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Staff criticizes commissioners

Survey: Workers satisfied with bosses

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 3, 2026

Ouray County’s employees are largely happy with their direct superviso...

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City reverses, will stick with sheriff for now

Council concerned about budget impacts from rebuilding police department

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

June 3, 2026

The Ouray City Council is reversing course on rebuilding an independen...

News

Board: Ice Park at ‘inflection point’

Seeking help from city, nonprofit claims funding sources drying up as operational costs climb

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

June 3, 2026

The nonprofit organization that runs the Ouray Ice Park cautioned Mond...

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Second Chance adopts new challenge in expansion

Humane society takes over Delta shelter, seeks to rehome more animals

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 3, 2026

Second Chance Humane Society is adopting a new beast: another Western Slope animal shelter in Delta. The Ridgway-based nonprofit organization officially took the reins of the Delta Animal Shelter on May 1 from Roice-Hurst Humane Society, which had operated the facility for the city of Delta and Delta County since 2021. Second Chance Executive Director Nicholas Gilman said he leapt at the chance to...

News

Crystal bill passes House

Legislation to transfer reservoir to city moves on to Senate committee

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 3, 2026

A bill to transfer Crystal Reservoir to the city of Ouray is another step closer to becoming law after the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed it on Tuesday. The legislation now awaits ap...

News

Ridgway Library aims to boost access to resources

Board identifying other priorities in creation of strategic plan

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 3, 2026

The Ridgway Public Library is homing in on its priorities for future years in a strategic plan that the board of trustees aims to adopt this fall. Top priorities include broadening access to the libra...

News

Looking Back

June 3, 2026

Compiled from the files of The Ouray County Herald, The Ridgway Sun, and The Ouray County Plaindealer 60 Years Ago June 2, 1966 Last week Dr. and Mrs. Lester Heidorn and Mostyn Lupher filed a complain...

News

Local Briefs

June 3, 2026

Camper, hay bales destroyed in fire A camping trailer and several hay bales were destroyed in a fire in the Pleasant Valley area west of Ridgway Sunday night. Firefighters from Ridgway and Ouray were ...

News

Healthcare access survey finds support for community paramedic program

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

June 3, 2026

A survey on access to healthcare in Ouray County found public support for a community paramedic program, which leaders of the effort hope to launch as early as January of next year. Analysis of 393 re...

News

Unapologetic Peters decries ‘retribution’ after release

By By Chase Woodruff Colorado Newsline

June 3, 2026

Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters on Monday used the new freedom granted to her by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to promptly renew her baseless allegations of widespread election fraud, casting doubt o...

News

Good for you!

June 3, 2026

Main, News...

Tassel worth the hassle

Ouray County schools celebrate graduation, with Ouray School graduating 12, Ridgway Secondary School graduating 20 students in the class of 2026

May 27, 2026

Ouray School graduation, photos by Erin McIntyre – Ouray County Plaindealer Ridgway Secondary School graduation, photos by Erin McIntyre – Ouray County Plaindealer

Feature

Ouray students present films at annual showcase

By By Chloe Kiparsky Special to the Plaindealer

June 3, 2026

An invisible monster terrorizes the Ouray School second grade classroom. With shaky legs and nervous eyes, second grader Logan Murch cannot escape. After racing through the halls, library and playgrou...

Todd Mayfield draws inspiration from several styles

Feature

SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS

Todd Mayfield draws inspiration from several styles

By By Chloe Kiparsky Special to the Plaindealer

June 3, 2026

Todd Mayfield likes to tell people he was born with a paintbrush in his ear. Mayfield said he inherited the artistic gene from his father’s side of the family. Many of his family members have been pro...

Calendar & Events, Feature...

Calendar & Events

June 4-18, 2026

June 3, 2026

THURSDAY JUNE 4 AJ Fullerton with opener Grant Sabin Trio, Mountain Air Music Series concert in Fellin Park in Ouray, from 6-10 p.m., free. Ouray County Republican Central Committee monthly meeting, 6...

Feature

Award-winning ‘Lord of the Rings’ parody comes to Ouray

'Fly, You Fools!' plays at the Wright Opera House Friday-Monday

By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com

May 27, 2026

You know the lines. Or at least you’ve seen the memes — and the myriad spinoffs of them. “One does not simply walk into Mordor.” “One ring to rule them all.” “What about second breakfast?” “You shall ...

Columns, Feature...

PREP ROUNDUP

Reflection, projection as Ridgway girls’ soccer season comes to close

By By Bernie Pearce Special to the Plaindealer

May 27, 2026

Although the Ridgway girls’ soccer team’s run for a championship ended earlier this month in Westminster with a second round 6-1 defeat at the feet of the Flatirons Academy Bison, it was a season to b...

Feature

Couple discovers the sweet life in Ouray

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

May 27, 2026

When life became uncertain, Todd and Jen Grassi figured they couldn’t go wrong with ice cream, homemade waffle cones and cotton candy. It only took them two days to agree to Yankee Girl Cafe owner Amy...

Letters, Opinion...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Medics, rescuers provided best of care

June 3, 2026

Dear Editor: A huge thank you to our incredible Ouray County Emergency Medical Services and our volunteer Ouray Mountain Rescue Team for taking such good care of me when I took a bad fall last Thursda...

Letters, Opinion...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Advocacy is about preserving historic character, public health

June 3, 2026

Dear Editor: I was pleased to see an article in the Plaindealer about people exercising their right as American citizens to address their representatives via letters to City Council. It is obvious tha...

A Plaindealer promise: to be human-powered

Columns, Opinion...

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A Plaindealer promise: to be human-powered

By Erin McIntyre

June 3, 2026

We used to be able to say, “Seeing is believing.” Now we’re learning to be more discerning about images and videos we see posted online. We’re counting people's fingers in photos, looking for clues ti...

Main, News...

Governments push for better transit service

County, city, town want OurWay shuttle to run more frequently, be more user-friendly

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

May 27, 2026

Ouray County’s three local governments are calling for the OurWay shuttle to run more often and become more user-friendly. Local government leaders want the Montrose-to-Ouray service to run at least s...

News

County denies permit for disc golf tourney

Log Hill neighbors complain about impacts; property owners claim they were 'trying to take the right steps'

By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com

May 27, 2026

Ouray County commissioners on Tuesday denied a permit for a disc golf tournament on residential properties on Log Hill Mesa, after hearing further complaints from the public. Land Use Department staff...

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