Cascades East Transit's new Route 21 launched May 5, running 50 miles through the Warm Springs Reservation to connect Simnasho and Kah-Nee-Ta with Madras — bringing transit service to areas that have gone without it for years.

The Jefferson County 2026-27 budget includes funding for a new full-time position at the sheriff’s office, a top priority for Commission Chair Mark Wunsch as call volumes and costs grow across the department.

A new 20-year parks master plan identifies southwest Madras as one of the most underserved areas in the county for outdoor recreational access — with only a fraction-of-an-acre park serving thousands of residents. County leaders are eyeing the fairgrounds and youth fishing pond as potential sites for expansion.

A new bus route launched May 5 connecting Madras to the remote Warm Springs community of Simnasho and Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, bringing public transit to parts of the reservation for the first time. Separately, Jefferson County's proposed budget includes funding for an additional sheriff's deputy.