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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

News

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

Main, News

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

Main, News

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

Main, News

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

News

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

News

Housing report: Few first-time buyers can afford average-priced homes in Ouray County

An estimated 100% of potential firsttime homebuyers in Ridgway and 93% of those in Ouray County cannot afford to buy an average-priced home. Those are...

November 26, 2025

Feature

A passion that’s choc-full of potential

Past a gate, at the end of a dirt road on Log Hill Mesa, is an Ouray County-style Willy Wonka factory. From his off-grid home, Nathan Montgomery churn...

November 26, 2025

Main, News

Commissioner: ‘My patience is gone’

Ouray County Commissioner Michelle Nauer has asked Commissioner Lynn Padgett to take a "timeout" and attend meetings by Zoom while the county makes le...

November 19, 2025

News

Ridgway hires North Carolina agency for tourism, marketing

The town of Ridgway has hired a North Carolina-based agency for its tourism and marketing services, choosing an outside perspective familiar with rura...

November 19, 2025

News

Ridgway council votes to explore all-electric rules with grant money

By LIA SALVATIERRA

June 12, 2026

The Ridgway Town Council has decided it’s willing to take a chance on a grant-funded public process in pursuit of an all-electric building code for new construction. Councilors unanimously voted on We...

News

County hires finance director

By Plaindealer Staff

June 10, 2026

An economist and finance strategist has been hired as Ouray County's chief financial officer. Ouray County announced this week it has hired Jason Schrock for the position and he will start in July. Ou...

News

County to provide free reproductive health services

By LIA SALVATIERRA

June 10, 2026

Ouray County Public Health will now provide free reproductive health services for patients under 25 years old, under new agreements approved by county commissioners Tuesday. The yearlong program calle...

News

Primary ballots mailed to voters

By Plaindealer Staff

June 10, 2026

Ouray County voters should begin receiving ballots in the mail this week in advance of the June 30 primary election. Most of the competition for the primary election is at the state and federal level....

Main, News...

A well-deserved honor

June 10, 2026

Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines