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Ridgway changes short-term rental fees Ridgway is raising its fees for licensing short-term rentals and is adding a $50 fee for inspecting those prope...

February 19, 2025

News

Sheriff, victim services to host domestic violence meeting

The Ouray County Sheriff’s Office and Ouray County Victim Services will host a community conversation about domestic violence on Feb. 20. The event is...

February 12, 2025

News

Opioid settlement grant money available

Grant money aimed at initiatives seeking to address the opioid crisis and substance abuse is now available to eligible applicants in Ouray County and ...

February 12, 2025

News

Fatal accident closes highway

U.S. Highway 550 is closed at mile marker 101 after a fatal accident was reported at 4:18 p.m. Few details were available Thursday night about this a...

February 6, 2025

Feature

Season of Sharing 2024: George Gardner Scholarship Fund

Editor’s note: The Ouray County Plaindealer started publishing profiles of nonprofits between Thanksgiving and New Year’s in 2020 as a community servi...

December 27, 2024

Feature

EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN

The Fortuna Tierra Club's inaugural group of honorees were celebrated at the 2024 Exceptional Women of Ouray County luncheon on Oct. 5. Pictured here ...

October 9, 2024

Feature

Meet Ridgway’s new teacher

Editor’s note: We have continued the tradition of including Q&A profiles of new teachers in the Ridgway and Ouray school districts in the newspape...

August 28, 2024

Main, News...

OURAY COUNTY'S 'THIRD PLACES'

OURAY’S LIVING ROOM

More than a bouldering gym for the adventurous, Basecamp Ouray proves to be rock that supports, strengthens and builds community

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

February 19, 2025

Penny Price curled up on a couch at the foot of a climbing wall, plotting out how she’d try and get to the top. The 8-year-old’s parents and other surrounding climbers toyed with a smartphone app that...

Main

Outfitter settles wildfire claims

Firm pays $500K to Forest Service but denies liability

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

February 19, 2025

A San Miguel County hunting outfitter will pay the U.S. Forest Service $500,000 to resolve allegations it was liable for a 2019 wildfire east of Ridgway. The settlement agreement, announced last week ...

News

Commissioners shift focus to new manager

Board to hire interim leader or consultant to help deputy manager run county

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

February 19, 2025

Ouray County commissioners either will hire an interim county manager or a consultant to help run the county when County Manager Connie Hunt leaves her position March 31. It's the first time the count...

News

In Ouray, the thin blue line could narrow even further

Officer may jump to sheriff's office as council, police to meet next week

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

February 19, 2025

The ranks of the Ouray Police Department, frayed by a delay in hiring a new police chief and an inability to find another police officer, appear to be on the verge of thinning further. Interim Police ...

News

Engineer tapped for water repairs

Ridgway aims to finish $8M reconstruction of diversion system by end of year

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

February 19, 2025

The town of Ridgway selected an engineer to design a portion of the town’s pricey repairs to its water system, which was destroyed by record monsoonal events last summer. The goal is to finish constru...

Plaindealer Staff

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines