From the Ouray County Herald and Ouray

County Plaindealer:

50 Years Ago

July 17, 1969 – Editorial: It all began with a surprise haircutting party planned for four longish-haired newcomers resident in our neighborhood – but the party backfired for the three carloads of local fellows who first addled their brains and accelerated any latent bigotry and “bravery” with too much booze, then broke into the residence of the four strangers. Though badly outnumbered, the four joined by a young local boy who was visiting them, drove the intruders from their home. With a hardwood shovel handle and other like “weapons” as they could manage, they successfully defended themselves and managed to inflict some painful momentoes on the mob. One local received a scalp laceration sufficient that he was taken to the Montrose hospital. Others had various minor contusions, all of which they had earned. The defendants were unhurt. Those in Ouray who did know them may not have approved of their haircuts but seemed to like them for what they were. We knew them well enough to know they bothered no one, were anxious to work, loved the mountains as we all do, and wanted to be productive citizens of the community. Two had worked for us, doing a fine job at hard physical, filthy work. Had the boys remained in Ouray to press charges, would they have had a fair day in court? Maybe if they cut their hair prior to appearing? Dream on.

40 Years Ago

July 19, 1979 – Construction of the 20th home in Log Hill Village will begin this week, according to Robert Draper of Western Community Planners, Inc. Over the past three years, the steady growth of the village, located on Log Hill Mesa overlooking Ridgway, has attracted the attention of many people. In addition to their sales office up at the Mesa, Western Community Planners is opening another sales office at the Sunset Motel in Ridgway. The office will begin business this week. A public land auction of several 40-acre tracts bordering on Log Hill Village was held July 14th. Attended by a crowd of over 100 persons from all over the country, it was conducted by Western Community

Planners and termed “very successful”, pointing out the continued interest for land in that area.

30 Years Ago

July 20, 1989 – Walt Rule, Ouray, urged the city council Monday night to examine the Forest Service’s proposed plan to increase timber harvest in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG), and to respond before the August 25th deadline. Rule, recently retired from the U.S. Forest Service, was a Ouray District Ranger for a number of years during his career. He told the council he is concerned about the proposed timber sales in Ouray County. Rule said that in the 10-year timber sale plan outlined in the document, there is 13 million board feet on 3,312 acres on the north face of Mt. Sneffels and 9.2 million board feet on over 2,244 acres in the Owl Creek areas that are targeted for harvest.

The plan calls for an increase in timber cutting in the GMUG forests from 30 million board feet per year to 60 million board feet.

20 Years Ago

July 22, 1999 – Joe Mattivi, a Ouray County commissioner and prominent civic leader, was killed Wednesday morning in a mining accident just outside of Ouray. Mattivi, 47, was involved in a heavy equipment accident at about 11 a.m. at the Grizzly Bear Mine, the Sheriff’s Department said. There were no witnesses to the accident and Mattivi was discovered by co-workers. The mine is operated by ZMK Mining of Ouray. Mattivi was in his second term as county commissioner, having served on the BOCC since 1993. Mattivi was a past exalted Ruler of the Ouray Elks Lodge, past city councilman, past chairman of the board of Region 10, and a member of the

Ouray Volunteer Fire Department.

10 Years Ago

July 17, 2009 – A planned hearing on a proposal to tighten regulations for building homes on mining parcels has been canceled. The hearing was to address revisions of a draft document discussed during a July 9 workshop. Participants at that workshop engaged in an “Ideological debate” about the regulations, according to the Board of County Commissioners. That Thursday night workshop was heavily attended by mining claim owners and other citizens. During the course of the meeting, emotionally charged banter was exchanged among the P&Z members, and comments about the legitimacy of the legislation were directed to the P&Z members by several citizens during the meeting.

From The Ridgway Sun

30 Years Ago

July 20, 1989 – As residents of Ouray

County are well aware, the Red Mountain valley is a highly mineralized area. Even without mining activity, the natural “background” levels of metals in the area’s creeks and rivers would be higher than in places without similar ore deposits. Over the last hundred years, however, mining activity has undoubtedly increased the amount of metals – such as copper, silver, zinc and lead – in waterways like Red Mountain Creek. The State and Idarado agree that the basic objective of any cleanup program in the Ouray area is to reduce the amount of metals in Red Mountain Creek, the Uncompahgre River, and Ridgway Reservoir. A cleanup program should also stabilize and revegetate tailing piles.

20 Years Ago

July 22, 1999 – A Ridgway child care provider was arrested on charges including four counts of sexual assault on a minor from a position of trust, and one count of harboring a runaway minor without notifying the minor’s parents. Ellen Polanco appeared in Ouray County Court last Thursday, July 15, for an advisement of her rights. The charges made read that the alleged incidents occurred between March 25, 1999 and June 15, 1999. If found guilty,

Polanco could face up to 16 years in prison. Polanco had been running a foster care facility out of Ridgway.