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News
Disaster relief tax moves closer to ballot
Ouray, Ridgway councils negotiate for larger share of revenue; use tax for roads all but ruled out
By By Mike Wiggins and James Hanlon mike@ouraynews.com james@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
A proposed countywide sales tax to address fires, floods and other natural disasters appears to have a clear path to the November ballot, while a potential use tax on construction materials to raise m...
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County road superintendent arrested on suspicion of DUI
News
County road superintendent arrested on suspicion of DUI
By By James Hanlon james@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
Ouray County Road and Bridge Superintendent Ty Barger was placed on paid administrative leave Monday following a driving under the influence arrest in Montrose Aug. 14. Crew Chief Don Castle has been ...
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News
Ouray won’t join fire authority
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
Council cites unanswered questions, concerns about consolidation A proposal to consolidate all of Ouray County’s fire departments and its emergency medical services into one organization absorbed anot...
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Looking Back
News
Looking Back
August 19, 2026
Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago August 18, 1966 In the background is the sound of classical Chinese music, gaily ligh...
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Chamber music fest returns to San Juans
News
Chamber music fest returns to San Juans
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
43rd annual weeklong event features familiar favorites, new violist World-renowned concert pianist Max Levinson and the Ulysses String Quartet return to Ouray County next week for the Ouray County Per...
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Ouray County Fair 2026
News
Ouray County Fair 2026
August 19, 2026
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News
County OKs flood construction contract
By By James Hanlon james@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
Ouray County commissioners awarded Haynes Excavation Inc. the contract for the Emergency Watershed Protection project at a special meeting Monday for certain areas below the Gold Mountain Fire burn sc...
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News
Ridgway student proposes ‘free box’ for donations
By By James Hanlon james@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
A presentation about an idea for a “free box” by a Ridgway National Honor Society student at the Ridgway Town Council meeting Aug. 12 led to lengthy discussion and a $750 contribution to the project, ...
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Ouray County Pride 2026
News
Ouray County Pride 2026
August 19, 2026
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Ouray County Pride 2026
News
Ouray County Pride 2026
August 19, 2026
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News
Ridgway town council asks county for 15% of proposed disaster recovery sales tax
By James Hanlon 
August 17, 2026
The Ridgway Town Council asked Ouray County to consider a slightly higher distribution of funds from a proposed disaster recovery sales tax fund, while requesting more clarification on a possible cons...
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Bear killed after entering Ridgway home, killing chickens
News
Bear killed after entering Ridgway home, killing chickens
By erin@ouraynews.com 
August 17, 2026
State wildlife officials killed a young, female bear that entered a Ridgway home on Saturday after days of conflicts and at least one incident with the bear killing chickens. Colorado Parks and Wildli...
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‘Pinched on every front’
Main, News...
‘Pinched on every front’
Historic drought, wildfires, high feed prices strain local ranchers
By Chart Riggall 
August 12, 2026
One breezy afternoon in mid-July, Mike Potter's phone started making all kinds of noise. “It goes, beep, beep, beep, beep!” shouted the Ridgway rancher, brandishing his flip phone from the pocket of h...
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Flood work could begin within week
Main, News...
Flood work could begin within week
By Chart Riggall 
August 12, 2026
Ouray County officials said Tuesday that flood mitigation work below the Gold Mountain Fire’s burn scar could begin as soon as next week, while warning that storms in the coming days could trigger fur...
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Firefighter base moves to Gunnison
News
Firefighter base moves to Gunnison
Fairgrounds empty as focus shifts to Elk Fire
By James Hanlon 
August 12, 2026
The incident command post for the Gold Mountain Fire relocated to the Gunnison County Fairgrounds Saturday as Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 took over for Team 1 and combined effort...
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Looking Back
News
Looking Back
August 12, 2026
Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago With progress on the Ouray side of Imogene Pass Jeep road nearing completion, plans a...
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News
County inches ahead with possible tax questions
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
August 12, 2026
Attorney: Must get buy-in from city, town to proceed with sales, use taxes Ouray County commissioners on Tuesday took another step toward putting two tax measures on the November ballot to raise money...
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News
Visitors cited for feeding bears
Wildlife officials kill bruin after it entered home, broke car window
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
August 12, 2026
Wildlife officials killed a bear last weekend after it entered a home on North Oak Street and broke out a car window in Ouray, seeking food. The same week, Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Manager...
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News
County OKs fire recovery manager job
State grant will cover half of $300,000 cost for three-year position
By James Hanlon 
August 12, 2026
Ouray County commissioners approved the creation of a recovery manager position Tuesday to help coordinate recovery efforts from the Gold Mountain Fire over the next three years. The Colorado Departme...
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News
County OKs flood control design work
By By James Hanlon james@ouraynews.com 
August 12, 2026
Ouray County commissioners approved a $213,000 contract Tuesday with a Grand Junction-based engineering company to design and oversee emergency watershed protection projects in areas under the Gold Mo...
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Editor Picks
Best feathers forward
Main
Best feathers forward
August 19, 2026
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Main
Bear activity ramping up
Second bruin killed in a week after several conflicts, entering home
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
State wildlife officials killed a young, female bear that entered a Ridgway home last weekend after days of conflicts and at least one incident with the bear killing chickens. Colorado Parks and Wildl...
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Main
Police admin assistant resigns, blasts city
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
August 19, 2026
The Ouray Police Department's administrative assistant has resigned, leaving the office with one remaining employee assigned to desk duty. The resignation comes just after the city's response to a civ...
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Debra Lynn Todd
Obituaries
Debra Lynn Todd
August 19, 2026
November 5, 1953 – August 15, 2026 Debra Lynn Todd, 72, of Ouray, Colorado, passed away on August 15, 2026. She was born November 5, 1953, in Hutchinson, Kansas. She was the daughter of Chester and Ka...
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Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events
August 19, 2026
Thursday, August 20 Community book club, noon-1 p.m. at the Ridgway Public Library. Bring lunch and discuss "Whistler" by Ann Patchett. Friday, August 21 Historic True Grit Walking Tour, 3 p.m., free....
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Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

Ouray County Plaindealer
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195 S Lena St. Unit D
Ridgway, Colorado 81432
970-325-4412

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PO Box 529
Ridgway CO 81432

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