Outgoing mayor Lee Harris said state oversight will make Mickell Lowery’s job harder
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris talks about his eight years as mayor on “Behind The Headlines” and the challenges facing his successor, Mayor-elect Mickell Lowery.
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 4419 articles by Bill Dries :
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August 2026
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Behind The Headlines -
Shelby County Newly elected commissioners will watch as outgoing board tackles school budget, jail plans
The two agenda items come as commissioners prepare to give way on Sept. 1 to a new commission and a new county mayor.
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ElectionsAugust elections continue turbulent history for judicial appointments
Also in the political roundup, two write-in candidates appeared to fizzle by the unofficial vote totals, the Memphis narrative moves into the general election campaign and a D.C. Scorecard going into the August recess.
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Shelby County County Commission tries one last time on new-jail study
Shelby County commissioners debated whether they should do nothing and let the new commission with a new majority start anew on the issue.
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Update
Shelby CountyCommissioner Erika Sugarmon charged with vandalism
Shelby County Commissioner Erika Sugarmon made a brief appearance Tuesday, Aug. 11, in General Sessions Court on at least four charges of vandalism under $1,000.
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Shelby CountySigns of trouble: Inside the vandalism charges against Erika Sugarmon
The chain of events chronicled in the two misdemeanor traffic camera footage, Facebook video and a chain of events chronicled in two misdemeanor citations trace the months-long path to a not-guilty plea by the county commissioner.
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ElectionsBlackburn wants to close Tennessee’s primaries. History shows why that’s complicated
A 1972 state law is receiving renewed emphasis. What the law means still depends on which party and which of its leaders you talk to.
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Shelby County Ford sentencing delayed several times as County Commission seats turn over
As eight Shelby County commissioners prepare to leave office at the end of August, the federal corruption case of former commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., who resigned earlier this year, is still on its way to sentencing.
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Metro Application open for General Sessions judicial vacancy
The County Commissioners who were elected on the Aug. 6 ballot will fill the vacancy left by the election of Judge Lonnie Thompson to Chancery Court on the same ballot.
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Elections Jerri Green sees path to victory in Tennessee governor’s race
She also talked on “Behind The Headlines” about why her call to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement doesn’t mean she wants to abandon enforcement of immigration laws and how she would handle the state appointed board to run Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
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ElectionsJerri Green’s game plan and Marsha Blackburn’s primary numbers
Also in the political roundup: a look at turnout in the Nov. 3 general election, Gov. Bill Lee on the mix of public and private and a possible Senate vacancy, campaign sign rules and write-ins.
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City of Memphis City Council will talk data centers and medical debt
Also on the Tuesday agenda: a move of MATA funding, money for the Mud Island amphitheater and more.
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State Government 4 Memphis attorneys nominated for 2 new Criminal Court judicial positions
The four applicants include three prosecutors and an attorney with the Tennessee Innocence Project.
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City of Memphis MPD chief looks to post-Task Force future
Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis said she and other police brass have asked leaders of the federal law enforcement agencies making up the Memphis Safe Task Force to have a permanent presence in the city after the deployment ends.
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Public Safety Sawyer federal corruption case stays on track to January trial date
The Jan. 11, 2027, trial date stands in the public corruption case as defense attorneys continue to review 50,000 documents from discovery.
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Behind The Headlines Brent Taylor said legal immigration should be ‘paused’
The “Behind the Headlines” interview with the Republican nominee for the 9th Congressional District also covered Taylor’s support for limiting birthright citizenship, war in Iran, the economy, the Epstein files and whether President Donald Trump won the 2020 election.
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Arts & CultureBaron Von Opperbean weathers HVAC problems to draw more than 10K people
Leaders of the immersive experience built in the old River Museum on Mud Island are hoping the recent activity can bring some momentum to the city-owned river park.
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Elections Changing of the guard at Shelby County Commission
The Monday, Aug. 24, session of the Shelby County Commission is the last of the four-year term for eight of the 13 commissioners. Here is a rundown of the old commission versus the new body that takes office Sept. 1 and a few last-minute moves on Monday’s agenda.
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Elections How AOC, Cohen shared flight illustrates the Democratic divide
Also in the political roundup: more from state Senator Brent Taylor on Behind The Headlines, a closer look at the 5th Congressional District Democratic primary results and Mongo’s campaign art.
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Shelby County County Commission ends term with cap on school-takeover legal fees
Shelby County commissioners closed out their four-year term of office Monday, Aug. 24, by capping the county’s share of legal expenses at $200,000 in the ongoing federal-court case about the state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
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Shelby CountyWith days left in office, second ouster attempt of Wanda Halbert is near dismissal
An order requiring the county to pay Halbert’s attorney's fees was signed this week, although the county’s outside attorney objected and could appeal.
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Shelby County Mickell Lowery begins transition to Shelby County mayor
Shelby County Mayor-elect Mickell Lowery has 250 appointed positions within his administration to fill as he prepares to take the oath of office Monday.
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State Government Gov. Lee chooses commutation instead of exoneration in Nashville murder conviction
Gov. Bill Lee also announced his decision to grant pardons to 33 other Tennesseans who have completed prison sentences and have not been convicted of any crime for at least five years since they were released.
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Shelby County Lee Harris exits county government with portrait and new job at Ole Miss
Outgoing Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said his portrait will take his place at the county building.
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Shelby County County doesn’t want to pay Wanda Halbert’s legal fees
The county’s second attempt to oust Wanda Halbert as County Clerk ended with a court order dictating county government should pay her legal fees.
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