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 4390 articles by Bill Dries :
-
January 2020
-
Metro Memphis City Council members approved changes Tuesday to the Loews convention center hotel project, moving the drop-off area for the hotel closer to North Main Street and Adams Avenue. -
City of Memphis A guide to how city government works
The Daily Memphian's primer on the ground rules, customs, proverbs and unwritten rules that keep City Hall running.
-
State Government House Speaker Sexton: Turnover in state education department a concern
House Speaker Cameron Sexton was in Collierville Monday evening to attend a fundraiser for Collierville state Rep. Kevin Vaughan. The legislative session that begins next week will be Sexton's first regular session since becoming speaker this past summer.
-
City of Memphis New council picks up where old council left off on MLGW electric rate hike
The old council rejected a multi-year electric rate hike at its last meeting of the term last month. The new council talks compromise Tuesday in committee sessions with MLGW brass.
-
Metro The Memphis 200: The final 20 entries
From Phyllis Tickle and Sam The Sham to Morgan and Keegan and the schools merger and demerger, we round out the Memphis 200 with suggestions from readers on the people, places and events that have made Memphis over the last 200 years.
-
City of Memphis Strickland’s second-term team includes two new directors
The first City Council meeting of 2020 next week will include a review of the two new appointees and 13 returning division directors and chiefs.
-
Podcasts The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast: The Year In Review
We review the city election year, the third car fee and whether a half-cent sales tax hike will restore benefits for police and firefighters.
-
City of Memphis Strickland announces plans for a ‘Public Service Corps’ for teens, young adults
The Memphis mayor said the new corp would start with 25 young adults picking up litter part-time for $12 an hour as they work toward high school diplomas and college degrees.
-
Premium
ElectionsCohen: 2020 election year is ‘political Armageddon’
Cohen spoke at City Court Clerk Myron Lowery's 29th annual prayer breakfast Jan. 1, saying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could ultimately decide to pass on a Senate trial on impeachment resolutions against President Donald Trump.
-
Premium
City of MemphisStrickland pushes literacy efforts, promises programs for older youth
The Memphis mayor promised details at his Wednesday oath of office ceremony on a city effort aimed at "opportunity youth" between the ages of 16 and 24.
-
-
December 2019
-
City of Memphis Memphis’ plan to cut off wastewater treatment to Southaven, Horn Lake moves to court
Since March 2018, the City of Memphis has been saying it intends to end the 1970s-era agreement to treat wastewater in a North Mississippi sewer district that predates the incorporation of Southaven.
-
City of Memphis Young: MLGW will review options, even if TVA offers deal
The president and CEO of MLGW outlines the Integrated Resources Plan that will play a large part in any recommendation from MLGW and what would happen if TVA tried to make a deal with the utility.
-
City of Memphis New e-book embargo by Macmillan on libraries starts Friday
The embargo limits Memphis Public Libraries to buying only one copy of a new Macmillan title for the first eight weeks the book is out. MPL director Keenon McCloy says the policy by one of the nation's big five publishers limits access and in turn the reach of such books.
-
Elections Goff leaves Republican fold over impeachment
On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, Sam Goff said he no longer considers himself a Republican because of the national party's position on the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
-
Podcasts Politics Podcast: Leaving the Republican Party over impeachment
Sam Goff, who ran as the Republican nominee for Shelby County Commission in 2018, says he is leaving the party over the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
-
City of Memphis Appeals court backs dismissal of Graceland lawsuit against city, county, Grizzlies
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has upheld dismissal of a 2018 lawsuit against the City of Memphis, Shelby County government and the Memphis Grizzlies by Elvis Presley Enterprises over Graceland’s plans to build a 6,200-seat arena on its Whitehaven campus.
-
City of Memphis Second Term: The Mayor, The Council and The Middle
Analysis of what is ahead for second-term Mayor Jim Strickland and a City Council that is a mix of second-termers, new members and those in between after an election year that delivered some mandates.
-
City of Memphis Conrad, Robinson say police and fire benefits restoration could be on different terms in 2020
The incoming and outgoing leaders of the Memphis City Council agree the city probably doesn't have enough money from a half-cent sales tax hike approved by voters in October to fully restore benefits cut by the city in 2014.
-
Podcasts Politics Podcast: New thoughts on crime and poverty
Thomas Abt, author of “Bleeding Out,” talks about urban violence and different methods for reducing it.
-
City of Memphis Eight agencies are first to benefit from city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The grants to eight nonprofits announced at City Hall Monday cover areas outside Downtown and Midtown where the housing stock is old and could use some help to encourage private development. The fund works with the city's recently approved Memphis 3.0 land use and development guidelines.
-
Premium
City of MemphisCity Council farewells reveal turbulent recent history, City Hall traditions
The six Memphis City Council members whose terms end with the new year said their farewells Dec. 17 at the last council meeting of the year. For some it was emotional, for others it was a time to reflect and for still others it was political.
-
Public Safety ‘Bleeding Out’ author hits familiar notes in local violence debate
Harvard research fellow Thomas Abt talked on The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast about his book “Bleeding Out,” which says poverty and violence are linked but fighting violence should come first.
-
Metro Primary field for General Sessions Court Clerk set at 17
The field of contenders in 2020's only countywide election stood at 17 with the passing of Thursday's deadline for any candidates to withdraw who wished. -
Elections Bloomberg says presidential race is referendum on impeachment
Democratic presidential contender Michael Bloomberg drew a crowd of 150 at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library Thursday in his first campaign stop in the city.
-
City of Memphis Council approves solid waste, partial MLGW fee hikes
Water and gas rate hikes were approved but a proposed electric rate hike was rejected. The council also took back its rejection of a solid waste fee hike that goes on the same monthly utility bills. That after Mayor Jim Strickland threatened layoffs and reductions in garbage service in the new year without the hike.
-