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Administrator sought info backing chief decision
Ouray City Administrator Michelle Metteer addresses the audience during a Feb. 2, 2026 city council meeting. Metteer pulled the city's two remaining police officers off patrol duty and reassigned them to administrative tasks the previous week over concerns they had not received enough training. Photo by Erin McIntyre | Ouray County Plaindealer
Main, News
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com on April 15, 2026
Administrator sought info backing chief decision
Records: Officers concerned about training

Ouray City Administrator Michelle Metteer sought input from neighboring law enforcement agencies about how they conduct background checks — after she decided not to hire Daric Harvey as the permanent police chief because he objected to how deeply she wanted to dig into his personal life.

City takes plunge on hot springs repairs
Main, News...
City takes plunge on hot springs repairs
Council approves $286,568 contract to resurface, replace tiles in overlook pools in September
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
The city of Ouray will spend more than $280,000 to resurface the hottest soaking areas at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool this fall, a repair pool managers say is vital to maintaining one of the city’s mos...
County backs down on road closure
Main
County backs down on road closure
Rather than block access to upper Yankee Boy Basin, commissioners focus on managing, restoring
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
Ouray County has decided against closing the upper section of Yankee Boy Basin road to motorized traffic, and will work with the U.S. Forest Service and volunteer groups to keep drivers on the main ro...
News
County leaders campaign for merger
Commissioner claims benefits to combined fire, EMS; Log Hill Fire District concerned about structure, cost
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
Ouray County leaders last week campaigned for a combined countywide fire and emergency services authority at a Log Hill Mesa Fire Protection District meeting, while the district’s board of directors a...
Blue Lakes trail won’t require permit this year
News
Blue Lakes trail won’t require permit this year
No permits needed at Blue Lakes this year
By By Lia Salvatierra 
April 22, 2026
Hikers and campers won’t need a permit to hike the famed Blue Lakes trail until at least 2027, though there are other new rules for using the area this summer. The anticipated permit system was part o...
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4-H, fairgrounds to restart operations with new manager
April 22, 2026
Ouray County will restart events at the 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds on May 1, now that it has hired a new manager for the facility. Operations at the facility have been largely on hold since mid-...
News
Dry winter sparks more interest in cloud seeding
State weather modification program manager: Technology could be critical to boosting water supply
By By Ryan Spencer Vail Daily 
April 22, 2026
Colorado’s weather modification program is seeing an increased interest in cloud-seeding technology after the record-low snowpack this past winter. In the past couple of weeks, Weather Modification Pr...
News
Man arrested at Ridgway restaurant
By Plaindealer Staff 
April 22, 2026
A Montrose man was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Ridgway after the Montrose Police Department asked the Ridgway Marshal’s Office for assistance in detaining him. Vicente Gonzales, 33, was arrested by ...
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