Top stories of 2023: Stakeholders make major gains on housing

Nicole Guck sits on the bedroom floor talking to Jeremy Lewis while 3-year-old Fehren (left) and Adeline, age 7, play with recently unpacked toys on Aug. 24 at the family's new Habitat for Humanity home in Ridgway. Although it took nearly three years to complete the project, a trio of families now have a place to call home at the triplex. Daniel Schmidt — Ouray County Plaindealer

News

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com, on December 27, 2023

After finishing the first affordable housing project in Ouray County in 2022 with the Space to Create apartment complex in Ridgway, stakeholders pressed the accelerator in 2023.

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

January 29, 2025

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 ...

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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...

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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...

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County approves six-home Log Hill subdivision

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

January 29, 2025

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

January 29, 2025

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...

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines