Local News
Over 1,700 Free Gun Lockboxes Distributed Across Jefferson, Crook, and Deschutes Counties in Suicide Prevention Drive
A new evaluation report shows the S.A.F.E. firearm safety initiative distributed more than 1,700 free gun lockboxes across three Central Oregon counties over two years, with Jefferson County among the communities reached in the effort to reduce firearm-related suicides.
Sports
Jefferson County Little League Senior Softball Team Crowned Oregon State Champions, Heads to Missoula
The Jefferson County Little League Senior Softball team has won the Oregon State Championship and is headed to the regional tournament in Missoula, Montana. A community fundraiser is set for this Saturday outside the NAPA Auto Parts store in Madras.
Local News
Warm Springs Tribe Leads Ancient Lamprey Restoration Across Oregon Rivers
Working with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs biologists are translocating Pacific lamprey to Oregon waterways in a race to restore a species that has survived on Earth for 450 million years.
Events
Jefferson County Fair & Rodeo Opens in Five Days — Your Complete Guide to the 2026 Event
The Jefferson County Fair & Rodeo kicks off July 22 at the Event Complex in Madras, bringing four days of livestock shows, carnival rides, homestead tours, live music, and fair food to the heart of Jefferson County.
Public Safety
Brewer Fire Explodes to 5,000 Acres East of Madras; Akawa Butte Fire Threatens Crooked River Ranch Area
Two major wildfires ignited by Wednesday night's lightning storm are burning in Jefferson County, with the Brewer Fire reaching 5,000 acres east of Madras and the Akawa Butte Fire at 3,200 acres near Crooked River Ranch. Evacuation levels are in place and changing rapidly.
Local News
Warm Springs Tribal Council and Bend City Council Hold Annual Joint Meeting, Focus on Water and Growth
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the City of Bend convened their annual joint meeting June 30, discussing Deschutes Basin water conservation, Bend's 20-year growth plan, and tribal public art — a relationship built on a 2024 MOU that remains the first of its kind in Central Oregon.