Author - News

News

For new clerk, hesitation, then excitement

When Michelle Nauer told Deputy Clerk Cristy Sulewski she wanted to run for county commissioner, Sulewski started crying. They weren’t tears of sadnes...

January 11, 2023

News

Board approves housing project

The Ouray Planning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the sketch plan for the Waterview Planned Unit Development, an affordable housing d...

January 11, 2023

News

A time of change, reflection

Michelle Nauer flips carefully through an old book, gently turning the pages and scanning the lists of handwritten names. She points out the delicate ...

January 5, 2023

Animal shelter’s first director steps down

When Kelly Goodin arrived at Second Chance Humane Society for the first time, she had no plans to stay for almost two decades. As a social worker, she...

December 28, 2022

Top stories of 2022: Ouray Silver Mines goes bust after high hopes

News

Ouray Silver Mines had high hopes for 2022: After commissioning its mill in 2021, its plans were to be in full production this year. Instead, the comp...

December 28, 2022

Top stories of 2022: After years of talk, movement on housing front

News

Stories about the shortage of affordable housing, particularly for the local workforce, have been appearing in the Plaindealer for more than two decad...

December 28, 2022

News

While most COVID-19 restrictions and precautions have now been removed in Ouray County, there were almost 500 cases of the virus locally in 2022, almo...

December 28, 2022

Top stories of 2022: Fed-sparked blaze triggers anger, questions

News

Three structures and more than 300 acres were burned in May when a prescribed burn ignited by the U.S. Forest Service rapidly grew out of control, ang...

December 28, 2022

News

For years, residents of Ouray County have pointed to Ridgway as the inevitable place for growth to happen. Unlike Ouray, boxed in by the canyon walls,...

December 28, 2022

Season of Sharing: Ouray County Food Pantry

Editor's note: The Ouray County Plaindealer is featuring nonprofit organizations which are based in Ouray County and serve Ouray County in a series of...

December 21, 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