Two Events Mark Veterans Day Weekend in Jefferson County: Blood Drive and Native Market

The Deschutes National Forest has begun its fall and winter pile burning season, with more than 11,500 acres of slash piles targeted for controlled burns through January 2027. Residents across Jefferson and surrounding counties may notice smoke on active burn days.

The Madras High School girls varsity volleyball team has forfeited its Oregon 4A first-round state playoff match against Marist Catholic after the district determined student conduct did not meet program standards, ending a season that earned the White Buffalos a state playoff berth.

Portland General Electric has signed a build-transfer agreement for the Salmonfly project — a 199-megawatt solar and 199-megawatt battery storage facility co-developed with the Tribe at the Round Butte substation, marking one of the largest tribal energy investments in Oregon history.

Central Oregon Locavore has been awarded a $25,000 Thriving Entrepreneurs grant from the Miller Charitable Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, funding an 18-month business accelerator to help local farmers, ranchers, and food producers improve pricing, profitability, and cash flow.

Jefferson County Middle School teacher Jamie Hurd has been named a regional finalist for SELCO Community Credit Union's $15,000 Classroom Makeover program, proposing to revive the school's deteriorating outdoor garden with irrigated plots, fruit trees, and pollinator habitat. A Warm Springs K-8 Academy teacher is also a finalist. Public voting opens Sunday, November 1.