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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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Go-away-finding: Ouray to nix project, remove signs

Large maroon wayfinding signs installed on Main Street in Ouray last summer, triggering protests from residents and business owners detesting their ap...

February 25, 2026

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City reroutes funds to pay for pedestrian crosswalk project

Ouray city councilors voted last week to redirect funds originally designated for wayfinding signs to build two crosswalks on either side of town, whi...

February 25, 2026

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Bills to give reservoir to Ouray debut in Congress

U.S. House and Senate bills to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray made it to subcommittee heari...

February 18, 2026

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County spurns prairie dog control request

Ouray County leaders last week snuffed a resident’s request to require property owners to control prairie dogs, citing a legal inability and unwilling...

February 18, 2026

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Incentives may factor into 4-H Center hire

Ouray County commissioners may hire a 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds manager who would be paid based on how many events are held at the venue.Commis...

February 18, 2026

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EMS plans to shift staff, save costs

Ouray County Emergency Medical Services wants to implement a new staffing structure this spring to save costs and prepare for a combined fire and emer...

February 11, 2026

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Formerly a cash cow, bloom wilts on cannabis

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Michael Cox is the former general manager for Dalwhinnie Group, the landlord for Dalwhinn...

February 11, 2026

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City to keep police department

Ouray to retain on-call model, offer raises to officers, while sheriff leads hiring, training efforts

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

May 20, 2026

The city of Ouray will retain and rebuild its own independent police department but rely on Ouray County Sheriff Justin Perry to lead the hiring and training of its officers until a new police chief c...

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Runners go the distance to claim state titles

Ridgway's Hessler, Ouray's Skoloda win 3200-meter races; Demon girls finish second

By By Bernie Pearce Special to the Plaindealer

May 20, 2026

LAKEWOOD — Both runners had established new personal bests and school records during the regular season. Both entered the state track and field championship ranked No. 1 in their respective classifica...

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Ouray County EMS to raise fees

Charges for treatment, transport to increase for first time since 2018

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

May 20, 2026

Ouray County commissioners plan to raise fees for treatment and ambulance transports from Ouray County Emergency Medical Services starting in June. Commissioners reviewed proposed fee increases prepar...

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Mass evacuation exercise tests county’s preparedness

Half-day event features volunteers feigning injuries, refusing to leave and generally creating chaos — in the name of training for a real emergency

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

May 20, 2026

At 9:28 a.m., Amy Clewell and her two pretend siblings gathered in her driveway in Elk Meadows, debating whether it was time to call for help. They watched a stream of law enforcement vehicles and fir...

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Citizens organized against councilor

At least 14 people sent letters to council urging vote against Gulde appointment

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

May 20, 2026

Former Ouray City Councilor Tamara Gulde ran into an organized effort to keep her from returning to public office earlier this year after she lost the November race for mayor, then sought to fill a va...

Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines