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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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...

UPDATE: Pilot in fatal crash identified as Canadian man

Investigation underway to determine cause of crash at Silver Jack Reservoir

By Mike

July 13, 2026

Editor's note: This story has been changed to correctly indicate the change in the team overseeing the fire response. The pilot who died when his aircraft went down in Silver Jack Reservoir Sunday was...

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Firefighting aircraft goes down in Silver Jack

Body of pilot recovered from crash scene by dive team late Sunday

By Plaindealer Staff

July 12, 2026

An aircraft fighting the Gold Mountain Fire went down in Silver Jack Reservoir in southwestern Gunnison County on Sunday night and the body of the pilot has been recovered from the crash. One person w...

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Firefighters gain ground on Gold Mountain Fire

Sheriff allows some evacuees to return home; blaze shifts away from populated areas

By By Mike Wiggins, Erin McIntyre and Deb Hurley Brobst mike@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com

July 8, 2026

Residents forced to flee the Gold Mountain Fire north of Ouray nearly two weeks ago returned to charred landscapes but fully intact homes Wednesday, an indication that authorities believe the threat h...

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Despite fire, downsized Fourth celebration marches on

By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com

July 8, 2026

A scaled-back Fourth of July celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States and 150th birthday of Ouray attracted thousands to the city, despite the cancellation of fireworks, water fights and...

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First fire, then floods? Leaders start planning for next potential emergency

By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer

July 8, 2026

Even though the Gold Mountain Fire is still burning, Ouray County officials are already thinking about flash flood risks in the burn scar as Colorado moves into monsoon season. “This is a predictable ...

Liz Teitz

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines