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News

New vacation rental rules ready for review

Ouray County’s revised short-term rental ordinance is ready for official review. County commissioners on Tuesday OK’d putting the ordinance on a meeti...

August 21, 2024

News

Top of the Pines management rules refined

Ouray County commissioners are poised to renew their Top of the Pines Management Agreement with the nonprofit that oversees the 175-acre park southwes...

August 21, 2024

News

County moves ahead on new rental rules

Ouray County property owners waiting to get short-term rental permits may have to wait a little longer.Ouray County commissioners, at the request of t...

July 24, 2024

News

Proposed tax for child care won’t be on ballot this fall

Ouray County voters will not be asked this fall to create a lodging tax with proceeds helping to fund early child care. The parents’ group spearheadin...

July 17, 2024

News

Service calls, assistance for victims up in county

The Ouray County sheriff ’s yearly report to the commissioners yielded several tidbits of information about the department’s operations, including a r...

July 17, 2024

News

County doubles down on order to stop blasting

The project in Ouray where blasting has been occurring for more than two months is in hot water with Ouray County again. The county on Monday issued i...

July 10, 2024

News

Big changes in store for county vacation rental rules

Revised rules for short-term rentals will be coming to Ouray County soon, and there are some big changes. Ouray County commissioners on June 26 spent ...

July 3, 2024

News

Governments to hire housing administrator

Government officials across Ouray County want to create a one-stop shop for those seeking affordable housing.To do that, they have agreed to move forw...

June 26, 2024

News

County orders garage blasting to stop

Ouray County has issued a stop-work order at a private property where blasting into the side of a mountain has been going on for several weeks, but th...

June 26, 2024

News

County gives proposed grow facility more time

Cannaboo Farms will have until October to revise and submit a complete application to renew its marijuana cultivation license and change of ownership ...

June 19, 2024

Main, News...

‘Pinched on every front’

Historic drought, wildfires, high feed prices strain local ranchers

By Chart Riggall

August 12, 2026

One breezy afternoon in mid-July, Mike Potter's phone started making all kinds of noise. “It goes, beep, beep, beep, beep!” shouted the Ridgway rancher, brandishing his flip phone from the pocket of h...

Main, News...

Flood work could begin within week

By Chart Riggall

August 12, 2026

Ouray County officials said Tuesday that flood mitigation work below the Gold Mountain Fire’s burn scar could begin as soon as next week, while warning that storms in the coming days could trigger fur...

News

Firefighter base moves to Gunnison

Fairgrounds empty as focus shifts to Elk Fire

By James Hanlon

August 12, 2026

The incident command post for the Gold Mountain Fire relocated to the Gunnison County Fairgrounds Saturday as Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 took over for Team 1 and combined effort...

Feature

County fair carries on

Fire doesn't stop 4-H kids from showing their animals this week

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

August 12, 2026

The night the Gold Mountain Fire started, the Cornell family anxiously watched the fire spreading toward their fenced livestock, the billowing smoke filling the canyon. They decided to load up their h...

Letters, Opinion...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

We need to stand firm to preserve alpine tundra

By Dianne Eschman

August 12, 2026

Dear Editor: The July 23 guest column by Sue Dreamweaver Spielman was excellent and brings up so many issues that we regular backcountry users experience. I have been recreating in this area since 197...

Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines