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Local News
Local News
Fall Chinook Season Carries Deep Meaning for Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs on the Deschutes
September brings the fall Chinook salmon run to the Deschutes River — one of the most culturally and economically significant times of year for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, whose treaty fishing rights and hatchery programs remain central to the river's salmon future.
Local News
COCC Madras Campus Welcomes Fall 2026 Students With Nursing Cohort and New Facility
Central Oregon Community College's Madras campus is open for fall 2026 term with an eight-seat nursing cohort, expanded program offerings, and a newly completed education building serving northern Central Oregon.
Local News
Jefferson County Farmers Head Into Fall Harvest After One of Oregon’s Toughest Drought Years
Fall harvest is underway across Jefferson County, but this year’s season carries extra weight. A formal drought declaration, 94% of the county classified under severe drought in spring, and historically low snowpack made 2026 one of the most punishing growing years in recent memory for local farmers and ranchers.
Local News
Labor Day Marks End of First Week Back for Jefferson County Students
Jefferson County School District 509J students wrapped up their first week of the 2026-27 school year heading into Labor Day weekend — a year that begins with a leaner budget but no staff layoffs after the district navigated $2 million in cuts.
Local News
Jefferson County Schools Start 2026-27 Year Leaner but Ready, After $2M in Budget Trims
Jefferson County School District students headed back to class this fall under a restructured budget that cut roughly $2 million and eliminated around 18 positions — a response to falling enrollment and changes in Oregon's school funding formula. Officials say no layoffs were required and focus remains on student outcomes.
Local News
Jefferson County Farmers Close Out a Tough Season as Fall Harvest Gets Underway
With cooler temperatures arriving and summer irrigation wrapping up, Jefferson County's agricultural community is moving into fall harvest mode after one of the driest years on record. Despite severe drought conditions that stretched across 94% of the county this spring, many local producers found ways to adapt.
Local News
Two New Voices Join Madras City Council, Sworn In September 1
The Madras City Council appointed Tony Chard and Chris Heden to fill two vacant seats this week, with both men taking the oath of office on September 1. They will serve through the end of 2026 as the city continues its search for a permanent police chief and works through a busy fall agenda.
Local News
Madras Not Entertaining Data Center Proposals, Interim City Administrator Says
As Oregon lawmakers and communities grapple with a surge in large data center proposals, Madras Interim City Administrator David Clyne says the city is not pursuing any such project in Jefferson County.
Local News
COCC Faculty Contract Dispute Hits Formal Impasse — Madras Campus Students and Staff Watch Closely
Central Oregon Community College and its Faculty Forum union have declared a formal impasse after more than seven months of contract bargaining, with a roughly $4 million gap separating the two sides on compensation. The standoff affects all COCC campuses, including Madras.
Local News
Drought Grip Tightens on Jefferson County Farms and Ranches Heading Into Fall
With 94% of Jefferson County classified under severe drought and a statewide emergency declaration still in effect, local farmers and ranchers are bracing for a difficult end to the 2026 growing season — and a long road to recovery.
Local News
Rep. Bentz Visits Madras to Hear Fire Season Frustrations, Pushes Bipartisan Timber Fuel Bill
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz held a wildfire town hall at the Jefferson County Event Complex last Friday, outlining a new federal bill that would create financial incentives to clear forest fuels — and listening to landowners' frustrations with a record-breaking 2026 fire season.
Local News
Historic Drought Squeezes Jefferson County Farmers as Water Deliveries Cut Short
Central Oregon is gripped by extreme drought conditions, with Deschutes Basin reservoirs at historic lows and irrigation districts reducing or halting water deliveries entirely — a crisis that is hitting Jefferson County ranchers and farmers hard as the growing season winds down.