As summer irrigation winds down across Jefferson County, local farmers and ranchers are taking stock of a difficult 2026 season marked by water curtailments, a meager snowpack, and statewide drought conditions that forced some water users off their rights entirely.

The Madras City Council appointed Tony Chard and Christopher Heden to fill two temporary vacancies following council resignations. Both took the oath of office on September 1 and will serve through the end of 2026.

As summer transitions to fall, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are advancing a range of natural resource, cultural, and community health initiatives on the 640,000-acre reservation in north-central Oregon — from ongoing water rights stewardship on the Deschutes to wildlife conservation work recognized nationally earlier this year.

The Madras City Council appointed Christopher Heden and Tony Chard on Tuesday to fill two seats left vacant by council resignations, adding new voices to city government through the end of 2026.

The Madras City Council appointed Christopher Heden and Tony Chard on Tuesday to fill two seats left vacant by the resignations of councilors Mike Seibold and Lamar Yoder. Both will serve through the end of the year.

The Madras City Council voted Tuesday to appoint Christopher Heden and Tony Chard to fill two council seats left vacant by the resignations of Mike Seibold and Lamar Yoder. Both will serve through the end of 2026.

A $25,000 grant and a matching $25,000 commitment from the Madras-based Bean Foundation pushes the Jefferson County Historical Society past $113,000 raised toward converting a 118-year-old church into the county's first dedicated museum.

With 94% of Jefferson County under severe drought this year and North Unit Irrigation District cutting water allotments significantly, local growers are closing out one of the toughest growing seasons in recent memory.

The Madras Aquatic Center Recreation District has named four new board members — Melissa Irvine, Ben Hocker, Miriam Fisher, and Paul May — ending a months-long governance crisis that left the district without a quorum and the community pool shuttered for part of the summer.

After one of Oregon’s worst drought years on record — with Jefferson County at 94 percent severe drought coverage and reduced water allotments from the North Unit Irrigation District — farmers across the county are navigating a late-summer harvest under smoke-filled skies and tighter-than-ever margins.

Jefferson County voters will face a packed November ballot featuring races for Madras mayor, three city council seats, county sheriff, and a five-year jail levy renewal -- all contests with real stakes for local services and community direction.