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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

Factors behind the fire: What drove its spread?

Experts: Age-old forests, climate change, extreme drought created prime conditions for Gold Mountain Fire

By Chart Riggall

August 26, 2026

In the summer of 1879, the largest wildfire in Colorado history at the time tore through 26,000 acres of rugged forest about eight miles south of Silverton and presaged a vast shift in its landscape. ...

News

Tax districts approved for proposed project

Metro districts would fund improvements for possible 19-acre mixed-use Ridgway development

By James Hanlon

August 26, 2026

The Ridgway Town Council approved creating four metropolitan districts at its Aug. 12 meeting for a proposed residential and commercial development on 19 acres in north Ridgway. The development, Alpen...

News

Officials push Trump for disaster declaration

Polis: Federal funding needed to help pay for $17M in damages from Gold Mountain, Aspen Acres fires

By Chart Riggall

August 26, 2026

Federal, state and local officials pushed this week for President Donald Trump to issue a disaster declaration for the Gold Mountain and Aspen Acres fires that would open the door to additional federa...

Feature

New principal brings international experience

Michael Flaim named interim leader of Ouray preK-8 students

By James Hanlon

August 26, 2026

Michael Flaim, an educator who taught economics and social studies at international schools for nearly 20 years, has started as Ouray School’s interim preK-8 principal for the 2026-2027 school year. T...

News

Construction to control flooding begins

Work focuses on removing debris, building berms, barriers; project set to finish by Sept. 20

By James Hanlon

August 26, 2026

Crews from Haynes Excavation began work last week to repair and protect areas prone to flooding and debris flows beneath the Gold Mountain Fire burn scar. The $2.8 million Emergency Watershed Protect ...

Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines