Bulletin staff report

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., comes to Central Oregon next week for town halls in Madras, Sisters and Prineville, his office announced today.

The senator will also speak in Redmond on the Ponderosa substation near Prineville, for which he urged upgrades to promote economic development in the region.

Wyden has been holding town halls in every Oregon county every year since 1996.

Wyden’s schedule:

Deschutes County Town Hall Meeting; 1:50 p.m., Jan. 11, Sisters High School, 1700 McKinney Butte Road.

Crook County Town Hall Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 11, Oregon Open Campus Building, 510 S.E. Lynn Blvd., Prineville.

Jefferson County Town Hall Meeting: 10 a.m. Jan. 12, Madras Senior Center, 860 S.W. Madison, Madras.

News conference: Ponderosa Substation Upgrade: 10 a.m. Jan. 11., Central Electric Co-op, 2098 N. U.S. Highway 97, Redmond.