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Local News
Local News
Jefferson County Residential Burn Season Returns October 1
Jefferson County Fire & EMS has announced that residential outdoor burning will reopen Wednesday, October 1 — bringing welcome relief to homeowners eager to clear yard waste after a summer-long fire restriction period that began in May.
Local News
COCC Madras Campus Launches Fall 2026 Nursing Cohort as Enrollment Climbs
Central Oregon Community College's Madras campus is kicking off fall term with a filled nursing cohort, a newly completed building, and enrollment numbers trending upward — signs of a campus finding its footing as a healthcare training hub for Jefferson County.
Local News
Brenda Fahey Named Madras City Administrator, Ending Five-Month Search
After a five-month search, Madras has selected Brenda Fahey as its next city administrator — a hire that comes as the city navigates a period of leadership transition on multiple fronts.
Local News
Jefferson County Farmers Cap a Brutal Irrigation Season as Oregon Drought Lingers
As harvest season wraps up across Jefferson County, local farmers and ranchers are taking stock of a punishing year shaped by historically low snowpack, tight water allocations, and the driest conditions Oregon has seen in a decade.
Local News
Rowe Creek Complex Repair Work Wrapping Up; Wildfire Recovery Event Set for Sept. 26 in Prineville
Suppression repair work on the Conant Fire is complete and the Rowe Creek Complex is winding down, as Central Oregon fire crews prepare for new starts in warm, dry weather. A regional wildfire recovery resource event is planned for September 26 at Crook County High School.
Local News
Warm Springs Housing Authority Secures $5 Million Federal Grant to Build Seven New Homes
The Warm Springs Housing Authority will receive $5 million in federal HUD funding to construct seven new single-family homes for tribal members — a major investment as the reservation continues recovering from a summer of devastating wildfires.
Local News
Warm Springs Tribes Invite Community to Huckleberry Habitat Workshop This Week
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will host a Huckleberry Habitat Management Workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Hehe Longhouse — inviting tribal members and traditional harvesters to help shape the future of a culturally vital landscape.
Local News
COCC Madras Health Sciences Building Welcomes First Full Fall Semester
After a spring ribbon-cutting, the Central Oregon Community College Madras campus is now running its new $22 million Health Sciences facility at full capacity — bringing nursing and medical assistant training directly to Jefferson County for the first time.
Local News
Madras Not Interested in Data Centers, City Administrator Says
As tech companies scout Central Oregon for data center sites and a statewide debate over the industry heats up, Madras is taking a clear position: not here.
Local News
70 Warm Springs College Students Risk Losing Grant Funding — Deadline is September 30
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Higher Education is urging tribal college students to complete their Oregon Tribal Student Grant applications before the September 30 deadline — or risk losing thousands in funding.
Local News
Downtown Madras Storm Drain Project Moves Into Multi-Month Street Phase
ODOT's Earl Street–Colfax Lane project is entering a new phase, with crews set to spend the next five months installing new storm sewer pipes block by block through three downtown streets.
Local News
Rowe Creek Complex Crews Race to Finish Repairs Before Fall Rains Arrive
With 99% containment secured on the 373,927-acre Rowe Creek Complex, firefighters are pushing hard to complete suppression repair work across all affected fire areas before seasonal precipitation slows operations.