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 last County Commission meeting of the year included important decisions on governing in a pandemic, with a path to nine votes through compromise and the fine print of the newest health department directive.
The city’s representatives in the U.S. Senate split on the bipartisan $900 billion package while the city’s two Congressmen both voted for the bill.
The National Civil Rights Museum is closed until further notice because of the new countywide health directive.
The council action wasn’t unanimous and it follows a split vote the day before by the Shelby County Commission expressing support for the countywide directive that takes effect the day after Christmas.
The delay in the final vote on requiring County Commission approval for the sheriff to acquire surplus military hardware came after Sheriff Floyd Bonner complained he hadn’t been consulted. County Mayor Lee Harris disputed that assertion.
Shelby County commissioners voted Monday, Dec. 21, to support a health department directive announced earlier in the day and, in a separate vote, to give the health department the authority to cite and fine business owners for violating the directive.
A revised health directive released Monday, Dec. 21, by the Shelby County Health Department is better than a draft leaked to the media earlier, suburban and county leaders say, but still causes some concerns. Related story: New, restrictive health directive out, effective Dec. 26
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee again refused to order a statewide mask mandate Sunday, Dec. 20, instead ordering a statewide limit on indoor public social gatherings of no more than 10 people excluding homes and churches.
The commission is taking final votes on an ordinance that would let Shelby County Health Department levy fines for COVID violations, and a requirement for Shelby County Sheriff’s Department to get commission approval to acquire surplus military equipment and weapons.
Several dozens activists and organizers working for Democratic candidates in the 2020 elections have drafted a “roadmap to renewal” for the state party. A Memphis organizer talks about the roadmap on The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast. The recommendations come as the party prepares to elect a new statewide leader in January.
The Memphis City Council will consider asking health officials for another lockdown just before Christmas, but suburban mayors adamantly oppose such action.
The Memphis In May International Festival is calling off the Beale Street Music Festival in May as the Memphis City Council considers urging a Christmas week “safer at home” order.
The council approved the financing for a $62 million set of five Downtown parking projects. But the issue was what to do with the money made from the parking garages.
The local face of a global pandemic, challenges to education and the local reaction to the death of George Floyd topped a “Behind The Headlines” review of the year 2020.
The death of Chris Jarman this week ends a radio career built on credibility with Memphis radio listeners that transcended formats and call letters.
The ordinance cleared second reading Wednesday at a special commission meeting with seven votes. However, nine votes will be needed to approve the ordinance at Monday’s final vote of the commission.
The city is in a race with the calendar to spend its federal funding within the next two weeks or send it back to D.C.
The task force making the call is one of several working on police reforms and better police practices. The size of the Memphis Police force is a controversial part of the civic discussion about police reform.
Memphis City Council members heard about the difficulty of getting financing for hotel projects before approving the financing of a third hotel for One Beale. The set of parking projects nearby had a more complex path to approval.
A set of three proposed ordinances aren’t due for a vote by the full council until the new year. But several council members are concerned about how police will carry out the ordinances if they are passed.
The council also talks about limits on mufflers, a cleanup of the city’s code of ordinances and could take a final vote on a sidewalk change that would require a sidewalk inspection as part of the closing process in real estate sales.
Tennessee cast its 11 electoral votes Monday, Dec. 14, for President Donald Trump,
With the City Council vote Tuesday to de-annex South Cordova, a timeline begins toward its separation from Memphis. Here are some milestones of the process.
The University of Memphis unveiled plans Monday, Dec. 14, for a plaque honoring Miriam DeCosta Sugarmon Willis, the school’s first African American faculty member.