With Election Day a week away, state officials on Tuesday urged voters not to mail in ballots and instead use drop boxes from here on out.

In a press release, the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office noted that ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day or they won’t count.

Hidden Valley got a pair of goals in both halves to roll by rival North Valley 4-0 on Tuesday in Skyline Conference girls’ soccer game in Murphy.

Senior Madison Hogan scored an early goal on a header after an assist from senior Willow Breazeale, who scored unassisted later in the half to give Hidden Valley a two-goal advantage at the break in the Mustangs’ Senior Night game.

The Oregon Department of Forestry announced fire season is over today in Josephine and Jackson counties.

“Recent rainfall, cooler temperatures and a shift toward consistent fall weather have allowed all fire season regulations and Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPL) to be lifted,” ODF said in the announcement.

Have you ever wondered how Congress really works? What happens behind the scenes, beyond the lessons about how a bill becomes a law, and why it sometimes seems Congress is unable to function at all?