Antelope
LATEST NEWS
Butterflies at the Metolius Preserve
Jefferson County possesses some real gems. Among them, the Metolius Preserve — a conservation area consisting of 1,240 acres of land surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest near Camp Sherman. Once home to several logging companies, it was purchased by the Deschutes Land Trust in 2003. The Trust has been working for over 20 years to manage the woods, meadows, and creeks for people to enjoy, and has established an extensive trail system for horseback riding, bicycling, and hiking. ...
Jefferson County Events and Happenings
Want to add an event? Please call 541.475.2275 or email jlantz@madraspioneer.com by 2 p.m. Thursday to be included! Thursday, June 13 Book Buddy: 3 - 4:30 p.m., June 13, Jefferson County Library. Talk About: How to Be a Better You Chapter 2 – 7 — 8 p.m., June 13, Jefferson County Library. ...
Letters to the editor
Thanks to the local sheriff’s office for some excellent work I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, especially Deputies Larson, Anderson and Skeels. These deputies showed the utmost compassion and professionalism for a long-time Jefferson County resident who had his pickup stolen. Their integrity of the investigation was outstanding, resulting in the recovery of my vehicle. Please help me recognize and appreciate the excellent work of the men and women who serve us through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Thank You! Bob Starkel Madras
Fire breaks out at COSI
A fire at the Central Oregon Seed building in north Madras began Monday evening. Initial reports spotted heavy smoke from the north end of the 36,000 sq. ft. building. Fire was discovered along the roof structure and walls of the large wooden grain storage bins of the facility. One firefighter was injured while fighting the fire but is expected to recover according to a release from Jefferson County Fire and EMS. The wooden grain bins and structure presented potential for widespread fire, and agencies from across Central Oregon were called to assist on the incident. JCFEMS and the Oregon State Fire Marshal remain on the scene of the fire and have not determined the cause yet.
How your local library is funded, for now and the future
The school year is concluding – congratulations to the Class of 2024, including the Library’s own Elise Todd! – and the fiscal year is winding down. The budget season is over for the library, and now we are preparing for our annual audit. We have also concluded the pre-design phase of our building expansion. Once we have large-scale images, I’ll post them in the library. Recently, while presenting a building update to a local group, a community member mentioned that the library should see increased...
Fairgrounds gets ready to sparkle with rock show
The annual Madras Rock, Gem and Mineral show is coming to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds June 20 through 23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The locally run gem show attracts vendors and visitors from across the country, with rocks and gems in many forms, from raw materials to artisanal crafted jewelry pieces. The local show also features field trips to local mines near Madras. Caravans will leave from the fairgrounds for the fieldtrips. On Friday and Saturday, there will be a trip to Friend’s Ranch and Rayne Dance and Polka Dot mines. Saturday also adds the Ochs mine. A field trip along Fossil Road will be held Sunday. On Friday there will be a live auction of vendor-donated jewelry, rocks and gems from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday brings kids day activities like a scavenger hunt and rock painting from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Food vendors Dig-A-Dee’z, Ranch Boss Coffee and Sangers will also be at the event
School district to purge dated special education records
Jefferson County School District 509J wants to inform parents/guardians and former Special Education students that on July 1, 2024, the district will destroy the records of students who have reached the age of 21 and ended/exited Special Education Services between 1980-2017. Special education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, or completes their educational program at age 21, or moves from the district. Special Education records include identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language...
Love your Madras fireworks? Then donate
Since 1981, the Madras Sparklers have raised money and organized the fireworks display in town on July 4th. The fundraising effort was initially focused on the “mom-and-pop” businesses that used to dominate the Madras-area commercial scene, and through contributions from the general public. Now there are fewer and fewer mom-and-pop business in town, and more and more of the contributions are coming from individuals. Mike Ahern was an original member...
New football era gets started at MHS
It’s still a couple months from official August football practice at Madras High School, but the start of the season occurred before the current school year ended during a spring football camp. And in many ways it’s a new start. The MHS football program is now under the leadership of first-year head coach Neil Elshire. The former Oregon Duck and Minnesota Viking, Elshire brings a big presence to the program, both physically, emotionally and through expectations. ...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.