What To Look Out For in 2025 Dallas News

Well, 2024, you’re almost over. In some ways, we’re sad to see you go. But in all honesty, in many other ways, we’re happy to help you with your bags as you scoot on out the door.

Elections and all they entail dominated the headlines around here in 2024. Former President Donald Trump became President-elect Donald Trump. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz became newly re-elected U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and all sorts of new Dallas city charter amendments were approved by the voters.

But elections and politics isn’t all we suggested you should keep an eye out for in 2024. We wondered just how “red” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson would get after his infamous party-switch announcement in Sept. 2023. Turns out, he got lots more red. We were curious about what the state of reproductive rights would look like in 2024 after some high-profile challenges to Texas’ abortion ban went through the courts. Similar to how Johnson’s conservative bona fides grew only more intense in 2024, so did the GOP’s grip on abortion access.

As eventful as this year has been, we have every reason to think that 2025 will be just as action- and drama-packed. Here’s what to keep an eye on in Dallas news in 2025.

Help Wanted

Some major 2024 happenings will impact 2025 rather mightily. Dallas is still looking to replace both former City Manager T.C. Broadnax, who announced his departure nearly a year ago, and the popular, productive former police chief, Eddie Garcia, who retired from the force in September. Four finalists for the city manager job were announced recently, and current interim City Manager Kimberly Tolbert is on the short list. Both Broadnax and Garcia are in Austin now, working together in the city manager’s office while Big D aims to fill their spots.

It’s Never Not Election Season

Before you know it, Dallasites will be going back to the polls to pick city council members. This is especially important thanks to the aforementioned high-profile job openings, as well as the introduction of the new charter amendments that require a massive increase to the police force. We know it will look at least a little different after May 3: District 11’s Jaynie Schultz has announced she would not seek re-election, and Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins' seat and that of Council Member Omar Narvaez will also be open due to term limits.

Lingering Questions Over Long-Term Neighborhood Drama

Some controversies we were looking forward to seeing resolved in 2024 will have to wait until 2025 to be settled — possibly. The battle over Dallas’ near-total ban on short-term rentals reached a dramatic high in 2023 when the city council voted to outlaw Airbnb and VRBO properties in all single-family neighborhoods. Thanks to a lawsuit from local STR owners, the issue has dragged on throughout this year and is now in the hands of the Texas 5th District Court of Appeals, which will likely rule just after the New Year.

Dude, Where’s My Robotaxi?

Remember those Cruise robotaxis that seemed to be darting around Dallas a good bit in 2023? They disappeared from Texas streets after the company experienced a range of technical and safety problems in other markets. But if you’ve been paying attention, especially around downtown lately, the little white and orange Chevy Bolts with a bunch of cameras strapped to them have been puttering around city streets lately after soft-launching a new trial program in June.

Will the Stars, Mavericks Get Over the Title Hump?

Forget the Cowboys — there are two other pro teams in town that have been contending for championships in recent years. The Dallas Stars went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2020 and to the Western Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons. Meanwhile, the Mavericks enjoyed a remarkable run to the NBA Finals last season. Both teams returned for the 2024–25 seasons with arguably better rosters than the ones that saw success in previous years. Perhaps 2025 will be the year Dallas adds to its trophy count.

The Next Session

Odd-numbered years bring the predictably odd happenings of another Texas Legislative session. The 89th session begins on Jan. 14 and is scheduled to end on June 2, but you might recall that the 88th session resulted in four special sessions that stretched into autumn. There’s a good chance those extra sessions will be avoided in 2025. The reason Gov. Greg Abbott called them in 2023 was a proposed school voucher program. It just might pass his time around thanks to a number of key primaries that went the governor’s way in 2024. Again, bills regarding the LGBTQIA+ community and school library books will be debated heavily, while Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick takes his battle against intoxicating hemp products to the next level.