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‘There’s not a day where I don’t do something impactful’
Main, News...
‘There’s not a day where I don’t do something impactful’
Community paramedicine brings vital care to mountain, rural places
By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer 
November 19, 2025
Editor’s note: There’s a proposal to start a community paramedicine program here in Ouray County, and we wanted to know more about how these kinds of services work in other places in Colorado where th...
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Main, News...
Commissioner: ‘My patience is gone’
Claiming continued poor behavior, Nauer asks Padgett to take 'timeout,' attend meetings remotely
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 19, 2025
Ouray County Commissioner Michelle Nauer has asked Commissioner Lynn Padgett to take a "timeout" and attend meetings by Zoom while the county makes leadership transitions over the next few months, cit...
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News
Police chief, sheriff urge Ouray council to rethink strict response time policy
Councilors table plan requiring officers to live within 10 miles of city after concern from leaders
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 19, 2025
The Ouray City Council on Monday pitched and then quickly ditched a proposal to require police officers to live within 10 miles and a 10-minute drive from the city after local law enforcement and city...
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News
SMPA approves rate increases
Monthly base, peak energy charges to rise in 2026 as electric cooperative prepares for escalating wholesale power costs
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 19, 2025
The San Miguel Power Association board of directors on Tuesday approved dual rate increases in 2026 for the second year in a row, as the rural electric cooperative continues to grapple with higher who...
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News
Ridgway hires North Carolina agency for tourism, marketing
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 19, 2025
The town of Ridgway has hired a North Carolina-based agency for its tourism and marketing services, choosing an outside perspective familiar with rural communities. During a Nov. 12 town council meeti...
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News
Ouray to set aside funding for down payment help
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 19, 2025
The city of Ouray will earmark up to $100,000 in 2026 for a down payment assistance program aimed at helping middle-income homebuyers who make too much money to qualify for other assistance. City coun...
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News
Ridgway adopts expedited process for affordable housing projects
Town to expedite housing projects
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
November 19, 2025
Ridgway has formalized an expedited review process for affordable housing projects, a requirement for applying for Proposition 123 affordable housing funds. Proposition 123 was a 2022 statewide ballot...
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News
Town moves toward anti-idling rules
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 19, 2025
Editor’s note: This has been corrected to accurately reflect the council's vote on the ordinance. Ridgway town councilors gave initial approval to a new rule aimed at discouraging vehicle idling, spec...
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Outgoing mayor offers blunt assessment of election, state of affairs in Ouray
News
Outgoing mayor offers blunt assessment of election, state of affairs in Ouray
Funk bemoans lack of candidates, urges citizens to unify
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 19, 2025
With just a few days left in his tenure, outgoing Ouray Mayor Ethan Funk on Monday lamented the lack of city council candidates in this month’s election and encouraged residents to rise above what he ...
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News
Ouray County EMS to assess medical needs
By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer 
November 19, 2025
Ouray County Emergency Medical Services plans to perform an assessment to learn about the community’s medical needs, with hopes it will lead to a establishing a community paramedicine program. Communi...
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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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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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News
County court judge suspended after reports of misconduct
Judge suspended by state Supreme Court
By Erin McIntyre 
November 12, 2025
A Seventh Judicial District county court judge has been suspended from his job by the Colorado Supreme Court after the state judicial commission investigated reports of judicial misconduct. San Miguel...
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News
County adopts cost-saving policy
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
November 12, 2025
Ouray County commissioners have adopted a new austerity policy meant to help save costs during a tight budget year. Commissioners started talking about reviving a similar 2010 recession-era policy las...
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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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News
Property tax hikes pass for cemetery, fire districts
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Voters Tuesday night approved tax increases for the Cedar Hill Cemetery District and the Ouray Fire Protection District. A measure to increase the cemetery district’s mill levy from 0.33 mills to 1 mi...
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News
ELECTION 2025
Voters approve new county lodging tax
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Voters in unincorporated Ouray County approved a new 6% lodging tax that is expected to provide more than $182,000 in additional funding during a tight 2026 budget year and into the future. The measur...
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News
ELECTION 2025
Fagrelius, Meruelo win school board seats
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Ouray voters have chosen two former educators to join the Ouray School Board, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election. Three candidates competed for two open seats on the school board,...
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Editor Picks
George and Michael Gardner Fund
Feature
SEASON OF SHARING
George and Michael Gardner Fund
November 19, 2025
Editor's note: The Ouray County Plaindealer is continuing its tradition of featuring nonprofit organizations based in Ouray County, serving Ouray County in a series of profiles called Season of Sharin...
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Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events, Feature...
Calendar & Events
Correct Usage
November 19, 2025
Thursday, November 20 "Fraud Watch: What Every Local Should Know" free panel discussion about fraud awareness and prevention with local experts at the Sherbino Theater, 604 Clinton St. in Ridgway. Doo...
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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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Ridgway, Colorado 81432
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