(HILLSBORO) — Herb Van Dorn always believed in service. As a young Boy Scout, he committed himself to his community. When a letter from the government called him to serve in the Army, it felt like a natural extension of his duty. At just 18, the Oak Lawn, Illinois, native had barely graduated high school when he was drafted — missing his Eagle Scout ceremony to join the ranks heading...

Sometimes saving the best for last doesn’t work out. Culver faced league leading Trinity Lutheran at home Oct. 22 on senior night, played well, but lost 25-21, 25-23, 25-21. “The Trinity match was a great game. It was senior night and dig pink, so tons of exciting stuff going on and the energy in the gym was incredible. Both of our seniors, Dania Correa and Jocelyn Camacho, had their best...

The City of Madras has recently renovated Bean Park, and now a sign honoring its history and contribution the Bean Foundation has given to Jefferson County. The new information plaque outlines the founding of Bean Park and the Bean Foundations history, as well as listing the many projects and land donations permissions the foundation has given over the years. Part of the informational signs also outline the work George Neilson has done with the foundation. Alongside them, a new bench was added to the park, with a plaque recognizing Neilson for his involvement in the community.

Your Oregon News asked readers how safe they feel at their local schools, and how safe they feel campuses are for students and staff. About 31% of respondents said they feel mostly safe, or about 75% safe at their local schools; while another 28% said it’s a 50-50 coin toss situation. Another 31% said they only feel 25% safe, with another 10% saying they don’t feel safe at all. No...

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum stopped at Madras High School to speak with members of the Madras High School Key Club about her work as attorney general, her career, and about pathways to a career in law. Rosenblum first spoke to the students as a large group during lunch, and later answered questions with a small group of students interested in pursuing a law career. Students asked about law school, as well as alternative careers in law, like paralegals or law enforcement.

Ballots for the 2024 General Election are due soon, by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Races on the ballot locally include Jefferson County Commissioner as well as Madras, Metolius and Culver city council races. As of Oct. 28, 4,650 ballots have been returned in Jefferson County, 26.55% of registered voters. To be counted, the vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the Jefferson County Clerk’s office on election day, Nov....

The cities of Metolius and Culver both have city council and mayoral positions on the ballot this election season. Most of the candidates are running unopposed, and some seats remain vacant with no candidate filing for the position. Culver In Culver, Bart Carpenter is running for his current position, Mayor of Culver. He was elected to the position in 2022. Scott Ough, Josh Thody and Rebecca Mock are running for...

After falling to Crook County 3-1 on Oct. 21, the Madras White Buffalo boys soccer team finished their Tri-Valley Conference season with a 3-1 victory over Estacada Oct. 24. Eben Tapia scored two goals and Aiden Diaz had the other for the Buffalos, who finished their season 6-2-2 in conference. Crook County won the league with a 8-1-1 mark. The Dalles took second with a 7-3 conference record. At No....

The young Madras volleyball squad came out on fire Thursday, Oct. 24 against Estacada, hoping to beat the Rangers and tie them at 5-5 in Tri-Valley Conference play. With only two seniors on the roster, it was a building year for first-year coach Taytum Stevens, and tying for third would have been a nice achievement for the program. But after a sizzling start, the Buffs came up short, losing in...

The young Madras volleyball squad came out on fire Thursday, Oct. 24 against Estacada, hoping to beat the Rangers and tie them at 5-5 in Tri-Valley Conference play. With only two seniors on the roster, it was a building year for first-year coach Taytum Stevens, and tying for third would have been a nice achievement for the program. But after a sizzling start, the Buffs came up short, losing in...

This Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 2 and 3, are the final days of the fall Fire Free cleanup program at Box Canyon Transfer Station. Sponsored by Jefferson County, Madras Sanitary Service, Jefferson County Fire & EMS and the Madras Pioneer, Fire Free Weekend provides free yard debris dumping — brush and small tree limbs — at the Jefferson County Box Canyon Transfer Station. This is the 25th year for the...

Culver had zero trouble with Oakridge Friday, Oct. 25 on senior night, winning 56-12. The Bulldogs solidified their hold atop the 2A Special District 5 standings with the victory, moving to 5-0 in league, 8-0 overall. The Dawgs came into the game ranked No. 1 in the state, won by 44, and dropped down to fourth. The quality of opponents a team plays, even it it beats them, weighs on...

Sisters used both an effective passing and running attack Friday, Oct. 25 to hammer Madras in a 3A Special District 3 matchup 46-8. At the Buffalo stadium on senior night, Sisters led 40-0 at half and the mercy rule was applied with a running clock in the second half. The Buffalo touchdown came in the fourth quarter, the Buffs' final drive, when many Madras reserves were facing the Outlaw backups....

As Election Day nears, the Madras Pioneer is looking into the campaign finances of candidates across the ballot. Campaign finance information is available publicly via the Oregon Secretary of State's website Oregon Elections System for Tracking and Reporting, or ORESTAR. ORESTAR publicizes campaign finances as they are reported by the candidates or their committees. There are specific thresholds candidates must report at – such as when a candidate’s total spending or receiving exceeds $750, unless their committee files an exemption, approved by the secretary of...

It may not have been the win they were hoping for, but it wasn't a loss. After going winless throughout 2023 and all of this season, the Madras White Buffalo girls soccer squad tied Estacada 1-1 in Estacada Thursday, Oct. 24, capping the year on a high note. "Yeah, the girls were pretty excited. Lots of tears from everyone with it being the seniors' last game," said Madras coach Shawn...

This article brought to you courtesy of Chinook Place Assisted Living and Memory Care, Madras Pioneer Insider Senior Living Expert. Sponsored content. Most seniors want to live out their lives in their own homes, but sometimes it’s no longer an option. Illness, dementia and mobility problems make this wish challenging. When a senior needs help to live safely, families have to decide where their loved one should live. Location, location,...

On Oct. 22, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs hosted key partners for a kick-off meeting that will begin shaping the planning and development of the upcoming Bethel-Round Butte Transmission Line upgrade. The meeting included officials and program partners, including representatives from Portland General Electric and the United States Department of Energy. Participants learned more about the Tribes, their land, their collaborative approach to resource management and their Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprises. The event included a helicopter tour of their Reservation and the...

Your Oregon News asked readers what their favorite type of Halloween candy is, from sour gummies to chocolates. Our readers said KitKat and Snickers are the favorite Halloween candies in Oregon, tying with 28.6% of the vote. Reese’s came in second with a strong 21.4%, while Mars earned another 14.3% of the votes. About 7% of readers voted for other candies that were not on our conventional list. Did you weigh in and get your vote counted? If not, no worries—there's still time to enter our Spooktacular Snapshots photo contest instead!

The newly vacant building that housed Erickson’s Thriftway in Madras will soon have a new resident. El Torito Supermarket, an Oregon local Mexican-inspired grocery store with six other locations in the state, plans to open in the building in November. The market has locations in Salem, Woodburn, Eugene, Lincoln City and Klamath Falls, and provides at their other locations Hispanic-focused grocery items, as well as large meat market and produce section. Some locations also feature small deli-style restaurants, as well as a bakery. ...

Welcome to the 2024 Salute to Veterans section. This year, we’re featuring 31 veterans who have served our country as a member of our armed forces. For the first time, we have a feature on a Coast Guard veteran. Regardless of the branch of service (we’re still hoping to find a veteran of the U.S. Space Force), we have worked to find veterans who were not only a part of history through their service but continue to create local history through service in their communities. ...