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City pays $120K to settle lawsuit
Main, News...
City pays $120K to settle lawsuit
Fired police chief Wood agrees to drop claim; Ouray denies wrongdoing
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 20, 2025
The city of Ouray and its insurer paid former Police Chief Jeff Wood $120,000 to settle the wrongful termination and defamation lawsuit he filed against the city last year. City officials agreed to th...
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Man takes plea deal in sex assault
Main, News...
Man takes plea deal in sex assault
Scranton pleads guilty to reduced charges, will receive prison
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
A Ridgway man has pleaded guilty to reduced charges in a sex assault case in exchange for a sentence of one to six years in prison. Brian Scranton, 49, waived his right to a jury trial and will be con...
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Prairie dog control plan renews concerns
News
Prairie dog control plan renews concerns
Residents object asTop of the Pines seeks county permission to use lethal fumigation
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Editor’s note: This story has been edited to correctly spell Scott Layton's name.  Top of the Pines leadership asked for permission from Ouray County on Tuesday to use lethal fumigation to reduce its ...
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News
Draft agreement to combine fire, EMS services unveiled
Basic details on staffing, funding still to be hammered out
By By Lia Salvatierra and Mike Wiggins lia@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
The Ridgway Fire Protection District board of directors and Ouray City Council took a first look Monday night at a document outlining how five entities could combine into one overarching fire and emer...
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News
DA elevates charges in sex assault case
Grand jury indicts two men on more serious felony counts
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Prosecutors have elevated the charges for two men in an alleged sexual assault case, after presenting a case in front of a grand jury. The indictment filed in district court shows higher- level felony...
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News
Vote to spend more on signs postponed
City wants explanation from firm who left $3,600 item out of $300K bid
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
A frustrated Ouray City Council tabled a decision Monday night whether to give a Minneapolis company another $3,600 to make a prototype base for the $300,833 worth of signs the city purchased last yea...
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News
Fire, EMS providers seek to keep 911 fees local
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Ouray County fire departments and emergency services providers are calling on county residents to ensure their telephone bills are linked to their county addresses, helping fund local emergency servic...
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Forecasts mixed at State of River meeting
News
Forecasts mixed at State of River meeting
Ridgway Reservoir expected to fill this year, but experts caution about growing water demands
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Ridgway Reservoir is predicted to fill this year and current forecasts show the Uncompahgre River Basin is in better shape for water supply than some other watersheds in the Gunnison River Basin and e...
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County begins pricy rockfall mitigation
News
County begins pricy rockfall mitigation
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 19, 2025
Ouray County plans to spend $114,000 to mitigate additional rockfall on County Road 361 after large boulders crashed onto the road earlier this month, closing it indefinitely and causing county offici...
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A PLUCKY VENTURE
Main, News...
A PLUCKY VENTURE
As bird flu drives up egg prices, the Lancasters find growing their flock is, in fact, all it's cracked up to be
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Roosted on the stoop of their honor-code farm stand, Julie and Timothy Lancaster described how they accidentally became one of Ouray County’s largest commercially licensed egg farms. It all began with...
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Ouray hires interim police chief
Main, News...
Ouray hires interim police chief
Previous city administrator finalist Daric Harvey to lead department
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Four months ago, Michelle Metteer and Daric Harvey were vying to lead Ouray’s city government. Now they are working together to stabilize and restore public trust in the Ouray Police Department. Mette...
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News
Ouray aims to rein in costs for permanent stage at Fellin Park
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
The city of Ouray is working to lower the price of building a permanent stage in Fellin Park, with a goal of creating a venue for free or low-cost community events.. After reviewing a $3.5 million cos...
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News
Options sought to manage possible gym project
Ouray School Board cool to superintendent's proposal to hire another administrator
By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer 
March 12, 2025
Ouray School Board members don’t like an idea to hire another principal, instead asking for other options to help Superintendent Tod Lokey get the work done as the district embarks on a mission to bui...
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News
Hurd backs federal workers during telephone town hall
Freshman congressman: Bureaucrats need trimming, not boots-on-ground employees
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Republican Congressman Jeff Hurd pledged support for rehiring fired federal workers, bringing the Bureau of Land Management back to the Western Slope and aid for Ukraine during a telephone town hall T...
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Uncompahgre River restoration project begins
News
Uncompahgre River restoration project begins
Work aims to improve river health, irrigation, habitat
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Drivers headed from Ridgway to Ouray might see something odd this week – a bulldozer in the river. Don't worry, it's supposed to be there. And – fair warning – there's going to be a lot of constructio...
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News
River district hosts ‘state of the river’ meeting
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Community members will get a preview of how Ouray County's snow globe might shake out this summer, as far as water supply and hydrology of the Uncompahgre River is concerned, at next week’s State of t...
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News
Rights of Nature remain standstill symbol
Four years after approving resolution, Ridgway has yet to appoint advocate for enforcement
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Four years after adopting a resolution declaring nature has rights, the town of Ridgway has yet to appoint an advocate to enforce those rights or create supporting policies with legal implications. It...
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News
County eyes digital mental health hub
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 12, 2025
Ouray County Public Health hopes to create an online hub with mental health resources in partnership with neighboring counties, if it's able to obtain money from an opioid settlement grant. During a M...
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LICENSED TO CARE
Main, News...
LICENSED TO CARE
In-home child care centers open in Ouray, meeting big county need
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
March 5, 2025
It’s been nearly a year full of licensing classes, childproofing and dreaming up business plans. Ouray County’s much-awaited inhome child care providers are officially cutting the ribbon on their full...
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Main, News...
City alters police overtime policy
Officers can now earn extra pay more quickly, as administrator seeks interim chief relief
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
March 5, 2025
The city took its first step Monday night toward helping Ouray police officers who have complained they’re overworked and underpaid, approving a policy change that will allow officers to earn overtime...
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Editor Picks
Popular trail needs new steward
Main, News...
Popular trail needs new steward
Uncompahgre Riverway Trail founder, longtime volunteer ready to step down
By James Hanlon 
September 23, 2026
Chip Marlow, the man who spearheaded the construction of the Uncompahgre Riverway Trail from Ridgway to Ridgway State Park, has maintained the multiuse path largely by himself for many years. Now 80 y...
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Main, News...
‘Super El Niño’ won’t be savior for West Slope
Officials: Warming Pacific temps may bring more snow but won't wipe out drought or fill reservoirs
By Chart Riggall 
September 23, 2026
GRAND JUNCTION — Amid a stream of bad news for Western Slope water stakeholders last week, Russ Schumacher had the pleasure of opening the sluice. Nearly on the far side of the state’s worst drought y...
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Judge to hotel: End workforce housing
Main, News...
Judge to hotel: End workforce housing
Injunction prohibits MTN Lodge from housing resort construction workers
By James Hanlon 
September 23, 2026
A district court judge has ordered Ridgway's largest hotel to stop housing construction workers who are building a new Four Seasons in Mountain Village. In a preliminary injunction filed Sept. 16, the...
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Investigators close case on mine shaft death
Main, News...
Investigators close case on mine shaft death
Nearly a year later, authorities conclude Ridgway resident Jennifer Nelson accidentally drowned
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
September 23, 2026
Eleven months after rescue volunteers found Jennifer Nelson's body in a water-filled mine shaft on Red Mountain Pass, investigators are left wondering what her final moments looked like. Their case, w...
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City ready to cut losses with building
News
City ready to cut losses with building
More than a year after purchase, council tells staff to sell empty Sixth Avenue property for reduced price
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
September 23, 2026
When the two-story building across the street from Ouray City Hall went up for sale last spring, Ouray city leaders scrambled to buy it, envisioning a top-tobottom renovation culminating in a new, lar...
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Ridgway, Colorado 81432
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