Warm Springs Local News and Regional Briefs for Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Highway 26 is closed to through traffic between mileposts 74 and 96 following a fatal vehicle crash currently under investigation. Passenger cars traveling to Central Oregon over Mt. Hood are detouring on Oregon Highway 216 through Simnasho, while trucks must take an alternate route and northbound traffic is being detoured via Highway 97 from Madras.
The Brothers and Sisters in Progress youth program announced updated hours and activities during last week’s Native Aspirations Community Prevention Meeting in Warm Springs. Operating four days a week, the program runs from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, and 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. September offerings feature wellness, crafts, movie days, game nights, and school transportation assistance for families.
Representatives from the Madras Faith Based Network reported at September’s Native Aspirations meeting that the Madras Homeless Shelter continues to serve the local population. Operating seven days a week with only a brief daily closure for cleaning, the mission provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as free shower and laundry services three days a week. Shelter organizers noted that many of their guests are Native American and welcomed ongoing community support.
The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care recently convened the Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance for its inaugural in-person advisory meeting to advance culturally centered programming for young Native children. Jesse Jackson, Education Programs Officer for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, stated that he hopes the initiative strengthens Tribal Nations’ capacity to deliver family-centered programming rooted in their cultural traditions from birth through kindergarten.
State child welfare officials released their second-quarter report for 2026, highlighting improvements in keeping foster children placed with family members. Oregon surpassed the national average for relative placements over three of the past seven months, reaching a peak of over 44 percent in May. Oregon Department of Human Services Interim Child Welfare Director Rolanda Garcia stated that stability is crucial for children experiencing trauma, emphasizing expanded respite care networks and streamlined relative caregiver certifications during Kinship Care Month.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission is encouraging eligible low-income households to apply for monthly service discounts during National Lifeline Awareness Week. The Oregon Lifeline program offers discounts up to $24 monthly for high-speed internet, $19 for phone service, and free wireless options, with households on federally recognized Tribal lands eligible for an additional $25 monthly discount.
Trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada are impacting Northwest agricultural businesses following retaliatory actions and new 50% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Lori Otto Punke, president of the Washington Council on International Trade, cautioned that tariffs threaten long-held regional business relationships, noting, “like, we could shut off most of these tariffs tomorrow, and a lot of those relationships… are not going to come back immediately.” According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Canada stands as Washington’s second-largest trading partner and ranks among Oregon’s top five.
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an attempt by the Trump administration to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, preserving state-level administration of voting procedures. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read praised the ruling as a crucial protection for state election authority, stating, “Presidents don’t run elections, the people do,” while reassuring residents that mail-in voting will proceed as scheduled.
Weather across Central Oregon will feature mostly cloudy skies today with highs near 74 degrees, north breezes, and a 20 percent chance of evening showers before clearing overnight to a low around 49. Sunshine returns on Wednesday with warm temperatures reaching 75 degrees and afternoon wind gusts picking up near 30 mph.