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News
City to consider creating local license for tobacco retailers
February 25, 2026
Ouray city councilors will hold a work session to discuss a proposal to create a local license for tobacco retailers, on top of a state license, with a goal of reducing underage access to nicotine pro...
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News
Councilor criticizes spending
February 25, 2026
Councilor Dave Doherty voiced frustration about the council’s move to spend money on two items it had initially or previously approved before he was appointed to the board. He voted against approving ...
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News
Councilors select new legal counsel
February 25, 2026
The Ouray City Council approved selecting Karp Neu Hanlon as its new legal counsel during a Feb. 17 meeting. The law firm has an office in Ridgway with additional offices in Glenwood Springs, Aspen an...
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News
Homeowners’ insurance taking bigger bite of budget
By By Rachel Cohen KUNC 
February 25, 2026
In a nondescript office building in Littleton, insurance agents sit in cubicles, talking into headsets. They are fielding calls from homeowners searching for coverage that won’t break the bank. “It's ...
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News
Bill would put workplace safety rules in state law
Legislation anticipates lack of federal enforcement
By Sara Wilson Colorado Newsline 
February 25, 2026
A bill championed by a pair of Colorado Democrats seeks to put federal workplace safety law into state statute in anticipation of rollbacks and lack of enforcement by the Occupational Safety and Healt...
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Helping the helpers: The anatomy of a complex rescue
Main, News...
NEIGHBORS AND HELPERS
Helping the helpers: The anatomy of a complex rescue
Volunteers saved an 11-year-old girl from the bottom of a cliff thanks largely to the skills of Mike Gibbs, who's made a career out of training rescuers
By By Nancy Lofholm Special to the Plaindealer 
February 18, 2026
It took Mike Gibbs all of five seconds on that morning in early August to figure out it was time to execute one of the world’s most complicated rope rescues. A car had tumbled 320 feet off the edge of...
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Main, News...
Bills to give reservoir to Ouray debut in Congress
Administrator: City can afford repair expenses, which are still unknown
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 18, 2026
U.S. House and Senate bills to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray made it to subcommittee hearings in Washington, D.C. last week. Both bills are ...
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News
County spurns prairie dog control request
Commissioners say they're unwilling, unable to adopt restrictions; resident withdraws lawsuit threat
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
February 18, 2026
Ouray County leaders last week snuffed a resident’s request to require property owners to control prairie dogs, citing a legal inability and unwillingness to do so. At the start of a Feb. 11 work sess...
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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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Editor Picks
Evacuation drill an exercise not in futility
Main, News...
Evacuation drill an exercise not in futility
County's first full-scale training May 15 meant to 'test where our holes are'
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 29, 2026
Sirens will wail and residents will likely see emergency vehicles headed through Ridgway, up County Road 5 on May 15. Traffic will filter back into town, with residents headed to an evacuation center....
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Mine owner proposes water treatment
Main, News...
Mine owner proposes water treatment
Unable to reduce heavy metals in Red Mountain Creek, Newmont exploring building plant atop pass
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
April 29, 2026
The company that owns the Idarado Mine is exploring the idea of building a treatment plant on Red Mountain Pass to remove heavy metals from water flowing into Red Mountain Creek. Representatives from ...
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News
Town mulls affordable housing mandate
Ridgway may require 10% of units to be deed restricted
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 29, 2026
The town of Ridgway will consider requiring developers to reserve 10% of units within market-rate residential projects as affordable housing for local workers and retirees. The proposed “community hou...
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News
County appoints new planning commissioner
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
April 29, 2026
Ouray County commissioners unanimously appointed Danika Gilbert to the county Planning Commission on Tuesday. Gilbert will take the seat of Jennifer Cram, who resigned from the seven-person board afte...
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County raises 4-H use fees
News
County raises 4-H use fees
Commissioners approve first facility rate increase since 2015
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
April 29, 2026
Fees for using the Ouray County 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds are going up for the first time in more than a decade, with the aim of making the facility’s operations self-sustaining. It’s the large...
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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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