Open house scheduled to meet county manager finalists Oct. 20

News

By ErinonOctober 15, 2025

Residents can meet the two finalists for Ouray County’s county manager position on Monday, Oct. 20, at the Ouray County 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds.

The finalists are Patrick Rondinelli, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs’ southwest regional manager and a former Ouray city administrator, and Antonio Mendez, country director for the Peace Corps in Mexico. Rondinelli is a Ouray resident, and Mendez currently lives in Littleton. He would be required to relocate for the position.

A ...

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Driver survives plunge off pass

Distracted Montrose County man sustains minor injuries, cited for suspected careless driving

By Erin McIntyre and Mike Wiggins erin@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

A Montrose County resident survived an accident on Red Mountain Pass on Oct. 9, where his truck went over the edge and rolled down the mountain. According to information from the Colorado State Patrol...

Gulde touts experience, years of service

News

Election 2025

Gulde touts experience, years of service

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

Tamara Gulde didn’t intend to assemble campaign flyers and put up yard signs this fall. After four years as a Ouray city councilor, she was ready to step back and let someone else take their turn as o...

Underwood sees gap between council, public

News

Election 2025

Underwood sees gap between council, public

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

When he looks out at the audience at a Ouray City Council meeting or walks Main Street, Michael Underwood said he sees and hears people who are disconnected from those elected to represent them. Some ...

News

Water costs increase for county irrigators

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

The cost of leasing backup water to support Ouray County irrigators is increasing this year, as the Tri-County Water Conservancy District is charging $21,000 to store the water in the Ridgway Reservoi...

News

Wildfire panel focuses on insurance issues

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

Wildfires are one natural disaster communities can exercise some control over. And the hope is that soon homeowners will not only have control over mitigating wildfire risk around their homes, but als...

Feature

Ridgway Film Festival offers packed weekend

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

"Eclectic" might be the word to describe the 11th Annual Ridgway Independent Film Festival's schedule. The fest has exploded into a four-day event, running today (Thursday) through Sunday, with 101 fi...

News

In budget crunch, county may revive hiring policy

Commissioners could have final say on filling vacant positions

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

Ouray County leaders plan to revive a policy that would allow county commissioners to reconsider hiring new employees to fill vacant roles, as alarm over the county’s financial situation intensifies. ...

News

County ok’s variance for home construction

Variance OK'd for home

October 15, 2025

Ouray County commissioners have approved an exception to the county’s skyline regulations for a property in Dallas Meadows, agreeing there was no way to build on the property without violating those r...

News

Investigation nabs illegal guns, suspected drugs

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

October 15, 2025

An investigation into a report of shots fired from a truck on Log Hill Mesa led the Ouray County Sheriff's Office to an arrest involving illegal firearms and suspected drugs. David Allen Wolfe, 46, wa...

News

Election 2025

Ouray School Board candidate profile: Phylis Fagrelius

By Erin McIntyre

October 15, 2025

Phylis Fagrelius has learned an important lesson, living in Ouray for the past 37 years. “The more you give, the more you get back,” she said. It’s something she has experienced through teaching, ment...

News

Election 2025

Ouray School Board candidate profile: Andrea Calhoon Meruelo

By Erin McIntyre

October 15, 2025

It wasn’t long after Andrea Calhoon Meruelo graduated from Ouray School in 1999 that she realized she received a pretty stellar education at the tiny mountain school. “I recognized right away in colle...

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines