City Council looks at long-term police reforms in wake of Tyre Nichols’ death
Proposals include keeping data on police traffic stops and renewing plans to increase police training.
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 4421 articles by Bill Dries :
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January 2023
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City of Memphis -
City of Memphis City Council sets up compromise provisions for Memphis in May damage deposit
The council votes on the Memphis in May measure at its first meeting in February. The council delayed several other matters, including a possible new name for Audubon Park and a decision on the Dream Hotel.
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Memphis facility should reduce cancer-causing emissions, City Council says
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission approves three-month moratorium on Land Bank sales
The unanimous Shelby County Commission vote Monday for the moratorium came despite county attorneys warning the commission might be overstepping its authority.
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Winner of District 86 primary to get an extra day’s jump on appointment
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East Memphis Council member proposes name change for Audubon Park
The Memphis City Council is also expected to take up the Dream hotel project on South Main and a damage deposit proposal for Memphis in May’s return to Tom Lee Park.
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Shelby County Anticipating February ‘rush,’ Halbert to close Downtown vehicle registration for two weeks
Less than 24 hours before the partial closing begins, the Shelby County Clerk says it is to “stay ahead of February’s anticipated rush.”
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Shelby County Winner of District 86 primary to get jump on appointment
The County Commission will vote Wednesday on a move to make the primary winner of the District 86 special election the appointee until the uncontested March election results are certified.
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Shelby County County Commission considers 3-month moratorium on Land Bank sales
The moratorium on the Monday, Jan. 23, agenda is the latest indication that commissioners want to reexamine land use and property transfers in blighted areas.
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State Government Ballot Basics: Election Day is Jan. 24 in state House District 86
With an empty Republican primary on Tuesday’s ballot and no independent candidates, the winner of the 10-candidate Democratic primary will be the de facto winner of the seat after the token March special general election.
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Behind The Headlines National Civil Rights Museum moves to digitize archives
Russell Wigginton, president of the NCRM, says on “Behind The Headlines” the museum’s expansion includes digitizing 11,000 items not currently on display.
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ElectionsTurner, Young mayoral campaigns reflect a generation’s return to Memphis
Van Turner and Paul Young talked about returning to Memphis after college and the role that’s played in their campaigns at separate fundraisers Saturday, Jan. 14.
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Public Safety City pledges to release Nichols incident police body cam footage next week
The joint statement from Mayor Jim Strickland and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis Tuesday, Jan. 17, came as the funeral of Tyre Nichols was underway.
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‘Tyre was a man': Loved ones of Tyre Nichols demand transparency from MPD
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City of MemphisVan with AI, laser imaging to scan Memphis streets for potholes
The effort will comprehensively map the condition of all 6,714 lane miles of Memphis’ streets.
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City of Memphis MLGW CEO McGowen: Priority is infrastructure overhaul
MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen says his priority is finding ways to accelerate the $1.2 billion, five-year plan to upgrade the utility’s infrastructure.
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On the Record Cohen, Kustoff on either side of Washington’s new power balance
Republican David Kustoff sees the prolonged balloting for the new Speaker as a healthy sign for Republican unity. Democrat Steve Cohen says Republicans will remain unified in the short term, but not in the longer term.
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City of Memphis Uptown TIF’s $14 million funding gets final approval
The council vote comes the day after the Shelby County Commission approved the same resolution. The funding is spread across four projects, including new affordable housing in Uptown and rehab of existing homes for legacy homeowners.
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City of Memphis Memphis City Council wants review of grant funding
The review comes partly in response to Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division’s decision not to apply for $109 million worth of water infrastructure grants from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
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City of Memphis Warmer than 32 or cooler than 95: New rules proposed for horse-drawn carriages
The council approved the changes in the first of three votes on the ordinance Tuesday, Jan. 10. The changes are part of a larger group of animal ordinance amendments.
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Shelby County Shelby County Commission’s first big 2023 issue: Who’s getting blighted or abandoned properties?
The County Commission acted on several fronts at its first meeting of the year Monday on the broader issue of the rules for tax sales and other transfer of parcels by the county.
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Low turnout in special elections draws questions, complaints from County Commission
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Shelby County Low turnout in special elections draws questions, complaints from County Commission
The State House District 86 primaries have drawn 275 early voters through the weekend, out of the 45,000 in the district, which has raised questions.
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City of Memphis MLGW looks to bolster water lines
During Tuesday city council committee sessions, officials are expected to have more to say about MLGW’s five-year, $1.2 billion infrastructure upgrade that is now expected to be completed by 2027, two years later than the original 2025 target date.
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Shelby County County Commission returns to issue of landlord registry
The commission’s earlier resolution urging the Tennessee Legislature to approve a rental registry for Shelby County was voted down last month after four commissioners recused themselves.
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Shelby County Top 5 County Commission votes of 2022
These five decisions in 2022 topped a review of the Shelby County Commission’s most crucial votes as chronicled by The Daily Memphian’s Commission Scorecard.
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City of Memphis Top 5 City Council votes of 2022
The Memphis City Council Scorecard puts votes on proposals to change how city leaders are elected and votes on public financing of a convention center hotel at the top of key votes in 2022.
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Behind The Headlines Crime and power grid define 2022 and beyond
Crime and the city’s power grid were among the major issues and stories of 2022 as discussed on a “Behind The Headlines” reporters roundtable.
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City of MemphisMoSH moving to become independent museum system
Memphis Museum Inc., which manages MoSH, Lichterman Nature Center, the Magevney House and the Mallory-Neely House, will operate as an independent entity under a new, still-developing contract with the City of Memphis.
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