MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Central Oregon Livestock Auction recently held a feeder sale, drawing a large crowd and featuring nearly one thousand cattle on the auction block. The event highlighted the robust state of the cattle industry, which remains strong while other sectors may be struggling. Feeder cattle are defined as being under one
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) 43 Year old Sir Charles Ariesis Williams was taken into custody on April 26th after leading law enforcement on vehicle and foot pursuits in Madras. The incident began at approximately 2:11 p.m. with reports of erratic driving and a possible domestic violence situation. Williams was apprehended by a K-nine unit following a
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jefferson County has demonstrated significant economic improvement, moving from the state’s most economically distressed county in 2023 to the eighth position in a new report. Business Oregon released the latest ranking on Feb. 12, 2026, reflecting substantial gains in the local economy. This progress signals a stronger economic outlook for the
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon Community College is inviting the public to its official ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for its Madras campus expansion, 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, at 1170 East Ashwood Road. The event will feature brief remarks from COCC President Dr. Greg Pereira and community partners, followed by the official
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Madras man indicted on murder, kidnap and other charges in the 2022 killing of another Madras man was sentenced Tuesday to a 25-year prison term on a lesser manslaughter charge, after he denied shooting or burying the victim, whose grieving family members pleaded for a murder conviction and life sentence. Victor Manuel Romero Jr., now 29, signed a plea petition last
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Madras man facing trial on murder, kidnap and other charges in the 2022 fatal shooting of another Madras man has pleaded guilty to a lesser manslaughter charge and now faces a 25-year prison sentence, due to be imposed at a hearing this week. Victor Manuel Romero Jr., now 29, was serving time in
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — For the second straight year, the Latino Community Association will cancel its Latino Fest, a long-standing celebration of Latin American cultural diversity in Central Oregon, the organization announced Wednesday. “Because the festival is a public event in a public space, we cannot guarantee that attendees, performers, or vendors will be safe from racial profiling
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Cascades East Transit will implement significant service enhancements across Central Oregon beginning May 4th, 2026. The changes include increased bus frequency on Bend routes and the launch of a new route in Jefferson County connecting Warm Springs and Madras. The transit system, which is operated by the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council,
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Madras city councilors voted unanimously Tuesday evening to appoint David Clyne as new interim city administrator, expressing confidence in his abilities to help solve the city’s recent leadership struggles. The city’s employment agreement with Clyne, who most recently served as city administrator in Independence, Oregon, will be effective next Monday, April
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Firefighters will conduct a prescribed jackpot burn on the Crooked River National Grassland beginning Tuesday, March 31. The project will treat approximately 311 acres of land located four miles southeast of Madras. The burn is situated within Pace Jackpot Burning Unit 3, near Buck Butte and east of Highway 26. Operations
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(Update: a previous version of this article referred to those arrested as La Pine residents) MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Two La Pine area residents were arrested in Madras on Thursday, March 26 after an investigation led to the discovery of more than 50 grams of fentanyl powder. Danielle Renee Hood, 38, and Zachary Steven Simmons,
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(Update: adding comments from Paul Cowsill and board member of historical society) MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — A classic American pop-rock group is heading to Central Oregon, but their upcoming concert is about more than just music — it’s part of a community push to bring a long-awaited historical museum to life. In Jefferson County, history
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Happening now, The City of Madras staff are confronting conditions in the area behind the Madras Homeless Shelter. The City emphasized the implementation of its camping ordinance, as well as balancing enforcement with respect, and public access and safety. The City of Madras shared the below message via its Facebook account.
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CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — The Central Oregon Wildfire Educators Group is launching a series of regional preparedness fairs starting in April 2026. These events highlight the group’s ongoing efforts to provide unified education on how to live safely in fire-adapted communities. Established in 2022 as part of the Central Oregon Fire Prevention Co-Op, the organization
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley postponed his town hall tour in Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties this weekend. The Senator told KTVZ News, “Because of a change in the U.S. Senate voting schedule, all town halls scheduled for Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21 have been postponed. An updated
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) A group of community members has filed a recall petition targeting the executive director and several board members of the Madras Aquatic Center Recreation District. The Facebook group Waves of Change announced that it submitted the petitions, alleging ethical and financial misconduct involving the district’s executive director and claiming board members supported the alleged
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — A dog died and four people were hospitalized following a structure fire in northwest Madras on Wednesday evening. The blaze occurred March 11 at a residence on Northeast 10th Street. Jefferson County Fire and EMS responded to the call at 5:48 p.m. and arrived to find heavy smoke and flames pouring
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Madras City Council is overseeing city management collectively after the recent departure of an interim city administrator, the continuing struggle to appoint a new police chief and now the resignation of the city’s finance director, officials said Wednesday. Here ‘s the details as laid out in a news release that
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Each February, the world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science — a time to recognize the trailblazers and inspire the next generation of scientists. While more women are studying and working in scientific fields than ever before, men continue to outnumber them in many areas. According to
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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Advanced Construction students at Madras High School are building fully functional bathrooms from the ground up as part of a hands-on learning project. The initiative is designed to test skills learned in prior classes while providing students with experience similar to a real-world job site. The project is a core component
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