Memphis area reacts to the death of Colin Powell
Rep. Antonio Parkinson tweeted: “The passing of Secretary Powell is a huge loss to Black America... He was a hero at every turn.”
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 3904 articles by Bill Dries :
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October 2021
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State Government -
Shelby County County Commission races show activity ahead of new district lines
District 3 commissioner Mick Wright opened his re-election campaign over the weekend. Races where the incumbent commissioner is term limited are also showing signs of life.
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Shelby County County Commission to vote on how to spend $52M in ARPA funds
The approval of the spending, which includes $19.1 million for Regional One Health and $4.4 milion to expand health care access to uninsured Shelby Countians, is county general fund money available as the federal ARPA money goes to account for lost county revenues in the pandemic.
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Public SafetyHalf a century later, the memory of Elton Hayes still echoes today
In October 1971, three Orange Mound teenagers went for a ride that ended with law enforcement officers beating one of them to death in a ditch off Lamar Avenue. Fifty years later, no one has been convicted in the killing.
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OpinionDries: Tales told by a headstone’s date
Fifty years after the death of Elton Hayes, a journey to his grave tells the story of the differences between Black and white in the Memphis of 1971 and the Memphis of today.
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Shelby County Crosby leaves as county finance director after two tumultuous budget seasons
Mathilde Crosby is leaving county government to return to the private financial sector.
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City of Memphis Redrawing of SCS districts grows more complex
Meanwhile, the Shelby County Election Commission has underlined with a resolution that it needs to have redistricting maps for the school board and the Shelby County Commission no later than Nov. 8 to be ready for the 2022 county elections.
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Behind The Headlines Watch: Tax break incentives never far from controversy and questions
A reporters roundtable on the WKNO program “Behind The Headlines” looks at the most recent chapter in a long-running civic discussion about tax break incentives for economic growth.
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Spirit of Memphis Former First Lady calls for persistence during Freedom Awards
Former First Lady Michelle Obama was joined by Poor People’s Campaign founders Rev. William Barber and Liz Theoharis in an awards ceremony that was for the most part conducted live in an Orpheum theater without an audience.
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Metro Coronavirus numbers continuing downward trend in Shelby County
Numbers are moving downward in every age group, Shelby County Health Department Director Dr. Michelle Taylor said.
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Behind The Headlines Watch: Merger aims to bridge gap in affordable housing
The leaders of the two housing and community groups talked on “Behind The Headlines” about a larger scope and plan for affordable housing in a city that needs about 40,000 new units of the housing.
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City of Memphis City Council Scorecard: Test vote on EDGE incentives
The Council Scorecard looks at a lopsided council committee vote earlier this month on a new minimum wage for EDGE incentives and the outside events influencing it.
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Shelby County Shelby County stays with four-year property reappraisal cycle
The state Board of Equalization approved Wednesday, Oct. 13, keeping the four-year cycle after Shelby County Assessor Melvin Burgess Jr. changed his recommendation for a two-year cycle late last week to whichever one the state board preferred.
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State Government Cohen endorses Smiley in Democratic primary for governor
In a statement released Tuesday, Oct. 12, by Smiley’s campaign, Cohen touted Smiley’s connection to the state’s major cities.
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City of Memphis Tom Lee Park plan gets $800K in state funding for river’s edge trail
Memphis River Parks Partnership President Carol Coletta called the riverfront path “one of the most important parts of the park.”
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City of Memphis City parks division gets rebrand, new website
Memphis Parks Director Nick Walker discusses rebranding and a website that emphasizes programming in city parks, as well as plans for a return to amateur sports leagues.
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Elections Morgan opens county mayoral bid with criticism of pandemic response
The second-term Memphis City Council member declared his candidacy Monday, Oct. 11. In his interview with The Daily Memphian, Morgan talked about what to expect from his campaign.
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Council member Morgan launches bid for Shelby County mayor
The two-term City Council member began an exploratory campaign earlier this year and formally launched his bid on Monday, Oct. 11.
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Spirit of Memphis Installation artist talks Tom Lee’s story, bringing Memphians together
Artist Theaster Gates talked Thursday about the installation having the same impact “The Bean” and the Tamir Rice Pavilion – both in Chicago – have had with the public finding the ultimate uses for them to make them destinations.
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Elections Complex judicial races and issues bloom ahead of 2022 elections
A veteran Public Defender is seeking to become the first Indian-American to serve as a judge in Shelby County. But Sanjeev Memula is considering which of the nine criminal divisions of General Sessions Court he will seek.
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Shelby County Halbert wants county audit after state finds no evidence of fraud or misuse
The county clerk is appealing for a county audit of how her office is funded a week after the Tennessee Comptroller ended a similar investigation, saying he found no evidence of fraud and that revenue in Halbert’s office was going where it was supposed to go.
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Shelby County County Commission Scorecard: Early indicators of 2022 county election issues
The County Commission Scorecard highlights the commission’s choice of a new judicial commissioner and a call for U.S. Justice Department review of Juvenile Court and possibly a return to the federal oversight of the court that ended three years ago.
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City of Memphis Council approves $4.9 million for City Hall facade repairs
The council also delayed action on several resolutions awarding federal American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated for the council’s uses.
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City of Memphis New pipeline restrictions modeled on city process for telecom access
The City Council approved the pipeline right-of-way ordinance on the first of three votes Tuesday, Oct. 5. It covers the entire city, requiring a permitting process for any work done beneath or across city streets.
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City of Memphis $21-an-hour threshold for EDGE incentives faces long odds in council
City Council members took a test vote of sorts in committee sessions on a proposal to make pay of $21 an hour the minimum for getting tax breaks from EDGE. The new Ford plant in Haywood County came up in the discussion.
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