Madras City Hall Puts Data Center Rumors to Rest

Jefferson County Public Works has secured more than $28.5 million in state and federal grants for transportation projects over the past two years — the largest influx of outside funding Director Matt Powlison has seen in his eight years with the county. The money will fund five major road and bridge projects across a county with more than 600 miles of roads to maintain.

The 2026 Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo kicks off this morning at the Jefferson County Event Complex in Madras and runs through Saturday, July 25. The annual celebration of agriculture, community, and rodeo returns for its 90th-plus year — though this summer, the midway will be notably quieter without a carnival.

Stacy Chiddix, 58, died Monday afternoon when his ATV overturned while he was working to protect his north Madras property from the fast-moving Brewer Fire. The blaze has grown to nearly 28,000 acres with zero containment, and Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation orders remain in effect across multiple zones in Jefferson and Crook counties, including portions of Crooked River Ranch.

Madras city leadership has publicly dismissed social media rumors about a data center coming to Jefferson County, while the city's lengthy search for a permanent city administrator has narrowed to a preferred candidate after months of transition.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are at the forefront of Pacific lamprey restoration in Oregon's waterways, working with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission to reintroduce the culturally significant species to streams blocked by impassable dams. The tribe's health program is also expanding community education on brain health and dementia care.