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Inmon sentenced to prison in sex assault case
Main, News...
Inmon sentenced to prison in sex assault case
By Erin McIntyre 
June 5, 2026
A Ridgway man convicted of sexual assault by a Ouray County jury will spend at least four years in prison. Jeffrey Michael Inmon, 48, was convicted in a four-day jury trial in April. Jurors deliberate...
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Second Chance adopts new challenge in expansion
Main, News...
Second Chance adopts new challenge in expansion
Humane society takes over Delta shelter, seeks to rehome more animals
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
June 3, 2026
Second Chance Humane Society is adopting a new beast: another Western Slope animal shelter in Delta. The Ridgway-based nonprofit organization officially took the reins of the Delta Animal Shelter on M...
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Main, News...
Staff criticizes commissioners
Survey: Workers satisfied with bosses
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
June 3, 2026
Ouray County’s employees are largely happy with their direct supervisors and department heads and dissatisfied with the Board of County Commissioners, according to a recent anonymous staff survey. Som...
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Main, News...
City reverses, will stick with sheriff for now
Council concerned about budget impacts from rebuilding police department
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
June 3, 2026
The Ouray City Council is reversing course on rebuilding an independent police department, agreeing Monday to instead continue to rely on the Ouray County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services...
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Tassel worth the hassle
Main, News...
Tassel worth the hassle
Ouray County schools celebrate graduation, with Ouray School graduating 12, Ridgway Secondary School graduating 20 students in the class of 2026
May 27, 2026
Ouray School graduation, photos by Erin McIntyre – Ouray County Plaindealer Ridgway Secondary School graduation, photos by Erin McIntyre – Ouray County Plaindealer
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Main, News...
Governments push for better transit service
County, city, town want OurWay shuttle to run more frequently, be more user-friendly
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
May 27, 2026
Ouray County’s three local governments are calling for the OurWay shuttle to run more often and become more user-friendly. Local government leaders want the Montrose-to-Ouray service to run at least s...
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City to keep police department
Main, News...
City to keep police department
Ouray to retain on-call model, offer raises to officers, while sheriff leads hiring, training efforts
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
May 20, 2026
The city of Ouray will retain and rebuild its own independent police department but rely on Ouray County Sheriff Justin Perry to lead the hiring and training of its officers until a new police chief c...
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Runners go the distance to claim state titles
Main, News...
Runners go the distance to claim state titles
Ridgway's Hessler, Ouray's Skoloda win 3200-meter races; Demon girls finish second
By By Bernie Pearce Special to the Plaindealer 
May 20, 2026
LAKEWOOD — Both runners had established new personal bests and school records during the regular season. Both entered the state track and field championship ranked No. 1 in their respective classifica...
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Ouray childcare model a blueprint for others
Main, News...
Ouray childcare model a blueprint for others
A year after two daycares opened within affordable housing development, builder looks to replicate template in three other cities
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
May 13, 2026
The solution to the statewide childcare shortage might be here in Ouray County, where a blueprint for building childcare-ready affordable homes was drafted. It’s been a little more than a year since t...
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Main, News...
County tests: No mold problem in meeting rooms
After commissioner claims 'toxicity,' manager says 4-H, courthouse spaces safe to use
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
May 13, 2026
Ouray County commissioner meeting rooms don’t have a mold problem, according to testing ordered after Commissioner Lynn Padgett said the facilities caused her to feel sick and used it as justification...
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Beetle Mania
Main, News...
Beetle Mania
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
Wildfire building rules trigger mix of compliance, skepticism
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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Evacuation drill an exercise not in futility
Main, News...
Evacuation drill an exercise not in futility
County's first full-scale training May 15 meant to 'test where our holes are'
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 29, 2026
Sirens will wail and residents will likely see emergency vehicles headed through Ridgway, up County Road 5 on May 15. Traffic will filter back into town, with residents headed to an evacuation center....
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Mine owner proposes water treatment
Main, News...
Mine owner proposes water treatment
Unable to reduce heavy metals in Red Mountain Creek, Newmont exploring building plant atop pass
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
April 29, 2026
The company that owns the Idarado Mine is exploring the idea of building a treatment plant on Red Mountain Pass to remove heavy metals from water flowing into Red Mountain Creek. Representatives from ...
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City takes plunge on hot springs repairs
Main, News...
City takes plunge on hot springs repairs
Council approves $286,568 contract to resurface, replace tiles in overlook pools in September
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
The city of Ouray will spend more than $280,000 to resurface the hottest soaking areas at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool this fall, a repair pool managers say is vital to maintaining one of the city’s mos...
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County backs down on road closure
Main
County backs down on road closure
Rather than block access to upper Yankee Boy Basin, commissioners focus on managing, restoring
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 22, 2026
Ouray County has decided against closing the upper section of Yankee Boy Basin road to motorized traffic, and will work with the U.S. Forest Service and volunteer groups to keep drivers on the main ro...
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After hiatus, a rally for high school baseball in Ridgway
Feature, Main...
After hiatus, a rally for high school baseball in Ridgway
Sporting nearly 30-year-old jerseys, pilot junior varsity team takes field, aims for long-term viability through fundraising
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 15, 2026
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect when Ridgway School District last had a baseball team, given updated information provided by Ouray County Baseball after the story was published. ...
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Main
Zero-waste policy draws public fire
Council tables proposal for compostable, recyclable materials over concerns from business owners, community groups
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 15, 2026
Ridgway town councilors tabled a draft “zero-waste” policy for events on town property after public backlash about how the rules would impact business owners and community groups. The proposal discuss...
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Administrator sought info backing chief decision
Main, News...
Administrator sought info backing chief decision
Records: Officers concerned about training
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
April 15, 2026
Ouray City Administrator Michelle Metteer sought input from neighboring law enforcement agencies about how they conduct background checks — after she decided not to hire Daric Harvey as the permanent ...
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Easter egg hunters hop to it
Main, News...
Easter egg hunters hop to it
April 8, 2026
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Editor Picks
Board: Ice Park at ‘inflection point’
News
Board: Ice Park at ‘inflection point’
Seeking help from city, nonprofit claims funding sources drying up as operational costs climb
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
June 3, 2026
The nonprofit organization that runs the Ouray Ice Park cautioned Monday that it has reached a crossroads, saying its operational costs continue to climb even as its funding sources are saturated. In ...
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News
Crystal bill passes House
Legislation to transfer reservoir to city moves on to Senate committee
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
June 3, 2026
A bill to transfer Crystal Reservoir to the city of Ouray is another step closer to becoming law after the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed it on Tuesday. The legislation now awaits ap...
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News
Ridgway Library aims to boost access to resources
Board identifying other priorities in creation of strategic plan
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
June 3, 2026
The Ridgway Public Library is homing in on its priorities for future years in a strategic plan that the board of trustees aims to adopt this fall. Top priorities include broadening access to the libra...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Medics, rescuers provided best of care
June 3, 2026
Dear Editor: A huge thank you to our incredible Ouray County Emergency Medical Services and our volunteer Ouray Mountain Rescue Team for taking such good care of me when I took a bad fall last Thursda...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Advocacy is about preserving historic character, public health
June 3, 2026
Dear Editor: I was pleased to see an article in the Plaindealer about people exercising their right as American citizens to address their representatives via letters to City Council. It is obvious tha...
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First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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