City loses appeal of City Hall blacklist damages
The city’s list of those allowed in City Hall only with a police escort grew to 81 in a wave of protests in 2016 and 2017.
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 3905 articles by Bill Dries :
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July 2021
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City of Memphis -
City of Memphis MLGW begins proposal process for possible TVA break
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division began the process Monday, July 12, of soliciting proposals for possibly cutting ties to the Tennessee Valley Authority, its electric power provider for the past 80 years.
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Business TVA’s connection to a more complex water movement
The Tennessee Valley Authority supplies electric power to Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division. But the possibility of MLGW leaving TVA is also a part of the issue with the city’s water supply and its safety.
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Out of the pipeline: The city's water movement and how it evolved
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Metro What’s next for the Memphis water movement
The short answer is more complexity and more ambition and probably more litigation.
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Out of the pipeline: The city's water movement and how it evolved
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Public Safety Owens sentenced to three years in federal heroin case
The son of one-time topless nightclub kingpin Danny Owens drew a sentence below federal guidelines for drug conspiracy.
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On the Record Incoming NCRM president sees role for museum in ‘critical race theory’ debate
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.
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City of Memphis Council sets stage for pipeline regulations in wake of Byhalia Connection surrender
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.
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City of Memphis Council approves city’s purchase of bottling plant at Fairgrounds
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.
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City of Memphis Council delays sale of Union Avenue police property
Council members had questions about the land sale coming in below the $6 million appraised value of the property.
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City of Memphis Chief reacts to new open carry gun law
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis briefs City Council members on the opening weekend of the new law.
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City of Memphis City Council ponders next steps after pipeline truce turns to surrender
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.
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State Government Wide range of new state laws now in effect
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.
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On the Record People’s Convention to return with ‘People’s Summit’
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.
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City of Memphis Plains All American cancels Byhalia Connection Pipeline
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.
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Shelby County County Commission Scorecard: The tax rate votes
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.
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Behind The Headlines County property tax hike stirs opposing commission views
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.
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Metro Cohen touts transportation bill while Kustoff pans it as too green
The Invest in America Act passed Thursday, July 1, in the House on a 221-201 vote.
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June 2021
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Metro Cohen, Kustoff split on House panel to investigate Capitol insurrection
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.
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City of Memphis 13 city parks benefit from ‘Accelerate Memphis’ funds
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.
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Metro Final slab of Hernando DeSoto Bridge in place, but no reopening date set
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.
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On the Record Infrastructure compromise tests partisan divide
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.
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Behind The HeadlinesEnd of Byhalia pipeline truce approaches with more specific proposals
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.
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State Government Gov. won’t commit to funding more Highway Patrol in Memphis — yet
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.
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Public Safety Memphis to use federal funds to address violent crime
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.
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Shelby County State wary of continued county budget negotiations
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.
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