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Covid

After prolonged lull, COVID cases rising

Ouray County has reported more than 40 new COVID-19 cases in the last month, in addition to cases detected with at-home tests which may be unreported ...

June 23, 2022

News

For teachers, housing affordability is flunking

[tecnavia_gallery slug='for-teachers-housing-affordability-is-flunking-gallery' view='carousel']When Superintendent Susan Lacy first came to the Ridgw...

June 13, 2022

Feature

THE ‘BACKBONE’ OF THE SCHOOL

Bernie Pearce has a stopwatch around his neck, a clipboard in hand, and he’s worrying about restaurant reservations. It’s Monday afternoon, and the tr...

June 13, 2022

News

Students ace first responder training

Ouray Superintendent Tod Lokey lay on the floor of a classroom, pretending he’d been in a medical emergency. In one scenario, he played a patient who’...

June 9, 2022

News

Ridgway mixed-use project needs revision

The Ridgway Planning Commission told developers of a mixed-use development with more than 60 units to come back with a different plan, citing concerns...

June 2, 2022

News

TURNING THE TASSELS

[tecnavia_gallery slug='turning-the-tassels-gallery' view='carousel']As Ridgway’s class of 2022 walked off the stage at graduation, some paused to str...

June 2, 2022

News

TURNING THE TASSELS

[tecnavia_gallery slug='turning-the-tassels-gallery-20230406-0904-001239' view='carousel']In the middle of their graduation ceremony, the 13 Ouray Sch...

June 2, 2022

News

A repeat performance

[tecnavia_gallery slug='a-repeat-performance-gallery' view='carousel']There were the countless laps around Fellin Park, occasionally dodging dog-walke...

May 26, 2022

News

Ridgway board to consider 3 large developments

The Ridgway Planning Commission will consider applications for a 40-acre subdivision, a mixed-use project with 52 residential units and a restaurant w...

May 26, 2022

News

New Habitat director focused on community involvement

With one project close to completion and two more in the pipeline, the new executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans has a simple go...

May 26, 2022

Main, News...

Ridgway sues MTN Lodge

Town seeks payment of sales, lodging taxes; hotel calls lawsuit 'misguided'

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

April 1, 2026

The town of Ridgway is suing the owners of MTN Lodge over their plans to use the hotel as workforce housing for the next several years, aiming to suspend operations and demanding they pay lodging and ...

Main, News...

Board rebukes commissioner

Niece, Nauer censure Padgett for secretly recording closed-door meeting

By By Lia Salvatierra and Erin McIntyre lia@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com

April 1, 2026

Two Ouray County commissioners publicly reprimanded their fellow commissioner after discovering she secretly recorded an executive session last week. Portions of the audio from that executive session ...

Main, News...

Proposed merger could make fire chief highest paid official

Latest draft bases members' voting power on financial contributions

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

April 1, 2026

The current proposal to combine fire and emergency medical services entities in Ouray County could eventually make the new fire chief the highest-paid public official in the county and may base partic...

News

Jury convicts mother in retaliation case

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

April 1, 2026

A jury has convicted a former Ouray woman of retaliating against another woman who accused her son of sexual assault in 2023. Jurors deliberated for about an hour on March 26 before finding Kristyn Tr...

News

EMS moves overnight quarters with help from chamber grant

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

April 1, 2026

Ouray County Emergency Medical Services is moving its sleeping quarters for on-call staff in Ouray into the former Public Health office location, with donations providing rent assistance. An EMT will ...

Liz Teitz

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines