Calendar Mon., Jan. 8, 2018

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A U.S. judge who declared a mistrial two weeks ago could end the much-watched criminal prosecution of a Nevada rancher accused of leading an armed uprising against federal authorities. Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro’s decision on Monday in Las Vegas is sure to echo among states’ rights advocates in Western states where the federal government controls vast expanses that some people want to remain protected and others want open for grazing, mining and oil and gas drilling.

Changes are coming for the Madras High School football program.  One of several recommendations made to the Oregon School Activities Association’s Executive Board by the Reclassification and Redistricting Committee was that Madras play down one classification. According to the Madras Pioneer, Madras has indicated it will leave 4A for the next two seasons and play in 3A. Head football coach Kurt Taylor told the paper that the move best suits the program, which had been on a 23-game losing streak until a win on September 15^th.

Madras varsity girls basketball beat Mountain View on Friday 59-46, led in points by Jiana Smith Francis who finished with 25. The White Buff Boys lost to Mt. View 105-71. Next up are games against Sisters tomorrow – the boys are home, the girls on the road. Freshman/JV games are at 5:30, varsity at 7. Catch that varsity boys game live on 91.9fm.

State geologists studying the landslide risks at the Rattlesnake Ridge area in Yakima County estimate an “event” could occur as early as next Sunday. “Based on monitoring data, geologists and engineers who are studying the landslide estimate an event will occur sometime between January 14 and February 28, 2018,” the Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management posted on Facebook Sunday. Geologists with the Washington Department of Natural Resources say according to data, the most likely scenario is that the landslide will continue to move slowly south, where it will fall into a quarry pit and accumulate. Some rocks are expected to fall and reach nearby Thorp Road, but not I-82 or the Yakima River.