Civil War Game Bumps Christmas Light Parade in Madras, Oregon

We Oregonians get a little bit fired up during Civil War weekend when the Oregon Ducks play the OSU Beavers. So fired up in fact, that the Jefferson County/Madras Chamber of Commerce decided to move Madras, Oregon's annual Christmas Lights Parade and Tree Lighting to another date!

The event time has been changed to 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11, and the parade's theme this year is "Christmas of the Century."

After the parade, kids are invited to go to U.S. Bank for a visit and photos with Santa. Indian frybread and hot cocoa will be available for purchase at the Christmas Lights Parade event.

Flurry of Construction at Yarrow! Come See Us Taking Shape

With several homes under construction in Yarrow, our master-planned neighborhood is taking shape. The home that is furthest along in the construction process will be completed early next year, and be available for sale. This 3 bedroom/2 bath home is being built by the Bean Foundation, a local charitable organization, and proceeds will eventually be used to serve projects for the youth and young families located in Jefferson County.

Two additional custom homes are slated to start construction this month, and are being built by owners for their primary residences. With new homes, new residents and new energy, the vision of Yarrow is being realized and we are so excited! As George Neilson, president of the Bean Foundation said, "It appears the market may be strengthening...the time is ripe to restart the new housing market." We invite you to come visit Yarrow and see what's going up! Contact Kathy Duman for a tour!

Madras Lowers SDC Fees to Attract Business

According to a recent article in the Bulletin, the city of Madras has dropped some city infrastructure fees by 20 percent to attract new business. The Madras City Council decided to cut system development charges (SDCs) to entice developers to consider Madras for their next project. SDCs are fees which developers pay to help offset the effects of growth, and pay for street and sewer improvements.

From the article:
"For a developer building a single-family residence in Madras, the SDCs before the reduction could tack on about $13,000 to the project. Now, that number will be closer to about $10,445. The amount a developer pays can vary depending on the project but the money goes toward transportation, park, wastewater and stormwater SDCs. The city then uses these funds to help fund capital improvement projects or pay off existing debt."

The city is hoping that this reduction sends a message that Madras is more business friendly than some other places. If SDCs get too high they represent a barrier to growth and progress.

Madras Makes Progress on City Hall

Madras, Oregon is seeking federal money to move forward on its city hall project, which was approved by vote last year. The Bend Bulletin reported that City Administrator Mike Morgan said the city is working this week to complete an application for a loan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Administration.

The community was divided on building the new building, which would be constructed on the site of a current park. City officials promised that more parks would be built to make up for the lost green space. One of the most recent parks to be added to the city is Crescent Park in the Yarrow neighborhood, which features a picnic and play area overlooking the Cascade Mountain Range.

The new building is expected to be about 20,000 square feet, two stories and have a plaza for Saturday markets. It would house the Police Department and other offices.

(Photo shown is from the Madras Pioneer)

History Abounds in Central Oregon

The Barnes Circus came to Madras, Oregon in 1916 - shown in this photo published on the Madras Pioneer web site. This window into our town's history is in honor of the city's 100th anniversary being celebrated for the whole year of 2010. For celebration details, visit www.madraschamber.com.

Are we making a little history ourselves with the community of Yarrow? Perhaps. It is the city's first master-planned neighborhood that was designed with the community in mind...come see for yourself and we think you'll agree. www.yarrowliving.com

Madras, Oregon Turns 100

Yes, we know we're good. I mean, we won second place in the Madras, Oregon cake decorating contest to celebrate their 100th birthday. You can see why...just look at that masterpiece!

While we are pleased with our splendid cake, we'll be even happier if you win $100 by participating in our weekly trivia contest!

Trivia Question #5 (May 5):
Who was the Madras-area farmer who won several national dryland farming awards during the railroad boom era?
A – Tillman Reuter
B – Andrew Morrow
C – William Binder
D – Fred Fisher

TRIVIA CONTEST! Win $100 from Yarrow!

Help us celebrate the City of Madras' 100th Birthday and maybe even win a cool 100 bucks in the process! Each week, starting April 7th, look for the Yarrow Trivia Question in the Madras Pioneer newspaper. Log on to www.yarrowliving.com/trivia and submit your answer. Winners each week will be in the running to win $100 on July 4th weekend! Two lucky winners will drawn. The more you play, the better your chances of winning! (Only one entry per person each week. Must be 18 or older to enter.)

Trivia Question #1 (April 7):
What year did the train arrive in Madras?
(A) 1907
(B) 1909
(C) 1911
(D) 1914