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Local News
Local News
New Bus Service Connecting Madras to Redmond Launches Monday
Cascades East Transit is expanding regional bus service beginning June 15, adding runs that improve connections between Madras, Redmond, and Bend. The changes come as CET also launches its summer recreation routes across Central Oregon.
Local News
COCC Awards First-Ever Associate Degrees at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution
Nine students incarcerated at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras became the first class to earn associate degrees through Central Oregon Community College's prison education program. The June 9 ceremony marked a historic milestone for the college and for the community it serves.
Local News
Warm Springs Commissary Food Cart Pod to Open July 2 — A New Chapter for a 130-Year-Old Building
The Warm Springs Community Action Team has announced that the Food Cart Pod at the historic Commissary site will hold its grand soft opening on July 2nd. The milestone marks the first public-facing piece of a much larger redevelopment project centered on the reservation's oldest surviving structure.
Local News
Jefferson County Couple Sues Central Electric Cooperative for $10 Million Over 2025 Cram Fire
Ronald and Debra Dees, a Jefferson County ranching couple who lost property in last summer's Cram Fire, have filed a civil lawsuit alleging Central Electric Cooperative failed to properly manage its power lines during extreme fire weather — igniting the nearly 96,000-acre disaster.
Local News
Highway 26 Hazard Tree Work Wraps Up Sunday — Final Two Days of Delays Between Warm Springs and Mt. Hood
ODOT and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are removing over 1,000 hazardous trees along Highway 26, causing 20-minute delays. The project is scheduled to conclude June 15 — Sunday. Plan ahead if you're traveling the corridor this weekend.
Local News
Warm Springs Launches STRONG Youth Wellness Program to Fight Diabetes and Build Healthy Futures
The Warm Springs Diabetes Prevention program has introduced 'Warm Springs STRONG,' a new initiative designed to build healthy habits in young people through team challenges, mentorship, and health education. High school athletes are being recruited as mentors.
Local News
Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days Returns June 26–28: 'Honoring the Horses' Takes Center Stage
The annual Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days celebration in Warm Springs is less than two weeks away, featuring a three-day powwow, the traditional parade with a special horse theme, a rodeo, food vendors, and more. The public is welcome.
Local News
Madras City Hall in Flux: Mayor Won't Seek Re-Election, Three Key Positions Still Vacant
Mayor Mike Lepin announced he will not run for re-election this fall, citing bandwidth concerns as his dual role at Jefferson County Fire & EMS intensifies. City Hall is simultaneously navigating a budget process with no permanent city administrator, police chief, or finance director.
Local News
Heads Up: Highway 26 Delays Through Warm Springs End June 15 — Final Days to Plan Ahead
ODOT and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are in the final stretch of a major hazard tree removal project on Highway 26. Drivers should expect delays of 20 minutes or more through June 15, with flaggers stopping traffic in both directions.
Local News
Warm Springs' Historic Commissary Building Gets New Life: Food Cart Pod Opening July 2nd
A 130-year-old federal warehouse that once symbolized government dependence is being transformed into an economic engine for tribal entrepreneurs. The Warm Springs Community Action Team announces a July 2nd soft opening for the new Food Cart Pod.
Local News
Highway 26 Delays Near Warm Springs Continue Through June 15
Travelers on U.S. Highway 26 between the Warm Springs area and Mount Hood should expect delays of 20 minutes or more through June 15 as ODOT and the Confederated Tribes remove about 1,000 hazardous trees.
Local News
Warm Springs Tribal Chairman Speaks Out on Columbia River Contamination
Following an industrial disaster at a Longview, Washington paper mill that killed 11 workers and sent caustic chemicals into the Columbia River, Warm Springs Tribal Chairman Dennis White III issued a statement calling for transparency and accountability.