Stories of the year No. 10: School bond passes in Ridgway

Sadie McCracken, an 8-year-old third-grader at Ridgway Elementary School, holds a sign supporting Ballot Issues 4A and 4B and yells at traffic driving by on Sherman Street on Oct. 22. About 50 people encouraged motorists to honk and waved signs favoring the measures that would create more funding for the Ridgway School District. The election is Nov. 2, and as of Wednesday morning, 841 ballots had been turned in. Mike Wiggins â Ouray County Plaindealer

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By Carolina Brown, on December 24, 2021

Voters overwhelmingly supported proposals to renovate the Ridgway School District’s oldest building and to increase taxes in support of retaining staffers and providing more services to students in the 2021 election.

A $17.6 million upgrade to the Ridgway Elementary School building is set to begin as soon as school lets out for the summer. Final design plans are expected by the end of May.

Asbestos abatement will begin first at the elementary building, with actual construction starting midwa...

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Sweet sounds of summer

June 24, 2026

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County to pursue use tax

Likely ballot measure would raise money for roads, EMS

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

June 24, 2026

Ouray County voters likely will be asked this fall to approve a use tax on both new vehicle purchases and construction material purchases, with most of the tax dollars going to the county’s Road and B...

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Will fire authority ease insurance woes?

Experts say consolidation may not help homeowners gain, keep coverage

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 24, 2026

Home insurance experts say the proposed consolidation of fire and emergency services in Ouray County may not necessarily help homeowners gain and keep insurance coverage. Leaders of the possible conso...

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Celebration honors past, looks to future

Ranch History Museum marks 20th birthday Saturday with expansion preview

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 24, 2026

The Ouray County Ranch History Museum is celebrating its 20th birthday with a preview of what it wants to be when it grows up. During a celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 27, survey stakes and...

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Ridgway council seeks more efficient meetings

After recent heated tone, councilors emphasize preserving casual culture

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 24, 2026

Ridgway town councilors want to run meetings more efficiently while preserving the council’s casual culture. After trying out informal strategies to shorten the length of meetings, the council may con...

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Film shows Ouray’s rich, layered history

'Ouray: Echoes in the Canyon' debuts Friday at the Wright

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

June 24, 2026

The story of Ouray is rich, nuanced and full of interesting people and events. That's the surface-level message the audience could take away from the commissioned documentary for the city's 150th anni...

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Looking Back

June 24, 2026

Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago June 30, 1966 Dale Peirdson broke an arm and injured his hip June 24 while working at...

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Local Briefs

National forests impose fire ban

June 24, 2026

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests are joining Ouray County’s three local governments and other agencies in the region in imposing stage 1 fire restrictions. The U.S. Forest Ser...

Letters, Opinion...

Prairie dog problem bigger than fairgrounds

June 24, 2026

Dear Editor: While I appreciate the prairie dog problem at the Ouray County Fairgrounds getting attention, it’s a short-sighted view. There are plenty more prairie dogs that will migrate and repopulat...

Letters, Opinion...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ouray should rethink Fourth of July fireworks

June 24, 2026

Dear Editor: I recently wrote to the Ouray City Council asking them to consider an alternative to our traditional Fourth of July fireworks display this year given the significant wildfire risk we are ...

Columns, Opinion...

Drought persists, but relief may be en route

By Karen Risch

June 24, 2026

Ouray County remains in serious drought, as it was last month. Most of Colorado’s mountains are in extreme/ exceptional drought; the northern San Juans remain in the severe category. (U.S. Drought Mon...

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines