Justin J. Pearson running for reelection and U.S. House
Races on the May and August ballots continue to take shape ahead of filing deadlines in February and March.
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 4420 articles by Bill Dries :
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January 2026
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Elections -
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Public SafetyChristmas party shooting rekindles fight over ‘party house’ rentals
What was billed as a “Pajama Christmas Party” with a cover charge and offers of free liquor Dec. 20 ended with gunfire and the death of a man shot outside the short-term rental in East Memphis.
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Shelby CountyNew GOP chair says there will be a Republican contender for county mayor
Rachel Wall the new chair of the Shelby County Republican Party, says the GOP should have a name contender for county mayor soon.
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Spirit of Memphis On MLK Day, calls for new activism echoed around the National Civil Rights Museum
The holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. drew a large crowd at the Civil Rights Museum as one of the last living members of the city’s civil rights vanguard called out against “the silence of good people.”
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Elections 2020 Black Lives Matter protest organizer to challenge Cohen for Congress
Already facing Rep. Justin J. Pearson, Steve Cohen faces a new challenger; one who was active during the George Floyd protests in Memphis years ago.
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Behind The Headlines Outgoing Public Defender: ‘We’re not into assembly line justice’
Phyllis Aluko said there’s been a shift in people’s attitudes toward crime, punishment and due process, but public defenders play a key role in upholding constitutional standards.
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Spirit of Memphis From organizers to donors, it took heart to make Northside Square project happen
Unconventional project provides new digs for Code Crew, Greater Memphis Chamber, Literacy Mid-South, Moore Tech, Memphis Symphony and Collective Blue Print.
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South Memphis Lowery’s ashes to be enshrined at LeMoyne-Owen
The City Council member and City Court Clerk died this past September.
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Public SafetyIn wake of fatal Minneapolis ICE shooting, some locals worry what could happen here
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen is calling on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign as federal immigration raids in other places have taken a violent turn.
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City of Memphis Council plans to turn block of Monroe into ‘Hyde Family Way’
The council will take the first of three votes later this month on changing the name of the street between the new Memphis Art Museum and the Cossitt Library.
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Shelby County Commission steps in to pay county clerk’s rent in Millington
The commission initially planned to only pay the back rent for Wanda Halbert’s Shelby County Clerk’s Office, but decided Monday to approve money for future rent, too.
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Education County Commission votes to keep all nine MSCS seats on 2026 ballot
Commissioners decided Monday they want a lawsuit to stay in place and a court to put an end to the dispute over MSCS elections one way or another.
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Elections Opening day action to get on August ballot dominated with familiar faces
Six of the 13 incumbent state House members representing Shelby County in Nashville checked out petitions on Friday’s opening day. Meanwhile, several judicial positions on the August ballot as special elections are also filling up.
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City of Memphis First City Council meeting of 2026 features more changes in public safety funding
The city will be at halfway point in its fiscal year, as the council discusses pay raises for firefighters, renovating a police precinct, relocating a Downtown MPD unit and “Hyde Square.”
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MetroLee Harris makes a list. Marie Feagins makes Democrats nervous. A candidate makes reference to Wanda Halbert’s inspirational leadership.
Also in the political roundup, Jerri Green gets a new job and stays on the campaign trail. And meet the first Republican contender for County Mayor.
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Shelby County Will Shelby County pay back rent for the clerk’s Millington office?
Shelby County commissioners will vote on a resolution that would settle an ongoing dispute with the City of Millington for the $28,800 owed in rent for the County Clerk’s office on Navy Road.
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MetroWhitehaven preachers lament Memphis’ long debate about crime and violence
Standing outside Berean Missionary Baptist Church in the Whitehaven neighborhood of Memphis, the preachers led a series of prayers for an end to violent crime in the immediate area.
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Behind The Headlines Immigration enforcement doing more harm than good, Memphis lawmakers say
State Sen. Raumesh Akbari and County Commission Chair Shante Avant discussed the Memphis Safe Task Force’s immigration role on “Behind The Headlines” as well as legislation that would allow a state takeover of Memphis schools.
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Elections Here come the candidates for August elections
Friday is the first day to check out and file qualifying petitions to get on the Aug. 6 ballot featuring state and federal primaries.
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Elections Morgan resigns as local Republican Party chairman
The local Republican Party’s executive committee meets later this month to elect a new chair.
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MetroPolitical roundup: Mike Williams picks a race, Cohen doesn’t endorse, more
Former Memphis Police Association president Mike Williams picks a race. Also, a nonendorsement by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a new city policy director and a review of the Election Commission’s revamped website.
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City of Memphis Young says goal of 40% drop in crime met two years ahead of campaign promise
Memphis Mayor Paul Young talked about the 2023 campaign promise at Thursday’s Lowery New Year’s Day Prayer Breakfast Downtown.
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City of MemphisMoney, MATA, xAI: Top Memphis City Council votes of 2025
The most important Memphis City Council decisions of 2025 were about the flow of city funds, the city-owned bus system, what to do with property tax revenues from xAI and the council’s relationship with the Mayor’s office.
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Metro After US topples Maduro, Memphis-area leaders react
The Memphis area’s representatives in Washington, D.C., reacted hours after the military operation that took Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro into custody for trial on federal drug charges in the U.S.
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Public SafetyWhat do Memphians think about Memphis Safe Task Force?
Some say the National Guard “shouldn’t be here,” while others say Memphis “got the message.” The Daily Memphian captured a snapshot of where Memphians stand on the Memphis Safe Task Force and its impact.
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