By Rep. Jeff Helfrich, For The Mountain Times For years, as Oregonians we have heard the phrase, “Don’t die in Oregon.” It gets a laugh sometimes, but it’s a very real concern shared by farmers, small business owners, and families across our state. Our estate tax has become badly outdated, and more people are being caught up in it every year. For those who don’t know, Oregon taxes estates valued over $1 million — one of the lowest thresholds in the nation — even though home v

This past May, local voters passed a $19.1 million dollar bond measure to help build a new fire station for the Hoodland Fire District. They also elected retired attorney Kirk Peterson, a strong advocate for the bond measure, to fill a vacancy on the board of directors. A member of the fire district budget committee since 2019, Peterson looks like a good fit for Hoodland. The newest director on the board has a handle on the issues facing the fire district. “After retiring as

The Oregon Trail School District (OTSD) board of directors unanimously approved a resolution at the Monday, Aug. 11 meeting to put a school improvement bond on the ballot for the upcoming November election. The bond would address needed repairs and improvements at elementary and middle schools throughout the district. “This bond is the culmination of more than two years of planning with the help of our constituents,” said Aaron Bayer, OTSD Superintendent. “Parents, staff, com