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 2472 articles by Bill Dries :
A poll of dealers in the Greater Memphis Automobile Dealers Association showed their backlog of tags at more than 7,400 with some applied for as far back as April.
Republican U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty spoke Tuesday, June 28, at the Memphis Rotary Club during a visit to the city that included a defense of former President Donald Trump and a prediction that 2022 midterm elections will produce a “sea change” in Washington. He also visited with the Republican nominee for Shelby County mayor.
The two contenders for Shelby County District Attorney met on “Behind The Headlines” for a discussion on local enforcement of the state’s abortion trigger law, balancing reform with accountability, murder convictions overturned on appeal and dueling campaign ads.
The deadline to register to vote the August “big ballot” is Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Here are details and links on how to register to vote. Also included are some details about what the Shelby County base of voters looks like.
The Commission Scorecard looks at a series of votes on a longer discussion about finding enough capital funding over several years for new schools construction as well as Regional One Health.
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert says her office has been hand-stuffing envelopes, but she remains baffled by what caused the backlog. In the interim, county government has asked for a weekly inspection of the clerk’s license plate and car tag storage space.
The latest edition of the Council Scorecard features a number of unanimous votes.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally held a ceremonial signing of the bill at City Hall in Memphis.
A reporters roundtable on “Behind The Headlines” discusses the nature of change that might occur due to the major countywide races to be decided in the August election.
The June 28 Shelby County Commission session saw an attempt to bring back to life bonuses some elected countywide officials proposed three weeks ago.
The roundup includes the contenders for county mayor clashing over PILOTs and other economic development incentives, reaction to the Roe v. Wade repeal and early-vote strategies.
The new system includes a paper trail along with updated touch screen machines and an option to vote hand-marked paper ballots.
The 9-2 vote at the Monday, June 27, commission completes city and county action to create an ongoing tax revenue stream expected to total $30 million in the next 8 years. County Commission caught between capital funding for schools or Regional OneRelated stories:
And with almost half of Shelby County Commissioners leaving office in two months, they have a firm deadline to find $350 million in funding, their share of the project’s funding, for the county-owned hospital. The Commission also has ambitious plans to revamp the county’s MWBE program. County Commission caught between capital funding for schools or Regional OneRelated story:
The agenda also includes $300,000 in funding for the Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment Corp. Additionally, commissioners will consider a resolution urging the Tennessee General Assembly to change redistricting maps to reflect an accurate county line between Shelby County and Fayette County.Related story:
At one point Shelby County commissioners forgot they had allocated capital funding to the county’s seven public school systems as they debate how to fund $350 million ask by Regional One.
Responses to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Friday, June 24, overturning the nearly 50-year old Roe v. Wade decision fall along party lines in Memphis and across Tennessee. Near-total abortion ban takes effect in 30 days, but a ‘heartbeat bill’ could come sooner The closest state to Memphis with abortion access? Illinois.Related Stories:
The Memphis Branch NAACP and other organizations say problems at an early voting location ahead of the May county primary election day have prompted their push for paper ballots as a backup.
The growing pool of property-tax funding is expected to reach the $30 million goal in the next seven to eight fiscal years — with city and county combined funding. City Council tables indefinitely ballot question to allow partisan primaries City Council rejects used-car lot on Elvis Presley BoulevardRelated stories:
The council also discussed the riverfront’s Cobblestone Landing, a blight and illegal dumping task force and police escorts for Donald Trump’s Southaven speech.
The ordinance was tabled Tuesday, June 21, by its council sponsor, Martavius Jones.
The recount requested by two second-place finishers in the May primaries and approved by the state Democratic party’s primary board did not change the certified results.
On “Behind The Headlines,” Memphis City Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon said Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael’s appearance on the show a week earlier looks like a change in Michael’s attitude toward juvenile justice reform but isn’t.
Flanagan, who is remembered for his signature shorts and flowered Hawaiian shirts, died June 15, ending a career that included involvement in the local Democratic Party’s executive committee as well as an organizer of the Midtown St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl.
The ballot question would be the second amending the city charter in this election year. Also on the budget are Memphis Area Transit Authority funding and the city’s blight problem.