‘Senior prank gone wrong’ occurs at Culver High School, confirmed by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
An elaborate senior prank at Culver High School last week has sent some ripples through the Class of 2023.
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Jordan Road near Lake Billy Chinook reopens after slides, flooding from third straight stormy night
A third straight night of thunderstorms rumbled through Central Oregon Saturday evening, bringing more lightning, thunder, rain and hailstorms, sparking several wildfires, most caught small, while prompting a flash flood warning and Jefferson County road closure due to high water.
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Jefferson County jury convicts Madras man of murder in 2020 fatal shooting; brother goes on trial in fall
After four hours of deliberation, a Jefferson County Circuit Court jury convicted a 22-year-old Madras man of murder and other charges Friday in the July 2020 fatal shooting of an 18-year-ol Madras resident.
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Culver winemaker Doug Maragas can’t help but worry and wonder: Where have all the bees gone this year?
Doug Maragas, winemaker and vineyard manager at Maragas Winery in Culver, said Tuesday he’s alarmed that for the first time since beginning their agricultural endeavor in Central Oregon, he has yet to see any bees pollinating the many flowering fruit trees at their estate vineyard.
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New ‘Festival of the Land’ celebrates diverse history, food and culture of Cove Palisades
The Festival of The Land at Cove Palisades State Park will celebrate the diverse history, food and cultures from Central Oregon 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 3.
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Farmer caught Jefferson County pursuit on camera, shortly before it ended in crash on Hwy. 26 at Elm Lane
A pursuit north of Madras by a Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy Friday evening ended in a crash that critically injured the fleeing driver, a Washington state man who Oregon State Police said ran a stop sign and struck another car on U.S. Highway 26. Two people in that vehicle also were injured.
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Crews stop small brush fire at 4 acres in Metolius Basin north of Camp Sherman
A small early-season brush fire broke out north of Camp Sherman on Saturday afternoon, bringing out engine crews from several agencies to stop its spread.
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Maragas Winery starting to see buds break in the vineyards after late cool spring brings delays
Doug Maragas, winemaker and vineyard manager at Maragas Winery in Culver, said Sunday he is very happy to finally see bud break at their vineyards in Culver and Warm Springs.
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Early-morning fire heavily damages downtown Madras tavern; apartments evacuated; cause sought
The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of a fire early Sunday morning that heavily damaged a downtown Madras bar and prompted evacuation of adjacent apartments, authorities said.
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Marine law enforcement training academy participants test their skills on waters of Lake Billy Chinook
The Oregon State Marine Board is conducting its annual two-week marine law enforcement training academy on Lake Billy Chinook through Friday.
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Rough road: ODOT lowering Hwy. 26 speed limit near Warm Springs until it’s paved — and it may happen elsewhere
Years of wear and tear have taken their toll on U.S. Highway 26 between Highway 216 and the Warm Springs River, resulting in a highway scattered with many ruts and potholes. An upcoming project in 2024 will repave the 15-mile stretch of highway, but temporary changes — as in a slower speed — are coming much sooner.
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Jefferson County scam alert: Callers are ‘spoofing’ the sheriff’s office phone number
MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Scam calls are nothing new just about anywhere, including Jefferson County, where the sheriff’s office has issued an alert about callers who are spoofing the agency’s own phone number.
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Pickup, school bus collide on Hwy. 26 in Madras; truck driver injured, no kids were on bus
A pickup truck and Jefferson County school bus collided on Highway 26 in Madras Tuesday afternoon, sending the pickup driver to the hospital, but there were no children on the bus and its driver was unhurt, sheriff’s deputies said.
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Man, 19, killed, several others injured in rollover crash SE of Madras
A 19-year-old man was killed and several other young people were injured late Friday night in a single-vehicle rollover crash southeast of Madras, Jefferson County Jason Pollock confirmed late Saturday.
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‘Ezra’s Law,’ sought after tragic Madras assault, fails to pass Legislature a 4th time, but backers won’t give up
The latest attempt in the Oregon Legislature to pass a measure known as Ezra’s Law, to toughen the sentence for assaults that leaves victims with life-long injuries, has failed, officials say.
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Senator Merkley plans Crook, Jefferson County town halls on Sunday April 23
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., announced Friday he is continuing to hold in-person town halls in 2023, with community conversations in five Oregon counties in April: Wheeler, Grant, Harney, Crook, and Jefferson counties, the latter two on Sunday, April 23 in Prineville and Madras.
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Bend fisherman caught 25-lb.-plus, likely record bull trout at Lake Billy Chinook — and he let it go
Last Saturday, Ryan Mejaski of Bend and Joe Wilhite were fishing for kokanee on the Deschutes arm of Lake Billy Chinook without much luck, when they decided to move spots. After casting into a group of small kokanee that were jumping to the surface, his secret lure sank to about five feet when he got a big strike that took off screaming.
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Madras man killed, second seriously injured in three-vehicle crash on Hwy. 97 south of Madras
One Madras man was killed and another was seriously injured in the head-on collision of a minivan and SUV Sunday night on U.S. Highway 97 south of Madras, Oregon State Police said Tuesday.
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CERT Team captures Washington state double-homicide suspect near Madras
A Washington state double-homicide suspect deemed “armed and dangerous” was arrested by Central Oregon’s SWAT Team early Sunday after a brief standoff south of Madras, Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock said Monday.
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FlyFisher Foundation grant to enhance upper Trout Creek habitat for wild steelhead
The Deschutes River Conservancy announced Wednesday that flows in some of the most critical wild steelhead habitat will continue to be bolstered, thanks to a grant from The FlyFisher Foundation, a group founded in 1961 to preserve the art, science, and history of fly-fishing.
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