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Latest News
Sergeant slams city leaders
Main, News...
Sergeant slams city leaders
Troxell claims council, administrator mishandled police department; sheriff offers to hire, train officers
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
The lone remaining sworn officer in the Ouray Police Department critic...
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Views vary on electric building code, other issues
Main, News...
Views vary on electric building code, other issues
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
Ridgway Town Council candidates split last week over whether they supp...
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News
City’s cost for police services climbing
County OKs amendment boosting reimbursement rate
By By Lia Salvatierra and Mike Wiggins lia@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
The city of Ouray's tab for having Ouray County provide law enforcemen...
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Ridgway council candidates discuss issues at forum
Main, News...
Ridgway council candidates discuss issues at forum
Mihelarakis, Clark focus on sustainability, economy
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
Seasoned insights squared off with fresh perspective during an election forum last week as both of Ridgway’s mayoral candidates answered questions centered on their approaches to sustainability and fostering the town’s economic future. Tia Mihelarakis, a first-time candidate for local government, is challenging Ridgway’s mayor of 14 years, John Clark, in his first contested race since he was elect...
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News
County orders property owners to remove gates
Land Use Department says s tructures north of pass built without permits
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
Ouray County is warning owners of properties north of Red Mountain Pass they must immediately remove two unauthorized gates blocking public access roads and remedy other unpermitted structures on thei...
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News
Trail group seeks city’s help
Nonprofit wants to move section of Perimeter Trail away from road
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
The Ouray Trail Group is asking the city of Ouray for help acquiring a piece of private property so it can rebuild a section of the Perimeter Trail and move it away from a road. City councilors last w...
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News
News
County may change rules for high-elevation wastewater systems
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
Ouray County property owners may be allowed to install composting and incinerating toilets without a septic system in certain areas of the county. During a March 11 work session, county commissioners ...
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Looking Back
News
Looking Back
March 25, 2026
Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago March 31, 1966 The value of the gold sponge stolen from the retort room of the Idarad...
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News
Local Briefs
Affordable housing administrator funded for third year
March 25, 2026
Local governments have agreed to spend bonus affordable housing grants on securing a countywide housing services administrator for a third year. The town of Ridgway and Ouray County each received a $5...
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Inaugural home meet sets stage for course records
News
PREP ROUNDUP
Inaugural home meet sets stage for course records
By By Bernie Pearce Special to the Plaindealer 
March 25, 2026
It’s not uncommon for track athletes to break in a new pair of shoes at the dawn of a new season. But it is exceedingly rare for all of them to have the chance to set a new course record, which is exa...
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Businesses weather weak winter
News
Businesses weather weak winter
Lodging tax revenue slides as motels, climbing guides lick wounds after too-brief Ice Park season
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
Warm temperatures and limited snowfall weakened sectors of Ouray's winter economy this year, triggering the shortest climbing season in the history of the Ouray Ice Park and cutting into profits for g...
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News
Natural gas utility sparks debate with town
As Ridgway weighs possible all-electric building code, some challenge results of Black Hills survey
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 25, 2026
A Black Hills Energy presentation and customer survey on electrification sparked debate during a Ridgway Town Council meeting last week about an all-electric building code the town will consider adopt...
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Features coverage
Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events, Feature...
Calendar & Events
March 26-April 8, 2026
March 25, 2026
Thursday, March 26 After-school storytime for elementary aged children, 4 p.m. at the Ouray Public Library, 320 Sixth Ave. Coffee and conversation with Ouray County Sheriff Justin Perry, 9-10 a.m., Ar...
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Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events, Feature...
Calendar & Events
March 19-April 2, 2026
March 18, 2026
Thursday, March 19 Ridgway Candidates' Forum with the Woman's Club of Ouray County, 6 p.m. at the Ridgway Community Center, 201 N. Railroad St. Nonpartisan forum for Ridgway Town Council candidates an...
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Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events, Feature...
Calendar & Events
March 12-20, 2026
March 11, 2026
Thursday, March 12 Tech Thursday – Get help with quick tech problems from 4-6 p.m. at the Ridgway Public Library, 300 Charles St. Walk-ins welcome. "Mountains of the Moon: A Chris Benchetler Film Expe...
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Looking Back
Feature
Looking Back
March 4, 2026
Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago March 3, 1966 Arthur R. Alschbach, Ouray's oldest continuous resident, died March 1 a...
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Ridgway senior leads by words, deeds on court
Columns, Feature...
PREP ROUNDUP
Ridgway senior leads by words, deeds on court
By By Bernie Pearce Special to the Plaindealer 
March 4, 2026
At intense moments of a close basketball game, there’s nothing that Ridgway senior Sophia Scranton savors more than to hunker down in her defensive stance, slide in front of a hapless dribbler and wit...
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Ridgway, Ouray basketball head to state playoffs
Feature
Ridgway, Ouray basketball head to state playoffs
March 4, 2026
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Editor Picks
Letters, Opinion...
Presence doesn’t equal performance on council
March 25, 2026
Dear Editor: As an advocate for responsible remote work, I disagree with the sentiment expressed in the “City: No to more remote governance” article published in your March 5-11 edition. This is not a...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Kudos to Hurd too soon
March 25, 2026
Dear Editor: I was very surprised to see in the March 19-25 edition of the Plaindealer a full-page advertisement, paid for by The Wilderness Society, thanking Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd saying, “R...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Hurd should put country before party
March 25, 2026
Dear Editor: My husband and I attended Jeff Hurd’s telephone town hall Tuesday, March 11. We were relieved to hear that our new representative supports Ukraine and the rehiring of fired federal worker...
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Is there relief for brutally warm, dry March?
Columns, Opinion...
Is there relief for brutally warm, dry March?
By Karen Risch 
March 25, 2026
Early this month, spring 2026 seemed to be yet another hot, droughty season across the West. Since then, March has been abysmally dry and scarily warm, thanks to a highly unusual heat dome parked over...
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A christening for Cimarron Athletic Field
Main, News...
A christening for Cimarron Athletic Field
March 18, 2026
The Cimarron Athletic Field at Ridgway Secondary School hosted its inaugural meet with the Ridgway Invite on March 14. Ridgway senior Sophia Forrest won the girls' 100-meter dash with a time of 13.19....
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First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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