A Tough Season Ending: Jefferson County Ranchers and Farmers Weathered Drought Curtailments All Summer

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.

The Madras City Council appointed Tony Chard and Christopher Heden to fill two temporary vacancies following council resignations. Both took the oath of office on September 1 and will serve through the end of 2026.

Central Oregon fire managers dropped Public Use Fire Restrictions from Stage 2 to Stage 1 on September 5, opening campfire rings at dozens of designated campgrounds across the region — welcome news for Labor Day weekend visitors to Jefferson County public lands.

As summer transitions to fall, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are advancing a range of natural resource, cultural, and community health initiatives on the 640,000-acre reservation in north-central Oregon — from ongoing water rights stewardship on the Deschutes to wildlife conservation work recognized nationally earlier this year.

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.