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Since moving back to Ouray County just over a year ago, local artist Josef Mayfield hasn’t let off the gas pedal. When not at his day job as deputy co...

September 20, 2023

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Music & Makers Festival celebrates arts

The inaugural Ouray Music & Makers Festival is set to bring together artists, performers, musicians and creatives from across the county and state...

August 30, 2023

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Spotlight on the Arts: Floyd Day

Floyd Day’s artistic muse hasn’t always been cows, despite drawing and painting nearly 1,000 of them since moving to Ouray County in 2000. Before movi...

August 23, 2023

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A STORY OF HEALING, HISTORY

The stone building at 420 Sixth Ave. in Ouray has plenty of stories to tell. Built in 1887 as the St. Joseph's Miners' Hospital, it now helps keep loc...

August 2, 2023

Feature

Spotlight on the Arts: Enda Junkins

Anyone who spends enough time in Ouray probably knows Enda Junkins as a villain. A nationally recognized psychotherapist and motivational speaker who ...

July 19, 2023

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‘This is the challenge that I needed in my life’

Ouray Ice Park's new executive director trims staff, seeks more buy-in from recreational climbers amid financial crunch

By Chart Riggall

October 21, 2026

In the waning weeks of the 2019 ice climbing season, a 27-year-old Tres Barbatelli stood at the bottom of the Uncompahgre Gorge wondering what he’d just done. Minutes before, he’d rappelled down into ...

Main, News...

Police department dissolved

Council turns over services to sheriff; remaining employee laid off

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

October 21, 2026

The city of Ouray terminated the sole employee of its police department and turned over its police services to the Ouray County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, officially dissolving a stand-alone law enf...

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Paramedic fired after three months’ leave

Commissioners pause refilling second EMS vacancy

By James Hanlon

October 21, 2026

A paramedic for Ouray County Emergency Medical Services, who has been on administrative leave since the Gold Mountain Fire, was fired last week after a meeting with county administration went awry. Jo...

News

County wraps up draft budget without layoffs

Initial plan leaves five positions vacant, reduces some departmental hours

By James Hanlon

October 21, 2026

Ouray County’s draft budget for next year proposes five staff reductions from general fund departments – all of which are currently vacant positions. The positions are from administration, the assesso...

News

Veteran transport program approved

October 21, 2026

After resolving concerns about an intergovernmental agreement with San Miguel County, Ouray County commissioners approved a new partnership last week that will transport veterans to medical appointmen...

Katie Langford Special to the Plaindealer

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines