Author - News

News

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

Main, News

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

News

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

News

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

Main, News

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

Main, News

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

Main, News

New county manager seeks to lead with heart

Ouray County is unlike most places Antonio Mendez has lived or worked before, and Mendez brings experience unlike the county has seen in two decades, ...

February 4, 2026

News

County considers asking voters for tax hike in November

Ouray County leaders want to research and poll the public’s appetite for asking voters for more tax revenue, to raise additional money for the county’...

February 4, 2026

News

Ridgway gets initial OK for $1.34M grant

Ridgway has received initial approval for a $1.34 million grant to help it explore an all-electric building code for new construction and help electri...

February 4, 2026

Main, News

County eyes budget cuts

Manager: Looking for ways to avoid cutting employeesOuray County leaders have loosely settled on wanting to cut $500,000 from the county’s 2026 budget...

January 28, 2026

Main, News...

Forest closure expands as fire makes another big run

By Mike

July 2, 2026

The U.S. Forest Service this afternoon expanded the closure area in the Uncompahgre National Forest east of Ridgway, as the Gold Mountain Fire makes another big run. The original closure largely encom...

News

Water providers ask customers to conserve

By erin@ouraynews.com

July 2, 2026

Water managers are asking residents to avoid excessive water use and putting more demand on their distribution system. Ridgway Mayor John Clark announced during a Ouray County Board of County Commissi...

News

Reservoir to close due to aerial firefighting operation

By erin@ouraynews.com

July 2, 2026

Ridgway Reservoir will close to boaters as soon as planes dispatched to assist with the aerial attack on the Gold Mountain Fire arrive. It's hard to tell exactly when that will be, but Colorado Parks ...

Main, News...

Fire surges into Cimarrons

Evacuations expand, forest closes as forecast offers little relief

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

July 1, 2026

A wildfire that started as a wisp of smoke on a cliffside just north of Ouray last weekend exploded to more than 15,000 acres by Wednesday, driven by winds north to the Cimarron Range east of Ridgway....

Main, News...

City curtails holiday events, keeps parade

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

July 1, 2026

Fourth of July events in Ouray will be scaled back this year in response to the Gold Mountain Fire, with the July 3 fire department benefit concert and the Independence Day parade and kids’ games a go...

Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines