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Local News
Local News
Warm Springs Water Safe to Drink Again; Wildfire Recovery Fund Tops $324,000
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs lifted a wildfire-related boil water notice and water conservation order this week, while the community's wildfire recovery fund has raised 130% of its original goal — a sign of healing even as long-term rebuilding lies ahead.
Local News
Kah-Nee-Ta Launches Weekly Appreciation Days for First Responders and Tribal Members Through September
Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort, which sheltered more than 2,100 residents during the Bench Fire emergency, is honoring the community with weekly free-admission days for first responders every Tuesday and tribal members every Wednesday through the end of September.
Local News
Metolius and Crooked Rivers Offering Prime Late-Summer Trout and Whitefish Angling
Despite fire season smoke and drought conditions across Central Oregon, local anglers are finding excellent fishing on the Metolius and Crooked Rivers, with redband trout and mountain whitefish running strong.
Local News
Historic Drought Squeezes Jefferson County Farms as Irrigation Water Runs Short
A historically low 2026 snowpack has left Central Oregon irrigation districts struggling to meet demand this summer, with at least one district shutting off water deliveries entirely — a crisis that is hitting Jefferson County's agricultural community hard.
Local News
Warm Springs Hosts Drummers Jammz Powwow Tonight; Tribal ECE Program Opens Fall Enrollment
The Warm Springs Community Wellness Center hosts its monthly Drummers Jammz Social Powwow tonight starting at 6:30 p.m., while the tribe's Early Childhood Education program is now accepting enrollment for the 2026-27 school year.
Local News
Warm Springs Evacuation Orders Lifted; Community Relief Center Open This Week
All evacuation levels on the Warm Springs Reservation have been lifted following weeks of wildfire threat. Tribal leadership has opened a community distribution center to assist displaced residents, with operations transitioning to Emergency Management on Wasco Street beginning Monday.
Local News
Drought and Curtailments Squeeze Jefferson County Farmers in Brutal Mid-Season
A punishing combination of record-low snowpack and aggressive water curtailments is forcing Jefferson County farmers to make hard choices, with North Unit Irrigation District patrons receiving only about 57% of a normal water supply.
Local News
Warm Springs Faces Years of Recovery After Bench Fire Tears Through Reservation
The Bench Fire burned at least six homes on the Warm Springs Reservation, left thousands without power or clean water for days, and dealt a deep financial and cultural blow to the Confederated Tribes — one that tribal leaders say will take years to heal.
Local News
Three New Doctors Join Madras Rural Residency, Expanding County's Healthcare Capacity
The Three Sisters Rural Track Program welcomed three new medical residents to Jefferson County this week, bolstering primary care access for the roughly 25,000 residents of one of Oregon's most medically underserved counties.
Local News
Warm Springs Tribe Builds Recovery Network as Bench Fire Rebuilding Begins
With at least six homes destroyed and thousands left without power or water, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are shifting from emergency response to long-term recovery — launching a tribal relief fund, a distribution center, and animal support resources.
Local News
Museum at Warm Springs Launches August Membership Drive with Statewide Support
The Museum at Warm Springs kicked off its annual membership drive on August 1 and is running through the end of the month, with dozens of Oregon cultural organizations helping to spread the word.