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Local News
Local News
Vote for Madras Teacher's Garden Dream — SELCO Classroom Contest Voting Opens Sunday
Jefferson County Middle School teacher Jamie Hurd has been named a regional finalist for SELCO Community Credit Union's $15,000 Classroom Makeover program, proposing to revive the school's deteriorating outdoor garden with irrigated plots, fruit trees, and pollinator habitat. A Warm Springs K-8 Academy teacher is also a finalist. Public voting opens Sunday, November 1.
Local News
PGE Signs Agreement for $850 Million Solar Project on Warm Springs Reservation
Portland General Electric has signed a landmark build-transfer agreement for the Salmonfly project — a $850 million solar and battery storage facility on the Warm Springs Reservation, developed in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Local News
Jefferson County Farmers Wrap Difficult 2026 Season Defined by Drought and Tight Water Supply
Jefferson County farmers are closing out a challenging 2026 irrigation season marked by a Governor-declared drought emergency and significantly reduced water allotments — and now watch for winter snowpack to shape what comes next.
Local News
COCC Madras Campus Midway Through First Full Fall Term in New $22 Million Facility
The COCC Madras campus is running its first complete fall term inside a transformative new 24,000-square-foot learning center — bringing nursing, medical assistant, and expanded college programs directly to Jefferson County students.
Local News
Museum at Warm Springs Calls for Artists Ahead of 33rd Annual Tribal Member Exhibit
The Museum at Warm Springs is seeking artwork from tribal members of all ages for its 33rd Annual Tribal Member and Youth Art Exhibit, opening November 18 for a winter-long showcase.
Local News
North Unit Irrigation District Kicks Off Segment 3 of Lateral 43 Canal Piping Project
North Unit Irrigation District has launched the third and final phase of its Lateral 43 pipeline modernization south of Madras, bringing pressurized water delivery closer to completion for Jefferson County farmers — while nearby communities keep a close eye on potential groundwater effects.
Local News
Jefferson County Fair & Rodeo Earns State Social Media Honor Despite Tough Year
At the Oregon Fairs Association's annual conference, Jefferson County Event Complex Manager Bart Platt accepted a social media excellence award — a bright spot following one of the fair's most challenging seasons in recent memory.
Local News
Warm Springs Hosts Fire and Drought Livestock Relief Meeting Today
Tribal livestock owners impacted by this year's wildfires and drought are invited to a noon meeting today at the Fire Management Building in Warm Springs, where FSA representatives will present available federal relief programs.
Local News
Warm Springs Tribal Leaders Take Wildfire and Infrastructure Concerns to Congress
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs leadership met recently with U.S. Representative Cliff Bentz in Washington, D.C. to discuss the impacts of the 2026 wildfire season and pressing infrastructure needs on the reservation.
Local News
Drought, Wildfire, and Diesel Costs Create a Brutal Year for Jefferson County Ranchers
It has been a year Central Oregon's ranching community won't soon forget. A record-low snowpack, the worst wildfire season in state history, and near-record diesel prices have converged to squeeze Jefferson County livestock producers heading into a difficult winter.
Local News
Flat Fire Northeast of Sisters Reaches 67% Containment; Evacuation Levels Drop to 'Be Ready'
The Flat Fire northeast of Sisters has reached 67% containment at 23,346 acres, with the Oregon Department of Forestry issuing its final formal update and all evacuation levels dropping to Level 1 'Be Ready.' Crews are now focused on mop-up, patrolling the perimeter, and erosion repair.
Local News
Bench Fire's Toll on Warm Springs Stands Out in Oregon's Record-Breaking 2026 Wildfire Season
Oregon's 2026 wildfire season burned a record 2.1 million acres and cost $235 million to fight. For Jefferson County and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Bench Fire left a deep local wound — six homes destroyed, hundreds evacuated, and a community reckoning with what comes next.