A NEW PLACE TO PLAY

O'Toys owners Heather and Josh Smith and their 12-year-old son Levin stand inside the toy store's new location at 539 Main St. in Ouray. After nearly three years on Sixth Avenue, the Smiths moved the business to Main Street earlier this month to take advantage of the additional foot traffic. Erin McIntyre â Ouray County Plaindealer

By Liz Teitz, on May 24, 2023

A NEW PLACE TO PLAY

O'Toys owners Heather and Josh Smith and their 12-year-old son Levin stand inside the toy store's new location at 539 Main St. in Ouray. After nearly three years on Sixth Avenue, the Smiths moved the business to Main Street earlier this month to take advantage of the additional foot traffic. Erin McIntyre â Ouray County Plaindealer
Levin Smith, 12, shows off his business card that lists his job at his parents' toy store as ''purchasing consultant.'' One of the unique features of O'Toys is th...

Main, News...

‘I want to build something really cool’

New chief takes helm as county emergency medical services grows, modernizes

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

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Nathan McCullough's new desk is stickered all over with pink Post-it notes about supply orders, grants, paying volunteers and reminders about determination, positivity and faith. For the past six mont...

Main, News...

Search for police chief starts over

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

January 29, 2025

If the city of Ouray’s search for a new police chief mirrored the career arc of a law enforcement officer, it would be back at the training academy. Seven months after firing Police Chief Jeff Wood an...

Main, News...

Mobile home park deal inked

Swiss Village residents set to close on land in May for $2.5M

By Erin McIntyre and Mike Wiggins erin@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com

January 29, 2025

Residents of Swiss Village Mobile Home Park are under contract to purchase the land their homes sit upon, a crucial step toward ensuring the park between the Uncompahgre River and the steep cliffs on ...

News

Ouray schools pledge $100K to athletic field

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

January 29, 2025

The Ouray School District will contribute $100,000 toward the Cimarron Athletic Field project after extensive discussion and a 4-1 vote. Organizers approached the board almost nine months ago and gave...

News

Ridgway firefighters to respond to all county EMS calls

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

January 29, 2025

Ridgway firefighters will accompany Ouray County Emergency Medical Services on all service calls to expedite patient care and bring the county in line with standard procedure. Nathan McCullough, the c...

News

County approves six-home Log Hill subdivision

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

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A developer can move forward with a six-home subdivision on the north end of Log Hill Mesa after addressing impacts to wildlife and availability of water supply. On Tuesday, county commissioners appro...

Feature

Students to showcase work at fair

By By Chloe Kiparsky Plaindealer intern

January 29, 2025

The public will be able to view a showcase of student inventions, science experiments, art projects and beyond at the second annual Uncompahgre STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathema...

News

What’s in your water? Not extra fluoride

No Ouray County water providers add mineral

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

January 29, 2025

Recent talk around ending the public health practice of treating water with extra fluoride won’t change what comes out of the taps in Ouray County, as none of the county’s four drinking water provider...

Feature

Ouray metal shop hits new heights

Skol Studio can tackle biggest fabrication projects with 34-foot-tall building

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

January 29, 2025

Jeff Skoloda’s towering metal warehouse mirrors its inner workings: a fabrication shop large enough to fit specially designed 100-foot-long metalwork and drive in a full semi truck to load those proje...

Feature

CRAFTING A COMMUNITY IN OURAY

Ceramicists, artists can share resources, time together at studio

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

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Ninazuma Pottery owner Becca Doll-Tyler opened Ouray Clay & Co. for local ceramicists and artists to create a community while working on their craft. She wanted to detach her personal pottery brand, w...

Letters, Opinion...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Preconceived notions sunk police chief hiring decision

January 29, 2025

Dear Editor: The decision to bypass a thorough four-month vetting process in selecting Ouray’s new police chief raises serious concerns about our community’s commitment to professionalism and fairness...

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