City: No to more remote governance - Ouray County Plaindealer

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By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com, on March 4, 2026

City: No to more remote governance

Ouray council rejects member's request to attend more meetings from afar

The Ouray City Council on Monday unanimously rejected a councilor’s request for greater leeway to participate in council meetings remotely, agreeing it’s vital for elected officials to face constituents and conduct city business in person.

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Blood moon rising

March 4, 2026

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4-H EVENT CENTER

A dilemma 25 years in the making

Commissioners determined to improve fiscal health of facility plagued by management, use questions since its donation

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

March 4, 2026

The dilemma of how to manage, finance and use the Ouray County 4-H Event Center is coming full circle, reflecting conversations that happened more than 25 years ago when the facility was donated to th...

Columns, Opinion...

OPINION COLUMN: More remote governance undermines accountability

By Plaindealer editorial

March 2, 2026

A newly appointed Ouray city councilor who has attended just half of the board's meetings in person this year has asked fellow councilors to relax rules requiring councilors to attend meetings in pers...

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Bright start, cloudy future for bus service

Two years after launch, OurWay ridership has doubled. It’s unclear if grant money and matching local funds will help it keep running

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

February 25, 2026

Georgia Evans greeted the bus driver with jugs of milk and water in her hands and boarded the 11-seater OurWay shuttle, headed home from work in Ridgway to Montrose. She noticed it was a different bus...

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Backcountry road closure eyed

County to shut off portion of Yankee Boy Basin to vehicles this summer due to environmental damage

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

February 25, 2026

Ouray County commissioners on Tuesday directed staff to pursue closing an upper section of Yankee Boy Basin this summer to motorized traffic, in response to a resident’s request to reduce environmenta...

News

Councilor seeks relaxed in-person attendance policy

Doherty claims job keeps him out of town; council to decide whether to change cap on remote participation

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

February 25, 2026

A newly appointed Ouray city councilor who has attended just half of the city council’s meetings in person so far this year has asked the council to relax an attendance policy and allow him to govern ...

News

Go-away-finding: Ouray to nix project, remove signs

After spending more than $100K on branding, design and fabrication, council halts wayfinding initiative that could have cost up to $800K

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

February 25, 2026

Large maroon wayfinding signs installed on Main Street in Ouray last summer, triggering protests from residents and business owners detesting their appearance and size, will soon be gone like they wer...

Columns, Opinion...

Wet snow, later sunsets mark spring’s approach

By Karen Risch

February 25, 2026

Thanks to warming sun, wet snow showers, spells of shirtsleeve weather, earlier sunrises and later sunsets, meteorological spring (March 1) is upon us. It’s been an a-ha moment these last two weeks as...

Feature

Looking Back

February 25, 2026

Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago February 24, 1966 In a decision handed down Feb. 10, District Judge Fred Calhoon rule...

News

County attorney gets high marks in evaluation

Niece, Nauer give Caselli 99 out of 100 points; no record of evaluation from Padgett, who missed meeting

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

February 25, 2026

Editor's note: This article has been edited to make clear that Ouray County had four members of the administration team and one employee leave their positions in 2025. County Manager Connie Hunt resig...

News

For first time in four years, Ridgway to hold election

Two vying for mayor, five competing for three council seats

By lia@ouraynews.com

February 25, 2026

Editor's note: The subheading on this article has been corrected to reflect that there are five candidates for three council seats. By Lia Salvatierra The town of Ridgway will hold an election for may...

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines