The tiny ballerinas, dressed in their wings and halos, should be in the midst of rehearsals in Ridgway for The Nutcracker, the popular annual holiday production that always packs the Montrose Pavilion. It should be a time for gingerbread house workshops and office Christmas party rentals.

For Kate Kissingford, there was some hesitation. Hesitation, generally, about whether indoor live theater should be held at all in the long shadow of COVID-19.

A nearly 15-year project to entirely encircle Ouray with a hiking trail is now complete after a local volunteer organization fin ished the last section this month. Members of the Ouray Trail Group, along with city officials and representatives of the U.S.

Ashley King-Grambley gets a flu shot from Dr. Joel Gates on Oct. 16 during the Ouray County Public Health Agency's drive-through vaccination clinic. Local health officials provided the clinic for free to those without insurance to encourage high participation in influenza vaccination. According to Health Department Director Tanner Kingery l40 vaccinations were administered. Health care experts are urging everyone to get a flu vaccine now to build immunity for flu season during the pandemic. Photo by Koen Lichtenbelt - special to the Plaindealer

The Ouray-Silverton-Ridgway Cross Country Boys Team had five runners qualify for the state competition last week, held at the Norris-Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs on Oct. 17.

After many ca ncellations and disruptions due to the COVID-19 virus this year, children and adults can take heart that Halloween events are happening in Ouray County. Both Ouray and Ridgway elementary schools will allow students to come to school in a costume on Oct. 30.

Editor’s note: These answers have been edited for length and clarity, and in some instances have been paraphrased. Age: 34 Party affiliation: Democrat Years lived in Ouray County: Since 2017 Profession: Energy auditor and program manager for EcoAction Partners Why do you want to serve as county commissioner in District 3? I spent the last three and a half years working for EcoAction Partners, the nonprofit, and spent a lot of time really working on climate change issues and trying to do my part here in southwest Colorado to draw down the climate impacts that we have for day to day operations.