The Biggest Dallas News Stories Of 2026

Aerial Drone over downtown Dallas, Texas at night — Source: adamkaz / Getty

As 2026 unfolds, Dallas continues to make headlines with a mix of impactful events, community milestones, and stories that have captured the attention of the city and beyond. From breakthroughs in long-standing cold cases and major developments in local governance to cultural celebrations and economic shifts and more.This year’s top news stories reflect both the resilience and spirit of Dallas.

Pivotal moments that not only shaped local conversations but also highlighted trends. These stories represent the issues that mattered most to Dallas-area communities. In this roundup, we revisit the most talked-about, most shared, and most impactful news from across the city in 2026.

See what’s kept Dallas talking this year.

UPDATED: June 22nd 10:40 AM CST

ZeeTheWizards Death

Zecqurie Fields aka Zeethewizard was a 25-year-old loalc dallas artist who was shot outside of pinkhouse nightclub in dallas texas on new years day and later died on january 5, 2026.

AT&T Moving Headquarters From Dallas To Plano

AT&T is moving its corporate headquarters from Dallas to Plano. AT&T says it will have a new 54-acre campus on Legacy Drive in a plan that will allow it to consolidate its offices from across the metroplex in one place. They could be moving as soon as the first half of 2028.

AT&T Store In San Diego — Source: Kevin Carter / Getty

Dallas Police Close Longest Missing Persons Case After 52 Years

After 52 years, the Dallas police department finally had a breakthrough and was able to close this missing persons case at the end of 2025. This is the case of 16-year-old Norman Prater, who went missing on January 14, 1973. The teen was last seen walking with friends in East Dallas, but unfortunately, never made it home.

Police Lights — Source: Radio ONE / General

I.C.E In North Texas

mmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to be active across North Texas, especially around the Dallas–Fort Worth area. There has been increased attention and concern recently, including local protests following a federal ICE officer-involved shooting in Minneapolis that sparked nationwide reactions

RELATED: I.C.E. in North Texas

Protest Against ICE Abuse — Source: NurPhoto / Getty

North Texas schools walk out

Across North Texas schools this week students took a stance and protested in connection to federal immigration enforcement, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It focuses on where events occurred, how institutions responded, and what this reflects about youth engagement.

University of Missouri President Resigns As Protests Grow over Racism — Source: Michael B. Thomas / Getty

DFW winter storm

There’s a Winter Storm Warning in effect until Wednesday afternoon and it looks like things are just get started. We can expect temperatures to drop to the high 20’s at night and only warming up to the low 30’s during the day. WFAA Meteorologists say we can expect “rounds of freezing rain and possibly some sleet as well with accumulations of ice ranging from .10 inches to .50 inches across the area.”

Texas Weather — Source: Radio ONE / J. Bachelor

3 Brothers Drown In Icy Pond

Tragedy struck in Bonham, Texas, where 3 young brothers, ages 6,8 & 9, died during the winter storm. On Monday, north of Bonham, the 3 boys were across the street from a house where they were staying when they fell into an icy private pond.

Winter Refuge: Ducks Gathering at the Thawing Lake Edge — Source: Ruslan Nastas / Getty

North Texas High Speed Police Chase

A high-speed chase took place across three north Texas counties on Thursday morning, with the suspect reaching speeds of 110 MPH. This was a 90-minute pursuit that ended with 5 suspects in custody. The chase began near FM 875 and FM 663 in Ellis County around 3:20 a.m. and lasted for about an hour before the suspects crashed on I-30 at about 4:20 a.m. near Camp Bowie Boulevard.

Oak Cliff’s Beloved Rudy’s Chicken Closing

After three decades of feeding Oak Cliff and the rest of North Texas, Rudy’s Chicken on Lancaster Road is closing its doors — and if you grew up anywhere near southern Dallas, you already know this one hurts.

This week, the line wrapped around the building like it was a holiday. Folks stood out there for hours just to get one last box. Not because it’s trendy. Not because it went viral. But because it’s Rudy’s.

Alleged Voter Supression In Dallas County

The democratic vote was a challenge this year. People were confused about where to vote, causing them to have to go to multiple locations. It got to a point where the polls had to be extended in Dallas County to 9 pm. However, the Texas Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the Dallas County courts’ extension for the democratic votes on election day, despite all the confusion they faced trying to vote. Dallas County was ordered to separate votes cast by anyone who wasn’t in line to vote by 7 p.m., which is the typical cutoff time.

R1 Voting Graphic — Source: Radio One / Urban One

Record-Breaking Rain In North Texas

Wednesday night, North Texas experienced record-breaking rainfall and destructive storms. Going into Thursday, residents face a brief pause before a second round of severe weather arrives for the weekend. However, isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will linger throughout Thursday, while Thursday’s weather is not expected to be severe, lightning along with high winds up to 30 mph remain the primary hazard.

Dramatic sky before rain. Grey clouds — Source: Serhii Bilohubets / Getty

Pooh Shiesty and Affiliates Robbed & Kiddnapped Gucci Mane In Dallas

Rapper Pooh Shiesty and Big 30, along with a few others, have been accused of orchestrating an armed kidnapping and robbery of rapper Gucci Mane. Gucci Mane is the head of 1017 Records, which signed Pooh Shiesty in April 2020. Though Pooh Shiesty and Big 30 are childhood friends, both being from Memphis, Tennessee, Big 30 is signed to Moneybagg Yo’s Bread Gang label.

Bomb Threat In Downtown Dallas

Dallas police bomb squad breached a suspicious vehicle in downtown Dallas on Tuesday afternoon, around 1:30 p.m., after a possible bomb threat that led to the lockdown of the El Centro campus of Dallas College and Bank of America.

RELATED: Bomb Threat in Downtown Dallas

Police Tape — Source: Radio One / Radio One

Dallas Welcoms Azzi Fudd As The No.1 Draft Pick

Azzi Fudd is making her way from New York City to Dallas, Texas, as the number 1 WNBA draft pick for the Dallas Wings with a $500,000 payday.

Dallas Wings and Dallas Mavericks G.E.M Jersey — Source: Mavericks Media / Online Editor: Reagan Elam

Dallas Cowboys 2026 Draft Picks

The Dallas Cowboys wrapped up the 2026 NFL Draft with a series of strategic picks aimed at bolstering their roster across multiple positions. Here’s a breakdown of each selection and the potential upside they bring to the team.

Dallas Cowboys Training Camp — Source: Jazzi Black / Radio One

Deadly Shooting At Carrollton Shopping Center

On Tuesday, a man in Carrollton, Texas, shot 5 people, killing 2 of them after meeting at a shopping center in north Dallas. Carrollton is about 20 miles north of Dallas. This was not a random act of violence. The victims and the suspectknew each other, according to Roberto Arredondo, the Carrollton police chief.

Dallas Skyline — Source: Mark McCray / Mark McCray

New 5-Acre Park Opens In Oak Cliff

Dallas welcomes a new addition to the community. Halperin Park is a new five-acre park over I-35, between South Ewing and Marsalis avenues, near the Dallas Zoo.After years of planning and fundraising, the park opens its doors to the public Saturday May 9th, and is being called the park that will change Oak Cliff

Dallas Mavericks Part Ways With Head Coach

On Tuesday, May 19, the Dallas Mavericks and now-former head coach Jason Kidd mutually agreed to part ways. Last offseason, Kidd signed an extension and still has four years and more than $40 million remaining on his contract, according to Sports Illustrated. This news comes just a little over two weeks after the Dallas Mavericks named former Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as their alternate governor and president.

Deadly Explosion In Oak Cliff

Thursday afternoon, three people died after an apartment explosion led to a major fire at a Dallas complex.Nearly 100 firefighters were battling the flames that left the collapsed building on the ground with black smoke filling the sky. According to the Dallas Fire and Rescue, the bodies of two adult women and one child were found in the rubble. Four additional people were hospitalized with injuries.Dozens of firefighters, some of them had hoes trained on piles of smokedebris, while others lifted and moved lumber and other burned wreckage, searching for people underneath.

RELATED: Deadly Explosion In Oak Cliff

The Mavericks Move Out of Downtown Dallas

On Monday, June 1st, the Dallas Mavericks confirmed their plan to leave downtown Dallas and have entered into an “option agreement” for the potential purchase of 104 acres of land at the former Valley View Mall site near Preston Road and Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway in North Dallas.

Dallas Mavericks Season Contest — Source: Ion Digital / Online Editor: Reagan Elam

Dallas Stars Move to Plano

The Dallas Stars have taken a major step toward moving their home base north, announcing a nonbinding letter of intent tied to a potential new arena in Plano. The proposal would place a hockey-focused venue and mixed-use entertainment district at The Shops at Willow Bend, pending future approvals and planning.

Dallas Stars v Minnesota Wild - Game Six — Source: Bruce Kluckhohn / Getty

Name Change Coming Soon to Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena

President of Dickies Arena and Trail Drive Management Corporation Matt Homan said in a recent podcast appearance that the Dickies Arena will soon undergo a name change. Homan said the brand management company that acquired dickies in 2025, Bluestar Alliance, no longer wants to be a part of the arena’s naming rights. Holman says, “We’ll be looking for a new naming rights partner in the coming months.”

NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship — Source: C. Morgan Engel / Getty

Karmelo Anthony Vs Austin Metcalff

The murder trial of Karmelo Anthony has expanded beyond the courtroom as Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison on June 9. This trial has become a part of a broader debate over race and the justice system. Juries were ultimately asked to decide whether Anthony’s stabbing of Austin was justified as self-defense. However, many people are viewing the case through broader concerns about fairness, bias, and trust in the justice system, turning the case into a proxy for larger debates about justice and race.

ANTHONYTRIALDAY5 - Karmelo Anthony trial protest — Source: The Dallas Morning News/Hearst Newspapers / Getty

Dallas Mavericks Get New Head Coach

Coach Dusty May of the University of Michigan men’s basketball team is packing his bags and heading to Dallas, Texas, to take on the new role as the Dallas Mavericks head coach, confirmed Monday by CBS News Texas & ESPN. The past two basketball seasons, May coached the Wolverines, leading Michigan to the 2026 NCAA national championship. Coach May will be replacing former Mavs head coach Jason Kidd, who was let go in May of 2026 after 5 seasons with the Dallas Mavs.