City Council passes tentative zoning for data centers
Council members are still debating whether there should be a moratorium on new data centers to get public buy-in or at least an understanding of what the rules will do and what they won’t do.
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 4477 articles by Bill Dries :
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October 2026
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City of Memphis -
Shelby County County Commission will take up data center moratorium of its own
The Shelby County Commission will take a first vote on a data center moratorium. It comes as the Memphis City Council is considering a similar proposal.
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Shelby County County Commission advances data center pause
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners’ action mirrors the direction the Memphis City Council is going on data centers.
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State Government David Hatley tops latest campaign finance reports in race for Tennessee governor
New campaign finance reports filed this week show independent candidate for Tennessee governor David Hatley’s self-financed campaign is up to $12 million.
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Update
City of MemphisSoulsville getting $7M boost
Memphis Mayor Paul Young announced the infusion of cash to the community to help spur new housing development like the efforts gathering momentum currently in North Memphis.
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Behind The Headlines Midterm campaigns turn to numbers as early voting begins
The mix of early voting and campaigns watching the turnout while trying to mobilize their voters and partisans is the main topic of conversation on “Behind The Headlines.”
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ElectionsEarly voting’s first four days shadow 2018 trend
Also in the roundup: Commissioner Rhonda O’Dell’s second letter about Edmund Ford Jr., “Souls to the Polls” rallies worked to boost the early vote turnout Saturday and Pearson and Molder make appeals beyond party lines.
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City of Memphis Data center moratorium returns to City Council with new security measures
Five ordinances and a resolution — all on data centers — top the Tuesday council agenda including a call for a moratorium on new data centers.
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City of Memphis City Council asks ICE, National Guard to leave Memphis
The nonbinding resolution approved at a tense and standing-room-only council session is similar to a resolution the council voted down in September 2025.
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City of Memphis City Council votes down indefinite data center pause
The Memphis City Council approved a move toward developing land-use standards and regulations for new data centers that comes with a 135-day moratorium.
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Shelby CountySpending in MSCS-takeover suit nears county’s limit
A Shelby County Board of Commissioners decision to continue funding the litigation could coincide with a major milestone in the Chancery Court case.
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City of MemphisHow the City Council voted on data centers
Memphis City Council voted on a pair of data center moratorium proposals on Tuesday.
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ElectionsCohen gives ‘Yellow Dog’ endorsement of Pearson as Election Day nears
Also in the political roundup, Jerri Green votes early, Marsha Blackburn returns to the culture wars, Molder and Hatcher share a stage in Spring Hill and Mayor Paul Young touts violence intervention without the Task Force.
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Shelby County County Commission to consider an exit from lawsuit over state’s schools takeover
The proposal to exit the lawsuit over the state takeover of MSCS’ elected board didn’t have enough votes in committee last week. The commission also votes on a new data center moratorium in the unincorporated county.
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2026 elections
ElectionsEarly voter turnout trails 2018 pace
Early voting through Saturday in Shelby County is approximately 11,000 off the 2018 pace of early voting for the same midterm election cycle.
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2026 elections
ElectionsCohen, NAACP address voting machine problems in separate events
As concerns about Tennessee voting machines have gone viral in recent days, U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen and other local Democratic leaders urged Memphians to vote — and check their ballots.
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2026 elections
ElectionsWith midterms approaching, Task Force is focus for both sides of the aisle
With early voting underway in Shelby County, federal officials touted the Memphis Safe Task Force while Democratic congressional nominees vowed to scrutinize the operation.
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2026 elections
ElectionsTurbulent political season arrives at last election of 2026
Normally sleepy congressional races have become the center of attention.
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2026 elections
ElectionsHere’s what to know about ballot amendments
Voters statewide will consider three constitutional amendments, while Memphis voters face three additional charter questions. House districts 84 and 93 also have unusual races.
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2026 elections
ElectionsTurning Memphis red dominates Trump’s Clarksville stop
Also in the political roundup, Tennessee’s GOP chairman talks about midterm trends, Justin J. Pearson’s ban letter goes public before he gets a copy and breaking ground for the new OUTMemphis center comes with culture war impact.
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2026 elections
Behind The HeadlinesKuhn says Kustoff is vulnerable in reelection bid
Heidi Kuhn, 8th Congressional District Democratic nominee, discusses her challenge of Republican incumbent David Kustoff on ‘Behind The Headlines.’
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2026 elections
ElectionsTrump adds Tennessee stop to midterm campaign blitz
The visit would come as Republicans try to flip the state’s last Democratic-held U.S. House seat under a new map that splits Memphis into three districts.
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2026 elections
ElectionsLast day to register to vote on Nov. 3 ballot is Monday
The general elections for three newly drawn congressional districts that divide Shelby County are expected to be a potent draw on the Nov. 3 ballot along with a tightening race for governor.
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Shelby County County Commission stays in MSCS-takeover lawsuit
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners also delayed action on two ordinances dealing with data centers and appointed two new judicial commissioners.
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Shelby County County Clerk’s Office tweaks hours
Meanwhile, the Clerk’s Office continues to close in-person vehicle registrations and renewals one day a month to deal with a backlog and for staff training.
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