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County may hire pollster to gauge public opinion on tax for sheriff

Ouray County may hire a pollster to help gauge public support for a tax increase to fund the sheriff's office and word a ballot question for the Novem...

July 21, 2022

News

New tourism director tasked with more than drawing guests

Kailey Rhoten, Ouray’s first tourism and destination marketing director, isn’t just focused on bringing in guests — she's tasked with balancing commun...

July 21, 2022

News

County juggles road work, cost overruns

Ouray County Road and Bridge staff will finish improvements to County Road 1 next week, while a number of other projects have been tabled until later ...

July 13, 2022

News

Daytime full closures end on Highway 50

Improvements to U.S. Highway 50 between Montrose and Gunnison originally slated for November completion will take until 2023, but the full daytime roa...

July 7, 2022

News

The real water fight winners

The Ouray firefighters were convincing when they asked Abby Romero and Justin Clark to come out and help spray the crowd during Monday’s water fights,...

July 7, 2022

News

Team to tackle Governor Basin restoration

A multi-organizational effort to restore two old mine sites at Governor Basin and protect the surrounding environment is underway, with the Environmen...

June 30, 2022

News

County OKs transfer of marijuana license

Ownership of Log Hill Mesa-based marijuana cultivation facility MS Support is changing hands, and Ouray County commissioners approved a transfer for t...

June 30, 2022

Time to belly up to The Gray in Ouray

Sarah Gray is going for the “perfect mix” of local hangout and tourist hotspot with her new bar The Gray, which opened over Memorial Day weekend on th...

June 30, 2022

New owners take helm at Black Bear Manor

[tecnavia_gallery slug='new-owners-take-helm-at-black-bear-manor-gallery' view='carousel']Black Bear Manor, a Ouray bed and breakfast built in the 197...

June 30, 2022

STORIES WORTH SAVING

In 1896 ads for sewing machines and cities to stop at on the road to the West Coast dotted the pages of The Populist newspaper, a Ridgway publication ...

June 30, 2022

Main, News...

Ridgway to grow capacity to fight wildland fires

Additional staff, engine can enhance skills, create more revenue

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

December 3, 2025

Ridgway’s wildland firefighters have mopped up hotspots in Nevada, fought wildfire on the front lines in California and protected structures at home in Colorado. Since the Ridgway Fire Protection Dist...

Main, News...

County chops event center operations to aid budget

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

December 3, 2025

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 general fund savings. County leaders have been worki...

News

New council’s first task: Fill vacancies

After soliciting applications, councilors to interview, pick appointments Jan. 5

December 3, 2025

Ouray city leaders swore in a new mayor and city councilor Monday night, then turned their attention to the council’s most pressing issue: Finding and appointing two more councilors to fill out the ra...

News

Slow start to snow season

Wave of storms helps, but snowpack in San Juans well below normal

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

December 3, 2025

A series of post-Thanksgiving storms delivered desperately needed snow to the moisture-starved San Juans, but snowpack at the start of December remains well below average in Ouray County and the surro...

News

SEASON OF SHARING

Ridgway Ouray Community Council

December 3, 2025

Editor's note: The Ouray County Plaindealer is continuing its tradition of featuring nonprofit organizations based in Ouray County, serving Ouray County in a series of profiles called Season of Sharin...

Kylea Henseler

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines