Feature
Third-place finish for freshman-laden team in Class 2A cross-country championship opens eyes
By By Joel Priest Special to the Plaindealer 
November 6, 2024
COLORADO SPRINGS — Pre-dating Socrates, ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus once proposed,"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river, and it’s not the same man." That bei...
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Feature
SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS
Show from Shanda Akin, Betsy Botsford at Wright until Jan. 1
By By Chloe Kiparsky Plaindealer intern 
November 6, 2024
A new photography exhibit will transport viewers to nature landscapes at the Wright Opera House. Shanda Akin and Betsy Botsford’s photography show, "Scenic Treasures — Nature's Beauty from Colorado an...
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Feature
By By Chloe Kiparsky Plaindealer intern 
November 6, 2024
Playwright Heidi Schreck earned her college tuition by traveling the country doing speeches on the U.S. Constitution for prize money. Her award-winning play, “What the Constitution Means to Me,” direc...
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Feature
Hill, Fedel families partner to open Ace Hardware in Ridgway
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
October 30, 2024
When the Family Dollar store closed in Ridgway earlier this spring, Ace Hardware saw an opportunity. And the Hill and Fedel families, in turn, saw an opportunity to bring another family-run business i...
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Feature
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 30, 2024
Realm Supply will reopen across the county on Ouray’s Main Street after closing its doors in Ridgway this summer. Owner Tia Mihelarakis will take over part of The Blue Pear at 645 Main St. on Nov. 1, ...
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Feature
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 30, 2024
Ridgway Pilates' new space within Ridgway’s old bank building is a dream for owner Erica Young, whose old location could barely accommodate her growing clientele. The former Realm Supply location at 5...
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Feature
Equally adventurous in life and passionate about students, Heidi Hanssen left a legacy of professionalism and devotion at Ridgway Elementary
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
October 23, 2024
The first thing he noticed was how gorgeous she was. It was impossible, of course, to miss the tall brunette in the Minturn Middle School classroom where Andy Dennis and Heidi Hanssen met as teachers ...
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Feature
Logistics, roster size lead Ridgway, Ouray to split up track, cross country teams
By By Chloe Kiparsky Plaindealer intern 
October 23, 2024
The track and field and cross country athletes from Ridgway and Ouray who once were teammates now compete against each other. The split in the teams earlier this year means Ridgway and Ouray student a...
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Calendar & Events, Feature...
Oct. 24 - Nov. 7, 2024
October 23, 2024
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 LIVE MUSIC: David Nunn, 5-8 p.m. at the Western Hotel, 210 Seventh Ave. in Ouray. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 GAME: Murder Mystery Dinner Party: Murder on a Train. Tickets $60 for a speaki...
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Feature
Cross country, volleyball and more
By erin@ouraynews.com 
October 17, 2024
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Calendar & Events, Feature...
October 16, 2024
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 LIVE MUSIC: David Nunn, 5-8 p.m. at the Western Hotel, 210 Seventh Ave. in Ouray. FILM CLUB: Ouray County Public Library Film Club, 5:30-7 p.m. 400 Seventh Ave. CANDIDATES FORUM: ...
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Feature
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 9, 2024
Kristin Kelley’s first weeks as Ouray County’s new public health director tested her forte and favorite part of the job — building up community partnerships and ensuring equal access to care — as she ...
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Feature
By SUE HUSCH 
October 9, 2024
I recently had a chat with my friends Bev and Jorg Angehrn about their longtime work with the Ouray County Food Pantry. Bev started volunteering with the original food pantry, which was under the ausp...
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Feature
By Joel Priest 
October 9, 2024
Joel Priest— Special to the Plaindealer Ridgway's Sophia Forrest (21) alertly swipes Telluride setter Lillyann Mahoney's errant pass back over the net for a quick point on Oct. 3, during the teams' se...
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Feature
October 9, 2024
OCT. 11, 1974 The contest to design Ouray’s Centennial Flag was being sponsored by the Committee for the Walsh Library Building (City Hall facade) Restoration, as a Centennial-Bicentennial project. Ev...
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Columns, Feature...
By Carolyn Snowbarger 
October 9, 2024
Do vice presidents leave a legacy? Many historians believe that Vice President George Mifflin Dallas certainly did here in Ouray County. Today you can find a creek, a mountain, a pass, a company and a...
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Calendar & Events, Feature...
October 9, 2024
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 LITERARY LIVING ROOM: Jamie LaRue, author of "On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the U.S." Doors open at 7 p.m., event starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Sherbin...
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Feature
By Plaindealer Staff 
October 9, 2024
The Fortuna Tierra Club's inaugural group of honorees were celebrated at the 2024 Exceptional Women of Ouray County luncheon on Oct. 5. Pictured here from left to right are Robyn Cascade, Irene Stith,...
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Feature
By eType 
October 9, 2024
Ouray middle school cross country runner Mikayla Hirt crests a hill in the race on Oct. 5 in Aspen at the Chris Severy Invitational meet. Hirt finished the race in 18:45.7, placing ninth. The girls’ t...
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News
By Mike Wiggins 
May 8, 2026
A former Ouray woman was ordered Thursday to spend two years on probation for retaliating against a woman who accused her son of sexual assault in 2023. Kristyn Trujillo must also perform 96 hours of ...
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Main, News...
Drought conditions prime for insect infestation in county, experts warn
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
May 6, 2026
In some parts of Ouray County it may look like popcorn grows on trees. The milky, honey-colored pocks on the trunks of ponderosa pines and other trees signal efforts to fend off their attackers: bark ...
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Main
By By Mike Wiggins, Lia Salvatierra and Erin McIntyre lia@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com 
May 6, 2026
A state mandate requiring local governments to adopt stricter building rules to protect new and remodeled homes against wildfire has sparked varying reactions from elected officials in Ouray County. T...
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News
Manager: 'Folks want to feel we are doing our jobs, not delegating it to AI'
By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer 
May 6, 2026
Ouray County commissioners want to regulate how employees use artificial intelligence when doing county work and limit cybercrime risk. Commissioners on April 29 looked at the first draft of an AI pol...
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News
Following strong pushback from businesses, nonprofits, board devises more relaxed regulations
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
May 6, 2026
The town of Ridgway's Sustainability Advisory Board will pilot “zero-waste” rules at the town’s summer concert series, while it continues to craft a broader policy to implement for all events on town ...
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