Ridgway girls' cross country storms Sweitzer Lake

Feature

By By Joel Priest Special to the Plaindealer on October 1, 2025

PREP SPORTS

Ridgway girls’ cross country storms Sweitzer Lake

DELTA — Keeping a friend close but a cross-country enemy (of sorts) even closer, Natasha and Ariel Hessler’s relaxation run on Sept. 26 may as well have been a continuation of how the 2025 Sweitzer Lake Invitational’s high-school girls’ feature had ended.

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A race against time, Mother Nature

More than a year after catastrophic flooding, Ridgway pushes to finish water diversion project

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

October 1, 2025

Randy Barnes knew that morning he needed to check on Beaver Creek and the ditch bringing water down from the mountains above Elk Meadows to supply the town of Ridgway. More than 40 years of experience...

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U.S. HIGHWAY 550 ACCIDENTS

State to speed up some safety upgrades on Highway 550

Safety audit of Ridgway-Montrose County section to be done June 2026; shoulder widening to start in 2027

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

October 1, 2025

The Colorado Department of Transportation will expedite a shoulder-widening project on U.S. Highway 550 and potential interim safety measures along the corridor in response to public concern about dan...

News

New to wildfire science, nonprofit director boasts experience in leadership, planning

West Region W ildfire Council's Tim Pinnow to moderate panel discussion Oct. 9

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

October 1, 2025

Tim Pinnow's resume might not immediately lead someone to think about forestry or fire mitigation. But what you will find is evidence of a career spent cultivating relationships and building resilienc...

Feature

‘An Iliad’ shares ‘an epic story in a really intimate setting’

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

October 1, 2025

Playing in Ouray this weekend, modern-day retelling of Homer's poem explores valor, savagery of Trojan War In the last 20 years, John Kissingford has played all manner of roles. A novelist in a romant...

Feature

Looking Back

October 1, 2025

Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 50 Years Ago October 2, 1975 A one-ticket purchaser won the Jeep Cherokee in the Color Week drawin...

News

District attorney seeks 35% hike in budget, mostly for payroll

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

October 1, 2025

Just a year after the Seventh Judicial District Attorney’s Office asked Ouray County for a 13% budget increase, the office is seeking to nearly triple that percentage increase in 2026, primarily for p...

Calendar & Events, Feature...

Calendar & Events

Oct. 2-16, 2025

October 1, 2025

THURSDAY OCTOBER 2 Ouray County Republican Central Committee monthly meeting, 6 p.m., Twin Peaks Hot Springs Riverside breakfast room, 124 Third St. in Ouray. More information at ourayrepublicans.com....

Obituaries

Ilene MacLennan

October 1, 2025

June 1941 – September 2025 Ilene Anita (Jones) MacLennan, widely known as Mimi Mac, passed peacefully in the arms of her son and daughter-in-law. Mimi Mac was born in Waldron, Arkansas in June of 1941...

Obituaries

Ben Kuehling

October 1, 2025

September 1974 - September 2025 With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Ben Kuehling, a beloved son, brother, and friend, who left us too soon on September 8, at the age of 50, following a brief...

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Hurd mum on reservoir transfer

Congressman not yet saying whether he'll back city taking over Crystal Reservoir

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

September 24, 2025

U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd is remaining mum on whether he will support a bill that would transfer Crystal Reservoir from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray. Since Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hick...

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Prairie dog mitigation to proceed

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

September 24, 2025

Top of the Pines will hire a contractor to lethally fumigate a portion of its prairie dog population, despite adopting a management plan prioritizing the animals’ natural occurrence. During a regular ...

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines