Author - News

News

OURAY POLICE The following is an excerpt of cases handled by the Ouray Police Department from Sept. 28-Oct. 3 SEPT. 28 Officer found a parking violati...

October 6, 2022

News

LOOKING BACK

October 5, 1972 - EDITORIAL: If you intended to get to the Ouray city council meeting when the budget is being put together, forget it. It’s all over....

October 6, 2022

News

CALENDAR & EVENTS

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Every Friday and Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and every Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. at St. Daniel’s Church, 614 Fifth St., Ouray....

October 6, 2022

News

AROUND THE REGION

GUNNISON In a unanimous vote, Gunnison City Council appointed city Finance Director Ben Cowan to serve as interim city manager during a regular meetin...

October 6, 2022

Opinion

Let’s not screw up this chance to reduce climate threat

“In golden September with bright sunny days / The sky is clear and blue / The bee’s in the clover / Although summer’s over / I love September / Don’t ...

September 28, 2022

OURAY COUNTY LOOKING BACK

50 YEARS AGO September 28, 1972 - A jury of six (four women, two men) awarded $25,000 to be paid by the County of Ouray to Wayland and David Phillips....

September 28, 2022

Addressing tobacco, vaping much needed

Dear Editor: A quarter of a century “Big Tobacco,” whose products were killing more than 400,000 Americans a year, appeared to be on the ropes. Cities...

September 28, 2022

Help monitor local bighorn population

Dear Editor: We hope you saw the Great Old Broads for Wilderness paid ad last week on the back page of this publication describing the risk to our nat...

September 28, 2022

Donors made reading program possible

Dear Editor: As the summer season has come to an end, the Ridgway Library just wanted to take a moment and thank Café a la Mode, Snowbirds and Colorad...

September 28, 2022

Appreciation for Plaindealer

Dear Editor: Congratulations to the editor, publisher and entire staff of the Plaindealer on the many awards bestowed on the paper by the Colorado Pre...

September 28, 2022

Main, News...

Firefighters gain ground

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...

Main, News...

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...

News

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 ...

News

Fire pushes stressed wildlife into urban areas

By By James Hanlon Special to the Plaindealer

July 8, 2026

Wildlife escaping the Gold Mountain Fire are moving closer to town, prompting state wildlife officials to advise the public on how they can simultaneously help and give animals the space they need. Wi...

News

Water providers ask customers to pull back

Ridgway enacts mandatory irrigation restrictions

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

July 8, 2026

Water managers in Ouray County are asking residents to curtail water use and avoid putting more demand on their distribution systems in light of the Gold Mountain Fire and ongoing tinder-dry condition...

News Staff

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines