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Ridgway to grow capacity to fight wildland fires
Main, News...
Ridgway to grow capacity to fight wildland fires
Additional staff, engine can enhance skills, create more revenue
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
December 3, 2025
Ridgway’s wildland firefighters have mopped up hotspots in Nevada, fought wildfire on the front lines in California and protected structures at home in Colorado. Since the Ridgway Fire Protection Dist...
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Main, News...
County chops event center operations to aid budget
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
December 3, 2025
Ouray County is performing triage on its 2026 budget as 2025 revenues are coming in lower than expected, placing even more pressure on the county’s general fund savings. County leaders have been worki...
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New council’s first task: Fill vacancies
News
New council’s first task: Fill vacancies
After soliciting applications, councilors to interview, pick appointments Jan. 5
December 3, 2025
Ouray city leaders swore in a new mayor and city councilor Monday night, then turned their attention to the council’s most pressing issue: Finding and appointing two more councilors to fill out the ra...
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News
Slow start to snow season
Wave of storms helps, but snowpack in San Juans well below normal
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
December 3, 2025
A series of post-Thanksgiving storms delivered desperately needed snow to the moisture-starved San Juans, but snowpack at the start of December remains well below average in Ouray County and the surro...
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News
SEASON OF SHARING
Ridgway Ouray Community Council
December 3, 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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News
Snowpack lagging in San Juans
December 3, 2025
A recent series of storms helped boost the paltry snowpack in the San Juans, but the amount of water in that snowpack in the Gunnison River Basin — known as snow-water equivalent — is still among the ...
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State to reduce highway speeds near Ridgway
Main, News...
HIGHWAY 550 SAFETY
State to reduce highway speeds near Ridgway
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 26, 2025
The Colorado Department of Transportation plans to lower the speed limit for traffic along a half-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 550 north of Ridgway, near a section of road where the highest number of ...
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Main, News...
OURAY'S 2026 BUDGET
City trims jobs, capital expenses
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 26, 2025
A cautious Ouray City Council approved a $16.8 million budget for 2026 on Tuesday, leaving a handful of vacant jobs unfilled and slashing capital projects in anticipation of a potential economic downt...
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News
Schools adopt frameworks for AI tools
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 26, 2025
Both Ridgway Secondary School and the Ouray School District have adopted guidelines for students to use artificial intelligence, joining the first wave of schools in the state to do so. Lining classro...
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News
As scams climb, experts offer insight on how to avoid them
Local bank, police officials: Fraud attempts growing in sophistication
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 26, 2025
Anyone can become the victim of fraud. In Ouray County, one person lost $17,000 after being coerced into setting up a series of bank transfers. Property owners were duped by a home builder who created...
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News
CORRECTION
November 26, 2025
An article on Page 6 of the Nov. 20-26 edition incorrectly reported the Ridgway Town Council's votes on a new anti-idling ordinance. The ordinance was approved 5-1, with Councilor Michelle Montague vo...
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News
Housing report: Few first-time buyers can afford average-priced homes in Ouray County
100% of Ridgway homes out of affordable price range
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 26, 2025
An estimated 100% of potential firsttime homebuyers in Ridgway and 93% of those in Ouray County cannot afford to buy an average-priced home. Those are among the most striking findings in a housing nee...
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News
Ridgway predicts revenue drop, approves draft budget
Town expects to exceed $5M in general fund spending, dip into reserves
By By Erin McIntyre and Lia Salvatierra erin@ouraynews.com lia@ouraynews.com 
November 26, 2025
Ridgway plans to spend more than $5 million from its general fund in 2026, while at the same time town leaders are predicting a drop in revenue. The town will need to draw on its reserves to balance t...
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News
Local governments brace for possible downturn
At forum, leaders forecast flat or declining revenue in 2026 after years of record taxes
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 26, 2025
After raking in record-shattering sales and property taxes and socking away healthy reserves the last several years in the wake of the pandemic, local governments in Ouray County say revenues have fla...
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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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Editor Picks
Letters, Opinion...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
‘Timeout’ for Padgett sends bad message
By Dear Editor: 
December 3, 2025
We don’t put women in timeout; we put children in timeout. When you put a woman in timeout, you are putting her voice in timeout; telling her to go be quiet and that she should be seen and not heard. ...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Nauer’s ‘timeout’ idea is a non-starter
By Dear Editor: 
December 3, 2025
Had I not participated in scores of Ouray County Board of County Commissioners' and Planning Commission meetings, that Commissioner Lynn Padgett was elected or appointed to, I may have felt differentl...
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Spotlight on the Arts: The First Little Free Art Gallery in Ridgway
Feature
Spotlight on the Arts: The First Little Free Art Gallery in Ridgway
By By Ariel Hessler Special to the Plaindealer 
December 3, 2025
Inside Karen and Floyd Day’s home, the walls are covered in art. Both Karen and Floyd are longtime artists, and the walls of their home show the evidence. Large and colorful abstract depicting horses,...
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New era launches for Ouray basketball
Columns, Feature...
PREP ROUNDUP
New era launches for Ouray basketball
By By Matt Meyer Special to the Plaindealer 
December 3, 2025
Before the Thanksgiving holiday, Ouray High School hosted its “Meet the Trojans” night, akin to a college's Midnight Madness event to celebrate the start of basketball season. On a night with at least...
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Ouray County Performing Arts Guild
Feature
SEASON OF SHARING
Ouray County Performing Arts Guild
December 3, 2025
Year established as a nonprofit: 1983 What does your organization do for Ouray County? For more than 40 years, the Ouray County Performing Arts Guild has brought the high quality live music and perfor...
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Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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