s too soon to discuss reopening the I-40 bridge, a TDOT official says. Meanwhile, the delays in crossing I-55 cost the trucking industry about $900,000 a day, down from $2.4 million at the worst of the slowdown.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland kicked off the city’s $200 million slate of capital projects over the next three years Tuesday, June 29, in a southwest Memphis park.
Meanwhile, Cohen was named co-chair Wednesday of the Helsinki Commission on European affairs that he has served on for the past decade. Cohen also linked the commission’s concerns about democracy in Europe to concerns in the U.S.
The Invest in America Act passed Thursday, July 1, in the House on a 221-201 vote.
On “Behind The Headlines,” county commissioners Van Turner and Mark Billingsley clashed over whether the commission should reopen its budget season later this month to consider a one-cent property tax hike.Related story:
The County Commission Scorecard tracks the second in a series of votes on a county property tax rate. But the votes probably don’t close out the county’s budget season with four of the 13 commissioners absent.Related story:
The announcement comes ahead of the end of a two-month truce on the controversial project as well as efforts by local leaders to slow it down and stop it.
The summit comes during an off-election year in Shelby County politics, which Rev. Earle Fisher said is useful to emphasize the coalition’s focus on issues and policy.
Here’s a review of some of the new state laws and changes to state law that took effect July 1 after approval by the Tennessee General Assembly and the signature of Gov. Bill Lee.
Also on the council’s agenda Tuesday is a first look at the “Union Station” development on Union Avenue east of McLean, buying the Coke bottling plant property by the Fairgrounds and votes on two historic overlay districts in Crosstown and Vollintine-Evergreen.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis briefs City Council members on the opening weekend of the new law.
Council members had questions about the land sale coming in below the $6 million appraised value of the property.
Funding includes $2.5 million to buy the 17-acre site and the rest for conversion of space to Liberty Bowl parking spaces and city maintenance facilities.
An attorney for Plains All American Pipeline told City Council members Tuesday the proposals are “anti-industry” and will be overturned if approved by the council and County Commission.
National Civil Rights Museum President Russell Wigginton said on The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast that he hopes state education officials will consult with the museum as they set the guidelines for school systems to navigate the new state law banning teaching about systemic racism and how the history of race impacts the present.