Senate confirms Andre Mathis to federal appeals court
The Butler Snow law partner becomes the first Black man from Tennessee to serve on the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
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 4215 articles by Bill Dries :
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September 2022
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Real Estate Council approves key $10 million financing for One Beale Grand Hyatt
Council members had questions about whether the financing sets a precedent now that the owners of the Downtown Memphis Sheraton have plans to add several hundred rooms to the original convention center hotel.
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Downtown board proposes One Beale resolution for $95M in bonds
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MetroNewest City Council member sees role as ‘resourceful connector’
Teri Dockery was appointed to the vacant District 4 council seat last month. She isn’t a candidate in the Nov. 8 special election for the council seat but is eyeing a full four-year term on the October 2023 ballot.
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MetroMid-South Coliseum’s future uncertain despite Liberty Park transformation
The Fairgrounds transition to Liberty Park began with a 2003 fire that brought down a 1920s landmark. What followed was a complex, political and at times contradictory path to change.
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Shelby County County Commission Scorecard: Funding Regional One and an ouster move
The Commission Scorecard tracks a trio of important decisions made at the end of the term of the commission that left office at the end of August. All three could be on the plate of the new commission.
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City of Memphis City Council to vote on One Beale financing compromise
The special meeting is the second in a week for the council. The compromise involving $10 million was announced by Mayor Jim Strickland before the Labor Day weekend.
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City of MemphisCity leaders to take ‘deeper dive’ into MLGW recommendation
The recommendation Thursday, Sept. 1, from MLGW CEO and President J.T. Young will likely not be the last word on the issue.
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Elections Council votes down adding mayoral runoff referendum to November ballot
The item would have required the winner of the 2023 Memphis mayor’s race to get a majority of the votes either on election day or in a runoff.
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Elections Turner opens campaign for Memphis mayor where Forrest statue once stood
The two-term Shelby County Commissioner opened his bid in Health Sciences Park with calls for equal opportunity in the city and expectations the race to the October 2023 election day could be crowded.
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City of Memphis City Council makes interim pick for District 4 vacancy
Teri Dockery, a counselor at the YMCA, is the newest Memphis City Council member.
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Downtown City reaches deal on One Beale Grand Hyatt financing
The agreement announced Thursday, Sept. 1, bypasses a city backstop of a reserve fund Carlisle Corp. had sought. Instead, the city puts up $10 million to be repaid by the One Beale developers in 10 years.
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Elections DMC head Paul Young announces run for Memphis mayor
The former director of the city’s Division of Housing and Community Development unveiled an online campaign presence on 901 Day.
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August 2022
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City of Memphis Seven apply to fill open District 4 city council seat
The 12 council members have seven applicants for the seat, vacant since the Aug. 9 resignation of Jamita Swearengen.
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Public Safety Incoming Juvenile Court judge names chief magistrate
Native Memphian Aftan Strong will lead the group of judges that will hear cases on a daily basis in the court.
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City of Memphis Van Turner kicks off Memphis mayor’s race as his commission term ends
Shelby County Commissioner Van Turner will declare he’s in the running for the new Memphis mayor Thursday, Sept. 1, at the former home to Confederate monuments.
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Shelby County Commission narrowly rejects special counsel to investigate clerk’s office
The move could have been a start toward ouster proceedings against Clerk Wanda Halbert.
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Shelby County Halbert calls attention to vacation ‘disrespectful’
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert also responded to allegations from the Assessor’s office that her cut off of information from a county database on new business permits has cost the county $4 million in tax revenue.
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Assessor alleges Halbert decision costs county $4M a year in lost tax revenue
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Shelby County Easter-Thomas pushes for reopening Memphis City Council district lines
Michalyn Easter-Thomas has the backing of a coalition of groups who want to explore not only new district lines for the council but possibly a restructuring, including runoffs and eliminating super districts.
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Shelby County County votes to set up committee to tackle new Regional One Health center funding
The next move for county funding toward a new Regional One Health center in the Medical District is an appointed committee to come up with recommendations on what is likely to be some kind of bond financing.
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Five County Commissioners attend last meeting after hitting term limit
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Shelby County Five County Commissioners attend last meeting after hitting term limit
Five departing commissioners were honored with plaques, framed proclamations and green-and-gold county flags while reflecting about holding elected office.
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South Memphis Judge orders no new tenants for Peppertree for next four months
The city filed in Federal Court this past month following two elevated walkways collapsing and a fire that burned the apartment leasing office to the ground.
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission closes 4-year term of office with Monday meeting
Six of the 13 commissioners are ending their time on the legislative body with Monday’s session. The commission also takes a vote that sets in motion $350 million in funding over several years for a new Regional One Health center.
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Elections Mayoral runoffs could return ahead of 2023 elections
With little fanfare, the council pulled its Aug. 9 vote defeating a ballot question on partisan city primaries. The reconsideration could amend that plan to a proposal to restore the runoff provision in the race for Memphis mayor.
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Behind The Headlines Controversial Jamaican holiday, MSCS superintendent search top busy news week
A reporters’ roundtable recaps those events and more on “Behind The Headlines.”
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City of MemphisHere’s how MIM can lower $1.4M damage deposit for Tom Lee Park
Negotiations between the festival and the partnership hit a rough patch this week over the amount.
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Mayor tells MIM and Memphis River Parks Partnership to work it out
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