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News
Local Briefs
Ridgway awards visitor services contract to chamber
February 18, 2026
Ridgway will hire the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce for $33,824 per year to support town marketing efforts. “RACC expressed confidence in its ability to execute the scope of work, based on many yea...
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News
Town approves measures to boost housing affordability
By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer 
February 18, 2026
The Ridgway Town Council approved three measures at its meeting on Feb. 11 to boost affordable housing in the town. Ridgway applying for ADU grant Ridgway is applying for a grant that will allow it to...
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Looking Back
News
Looking Back
February 18, 2026
Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago February 24, 1966 Fast work by the Ouray Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday evenin...
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News
Ballot initiative would add public access right to constitution
By Sara Wilson Colorado Newsline 
February 18, 2026
Colorado voters could be asked this year to amend the state’s constitution to include the right to know the goings-on of state and local governments through public meetings and open records. A ballot ...
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News
Incentives may factor into 4-H Center hire
Board weighs paying manager based on events booked at c urrently closed facility
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 18, 2026
Ouray County commissioners may hire a 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds manager who would be paid based on how many events are held at the venue. Commissioners reached that conclusion during a Feb. 10 ...
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Main, News...
EMS plans to shift staff, save costs
Chief seeks to rely less on higher-paid paramedics
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 11, 2026
Ouray County Emergency Medical Services wants to implement a new staffing structure this spring to save costs and prepare for a combined fire and emergency services authority. During a Jan. 28 work se...
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Formerly a cash cow, bloom wilts on cannabis
Main, News...
Formerly a cash cow, bloom wilts on cannabis
Industry slump marked by reduction in wholesale flower prices leaves just one grow facility in county, shaves local government tax revenue
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 11, 2026
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Michael Cox is the former general manager for Dalwhinnie Group, the landlord for Dalwhinnie Farms. The cannabis industry’s downturn has rea...
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News
County navigating federal assistance program changes
Human Services seeks to avoid burdening families with creation of regional hubs
By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer 
February 11, 2026
Ouray County officials are working to figure out what it will mean for clients needing food and other assistance when the Colorado Department of Human Services consolidates resources by creating multi...
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News
Crosswalk project bids over budget
City could cut costs or seek more money from state
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
February 11, 2026
Ouray city officials are weighing next steps after a trio of bids to build a pair of pedestrian crosswalks and other improvements at either end of town exceeded the project budget. Public Works Direct...
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New county manager seeks to lead with heart
Main, News...
New county manager seeks to lead with heart
After careers in big cities and large governments, Antonio Mendez is shifting his perspective
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 4, 2026
Ouray County is unlike most places Antonio Mendez has lived or worked before, and Mendez brings experience unlike the county has seen in two decades, or possibly ever. Ouray County’s new manager grew ...
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City leader pulls police from patrol duty
Main, News...
City leader pulls police from patrol duty
Administrator cites concerns about training, liability; sheriff's office assumes full control of services in Ouray
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
February 4, 2026
Ouray City Administrator Michelle Metteer has pulled the police department’s two remaining officers off of patrol duty and reassigned them to administrative tasks, citing concerns about liability and ...
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News
County considers asking voters for tax hike in November
Staff to research potential funding measures for EMS, road and bridge; sheriff won't seek question this fall
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 4, 2026
Ouray County leaders want to research and poll the public’s appetite for asking voters for more tax revenue, to raise additional money for the county’s Emergency Medical Services and the Road and Brid...
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News
Ridgway gets initial OK for $1.34M grant
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 4, 2026
Ridgway has received initial approval for a $1.34 million grant to help it explore an all-electric building code for new construction and help electrify municipal operations, to lower its carbon footp...
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News
Judge to decide whether to unseal civil case
Plaindealer seeks public access to file that's be en sealed for nine months
By Plaindealer Staff Report Plaindealer@ouraynews.com 
February 4, 2026
A district court judge will decide whether to unseal records in a civil lawsuit that was filed nine months ago against the former Ouray police chief and has proceeded in secret. The lawsuit was filed ...
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News
Council, mayor seats up for election
February 4, 2026
Ridgway’s town council has three council seats and the mayor's position coming up for election this spring. Mayor John Clark and councilors Terry Schuyler, Kevin Grambley and Josey Scoville are up for...
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Feature, News...
‘Love Song’ takes to stage for Valentine’s
February 4, 2026
Sometimes audiences need a whimsical, light performance. And that's what folks can expect from UpstART Theater's next play, "Love Song," timed to lead up to Valentine's Day. The all-local cast of perf...
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Sheriff’s office takes on policing for city, meeting scheduled tonight
News
Sheriff’s office takes on policing for city, meeting scheduled tonight
Another officer resigns from police department, leaving sergeant and administrative assistant
By Mike Wiggins 
February 2, 2026
The Ouray County Sheriff’s Office has assumed full responsibility for law enforcement services in the city of Ouray after City Administrator Michelle Metteer reassigned the police department’s two rem...
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Onward and upward
Main, News...
Onward and upward
January 28, 2026
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Main, News...
Town prepares for legal battle
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
January 28, 2026
Editor's note: This article has been corrected to reflect that Ridgway Lodge LLC is the owner of MTN Lodge. Ridgway retains attorney after MTN Lodge owners say they won't pay taxes on long-term worker...
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Main, News...
County eyes budget cuts
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
January 28, 2026
Manager: Looking for ways to avoid cutting employees Ouray County leaders have loosely settled on wanting to cut $500,000 from the county’s 2026 budget, anticipating they will have more unexpected exp...
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Editor Picks
Bright start, cloudy future for bus service
Main, News...
Bright start, cloudy future for bus service
Two years after launch, OurWay ridership has doubled. It’s unclear if grant money and matching local funds will help it keep running
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 25, 2026
Georgia Evans greeted the bus driver with jugs of milk and water in her hands and boarded the 11-seater OurWay shuttle, headed home from work in Ridgway to Montrose. She noticed it was a different bus...
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Main, News...
Backcountry road closure eyed
County to shut off portion of Yankee Boy Basin to vehicles this summer due to environmental damage
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 25, 2026
Ouray County commissioners on Tuesday directed staff to pursue closing an upper section of Yankee Boy Basin this summer to motorized traffic, in response to a resident’s request to reduce environmenta...
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Councilor seeks relaxed in-person attendance policy
News
Councilor seeks relaxed in-person attendance policy
Doherty claims job keeps him out of town; council to decide whether to change cap on remote participation
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 25, 2026
A newly appointed Ouray city councilor who has attended just half of the city council’s meetings in person so far this year has asked the council to relax an attendance policy and allow him to govern ...
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Go-away-finding: Ouray to nix project, remove signs
News
Go-away-finding: Ouray to nix project, remove signs
After spending more than $100K on branding, design and fabrication, council halts wayfinding initiative that could have cost up to $800K
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 25, 2026
Large maroon wayfinding signs installed on Main Street in Ouray last summer, triggering protests from residents and business owners detesting their appearance and size, will soon be gone like they wer...
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Wet snow, later sunsets mark spring’s approach
Columns, Opinion...
Wet snow, later sunsets mark spring’s approach
By Karen Risch 
February 25, 2026
Thanks to warming sun, wet snow showers, spells of shirtsleeve weather, earlier sunrises and later sunsets, meteorological spring (March 1) is upon us. It’s been an a-ha moment these last two weeks as...
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First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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Ridgway, Colorado 81432
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