MLGW CEO McGowen: Priority is infrastructure overhaul
MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen says his priority is finding ways to accelerate the $1.2 billion, five-year plan to upgrade the utility’s infrastructure.
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 3909 articles by Bill Dries :
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January 2023
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City of Memphis -
On the Record Cohen, Kustoff on either side of Washington’s new power balance
Republican David Kustoff sees the prolonged balloting for the new Speaker as a healthy sign for Republican unity. Democrat Steve Cohen says Republicans will remain unified in the short term, but not in the longer term.
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City of Memphis Uptown TIF’s $14 million funding gets final approval
The council vote comes the day after the Shelby County Commission approved the same resolution. The funding is spread across four projects, including new affordable housing in Uptown and rehab of existing homes for legacy homeowners.
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City of Memphis Memphis City Council wants review of grant funding
The review comes partly in response to Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division’s decision not to apply for $109 million worth of water infrastructure grants from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
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City of Memphis Warmer than 32 or cooler than 95: New rules proposed for horse-drawn carriages
The council approved the changes in the first of three votes on the ordinance Tuesday, Jan. 10. The changes are part of a larger group of animal ordinance amendments.
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission’s first big 2023 issue: Who’s getting blighted or abandoned properties?
The County Commission acted on several fronts at its first meeting of the year Monday on the broader issue of the rules for tax sales and other transfer of parcels by the county.
Related story:
Low turnout in special elections draws questions, complaints from County Commission
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Shelby County Low turnout in special elections draws questions, complaints from County Commission
The State House District 86 primaries have drawn 275 early voters through the weekend, out of the 45,000 in the district, which has raised questions.
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City of Memphis MLGW looks to bolster water lines
During Tuesday city council committee sessions, officials are expected to have more to say about MLGW’s five-year, $1.2 billion infrastructure upgrade that is now expected to be completed by 2027, two years later than the original 2025 target date.
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Shelby County County Commission returns to issue of landlord registry
The commission’s earlier resolution urging the Tennessee Legislature to approve a rental registry for Shelby County was voted down last month after four commissioners recused themselves.
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Shelby County Top 5 County Commission votes of 2022
These five decisions in 2022 topped a review of the Shelby County Commission’s most crucial votes as chronicled by The Daily Memphian’s Commission Scorecard.
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City of Memphis Top 5 City Council votes of 2022
The Memphis City Council Scorecard puts votes on proposals to change how city leaders are elected and votes on public financing of a convention center hotel at the top of key votes in 2022.
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Behind The Headlines Crime and power grid define 2022 and beyond
Crime and the city’s power grid were among the major issues and stories of 2022 as discussed on a “Behind The Headlines” reporters roundtable.
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City of MemphisMoSH moving to become independent museum system
Memphis Museum Inc., which manages MoSH, Lichterman Nature Center, the Magevney House and the Mallory-Neely House, will operate as an independent entity under a new, still-developing contract with the City of Memphis.
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South Memphis HUD ends federal subsidies to Peppertree renters
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland called the development — the latest in the city’s efforts over the last year to force renovations at Peppertree — “great news.”
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Elections Political Roundup: Narrowing the race for mayor and a Bolton-Pearson clash
The co-founder of the People’s Convention said on The Daily Memphian’s “On The Record” podcast a 2023 edition of the gathering could serve to whittle down the field in this year’s race for Memphis mayor. Meanwhile state House District 86 contenders clashed Tuesday, Jan. 3, at a community forum.
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Elections Ballot Basics: Early voting for state House District 86
Here is all of the information you need to participate in the first local election of 2023.
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December 2022
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City of MemphisCity Council Scorecard: End of the year unanimity and a punt to 2023
The last Memphis City Council Scorecard of 2022 finds the 13-member body unanimous on Klondike revitalization and a tourism surcharge for the city’s convention center hotel. A negotiated settlement of the damage deposit for Memphis In May’s use of the redesigned Tom Lee Park is another matter for another year.
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Shelby County County Commission Scorecard: Germantown schools deal, Klondike TIF and state House vacancy
The Shelby County Commission Scorecard calls the roll and explains the importance of the last major votes of 2022, including the county’s part in the deal that moved control of three Germantown schools from one system to another.
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State Government D.C. Scorecard: Cohen catches the omnibus, Kustoff passes
The Daily Memphian’s D.C. Scorecard tracks votes and positions by the city’s four representatives in Washington on two large spending bills and the ongoing saga of Title 42.
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Update
City of MemphisMLGW preps to restart rolling blackouts
MLGW said Friday evening that it was preparing for the possibility of TVA requiring its customers to cut power load by at least 5%.
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Elections Candidates set for state House District 86 primary
The 11 who made the noon Thursday, Dec. 15, filing deadline are all in the Jan. 24 Democratic primary in the predominantly Democratic district. No one filed in the companion Republican primary.
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Update
City of MemphisMix of sleet and snow blows in as temperatures nosedive to zero
Here are the links to report outages, find shelter and get rides if you have to get out in the dangerous temperatures that aren’t expect to crack 20 degrees until late Saturday morning.
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Metro MLGW to start systemwide rolling blackouts, Strickland declares state of emergency
Beginning at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, MLGW will implement systemwide “rolling blackouts.”
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Metro 1917 Persons’ lynching site advances toward National Historic Register status
The lynching site that drew a crowd of 5,000 in 1917 is now an overgrown area by the Wolf River west of Summer Avenue.
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City of Memphis $89M renovation of Downtown Sheraton gets boost from City Council
The 5% surcharge on items bought and rooms rented at the Downtown Sheraton hotel goes to finance a renovation of the existing 600-room hotel by the Renasant Convention Center.
Related story:
City Council passes Klondike tax vote, but residents’ concerns remain
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