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The driver of the vehicle that went off Red Mountain Pass on Aug. 5 had a significant amount of marijuana in his system, according to toxicology resul...

August 27, 2025

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The purrfect addition to the team

Dr. Hannah Coenen didn't know at first she wanted to be a veterinarian. She studied wildlife biology and spent a year working in wildlife rehabilitati...

August 27, 2025

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‘We just really love to share this music’

It's not clear who enjoys the San Juan Chamber Music Festival more every year — the musicians or their audiences. The Ouray County Performing Arts Gui...

August 13, 2025

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Immigration officers arrest man in Ouray

At least one person has been detained during immigration enforcement operations recently in Ouray, according to an eyewitness who saw the arrest last ...

August 13, 2025

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Girl survives fatal accident

An 11-year-old girl survived a car crash that killed two adults on Red Mountain Pass on Tuesday morning, after the vehicle she was riding in tumbled d...

August 6, 2025

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Town wins condemnation case

The town of Ridgway will be allowed to condemn private property to build a trail from the River Park subdivision to Ridgway Secondary School. Accordin...

July 30, 2025

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Phone rules tighten for Ouray students

High schoolers in Ouray have some new rules for using cellphones when they return to school this fall, and those rules include no phones during class ...

July 23, 2025

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Melodrama returns to stage in Ouray

If you find it difficult to keep quiet at the theater, the Ouray County Players invite you to come on out and see "Spaghetti Western or … Mission Im-p...

July 9, 2025

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Town clamps down on water usage

Ridgway town leaders are cracking down on water use, fearing limited supplies won't last the summer if they don't convince residents to curb their wat...

June 25, 2025

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Ouray film festival returns to the big screen

Whether you're looking to pop in and view a block of short films or immerse yourself in a cultural experience melding cinema, dance and food, the sixt...

June 11, 2025

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Firefighters gain ground

Sheriff allows some evacuees to return home; blaze shifts away from populated areas

By By Mike Wiggins, Erin McIntyre and Deb Hurley Brobst mike@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com

July 8, 2026

Residents forced to flee the Gold Mountain Fire north of Ouray nearly two weeks ago returned to charred landscapes but fully intact homes Wednesday, an indication that authorities believe the threat h...

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Despite fire, downsized Fourth celebration marches on

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

July 8, 2026

A scaled-back Fourth of July celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States and 150th birthday of Ouray attracted thousands to the city, despite the cancellation of fireworks, water fights and...

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First fire, then floods? Leaders start planning for next potential emergency

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

July 8, 2026

Even though the Gold Mountain Fire is still burning, Ouray County officials are already thinking about flash flood risks in the burn scar as Colorado moves into monsoon season. “This is a predictable ...

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Fire pushes stressed wildlife into urban areas

By By James Hanlon Special to the Plaindealer

July 8, 2026

Wildlife escaping the Gold Mountain Fire are moving closer to town, prompting state wildlife officials to advise the public on how they can simultaneously help and give animals the space they need. Wi...

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Water providers ask customers to pull back

Ridgway enacts mandatory irrigation restrictions

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

July 8, 2026

Water managers in Ouray County are asking residents to curtail water use and avoid putting more demand on their distribution systems in light of the Gold Mountain Fire and ongoing tinder-dry condition...

Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines