Dallas, TX

Firefighters on duty this Christmas create special traditions

Published

5 months ago

December 26, 2025

Firefighters on duty this Christmas create special traditions

While many families across North Texas gathered at home for Christmas, firefighters at Dallas Fire Station 27 spent the holiday on duty. As they work to protect the city, they also lean on one another as family.

” I just love being a firefighter, just spending time with my second family here,” Francisco Amaro said.

Amaro is the driver engineer for Engine 27. He’s been a firefighter for more than a decade.

Even on Christmas Day, the station remained fully staffed, with firefighters working long shifts and responding to calls as usual. Though they missed being home with loved ones, the crew created holiday traditions of their own.

“All of us would probably rather be at home with our families on Christmas Day or on Thanksgiving, things like that. But we try to have a good attitude,” Lt. Justin McKinney said.

McKinney has served the City of Dallas for nearly 14 years.

“With us being here, that means the other people that work different shifts, they get to be home with their families,” McKinney said.

Inside the station, the sounds of preparation filled the air as firefighters split wood, fired up a smoker and cooked a holiday meal together.

The menu included familiar favorites like ham, mac and cheese, and sweet potato casserole.

One firefighter made cinnamon rolls from a recipe older than the station itself.

“This is my great-grandmother’s recipe,” Holly said.

“We’re going to smoke some meat out on the smoker,” said McKinney. “We try to make it feel as traditional as possible.”

While most of us were unwrapping gifts and gathering around the table…Some Dallas crews were clocking in at one fire station, where Christmas looks a little different, but is still full of heart and familiar traditions. NBC 5’s Alicia Barrera reports.

For many firefighters, the station has become a second home. Crew members say they spend a significant portion of their lives together, relying on one another both on and off the job.

“It’s like our second family. We spend a third of our lives with these people,” McKinney said.

This Christmas, firefighters also welcomed the ones who support them most, bridging the gap between duty and home.

McKinney said the sacrifices of working holidays can be difficult, but the work remains meaningful.

“I’ve always wanted a job that was kind of bigger than me,” McKinney said. “Being there on somebody’s worst day and being able to hopefully make a difference in somebody’s life, I get a lot of value out of that.”

For some, the distance from home is felt most during the holidays. Firefighter Chad Russ said he asked for a simple Christmas gift this year. He wanted something to remind him of his family while responding to emergency calls.

“It’s just a little insert that goes into our helmet. It kind of helps me remember, stay safe, while I am away from the house, no way I can come back to them,” Russ said.

The insert features a picture of his wife Holly and their two daughters Parker and Spencer.

“When you take it off after a fire,” Russ said, “you can look at it and know you’re going to make it home to them.”

As Christmas came and went, the firefighters of Station 27 remained ready for the next call, supported by tradition, teamwork and the families who help keep them going.

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Dallas, TX

McAllen Welcomes Texas Hockey | Dallas Stars

Published

6 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

McAllen Welcomes Texas Hockey | Dallas Stars

DallasStars.com is the official Web site of DSE Hockey Club, L.P. The Dallas Stars primary logo is a registered trademark and the Stars name and secondary logos are trademarks of the Dallas Stars. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2026 DSE Hockey Club, L.P. and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.

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Dallas, TX

At least three dead after fire destroys Dallas apartment complex

Published

18 hours ago

May 29, 2026

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At least three dead after fire destroys Dallas apartment complex

NewsFeed

A large fire destroyed an apartment complex in Dallas after crews responded to reports of a gas leak. Authorities say at least three people, including a child, were killed. Other residents are unaccounted for.

Published On 29 May 2026

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Dallas, TX

North Texas doughnut shops named among best in U.S.

Published

1 day ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

North Texas doughnut shops named among best in U.S.

Jarams will always be top in our hearts.

Lauren Drewes Daniels

Arguments about the best doughnut shops can get heated. We have our own personal top 10 favorites. And we have issues with DoorDash’s list below. So, let’s dive right into this sweet, round confection with a hole in the middle.

For National Donut Day, which is Friday, June 5, for all those who celebrate, DoorDash has a roundup of the top 100-rated small and medium-sized donut shops on DoorDash. The list includes local businesses across 86 cities and 25 states.

To be considered for the Donut Day Dozens list, the bakery must be small or medium-sized, have fewer than 10 stores, and have at least 1,000 reviews. The shops with the highest average consumer ratings from April 2025 to April 2026 were chosen.

Of the 21 donut shops chosen across Texas, 13 are located in North Texas.

North Texas bakeries named best doughnuts

Morning Donuts – Dallas, TX
Baker’s Dozen Donuts – Cross Roads, TX
Busy B’s Bakery – North Richland Hills, TX
Donut House Plano – Plano, TX
Donut King #3 – Fort Worth, TX
Eagle Donuts – Crowley, TX
Earnest Donuts – Lewisville, TX
Four Seasons Donuts – Irving, TX
Jin’s Donuts – Farmers Branch, TX
Master Donut – The Colony, TX
Stacy Donuts – McKinney, TX
TWISTY DONUTS MANSFIELD – Mansfield, TX

A few misses

There are some obvious big misses here. Like La Rue in Trinity Groves, which apparently was left off because it has fewer than 1,000 reviews. We awarded this chef-driven shop Best Doughnuts in 2025 for pushing out top-tier confections every morning and a seasonal menu that will both win you over and break your heart. They’re also using only beef tallow in the fryers now.

And no Jarams? The shop on Preston Road has a 4.7 average rating on DoorDash, and it appears 4.8 was the cutoff. The family-owned Jarams is one of the best shops in Dallas.

As is Detour Donuts in Frisco. This is run by an ambitious young baker who draws long lines for themed doughnuts and a rotating menu.

Beyond North Texas …

The rest of the awarded donut shops were mostly located in Houston, with a sprinkle in San Antonio. Shops were listed in alphabetical order, and not with any sort of numbered ranking system.