Seven Jefferson County Restaurants and Food Vendors Earn Perfect Health Scores in June

St. Charles Medical Center–Madras is among 21 rural Oregon hospitals set to receive a share of $37 million in new state funding aimed at preventing labor and delivery closures. The Madras hospital loses roughly $1 million annually on its maternity services but has committed to keeping them open.

With fire danger rated at EXTREME across Central Oregon, Stage 1 Public Use Fire Restrictions are in effect on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, Crooked River National Grassland, and Prineville District BLM lands. Open campfires are prohibited, and chainsaw and generator use is banned during afternoon hours.

Jefferson County voters set the stage for a contentious November general election, with Sheriff Jason Pollock advancing to face challenger Tyler Anderson — whose police certifications a state committee recommended revoking for life just one day before the primary. Both incumbent county commissioners won their primaries handily.

The Oregon Health Authority has downgraded its recreational use advisory for Lake Billy Chinook, saying cyanotoxin levels are now safe for human activities. However, a precaution remains in place for dogs and other pets, and county leaders are calling on OHA for better communication with local communities.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs wrapped up five days of Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days celebrations Sunday, marking the 171st anniversary of the 1855 treaty that established the Warm Springs Reservation and secured tribal rights to fish, hunt, and gather on ancestral lands.