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‘I did it for the animals’
Main, News...
‘I did it for the animals’
Continuing a tradition she started more than 20 years ago, Ridgway's Dana Ivers partners with land trust to shield 170 acres from development
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 12, 2025
Dodging prairie dog holes, Dana Ivers walked through her roughly 170-acre property on the southern side of Ridgway, admiring the sound and clear color of snowmelt rushing through ditches and into her ...
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Judge delays sex assault trial again
Main, News...
Judge delays sex assault trial again
Over objections to another holdup, defense says DNA expert not available in January
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 12, 2025
The trial for one of three men accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in Ouray County in 2023 has been postponed for a second time. Seventh Judicial Chief District Judge Cory Jackson agreed...
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Underwood elected mayor
Main, News...
ELECTION 2025
Underwood elected mayor
Hart joins council, which needs to fill two spots
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Ouray City Councilor Michael Underwood won election to the mayor’s seat Tuesday night, succeeding on a campaign that emphasized fiscal conservatism and a vow to fix what he perceives as a disconnect b...
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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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Editor Picks
Ouray to pursue 24-hour police coverage
News
Ouray to pursue 24-hour police coverage
Interim chief suggests change after council OKs response time policy that could impact his job status
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 12, 2025
Ouray’s interim police chief will explore implementing around-the-clock police coverage, a significant change aimed at nullifying a new policy the city council adopted last week that could otherwise m...
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News
County hires deputy attorney, makes other transition plans
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 12, 2025
Ouray County commissioners have hired a new deputy county attorney and made transition plans for three other vacant county leadership roles. For varying reasons, four top-level county roles were vacat...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
SMPA’s rate structure is regressive
By Dear Editor: 
November 12, 2025
Concerning the proposed San Miguel Power Association rate increase: Has the recent peak/off-peak rate structure worked to reduce the demand charge from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Associatio...
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Letters, Opinion...
A solution to prairie dog, wolf release issues
By Dear Editor: 
November 12, 2025
Dear Editor: I’m surprised that no one has considered the fairly obvious solution to the wolf release issue and the Top of the Pines prairie dog problem. Release the wolves at Top of the Pines. Charle...
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Join us Friday for film, talk about local news inspiration, challenges
Columns, Opinion...
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Join us Friday for film, talk about local news inspiration, challenges
By Erin McIntyre 
November 12, 2025
I still can’t believe we own a newspaper. It feels silly to type that sentence. We’re almost seven years into being the caretakers of this community institution, publishing for 148 years. And yet, it ...
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Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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