Dear Editor: We own a home in unincorporated Ouray County on County Road 17. I understand that this road is an alternate escape route for the city of Ouray. I recently addressed my concerns in an emai...

When filmmaker Heather Courtney set out to make a film about rural America, she decided to do it through the lens of a local newspaper. She visited a small-town weekly in the Texas panhandle, the Cana...

For six lovely days, June 2-7, our San Juan earth was cool and wet. Local peaks regained their winter white. Ouray days averaged 65 degrees, 11 degrees below the new normal June average, 76. Nights av...

Dear Editor: I would like to appeal to our county and towns to consider having only visual fireworks without sound, assuming that fire restrictions allow fireworks for July 4. I know many war veterans...

Dear Editor: Are you with us? This real apocalypse is at hand. Our national parks could be given away to the highest bidder, promoted by short-sighted politicians. If that matters to you, join us whil...

Dear Editor: My mother and father bought a trailer at the 4J+1+1 RV Park in 2005 and loved living there. My mom even lived there alone for 10 years after my dad passed. She is getting older so we buil...

Dear Editor: I salute Hansa Devi and the Ridgway Town Council for their part in making Ridgway, Colorado, the first in the world to fly the Earth Flag! In 2023 the Pew Research Center study found that...

Dear Editor: During the past few months myself, valley floor ranch folks, Ridgway residents and others have been asking about the building that has been under construction for a period of time located...

The Plaindealer just celebrated its 148th birthday. Personally, I don't think it looks a day over 99. Still, from time to time, we need to show the paper some love and spruce it up. That's why we've b...

The newspaper you’re reading is mailed to nearly 900 post office boxes and street addresses in more than 40 states every week and sent to more than 1,300 email addresses. Once in a while, a mailed new...

Dear Editor: Our Third Congressional District Representative, Jeff Hurd, voted to cut at least $715 billion in health care spending and $300 billion from SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Progra...

Ouray County, along with much of far western Colorado and other Southwestern states, is now in severe drought status, according to NOAA’s U.S. West Drought Monitor, released Tuesday, May 20. More worr...

Dear Editor: It was so nice to read the News Briefs in the Plaindealer. I, personally, prefer it when you have shorter, more concise, informative articles that don't contain confrontational subject ma...

Dear Editor: Late April and early May is peak time for spring bird migration in Colorado! According to a May 3 article in the Denver Post, bird populations are in a steady decline. Many reports and re...

Dear Editor: I was pleased to read the online article (posted April 25) regarding Representative Hurd’s appearance at the recent county commissioners’ meeting. It is but the most recent example of you...

Dear Editor: Neighbors, the biggest problem with growth occurs when it is not anticipated and not managed. Look at Ridgway’s current growth. No one can say, “I didn’t see that coming.” Are we planning...

Dear Editor: Although disturbing and sad, I was keenly interested in the anti-immigrant history lesson shared by columnist Carolyn Snowbarger in the April 10 edition. (“The forgotten – and shameful – ...

Dear Editor: Why would a county commissioner need legal representation? As elected officials, county commissioners are afforded consid- erable protection from liability by the Colorado Governmental Im...

April, a notorious trickster of a month, has lived up to its reputation this year. Fine hot spells, not-so-good freezing temperatures, ample snow and, unfortunately, a continuing drought. It’s been a ...

Dear Editor: At their April 22 meeting, the Ouray County commissioners will be deciding to approve or deny a request from Commissioner Lynn Padgett to pay her personal attorney fee of approximately $1...