Good for you! - Ouray County Plaindealer

News

July 29, 2026

Good for you!

Ridgway resident and documentary filmmaker Jordan Campbell poses for a photo in celebration of winning a Heartland Regional Emmy award for his film “Ukraine Under Fire” from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences on July 18 in Denver.

Main, News...

Rain on burn scar triggers flooding, evacuation

Hydrologist: Above-average rain forecast through September

By By Chart Riggall chart@ouraynews.com

July 29, 2026

Heavy rainfall over scorched soil sent flash floods raging down Cutler Creek on Sunday night, spilling mud down through Ponderosa Village and briefly shuttering U.S. Highway 550. The torrent of water ...

Main, News...

Fire scorches bottom lines

Reliant on summer tourism, reeling businesses running out of time to claw back lost revenue

By By Mike Wiggins, Chart Riggall and Erin McIntyre mike@ouraynews.com chart@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com

July 29, 2026

It didn’t take but a spark and a stiff breeze to turn Justin Mitchell’s summer upside down. During the first few hours of the Gold Mountain Fire, Mitchell — who runs a horseback guiding outfit in the ...

News

Governments team up on flood mitigation

City, nonprofits pitch in $165,000, while financially pinched county searches for more funding

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

July 29, 2026

Government agencies and nonprofit organizations have begun stepping up to help Ouray County pay to protect homes and roads from flooding and mudslides in the aftermath of the Gold Mountain Fire. The O...

News

River managers ‘wait with bated breath’ for management plan

Federal government set to release highly anticipated details of its proposal for water cuts, key reservoirs, and the water supply for millions of people

By Shannon Mullane The Colorado Sun

July 29, 2026

Max Wilson, like water managers around the Colorado River Basin, spent Monday waiting for a new federal report outlining the river’s future — and future water cuts. He watched the federal website wher...

News

Ridgway-area homes featured on Home Trust tour

By Plaindealer Staff Report Plaindealer@ouraynews.com

July 29, 2026

An eclectic mix of Ridgway-area houses are on the Home Trust of Ouray County's tour this weekend, with homeowners opening their homes to participants to help raise funds for affordable housing. This y...

News

Study: Aspen trees can slow, stop wildfires

By Michael Booth The Colorado Sun

July 29, 2026

Firefighters, emergency planners and foresters in Colorado know that a healthy stand of aspen can be a day-saving firebreak, by slowing flames and giving crews and nearby homeowners a chance to regrou...

News

Equal parts romantic comedy, moral conflict, ‘Love’s Labors Lost’ takes stage in Ouray

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

July 29, 2026

Forty years after he wrote his senior thesis about “Love’s Labors Lost,” one of William Shakespeare’s seldom-seen, early comedies still resonates with John Kissingford. As a student at Princeton Unive...

Letters, Opinion...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Thank you, community

July 29, 2026

Dear Editor: We were getting ready for bed the evening of June 27 when our power went out. Shortly after we received the evacuation alert on our phone. At this point we were unaware of the fire. We lo...

Columns, Opinion...

Rain helps, but region still mired in drought

By Karen Risch

July 29, 2026

Two weeks ago, the southwest monsoon arrived, bringing relief to these parched landscapes and their residents. Most afternoons since then, Ouray has had measurable rain. But the condition of these mou...

News

Looking Back

By Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer

July 29, 2026

60 Years Ago July 28, 1966 High cables across the Uncompahgre valley and river, leading from a mountainside to the Silver Shield Mill, are to come down this weekend, according to Warren H. Gibbs. Gibb...

News

Calendar & Events

July 29, 2026

Thursday, July 30 Ridgway Concert Series: The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. and opener Handmade Moments free concert in Hartwell Park, 6 p.m. No dogs or outside alcohol allowed. "Love's ...

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines