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Top story of 2024: Record rain triggers destructive flooding
News
TOP STORIES OF THE YEAR: SUMMER MONSOON WREAKS HAVOC
Top story of 2024: Record rain triggers destructive flooding
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
January 1, 2025
Record August rainfall caused extensive countywide destruction, at least $5 million in damages and triggered emergency disaster declarations at the local and state level, creating ripple effects for t...
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Top story of 2024: With housing, progress for some, uncertainty for others
News
TOP STORIES OF THE YEAR: AFFORDABLE HOUSING'S SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES
Top story of 2024: With housing, progress for some, uncertainty for others
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
January 1, 2025
Gains in planning and constructing deed-restricted housing in 2024 were matched by struggles to preserve one of Ouray County’s largest existing affordable housing communities. As homeowners celebrated...
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Top story of 2024: Feds affirm plan to limit hikers, campers
News
TOP STORIES OF THE YEAR: BLUE LAKES PERMIT SYSTEM
Top story of 2024: Feds affirm plan to limit hikers, campers
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
January 1, 2025
Hikers and campers will need permits to visit Blue Lakes southwest of Ridgway as soon as the summer of 2025 as part of a larger wilderness management plan the U.S. Forest Service signed in 2024. The “...
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Top story of 2024: Stolen newspapers triggers international story
News
TOP STORIES OF THE YEAR: THE THEFT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD
Top story of 2024: Stolen newspapers triggers international story
By Plaindealer Staff Report Plaindealer@ouraynews.com 
January 1, 2025
A Ridgway business owner upset at the Ouray County Plaindealer tried to prevent others from reading it when he stole nearly 200 copies of the newspaper from racks in Ridgway and Ouray in January. Inst...
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Looking Back, News...
OURAY COUNTY
OURAY COUNTY LOOKING BACK
40 YEARS AGO
By From the Ouray County Herald, Ouray County Plaindealer and the Ridgway Sun 
January 1, 2025
50 YEARS AGO January 3, 1975 – John Wilson, 28, of Ouray suffered the loss of his left arm in an accident at the Camp Bird Mill Dec. 28. The accident occurred between 3:30 and 4 p.m. According to Jim ...
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Home for the holidays
Main, News...
Home for the holidays
Perennial renters. Globetrotters. Forced minimalists. For financial and other reasons, they've spent most of their lives moving from place to place. Now, for the first time, these new Waterview homeowners are putting down roots in Ouray.
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
December 27, 2024
When Diane Todd pulled her white Chevy pickup into the driveway of her new home in Ouray, she jumped out of the car and gave her next-door neighbor a hug. It was the first time they had met, and both ...
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News
Blasting to resume above Ouray Jan. 6
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
December 27, 2024
Blasting for a private homeowner's garage project will resume Jan. 6 in the side of a mountain above Ouray, with operations paused for the upcoming Ouray Ice Festival due to safety concerns. The proje...
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News
Ouray business owner touts benefits of work visa program
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
December 25, 2024
For the past five high-tourism seasons, university students from Brazil to Malaysia came to work at Ouray Grocery on work exchange visas. Owner Tom Fedel hired his international employees through the ...
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News
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Ouray coffee shop closes, restaurant moves, cafe closes in Ridgway
December 25, 2024
Ouray coffee shop closes Mojo's Coffee has closed its doors, at 325 Sixth Ave. in Ouray, just shy of its fifth anniversary of opening. Owner Heather Toth advertised an opportunity for a buyer or busin...
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SUITE DREAMS ON STAGE
Main, News...
SUITE DREAMS ON STAGE
December 18, 2024
Dancer Ruby Noel, pictured at the center, reacts with the rest of the snowfl ake ballerinas during a scene. The dance program included more than 100 young dancers from across the region.
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Ridgway carried Padgett to victory
Main, News...
Ridgway carried Padgett to victory
County voters' favor for Democratic candidates stronger than ever
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
December 18, 2024
Just like four years ago, Democrat Lynn Padgett has Ridgway-area voters primarily to thank for lifting her to victory and securing a second four-year term as a Ouray County commissioner. Padgett won 5...
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News
County mulls bolstering weapons ban
Commissioners weigh options with new state law that prohibits firearms in "sensitive spaces"
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
December 18, 2024
Ouray County leaders are considering more stringent rules prompted by a new state law which prohibits firearms in “sensitive spaces” like local government buildings where the county commissioners have...
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Ridgway athletic complex near full funding threshold
News
Ridgway athletic complex near full funding threshold
Commitments to soccer field, track now just $300K shy of $3.6M
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
December 18, 2024
If advocates for a new athletic complex behind Ridgway Secondary School were running a 5-kilometer race to raise the funding needed for the project, they’d now be approaching mile marker 3. The finish...
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News
City boosts housing help for administrator
Contract for Michelle Metteer grants $1,000 monthly rent stipend for a year or $250,000 loan to buy
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
December 18, 2024
To bring aboard a new city administrator in 2020, Ouray city officials knew they would have to include some perks that, at the time, were unique to the city. A six-figure salary, a taxpayer-paid cellp...
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News
County OKs water plant near Colona
Padgett dissents, wants to see environmental assessment _irst
By Deb Hurley Brobst Special to the Plaindealer 
December 18, 2024
A water treatment plant proposed for U.S. Highway 550 near Colona is a step closer to being built after the Ouray County commissioners voted 2-1 Tuesday to approve a special-use permit for the facilit...
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News
Town administrator gets high marks, salary raise
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
December 18, 2024
The Ridgway Town Council awarded Town Administrator Preston Neill high marks again in his annual evaluation, along with a salary bump in recognition of his leadership and performance. Councilors speci...
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Looking Back, News...
OURAY COUNTY LOOKING BACK
40 YEARS AGO
December 18, 2024
50 YEARS AGO December 20, 1974 – A petition is being circulated in Ouray this week by Lynn Barry, which already has a good number of signatures from residents opposing the proposed garbage ordinance, ...
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A VISIT WITH SANTA
Main, News...
A VISIT WITH SANTA
December 11, 2024
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Minturn manager accepts Ouray job
Main, News...
Minturn manager accepts Ouray job
Metteer slated to start in March; unclear if she'll have a hand selecting police chief
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
December 11, 2024
Minturn Town Administrator Michelle Metteer will become Ouray’s next city administrator, transitioning from one small mountain community that boasts abundant outdoor recreation but struggles with affo...
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Cattle rustling suspected in region
Main, News...
Cattle rustling suspected in region
Brand inspector, law enforcement investigating more than 180 cows reported missing
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
December 11, 2024
While some might think cattle rustling is a thing of the past — dating back to the days of shootouts with outlaws and no-good robbers holding up banks and trains — it appears the crime is alive and we...
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Editor Picks
News
Cimarron Gathering Place opens with fanfare
By James Hanlon 
November 6, 2026
After months of planning, elder community members now have a place to gather during the week. The Cimarron Gathering Place is an age-friendly community center held most Tuesdays and Thursdays at the O...
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Cleared for takeoff
Main, News...
Cleared for takeoff
Halloween full of tricks and treats
By Erin McIntyre 
November 4, 2026
Ouray’s Main Street was a spooky place to be on Halloween, with witches at the Wright Opera House including Gayle Veum of Log Hill. The “King of Pop” and a member of the Jackson Five were spotted tric...
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Main, News...
Sales tax measure fails
By Chart Riggall 
November 4, 2026
Ouray County voters on Tuesday rejected a proposal to raise the local sales tax rate by 0.5% in order to fund future disaster relief, dashing county officials’ hopes to find a new revenue source for e...
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Ridgway teen memorialized
Main, News...
Ridgway teen memorialized
Killed in climbing accident, Matsuda remembered for loyalty, passion, work ethic
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 4, 2026
After pulling a 16-hour shift on this summer’s Gold Mountain Fire, Bennett Raley knew he could trust and rely on his young teammate. The volunteer firefighter with the Log Hill Volunteer Fire Departme...
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Can public save Alpine Ranger program?
News
Can public save Alpine Ranger program?
With government bowing out, group seeks to raise money for backcountry patrols
By By Chart Riggall chart@ouraynews.com 
November 4, 2026
With a lack of government funding to continue Ouray County’s Alpine Ranger patrols next year, the task has fallen to locals to raise enough money – $67,000, to be exact – to keep the backcountry patro...
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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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Ridgway, Colorado 81432
970-325-4412

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Ridgway CO 81432

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