Videos Login Subscribe Renew E-edition
logo
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
  • News
  • Features
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Letters
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds
    • Place a Classified
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • Legal Notices
    • Read Statewide Legal Notices
  • Archives
    • News
    • Features
    • Opinion
      • Columns
      • Letters
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Place a Classified
    • Advertise
    • Contact us
    • Legal Notices
      • Read Statewide Legal Notices
    • Archives
News
By Plaindealer Staff Report Plaindealer@ouraynews.com, on September 27, 2023
Plaindealer recognized as top paper in class

Newspaper wins 16 awards in statewide contest

The Ouray County Plaindealer won recognition as the top newspaper in its circulation class at a state-wide journalism competition last week, the third time in four years it has achieved the honor.

The newspaper also earned the top “excellence in editorial” award for similarly sized publications and 16 individual category awards as part of the Colorado Press Association contest, which considered work published in the 2022 calendar year and whose results were celebrated Saturday during the association’s annual conference in Denver.

The Plaindealer’s coverage of the Simms Fire, which destroyed a home and scorched more than 300 acres last year after erupting from an out-of-control U.S. Forest Service prescribed burn, stood out. Reporting on the fire earned Plaindealer co-publishers Erin McIntyre and Mike Wiggins and former staff writer Liz Teitz the prestigious Best Public Service Project award, as well as first place in categories for both best series/sustained coverage and best breaking news/deadline reporting. One judge called the work “possibly the best writing I’ve read all year.”

“The determined reporting shows the value of the work of journalists,” judges wrote. “These stories provide a textboook example of the important role journalists play to hold government officials accountable and why reporters should never settle for one answer. Keep asking questions and stories like these happen.”

This year marked the fourth consecutive year the Plaindealer earned the best public service project award.

The Plaindealer also swept both the categories for best series/sustained coverage and for best breaking news/deadline reporting.

Individual category awards included:

• First place business news/feature story by Wiggins for coverage of issues plaguing the Ouray Hot Springs Pool.

“Great lede, well organized, nice details throughout,” judges wrote. “Effectively localizes global issue.”

• First place headline writing by Wiggins.

“Several good plays on words in this top entry,” judges wrote.

• First place for best news photograph for photographs from the Simms Fire, first place for best photography portfolio and second place for best feature photograph for a photo of local typewriter refurbisher Tom Hennessy. McIntyre won all three awards.

• First place classified pages/sections by Wiggins.

“Great use of color to distinguish categories! Font choice is easy to read,” judges wrote. “The whole section screams, ‘take a look and see what you might find.’”

• Second place for breaking news/ deadline reporting by McIntyre and Wiggins for a story about the deaths of three people, including well-known local tour guide Don Fehd, in a Jeep wreck in September 2022.

• Second place for best series or sustained coverage to Teitz for coverage of affordable housing.

• Second place for data journalism reporting by Wiggins for reporting on the increasing dominance of Democrats in Ouray County.

• Second place for best feature story by McIntyre for a profile about Hennessy.

• Second place for best health enterprise/ health feature story by former reporter Kylea Henseler for a story documenting the dearth of trained sexual assault nurse examiners and forensic examiners in Ouray County.

• Second place for best politics reporting for a story by Wiggins about the rise in unaffiliated voters.

• Second place for best newsletter to Teitz for the weekly letter sent to Plaindealer digital subscribers each week.

The Plaindealer competed against newspapers of similar circulation sizes, including the Pagosa Springs Sun, the Crested Butte News, the Holyoke Enterprise, the Sopris Sun, the Rifle Citizen Telegram, the Rio Blanco Herald Times, the Left Hand Valley Courier, the Elbert County News, the Intermountain Jewish News and the Brighton Standard Blade.

Smoke blankets Ouray County as wildfires burn in region
News
Smoke blankets Ouray County as wildfires burn in region
By Mike Wiggins 
July 11, 2025
Heavy smoke and haze choked Ouray County for a second straight day Friday as a series of wildfires churned through tinder-dry trees and brush in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah. The Colora...
this is a test
Signs of trouble in Ouray
Main, News...
Signs of trouble in Ouray
City halts production after public backlash over size, appearance of wayfinding signs
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
July 9, 2025
Ouray business owners and residents threw up a symbolic stop sign in front of the city council on Monday, urging city leaders to pause or altogether abandon plans to install dozens of new wayfinding s...
this is a test
Go Fourth and celebrate
Main, News...
Go Fourth and celebrate
July 9, 2025
The crowd cheers as a fire department tanker truck sprays the wet side of the street during the July 4 parade in Ouray. Ouray Tourism and Destination Marketing Director Kailey Rhoten said cellular dat...
this is a test
Main, News...
County scrambles to pay for road repairs from rockfall
Leaders pull from multiple sources to cover $300,000 tab, look to replenish emergency fund
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
July 9, 2025
Ouray County is scraping together money to pay for emergency repairs on County Road 361 while looking for ways to replenish its emergency fund in anticipation of other disasters. During a work session...
this is a test
News
Hot Springs moves forward with upgrades
Council OKs bathhouse design contract; pipeline replacement, heat exchange system on tap this fall
By By Lia Salvatierra and Mike Wiggins lia@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com 
July 9, 2025
A series of much-anticipated upgrades to the Ouray Hot Springs Pool is coming together, with the city beginning infrastructure replacements this fall and searching for ways to pay for building a new b...
this is a test
News
Foyster named to Planning Commission
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
Pam Foyster of Ridgway has been appointed to the Ouray County Planning Commission with her term ending April 30, 2028. Foyster, a semi-retired nurse, also serves on the Ridgway Planning Commission. Bo...
this is a test
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Editor Picks
News
Woman rescued from Ouray Via Ferrata
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
A 42-year-old Denver woman was rescued on July 3 after she fell and broke her leg while climbing in the Ouray Via Ferrata, according to the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team. The woman was climbing the upstr...
this is a test
News
County pauses changes to event center fee schedule
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
Fees to use the Ouray County 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds will not change for now. Ouray County commissioners decided Tuesday to hold off approving a new fee schedule until they better understand ...
this is a test
News
Sex assault trial reset for January
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
The trial of a man accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2023 has been rescheduled for January. Seventh Judicial Chief District Judge Cory Jackson scheduled an eight-day trial to begin ...
this is a test
News
County OKs relocation of Log Hill mailboxes
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
Ouray County commissioners unanimously approved a plan Tuesday to relocate a series of mailboxes for Fairway Pines subdivision residents on Log Hill Mesa. The board approved a memorandum of understand...
this is a test
A patriotic way to celebrate the Fourth
Columns, Opinion...
FROM THE PUBLISHER
A patriotic way to celebrate the Fourth
By Erin McIntyre 
July 9, 2025
"Are you the newspaper? Are we gonna be in the paper?" These are questions I hear when people see me taking photos at parades. I usually shrug my shoulders and smile, because the truth is I don't know...
this is a test
Facebook

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

Ouray County Plaindealer
Office address:

195 S Lena St. Unit D
Ridgway, Colorado 81432
970-325-4412

Mailing address:
PO Box 529
Ridgway CO 81432

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 Ouray County Plaindealer

  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Accessibility Policy