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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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Town mayor re-elected in landslide
Main, News...
Town mayor re-elected in landslide
Voters select incumbents Grambley, Scoville, newcomer Greenwood
By By Lia Salvatierra and Erin McIntyre lia@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com 
April 8, 2026
John Clark will continue serving as Ridgway mayor, defeating his only challenger in 14 years since he was first elected, newcomer Tia Mihelarakis. Clark received 321 votes to Mihelarakis’ 51 votes. Cl...
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Main, News...
Does Ouray need a new pool house? Council, public split
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
April 8, 2026
A series of tweaks to the design of a proposed new pool house at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool has exposed a deep divide among Ouray City Council members and the public over whether the city should proce...
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Ridgway sues MTN Lodge
Main, News...
Ridgway sues MTN Lodge
Town seeks payment of sales, lodging taxes; hotel calls lawsuit 'misguided'
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 1, 2026
The town of Ridgway is suing the owners of MTN Lodge over their plans to use the hotel as workforce housing for the next several years, aiming to suspend operations and demanding they pay lodging and ...
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Main, News...
Board rebukes commissioner
Niece, Nauer censure Padgett for secretly recording closed-door meeting
By By Lia Salvatierra and Erin McIntyre lia@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com 
April 1, 2026
Two Ouray County commissioners publicly reprimanded their fellow commissioner after discovering she secretly recorded an executive session last week. Portions of the audio from that executive session ...
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Editor Picks
News
County denies permit for disc golf tourney
Log Hill neighbors complain about impacts; property owners claim they were 'trying to take the right steps'
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
May 27, 2026
Ouray County commissioners on Tuesday denied a permit for a disc golf tournament on residential properties on Log Hill Mesa, after hearing further complaints from the public. Land Use Department staff...
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News
Citizens petition city to pave Oak Street
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
May 27, 2026
A group of residents has petitioned the city of Ouray to pave Oak Street, claiming the work is needed to control dust, accommodate increased traffic and preserve an important thoroughfare for resident...
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Award-winning ‘Lord of the Rings’ parody comes to Ouray
Feature
Award-winning ‘Lord of the Rings’ parody comes to Ouray
'Fly, You Fools!' plays at the Wright Opera House Friday-Monday
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
May 27, 2026
You know the lines. Or at least you’ve seen the memes — and the myriad spinoffs of them. “One does not simply walk into Mordor.” “One ring to rule them all.” “What about second breakfast?” “You shall ...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters show small-town politics at its worst
May 27, 2026
Dear Editor: I found last week’s article about the letter-writing campaign that influenced Ouray city councilors to block Tamara Gulde from returning to the council after she lost her race for mayor t...
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Letters, Opinion...
To change behavior, change infrastructure
May 27, 2026
Dear Editor: Two current local controversies are similar and could benefit from consideration of basic behavioral science principles. Both issues involve protection of people and public places from in...
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Ridgway, Colorado 81432
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Ridgway CO 81432

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