Jefferson County Historical Society Lands $50,000 in Bean Foundation Support for New Museum

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.

Six months after a fire shuttered Jefferson County's only McDonald's, construction is officially underway on a fully upgraded restaurant — featuring a new kitchen, renovated dining room, and an expanded drive-thru — with a late 2026 grand opening planned.

Gov. Tina Kotek ordered Oregon public institution flags lowered to half-staff on September 2 to honor Paiute Chief Joseph Moses of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, who passed away August 27 after more than two decades of tribal leadership.

Oregon DEQ has issued an air quality advisory for Jefferson County that is expected to remain in effect until at least Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 2, as wildfire smoke from multiple fires across the state continues to blanket Central Oregon.

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.