Stories we're following

The Cleburne Yellowjackets opened their 2026 season with a 54-27 preseason loss to Granbury on August 28, then lost their Week 1 district game to Joshua. The team went on to suffer additional blowout losses — 62-0 to Sam Houston, 62-14 at Mansfield Legacy, and 55-7 to Centennial — leaving them winless through at least four games and prompting a public debate about the program's direction.

The Cleburne Railroaders clinched a playoff spot on September 3 with a pair of walk-off victories and announced their first-round postseason plans on September 6. They wrapped up the regular season and confirmed first-round matchup details by September 8. The Railroaders lost their playoff opener to Milwaukee on September 11 and faced elimination.

On August 24, a Cleburne police officer was shot in the leg during a gunfire exchange at a Sam's Club in Burleson after pursuing an armed suspect, who was fatally shot. By September 2, the wounded officer was home recovering and authorities had named the gunman. On September 27, a passenger from the pursuit was charged with attempted capital murder in connection with the officer's injuries.

Jury selection was scheduled to begin in Sheriff Adam King's criminal trial in late June 2026. After jurors deliberated late into the evening on July 6, the trial ended in a mistrial on July 8. A former Chief Deputy then filed a petition to remove King from office, King was subsequently arrested on retaliation charges, and a fourth indictment on harassment charges followed; a second trial began the week of August 26, with the defense resting without calling any witnesses by September 14.

Two inmates died at the Johnson County Jail in 2026, with both deaths occurring after inmates were found unresponsive in their cells. The second death, reported August 28, was described as the second such death this year and remains under official investigation.