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Ex-police chief to sue Ouray

Wood alleges city violated free speech, due process rights

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

September 4, 2024

Former Ouray Police Chief Jeff Wood plans to sue the city of Ouray, al...

News

Athletic field halfway to fundraising goal

Backers of Ridgway soccer field, track and field space have raised $1.8M of $3.3M project cost

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

September 4, 2024

When Ridgway Secondary School students returned to class last week, th...

News

Planning commissioners debate Ridgway’s land-use needs

State, real estate professionals disagree about town's projected growth

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

September 4, 2024

The Ridgway Planning Commission is envisioning what the town should lo...

Main, News...

NEIGHBORS AND HELPERS

EYES ON THE SKY

Daily dedication of Ouray County's weather observers helps sustain decades of data, inform region's climate history

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

September 4, 2024

Every morning, Karen Risch drinks a cup of coffee, puts on a sun, rain or snow hat and heads to her yard. She checks eight different instruments to collect weather data: gathering temperature highs and lows, precipitation amounts, wind speeds, cloud cover, air quality and other observations. She writes them down on scraps of paper, has another cup of coffee, and then reports the information to the...

News

Ouray to use ex-administrator as consultant

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

September 4, 2024

Silas Clarke left his job as the Ouray city administrator this week, but he will consult city leaders on certain issues through the end of this year. The Ouray City Council unanimously approved an agr...

News

Developers required to remove road

Luxury housing builders revegetating area where unpermitted road ran parallel to CR5

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

September 4, 2024

Nearly a year after developers built unpermitted roads and driveways including a road running parallel to County Road 5, Ouray County leaders said they must remove that road, revegetate the area and b...

News

Ridgway may loosen regs for accessory units

Town Council to take up ordinance aimed at creating more affordable housing onSept. 11

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

September 4, 2024

Regulations for accessory dwelling units in Ridgway may become looser after the Planning Commission recommended changes to the town’s ordinance. If the Ridgway Town Council approves the ordinance at i...

News

Ouray Police blotter, Aug. 27-Sept. 2, 2024

September 4, 2024

OURAY POLICE The following is an excerpt of cases handled by the Ouray Police Department from Aug. 27-Sept. 2: AUG. 27 Officer responded to a reported disturbance in the 400 block of Fourth Avenue. Of...

News

Ouray County Sheriff’s Blotter, Aug. 26-Sept. 1, 2024

September 4, 2024

OURAY SHERIFF The following is an excerpt of cases handled by the Ouray County Sheriff's Office from Aug. 26-Sept. 1: AUG. 26 Deputy conducted a walk through of Ridgway Elementary and Ouray School. De...

News

Ex-police chief to sue Ouray

By Erin McIntyre

September 4, 2024

Former Ouray Police Chief Jeff Wood plans to sue the city of Ouray, alleging city leaders violated Wood’s constitutional rights when then-City Administrator Silas Clarke fired Wood in June. In a notic...

Main, News...

FULFILLING PAT’S DREAM

The Old Firehouse aims to realize philanthropist Pat O’Leary’s vision of a gathering space that preserves history and boosts the economy

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

August 28, 2024

Pat O’Leary isn’t here. But his spirit, his fingerprints, are everywhere at the corner of North Lena and Clinton streets in Ridgway. The grand piano in the community event space that he learned to pla...

Main, News...

Governor affirms disaster

Written declaration will free up funds in aftermath of flooding

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

August 28, 2024

Gov. Jared Polis issued a verbal executive order declaring a countywide emergency disaster in Ouray County last week, which will be followed by a written declaration within the month detailing the ext...

Feature

Calendar & Events

By Erin

September 4, 2024

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 MEETING: Ouray County Republican Central Committee monthly meeting, 6 p.m., County Land Use building, 111 Mall Road, Ridgway. More information at ourayrepublicans.com. FRIDAY, SE...

Feature

Buck up: Ouray County Rodeo returns Monday

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

August 28, 2024

Erin Stadelman is usually the one bringing up the end of the Labor Day rodeo parade, making sure errant swag gets picked up off the road and a lost cellphone gets back to its owner. But this year, she...

Feature

Meet Ridgway’s new teacher

By Plaindealer Staff

August 28, 2024

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 newspaper this year, to help introduce these new leaders to th...

Feature

Ridgway dentist hangs up his drill

Citing staffing challenges, Ridgway Family Dentistry closes after 17 years

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

August 28, 2024

More than 17 years ago, Dr. Michael Thomas came from the Front Range to Ridgway to get out of the rat race. He and his wife, Darcy, bought a small practice from another dentist, one that didn't have c...

Feature

Big dreams come in small batches

Ridgway's new brewery focused on limited craft beer, local music

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

August 28, 2024

Big psychedelic rock and jam band paraphernalia and live local acts meet nano-crafted brews at Ridgway’s new Floating Lotus Brewery, where the beer is produced on a home-designed system even smaller t...

Feature

LOOKING BACK

40 YEARS AGO

August 28, 2024

August 29, 1974 – At their regular meeting Aug. 25, the District R-1 Board decided the Ouray School gym would get a new heating system in the fall. The current heating system had been inadequate for y...

Opinion

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Continue to shine your light

September 4, 2024

Dear Editor: I write to commend the editors, reporters and entire staff of the Plaindealer on the many awards the paper received last week from the Colorado Press Association. Your work without a doub...

Opinion

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

While opponent is silent, Padgett will preserve landscapes

September 4, 2024

Dear Editor: I have lived in Ouray County for 25 years. My reasons were probably the same as many of yours: the incredible landscapes and community. I soon learned that this was not a given. There wer...

Opinion

Trump rally desecrated parade

September 4, 2024

Dear Editor: As I walked out to Sherman Street Monday morning to watch the Labor Day rodeo parade with my granddaughters, I was shocked to see an endless procession of vehicles bearing enormous Trump ...

Obituaries

Bill Lister

September 4, 2024

October 2, 1928-August 1, 2024 Bill Lister passed away on August 1st, 2024, at the age of 95. Born on October 2nd, 1928, in Jefferson City, Missouri, to Elmer William Lister and Bertha Arizona Lister,...

News

Real estate scams grow in county

Man impersonating property owner tried to undersell vacant land, close with wire transfer

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

August 28, 2024

Ally and Brad Cunningham knew something was amiss when calls flooded in from Realtors from Ridgway to Denver inquiring about their vacant lot in Ouray Vista. That’s because the Cunninghams had no inte...

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