A new youth wellness initiative is launching in Warm Springs with a focus on fitness, healthy living, and diabetes prevention. Warm Springs Diabetes Prevention has announced the creation of Warm Springs STRONG, a program designed to help young people develop healthy habits that strengthen the body, mind, and spirit. Participants will take part in team challenges, mentorship opportunities, and health education activities aimed at promoting lifelong wellness. Organizers are also seeking high school athletes interested in serving as mentors and helping lead program sessions. Youth interested in participating, along with potential student mentors, can contact Austin Rauschenburg with the Warm Springs Diabetes Prevention Program for additional information.
Community members are working to improve the skate park at Quinn Park in Warm Springs. During this week’s Native Aspirations meeting, Zach Koepke discussed efforts to add new street-style features to the facility. Koepke and local riders are collaborating to determine the best use of available funding while also encouraging youth involvement. Koepke said the project is about “getting youth more involved in taking care of the place” and giving back to a community that has supported generations of skateboarders. With construction crews potentially arriving in mid-June, organizers are currently seeking storage space for materials, volunteer labor, and housing for incoming builders.
Preparations continue for the 2026 Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo. Organizers say this year’s event will once again feature exhibits, entertainment, competitions, and rodeo events for families and visitors. Fairgrounds Manager Bart Platt recently encouraged community participation through open class exhibits and rodeo activities. Individuals, clubs, and organizations interested in taking part can find entry information, schedules, and contact details through the Jefferson County Fairgrounds website.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that juvenile Chinook salmon in the upper Klamath River have tested positive for a potentially deadly parasite. The agency found nearly half of the almost 700 fish collected between March and May had the parasite C. Shasta. Eighteen percent of fish had potentially fatal levels. That’s a big jump from last year, when only one in five salmon tested positive in the upper Klamath. C. Shasta is transferred to fish from worms and is thought to spread more easily in warm waters. While the parasite can be deadly for salmon, it poses no risk to humans.
A young California condor recently made history by becoming the first wild condor seen flying free in Oregon in more than 120 years. Condor B9, a little more than two years old, traveled approximately 380 miles after being released through the Yurok Tribe’s condor restoration program in Northern California. Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department Director Tiana Williams Claussen said the bird was “really utilizing the landscape” and taking advantage of natural flight corridors during the journey. The condor flew near Medford before returning toward Redwood National and State Parks. Conservation efforts have helped rebuild condor populations, with 23 birds currently flying free in Northern California and additional releases planned this summer.
The basketball community is remembering Hall of Fame coach Rick Adelman, who died at the age of 79. Adelman began his coaching career at Chemeketa Community College in Salem before joining the Portland Trail Blazers coaching staff under Jack Ramsay. He eventually became Portland’s head coach and guided the Trail Blazers to NBA Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992. Adelman later coached the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing his career as one of the winningest coaches in NBA history.
The weather forecast calls for cooler weather arriving Wednesday, bringing mostly cloudy skies and a slight chance of showers before gradual clearing and a high near 67. Breezy conditions are expected Wednesday night through Thursday, followed by sunny skies and highs in the mid-to-upper 60s through Friday.
