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Counties: ‘Mega projects’ should pay their way

Leaders from Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties say they want developers of “mega projects” in the region to pay for collateral impacts to their ...

March 18, 2026

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Ouray housing project scores federal funding

The Waterview Homes affordable housing project will receive $1.46 million in federal funding to begin a second phase of development, but it's unclear ...

March 11, 2026

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County venue to hire manager

Ouray County commissioners will hire a salaried manager for the 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds, rather than an incentive-based position as previousl...

March 11, 2026

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Survey to gauge health care needs, barriers

Community members can help reshape how health care works in Ouray County by completing a new survey focused on what’s working and what could be done b...

March 11, 2026

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County to hire finance director, not deputy manager

Ouray County commissioners approved hiring a new finance director, rather than a new deputy county manager, during a regular meeting Tuesday.The posit...

March 11, 2026

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A dilemma 25 years in the making

The dilemma of how to manage, finance and use the Ouray County 4-H Event Center is coming full circle, reflecting conversations that happened more tha...

March 4, 2026

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County launches inaugural wellness fair

For those seeking resources for addiction or other mental health issues, or simply to improve overall wellness, Ouray County’s first Wellnesspalooza b...

March 4, 2026

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Bright start, cloudy future for bus service

Georgia Evans greeted the bus driver with jugs of milk and water in her hands and boarded the 11-seater OurWay shuttle, headed home from work in Ridgw...

February 25, 2026

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Backcountry road closure eyed

Ouray County commissioners on Tuesday directed staff to pursue closing an upper section of Yankee Boy Basin this summer to motorized traffic, in respo...

February 25, 2026

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Councilor seeks relaxed in-person attendance policy

A newly appointed Ouray city councilor who has attended just half of the city council’s meetings in person so far this year has asked the council to r...

February 25, 2026

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Ridgway sues MTN Lodge

Town seeks payment of sales, lodging taxes; hotel calls lawsuit 'misguided'

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

April 1, 2026

The town of Ridgway is suing the owners of MTN Lodge over their plans to use the hotel as workforce housing for the next several years, aiming to suspend operations and demanding they pay lodging and ...

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Board rebukes commissioner

Niece, Nauer censure Padgett for secretly recording closed-door meeting

By By Lia Salvatierra and Erin McIntyre lia@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com

April 1, 2026

Two Ouray County commissioners publicly reprimanded their fellow commissioner after discovering she secretly recorded an executive session last week. Portions of the audio from that executive session ...

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Proposed merger could make fire chief highest paid official

Latest draft bases members' voting power on financial contributions

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

April 1, 2026

The current proposal to combine fire and emergency medical services entities in Ouray County could eventually make the new fire chief the highest-paid public official in the county and may base partic...

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Jury convicts mother in retaliation case

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

April 1, 2026

A jury has convicted a former Ouray woman of retaliating against another woman who accused her son of sexual assault in 2023. Jurors deliberated for about an hour on March 26 before finding Kristyn Tr...

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EMS moves overnight quarters with help from chamber grant

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

April 1, 2026

Ouray County Emergency Medical Services is moving its sleeping quarters for on-call staff in Ouray into the former Public Health office location, with donations providing rent assistance. An EMT will ...

Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines