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The Meskers helped Ouray keep up appearances
The Meskers helped Ouray keep up appearances
By Carolyn Snowbarger, on March 11, 2021
The Meskers helped Ouray keep up appearances

How would you describe 1880 Ouray? Dusty, loud, lawless, wild? Certainly not quaint, picturesque or charming!

Ouray began as a tent city with fortune-seekers arriving daily. Hastily constructed, stores, saloons, dance halls, and boarding houses lined “main” street. In the boom or bust towns like Ouray, money was tight and architectural services were nonexistent.

Even in frontier towns appearances mattered, and the building owners wanted to “attract” customers. They soon realized that a sim...

City to keep police department
Main, News...
City to keep police department
Ouray to retain on-call model, offer raises to officers, while sheriff leads hiring, training efforts
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
May 20, 2026
The city of Ouray will retain and rebuild its own independent police department but rely on Ouray County Sheriff Justin Perry to lead the hiring and training of its officers until a new police chief c...
News
Ouray County EMS to raise fees
Charges for treatment, transport to increase for first time since 2018
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
May 20, 2026
Ouray County commissioners plan to raise fees for treatment and ambulance transports from Ouray County Emergency Medical Services starting in June. Commissioners reviewed proposed fee increases prepar...
Mass evacuation exercise tests county’s preparedness
News
Mass evacuation exercise tests county’s preparedness
Half-day event features volunteers feigning injuries, refusing to leave and generally creating chaos — in the name of training for a real emergency
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
May 20, 2026
At 9:28 a.m., Amy Clewell and her two pretend siblings gathered in her driveway in Elk Meadows, debating whether it was time to call for help. They watched a stream of law enforcement vehicles and fir...
Citizens organized against councilor
News
Citizens organized against councilor
At least 14 people sent letters to council urging vote against Gulde appointment
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
May 20, 2026
Former Ouray City Councilor Tamara Gulde ran into an organized effort to keep her from returning to public office earlier this year after she lost the November race for mayor, then sought to fill a va...
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Man arrested after shots fired in home Free naloxone
May 20, 2026
A Ouray man was arrested and booked into the Montrose County Jail on suspicion of menacing, reckless endangerment, illegally discharging a firearm and prohibited use of a firearm after law enforcement...
Looking Back
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Looking Back
May 20, 2026
Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago May 19, 1966 The Ouray City Council was asked Monday night to consider redirecting th...
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Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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