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Latest News
Underwood elected mayor
Main, News...
ELECTION 2025
Underwood elected mayor
Hart joins council, which needs to fill two spots
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Ouray City Councilor Michael Underwood won election to the mayor’s sea...
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News
Property tax hikes pass for cemetery, fire districts
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Voters Tuesday night approved tax increases for the Cedar Hill Cemeter...
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News
ELECTION 2025
Voters approve new county lodging tax
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Voters in unincorporated Ouray County approved a new 6% lodging tax th...
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Ridgway girls run down state title
Main, News...
Ridgway girls run down state title
Young team blows past competition to hoist Class 2A cross country trophy
By By Matt Meyer Special to the Plaindealer 
November 5, 2025
There isn’t a perfect translation for “hill” in Chinese. That's something Natasha Hessler discovered when she arrived at the famous creek crossing during the Colorado State Cross Country Championship in Colorado Springs on Saturday. Her dad, Peter, was positioned where she had asked him to be during the race. The pack that led the field for the first portion of the race was only starting to break ...
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News
ELECTION 2025
Fagrelius, Meruelo win school board seats
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Ouray voters have chosen two former educators to join the Ouray School Board, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election. Three candidates competed for two open seats on the school board,...
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News
Hurd introduces reservoir legislation
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd has introduced legislation to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray, identical to a Senate bill introduced in September, after w...
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News
News
Ouray utility bills to rise by 6%
Acting on public input, council ditches plan for new signs at Rotary Park, Hot Springs Pool entrance
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Ouray residents and business owners will see their utility bills rise by 6% next year, as the city seeks additional revenue to meet the requirements of the loans on its new wastewater and water treatm...
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News
SMPA proposes rate increase
Public can comment on plan to hike base rate, peak demand price
By Plaindealer Staff Report Plaindealer@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
San Miguel Power Association is proposing a rate hike for customers in 2026, including a $5 increase to the monthly base rate and a 3-cent per kilowatt hour increase on electricity used during peak de...
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County, Ridgway join talks about resort impacts
News
County, Ridgway join talks about resort impacts
Town council to discuss proposal to house Mountain Village workers at MTN Lodge on Nov. 12
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
Ouray County leaders have joined conversations about the impacts of a new Four Seasons development in Mountain Village on neighboring communities, which will house the resort’s construction and operat...
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Hurd introduces House bill to transfer Crystal Reservoir to Ouray
News
Hurd introduces House bill to transfer Crystal Reservoir to Ouray
By LIA SALVATIERRA 
November 4, 2025
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd has introduced legislation to transfer ownership of Crystal Reservoir from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray, identical to a Senate bill introduced in September, after w...
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Ridgway girls cross country team nabs state title
Main, News...
Ridgway girls cross country team nabs state title
By Plaindealer Staff Report 
November 1, 2025
The Ridgway High School girls’ cross country team is bringing a state title back to the San Juans. The six-person team won the Class 2A state title Saturday afternoon in Colorado Springs, capping a te...
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Food assistance benefits dry up
Main, News...
Food assistance benefits dry up
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
An estimated $51,000 in federal food benefits will no longer be available to 170 Ouray County households starting Friday. The monthlong federal government shutdown without Congressional appropriations...
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Features coverage
Get a peek inside, help a good cause
Feature
Get a peek inside, help a good cause
From log home to modern loft, home tour benefits affordable housing
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
November 5, 2025
If you’re the type of person who watches home improvement shows, you know what shiplap and wainscoting are, or you drive past historic homes and think, “I wonder what that place looks like inside,” yo...
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Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events, Feature...
Calendar & Events
Nov. 6-20, 2025
November 5, 2025
Thursday, November 6 Sewing class, make a fleece hat for yourself or the food pantry, from 1-3 p.m. Sign up is required at the Ridgway Public Library, 300 Charles St. Ouray County Republican Central C...
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On the course, they’re competitors. On weekends, they’re training partners
Columns, Feature...
PREP ROUNDUP
On the course, they’re competitors. On weekends, they’re training partners
By By Matt Meyer Special to the Plaindealer 
October 29, 2025
Separately, the Ridgway, Ouray and Telluride High School cross country teams are among the smallest in the state. Each is successful in their own right — especially ahead of the state championship rac...
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Flower shop blossoms at Old Firehouse
Feature
Flower shop blossoms at Old Firehouse
Owner of San Juan Blooms turns passion for plants into career
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com, erin@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
When Rian Rosado took a college marketing class a dozen years ago, she had an assignment to build a marketing campaign for a business. She chose a flower shop and completed the project. Little did she...
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New therapy practice focuses on solutions
Feature
New therapy practice focuses on solutions
Former pilot opens Bluemstream in Ridgway, offering group and individual therapy, ketamine treatments
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
October 29, 2025
Therapist Jeff Tidrick focuses on possibilities and solutions rather than problems. “No matter what kind of problem someone comes into therapy with, there are always exceptions to the problem,” Tidric...
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Calendar & Events
Calendar & Events, Feature...
Calendar & Events
Oct. 30-Nov. 11, 2025
October 29, 2025
THURSDAY OCTOBER 30 Sherbino Literary Living Room presents poet Rick Kempa, with open mic after reading. Doors open at 6 p.m., reading at 6:30 p.m. $5 in advance at sherbino.org or $8 at door. FRIDAY ...
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Editor Picks
Letters, Opinion...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
County makes right call on prairie dogs
November 5, 2025
Dear Editor: I would like to offer a different perspective in support of the decision by the Ouray County Board of County Commissioners to proceed with management of the prairie dog colony at Top of t...
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Letters, Opinion...
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
A humble request for less puzzle pain
November 5, 2025
Dear Editor: Is it just me, or is the Plaindealer crossword puzzle often taking pleasure by inflicting pain on others (sadistic)? For example, here are some actual clues (and answers) from the Oct. 9 ...
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Letters, Opinion...
Citizens have benefited from Weiser’s record
November 5, 2025
Dear Editor: Attorney General Phil Weiser is running for governor of Colorado. As attorney general he has a proven record that has been advantageous to the citizens of Colorado. Recently President Don...
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As daylight dwindles, how can we curb energy use?
Columns, Opinion...
As daylight dwindles, how can we curb energy use?
By Karen Risch 
November 5, 2025
Ouray’s first frost occurred Oct. 17, three weeks after the average frost date, Sept. 26. It was a fitting end to a hot, droughty summer. Occasional downpours helped but were no substitute for a full ...
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Richard D. Smith
Obituaries
Richard D. Smith
November 5, 2025
September 1925 – September 2025 Richard “Don” Smith has passed away peacefully at home in California surrounded by his family. He was just shy of his 100th birthday. Don was born in Ontario, Canada, a...
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Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

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