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Following concerns, town delays adopting anti-idling ordinance

Ridgway town councilors decided to delay final approval of a new anti-idling ordinance after hearing public concerns and discussing other issues relat...

December 17, 2025

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County pauses most 4-H Center events

Ouray County leaders decided Tuesday to cancel most 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds events after San Juan Skijoring in January, until the county come...

December 17, 2025

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Vehicle problems toss wrench at sheriff

Gio Mendoza’s coworkers thought he was missing for more than an hour. Emergency dispatchers were scrambling to get in touch with him. They had no idea...

December 10, 2025

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Resident: Tax money should fund ‘creatives’

A Ridgway woman is proposing the town give "creative" residents a monthly, unconditional cash payment to encourage them to stay living and working in ...

December 10, 2025

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Commissioner opposes change to cost-savings policy

Ouray County Commissioner Lynn Padgett voted against a minor change to the county's new cost-savings policy, citing unclear language as the reason she...

December 10, 2025

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County OKs budget, will diminish savings

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to accurately reflect the county's disaster fund balance heading into 2026. Ouray County commissioners ap...

December 10, 2025

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Ridgway to grow capacity to fight wildland fires

Ridgway’s wildland firefighters have mopped up hotspots in Nevada, fought wildfire on the front lines in California and protected structures at home i...

December 3, 2025

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County chops event center operations to aid budget

Ouray County is performing triage on its 2026 budget as 2025 revenues are coming in lower than expected, placing even more pressure on the county’s ge...

December 3, 2025

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State to reduce highway speeds near Ridgway

The Colorado Department of Transportation plans to lower the speed limit for traffic along a half-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 550 north of Ridgway, n...

November 26, 2025

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Schools adopt frameworks for AI tools

Both Ridgway Secondary School and the Ouray School District have adopted guidelines for students to use artificial intelligence, joining the first wav...

November 26, 2025

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Trials in sex assault case delayed

By Mike Wiggins

January 16, 2026

The trials for two men accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in Ouray County in 2023 have been postponed. Gabriel Trujillo and Ashton Whittington were set to go to trial starting Feb. 9, b...

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Welcome to the snow-deo

January 14, 2026

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Public: Rebuild Ouray PD

Residents seek retention of independent agency after departure of interim chief

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

January 14, 2026

Ouray residents sent a clear message this week: They want to maintain an independent police department instead of permanently relying on the Ouray County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement. Faced wi...

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Tax questions linger as lodge proceeds with housing plans

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

January 14, 2026

MTN Lodge in Ridgway is moving forward with plans to convert the hotel to workforce housing for four years starting in February, though the town has yet to cement an agreement with the owners about pa...

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County OKs permit for guest ranch

Stipulations require Gold Mountain to account for bighorn sheep

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

January 14, 2026

Gold Mountain Ranch will be allowed to operate a guest ranch in Ouray County, and county commissioners hope the special-use permit they approved in December will allay community concerns about wildlif...

Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines