Jefferson County
Portland General Electric and Warm Springs Tribes Advance Key Hydroelectric License Amendment at Pelton Round Butte
Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs have jointly filed a non-capacity license amendment with federal regulators for the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project on the Deschutes River — a facility that generates renewable power and sits at the center of ongoing tribal fisheries restoration work.
Events
Museum at Warm Springs Opens Registration for 33rd Annual Tribal Member and Youth Art Exhibition
The Museum at Warm Springs will host the opening reception for its 33rd Annual Tribal Member and Youth Exhibit on November 18, 2026. The public event runs 5:30–7:30 p.m. and features work by adult and youth tribal artists, with selected pieces available for purchase through February 2027.
Sports
Girls Flag Football Officially Sanctioned by OSAA — Madras Among Oregon's Flag Football Pioneers
The Oregon School Activities Association has voted to officially sanction girls flag football as a high school sport beginning spring 2027. Madras High School was among the six Central Oregon schools that fielded teams during the sport's two-year trial period, and the White Buffalos are now poised to compete for a state title.
Public Safety
Smoke May Linger Over Central Oregon as Ochoco National Forest Presses Ahead with Fall Prescribed Burns
The Ochoco National Forest is moving forward with a planned prescribed burn in the HEJ Unit 10 area near Prineville, part of a multi-year fuels management strategy. Residents in Jefferson and Crook counties may see or smell smoke in coming days when burn conditions are favorable.
Local News
Oregon's 2026 Drought Leaves Jefferson County Farmers and Ranchers Facing Historic Water Shortfall
State water managers are calling 2026 one of the worst water years on record in Oregon, with Jefferson County's agricultural community among the hardest hit as Deschutes Basin curtailments reached water rights dating back to 1900 — a first in state history.
Events
Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic Coming to Jefferson County Event Complex Oct. 24–25
Oregon Outback Humane is bringing a two-day low-cost spay and neuter clinic to the Jefferson County Event Complex on October 24 and 25. Cats are $100 and dogs $175 — appointments required.
Jefferson County