CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) – An elderly Crooked River Ranch resident fell on a trail and tumbled nearly 50 feet down an embankment while hiking with his daughter at Steelhead Falls Sunday afternoon, suffering life-threatening injuries and prompting a rescue effort, officials said. The man was hiking a very familiar trail with his adult
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, announced Friday afternoon at a Jefferson County Middle School surprise all-school assembly that English teacher Christa Rohrbach has been named one of Oregon’s 18 2024-25 Regional Teachers of the Year! Every day in Oregon classrooms, teachers offer their innovation, energy and
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – One of the nation’s largest cellphone and network providers is giving a boost to the effort to redesign and turn the Madras Elementary Schoolyard into an inviting, accessible park for the entire community to enjoy during non-school hours. Bellevue, Wash.-based T-Mobile announced late last week that Madras is among its latest
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – Heart of Oregon Corps announced Tuesday the closure of its Thrift Store training program in Madras after 13 years of dedicated service and positive impact on the Jefferson County community. “Since its inception, the Thrift Store program has been a cornerstone of youth development in the area, providing essential training and
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An 18-year-old Klamath Falls woman was killed and four people were injured Tuesday when she drove her Tesla into the oncoming lane of U.S. Highway 20 east of Santiam Pass and struck a Jeep head-on, Oregon State Police reported Wednesday.
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Thanks in part to cloud-based security video, Redmond Police detectives and officers arrested a 34-year-old Madras man on burglary, theft and criminal mischief charges, accused of breaking into Sora Sushi and Xtreme RC and Hobbies early last week, officers said Tuesday.
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Jefferson County officials met Friday with officials from dozens of taxing districts, from the library to cities and fire districts, to discuss a $1.8 million property tax over-payment by Portland General Electric, letting them know utility has agreed to reduce the repayment impacts on their budgets.
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Firefighters reached 40% containment Monday on a wildfire that broke out Sunday afternoon east of Highway 97 and Culver on the Crooked River National Grassland, burning 590 acres, and officials said threatened Bonneville Power Administration power lines were protected.
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jefferson County Fire & EMS has received a very special donation of an Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle from the Port of Portland Fire & Rescue, just in time for next week’s Airshow of the Cascades at Madras Airport. Last Wednesday, the Jefferson County Fire & EMS took delivery of
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A Crooked River Ranch woman was arraigned Monday on attempted murder, assault and other charges, accused of shooting a man in the head who was able to walk out of the home to law enforcement on Saturday and was treated at a hospital and released.
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CULVER, Ore. (KTVZ) – Thunderstorms moving through Central Oregon on Saturday brought strong winds, lightning and reports of toppled trees and limbs, power outages affecting nearly 5,000 and damage at Crooked River Ranch. The Over the Edge Taphouse at CRR posted to its Facebook page a photo of the storm damage to their concert venue
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Health Authority said Friday it has lifted the recreational use health advisory issued for Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus in Jefferson County. OHA issued the advisory on Thursday, Aug. 8. Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of cyanotoxins (harmful algae) in Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus
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WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Wednesday a $7.8 million investment in rural Oregon school districts to support energy improvement projects like new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, lighting upgrades, alternative fuel (such as electric) vehicles, and renewable energy technologies. “In the nearly 1,100 town halls I’ve had throughout Oregon,
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A crash closed U.S. Highway 26 about three miles north of Madras late Monday afternoon, and ODOT advised to expect extended delays or use another route. The highway reopened around three hours later.
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Just over a week after lightning ignited the Elk Lane Fire west of Madras, prompting evacuations and a fierce battle amid heat and shifting winds, the blaze is now 91% contained by firefighters and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on Monday lifted all remaining evacuation zones.
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A resident was taken to the hospital with possible smoke inhalation and five dogs perished in a Madras mobile home fire Thursday afternoon, but firefighters rescued two other dogs, Jefferson County Fire & EMS Chief Jeff Blake said. Fire crews responded around 2:30 p.m. to the reported fire at the Green
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Health Authority issued a preemptive recreational use health advisory Thursday for Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus in Jefferson County due to the presence and rapid growth of a cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom. The decision to issue the preemptive advisory is based on multiple reports from partner agencies and
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A group of young people returning from a day boating on Lake Simtustus Sunday evening were caught by surprise and trapped by the fast-growing, lightning-sparked Elk Lane Fire west of Madras as they were leaving the resort, prompting a harrowing road trip, narrow escape and rescue by fire crews.
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The search for a 31-year-old Warm Springs man who jumped into the Crooked River at Lake Billy Chinook with a friend late Sunday night and soon slipped underwater ended in tragedy late Wednesday afternoon when divers helped by sonar found Triston Boise’s body in 42 feet of water, Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock said.
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Central Oregonians are ending a record-hot, dry and smoky July with more “unhealthy” air quality readings, and with the traditional peak-wildfire month of August still ahead.
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