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Ridgway girls cross country team nabs state title
Main, News...
Ridgway girls cross country team nabs state title
By Plaindealer Staff Report 
November 1, 2025
The Ridgway High School girls’ cross country team is bringing a state title back to the San Juans. The six-person team won the Class 2A state title Saturday afternoon in Colorado Springs, capping a te...
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Food assistance benefits dry up
Main, News...
Food assistance benefits dry up
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
An estimated $51,000 in federal food benefits will no longer be available to 170 Ouray County households starting Friday. The monthlong federal government shutdown without Congressional appropriations...
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Main, News...
Mine shaft wasn’t identified as hazard
State vows to secure opening quickly following Ridgway woman's death
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
A dangerous, water-filled mine shaft where a woman's body was found last week had not yet been identified for closure by state officials charged with securing hazardous mine openings. Though the state...
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Main, News...
Pushback against wolves grows
Ranchers oppose release in county; feds seek to block state
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
The Ouray County Cattlemen’s Association has objected to releasing wolves in the county, amid other efforts potentially complicating or stifling wolf reintroduction in the region this winter. A letter...
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Ute dancers perform at film fest
Main, News...
Ute dancers perform at film fest
October 22, 2025
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Board makes offer on top job
Main, News...
Board makes offer on top job
On same day commissioners pick Peace Corps director, interim manager resigns
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 22, 2025
Editor’s note: This has been corrected to identify Mendez, who was born in the United States, as Dominican-American.  Ouray County’s new county manager will travel from Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico, ...
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Federal shutdown threatens food assistance program
Main, News...
Federal shutdown threatens food assistance program
By By Lia Salvatierra and Erin McIntyre lia@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com 
October 22, 2025
Food assistance for low-income residents in Ouray County will likely be cut off at the end of the month due to the federal government shutdown, leaving an estimated 170 households with less money and ...
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Main, News...
Woman’s body found in mine shaft
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
October 22, 2025
A Ridgway woman who was reported missing Monday night was found dead in a deep, water-filled mine shaft on Red Mountain Pass. Rescuers found Jennifer Nelson, 54, early Tuesday morning after accidental...
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Driver survives plunge off pass
Main, News...
Driver survives plunge off pass
Distracted Montrose County man sustains minor injuries, cited for suspected careless driving
By Erin McIntyre and Mike Wiggins erin@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com 
October 15, 2025
A Montrose County resident survived an accident on Red Mountain Pass on Oct. 9, where his truck went over the edge and rolled down the mountain. According to information from the Colorado State Patrol...
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The pinnacle of autumn
Main, News...
The pinnacle of autumn
October 8, 2025
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State eyes Ouray County for wolf release
Main, News...
State eyes Ouray County for wolf release
Wildlife officials won't disclose dropoff site for up to 15 wolves this winter, but Billy Creek a possibility
By Mike Wiggins and Erin McIntyre mike@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com 
October 8, 2025
Wildlife officials are eyeing Ouray County for the next release of gray wolves in southwest Colorado this winter to help fulfill a mandate from voters to re-establish a self-sustaining population of t...
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Main, News...
Hiring freeze, no pay raises for county
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 8, 2025
Ouray County plans to enact a hiring freeze and eliminate raises, including cost-of-living adjustments, to help balance its 2026 budget. After a nearly four-hour special work session on Sept. 29, comm...
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Fire chief vows to clean up fireworks trash found by visitors
Main, News...
Fire chief vows to clean up fireworks trash found by visitors
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
October 8, 2025
Michal Nowicki was looking for a panoramic view above Ouray when he hiked near the "Switzerland of America" sign last week. He found it — along with a mess. Dozens of empty cardboard boxes formerly co...
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A race against time, Mother Nature
Main, News...
A race against time, Mother Nature
More than a year after catastrophic flooding, Ridgway pushes to finish water diversion project
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
October 1, 2025
Randy Barnes knew that morning he needed to check on Beaver Creek and the ditch bringing water down from the mountains above Elk Meadows to supply the town of Ridgway. More than 40 years of experience...
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Main, News...
U.S. HIGHWAY 550 ACCIDENTS
State to speed up some safety upgrades on Highway 550
Safety audit of Ridgway-Montrose County section to be done June 2026; shoulder widening to start in 2027
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 1, 2025
The Colorado Department of Transportation will expedite a shoulder-widening project on U.S. Highway 550 and potential interim safety measures along the corridor in response to public concern about dan...
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Hurd mum on reservoir transfer
Main, News...
Hurd mum on reservoir transfer
Congressman not yet saying whether he'll back city taking over Crystal Reservoir
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
September 24, 2025
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd is remaining mum on whether he will support a bill that would transfer Crystal Reservoir from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray. Since Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hick...
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Main, News...
Prairie dog mitigation to proceed
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
September 24, 2025
Top of the Pines will hire a contractor to lethally fumigate a portion of its prairie dog population, despite adopting a management plan prioritizing the animals’ natural occurrence. During a regular ...
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Once in ‘crisis,’ Ouray police rebuilding
Main, News...
Once in ‘crisis,’ Ouray police rebuilding
A year after grave warning, the department is nearly fully staffed, overhauling policies and regaining trust
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
September 24, 2025
Daric Harvey needs another dry erase board. The one hanging on the wall next to his desk is out of room, crammed with a checklist of goals and initiatives Ouray’s interim police chief has etched in bl...
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Field of dreams realized
Main, News...
Field of dreams realized
Community celebrates opening of new $4 million athletic complex
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
September 17, 2025
The runners pounded out miles on dirt trails, gravel roads and sidewalks ringing public parks. They launched themselves over hurdles in carpeted hallways of the school, sometimes crashing into the met...
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Ouray to ditch large downtown signs
Main, News...
Ouray to ditch large downtown signs
Public pans signs as out of place, will review smaller prototypes
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
September 17, 2025
The city of Ouray is prepared to scrap a series of new large signs installed this summer in the downtown core meant to direct drivers to various locations in favor of smaller signs, acceding to reside...
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Hurd introduces House bill to transfer Crystal Reservoir to Ouray
News
Hurd introduces House bill to transfer Crystal Reservoir to Ouray
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
November 4, 2025
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd has introduced legislation to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray, identical to a Senate bill introduced in September, after w...
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News
Council nixes alcohol at hot springs
Ouray parks director had suggested limited sales at special events next year to generate revenue
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
The Ouray City Council rejected a proposal Monday to sell alcohol at three special events at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool next year, concluding the costs and risks outweigh the potential revenue. Parks ...
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On the course, they’re competitors. On weekends, they’re training partners
Columns, Feature...
PREP ROUNDUP
On the course, they’re competitors. On weekends, they’re training partners
By By Matt Meyer Special to the Plaindealer 
October 29, 2025
Separately, the Ridgway, Ouray and Telluride High School cross country teams are among the smallest in the state. Each is successful in their own right — especially ahead of the state championship rac...
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News
Mayoral hopefuls make pitches to voters
At candidates' forum, Gulde, Underwood agree on most issues, part ways on some
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
Ouray's mayoral candidates agreed last week the biggest challenge facing the city is a breakdown in communication and understanding between the city council and residents and pledged to fix that gap. ...
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Residents praise interim police chief
News
Residents praise interim police chief
Administrator says meet-and-greet important part of process of filling permanent job
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
Mark Rozich and Karen Risch were happy to duck inside Cassidy’s Cafe & Antiques on a rainy evening last week and share their opinions about Ouray’s interim police chief, Daric Harvey. They’re just not...
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Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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Ridgway, Colorado 81432
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