This Week's Top Stories

fire

Alma Fire Burns 653 Acres Southeast of Ennis, Fully Contained After FM 85 Evacuations

A fast-moving grass fire ignited September 4 near the community of Alma, forcing residents along FM 85 to evacuate before crews brought it fully under control the following day.

A brush fire that ignited during the afternoon of Friday, September 4, 2026, southeast of Ennis quickly grew to 653 acres before emergency crews gained control. The blaze, officially named the Alma Fire by the Texas A&M Forest Service, forced evacuations for residents from Zmolek Road to Bruce Road along FM 85 as it moved north from FM 1182 east of Alma. Emergency road closures were placed on FM 1182, FM 85, Walker Creek Road, Mach Road, and Zmolek Road.

Ferris

Yellowstone Spinoff 'The Dutton Ranch' Has Been Filming in Ferris Since Mid-August

Paramount selected Ferris as a primary shooting location for a new Yellowstone spinoff featuring Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, bringing national attention and local casting calls to the small North Texas city.

The city of Ferris announced in August 2025 that Paramount Pictures had selected it as a primary filming location for a new Yellowstone spinoff series, initially known by the working title 'Rio Palo' and later confirmed as 'The Dutton Ranch.' The show stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, who reprise their Yellowstone roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler respectively, and is expected to be a multi-season Paramount+ production. Finn Little, who played their adopted son Carter on the original series, also joins the cast.

Ennis

Ennis City Commission Posts Special Meeting for September 29

The Ennis City Commission has scheduled a special session for Monday, September 29, capping a month that also included a special meeting on September 8 and an Economic Development Corporation board meeting on September 24.

The Ennis City Commission has scheduled a Special Meeting for Monday, September 29, 2026. The agenda — a 212-kilobyte PDF — has been posted to the city's official website at ennistx.gov for public review in advance of the session. The meeting follows a busy September that included a City Commission Special Meeting on September 8 and an Economic Development Corporation Board meeting on September 24.

Upcoming Events

Monday, September 29

Ennis City Commission Special Meeting

📍 Ennis City Hall, 107 N. Sherman St., Ennis · See posted agenda · Verify · City of Ennis

Wednesday, October 7

Ennis Main Street Board Meeting

📍 Ennis City Hall, 107 N. Sherman St., Ennis · See posted agenda · Verify · City of Ennis

Friday–Sunday, October 9–11

Stars of Texas Music Festival

📍 Texas Motorplex, 7500 US-287, Ennis · 3:00 PM Friday; 12:00 PM Saturday and Sunday · Verify · Stars of Texas

Wednesday–Sunday, October 14–18

Texas NHRA FallNationals

📍 Texas Motorplex, 7500 US-287, Ennis · Various times · Verify · NHRA

More from the Community

Ellis County Burn Ban Remains in Effect

The Ellis County Commissioners' Court voted to place a county-wide burn ban effective immediately at their meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.

Palmer ISD Board Adopts $1.0063 Tax Rate for 2026–27

The Palmer Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously 7–0 at its August 19, 2026 regular meeting to adopt a property tax rate of $1.0063 per $100 valuation for the 2026–27…

City of Ennis Purchasing Division Wins National Procurement Award

The City of Ennis announced that its Purchasing Division has been awarded the 2026 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP), a national honor from the National Procurement Institute recognizing outstanding performance in…

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