KWSO Newsroom for Labor Day 2026
Oregon also has a place in Labor Day history. As Kyra Buckley reports, Oregon lawmakers were the first in the nation to pass a law declaring Labor Day a holiday. Governor Sylvester Pennoyer signed the bill on February 21, 1887, and Colorado, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey followed later that year. Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894.
Warm Springs Tribal Council returns to session tomorrow (9/8/26), with the BrightNight Salmon Fly Solar and Energy Storage Project proposal coming up on this month’s agenda. Warm Springs Power and Water General Manager Cathy Ehli says the proposed project would include up to 250 megawatts of solar generation paired with up to 250 megawatts of battery storage on approximately 2,000 acres of tribal land south of Lake Billy Chinook near Jackson Trail Road.
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has ruled in favor of the Coquille Indian Tribe, allowing the tribe to continue operating its gaming facility in Medford. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta rejected a challenge from three rival tribes and upheld the Interior Department’s 2025 decision to take 2.5 acres into trust for the Coquille Tribe. The court ruled that the land qualifies as “restored lands” under the tribe’s 1989 Restoration Act, making gaming legal at the site. The decision protects an important source of revenue for tribal services, though the challengers could appeal.
The Oregon Department of Forestry is warning residents that fire season is far from over and that yard work could spark the next major wildfire. Debris burning remains the leading cause of human-caused wildfires in Oregon, and burning yard waste, branches and slash is prohibited during fire season. Officials advise landowners to cover debris piles and wait until late fall or winter, when conditions are wetter. Warm weather is expected to return next week, and fire season typically continues into mid-October. Those responsible for illegal burns or wildfires may be held financially liable for firefighting costs.
Firefighters are using recent rainfall to work on the Austin and Narrows fires west of the northwest corner of the Warm Springs Reservation. Northwest Team 10 took command this morning. The Austin Fire in the Mount Hood National Forest has burned more than 12,600 acres and is 19 percent contained, while the Narrows Fire covers 302 acres and is 27 percent contained. More than 600 personnel are working on the fires, clearing hazardous trees and mopping up perimeter lines. Officials warn that the fires are still smoldering in heavy timber, despite up to an inch and a half of rain expected today. Both fires remain under investigation. Air quality is good for nearby communities, but warmer, drier weather is expected to return by Tuesday. With more than 2.5 million acres burned across the Northwest this year, the Bureau of Land Management is reminding holiday travelers that fire season is not over. Fire restrictions remain in effect on public lands in Oregon and Washington, including bans on fireworks, exploding targets and steel-core ammunition. On the Warm Springs Reservation, Industrial Fire Precaution Levels remain unchanged, with no work in the woods unless special permits have been issued.
The Pacific Northwest could experience a warmer, wetter winter influenced by a weather pattern known as “super El Niño.” OPB’s April Ehrlich reports that scientists expect warmer Pacific waters to push storms toward Oregon and Washington, with more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow. Oregon state climatologist Larry O’Neill says scientists are still trying to understand how El Niño interacts with climate change, calling the potential impacts “uncharted territory.” He advises areas west of the Cascades to prepare for flooding and landslides. Snowpack is likely to be low, but the full effects will depend on how the winter develops.
A Rip City Rally is coming to Madras City Hall on Wednesday, September 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. The Portland Trail Blazers and Moda Health event will feature basketball clinics, a shooting contest, games, prizes, Blaze the Trail Cat and the 1977 championship trophy. Organizers are also planning activities at the Warm Springs K-8 Academy.
The Redmond Youth Football League season is underway, with the Madras Bills among the fifth- and sixth-grade teams. The Bills, which include Warm Springs players, will play Saturday games at Obsidian Middle School in Redmond: September 12 at 10:15 a.m. against the Rams; September 19 at 10:15 a.m. against the Buccaneers; September 26 at 7 p.m. against the Raiders; October 10 at 9 a.m. against the Rams; October 17 at 10:15 a.m. against the Buccaneers; and October 24 at 9 a.m. against the Raiders.
KWSO weather calls for sunny skies and calm winds today, with a high near 73 and a low around 46 tonight. Sunshine will continue through the week, with temperatures climbing to near 78 Tuesday and reaching the upper 80s by Thursday.