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Bear killed after entering Ridgway home, killing chickens

State wildlife officials killed a young, female bear that entered a Ridgway home on Saturday after days of conflicts and at least one incident with th...

August 17, 2026

News

Crystal Reservoir transfer bill passes Senate committee

A bill to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir to the city of Ouray took another step forward last week. The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Na...

July 22, 2026

News

Some evacuated areas will reopen to residents Wednesday

The Ouray County sheriff is allowing some residents to return to their homes in evacuated areas starting Wednesday morning. The sheriff's office appro...

July 7, 2026

News

Water providers ask customers to conserve

Water managers are asking residents to avoid excessive water use and putting more demand on their distribution system. Ridgway Mayor John Clark announ...

July 2, 2026

News

Reservoir to close due to aerial firefighting operation

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 t...

July 2, 2026

News

Animal shelter evacuating due to Gold Mountain Fire

UPDATE at 3 p.m. Wednesday – ALL THE ANIMALS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED Second Chance Humane Society is evacuating today due to the Gold Mountain Fire now bu...

July 1, 2026

Main

Factors behind the fire: What drove its spread?

Experts: Age-old forests, climate change, extreme drought created prime conditions for Gold Mountain Fire

By Chart Riggall

August 26, 2026

In the summer of 1879, the largest wildfire in Colorado history at the time tore through 26,000 acres of rugged forest about eight miles south of Silverton and presaged a vast shift in its landscape. ...

News

Tax districts approved for proposed project

Metro districts would fund improvements for possible 19-acre mixed-use Ridgway development

By James Hanlon

August 26, 2026

The Ridgway Town Council approved creating four metropolitan districts at its Aug. 12 meeting for a proposed residential and commercial development on 19 acres in north Ridgway. The development, Alpen...

News

Officials push Trump for disaster declaration

Polis: Federal funding needed to help pay for $17M in damages from Gold Mountain, Aspen Acres fires

By Chart Riggall

August 26, 2026

Federal, state and local officials pushed this week for President Donald Trump to issue a disaster declaration for the Gold Mountain and Aspen Acres fires that would open the door to additional federa...

Feature

New principal brings international experience

Michael Flaim named interim leader of Ouray preK-8 students

By James Hanlon

August 26, 2026

Michael Flaim, an educator who taught economics and social studies at international schools for nearly 20 years, has started as Ouray School’s interim preK-8 principal for the 2026-2027 school year. T...

News

Construction to control flooding begins

Work focuses on removing debris, building berms, barriers; project set to finish by Sept. 20

By James Hanlon

August 26, 2026

Crews from Haynes Excavation began work last week to repair and protect areas prone to flooding and debris flows beneath the Gold Mountain Fire burn scar. The $2.8 million Emergency Watershed Protect ...

erin@ouraynews.com

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines