Ouray County Plaindealer

History

The Plaindealer was founded as the Ouray Times, publishing its first edition June 23, 1877. It published weekly until 1886, when it was renamed the Ouray Budget and ran alternately as a weekly and a daily. In 1888, a new owner changed the name to the Ouray Plaindealer. The Plaindealer consolidated in 1892 with the San Juan Silverite, becoming known as the Silverite Plaindealer, which published daily until 1898. It then published weekly until 1901, when it dropped the Silverite part of its name. In 1922, the Plaindealer again consolidated, with the Ouray Herald, to become the Ouray Herald and Plaindealer. That name stuck until 1939, when it became simply the Ouray County Herald.

The Herald then fell dormant until 1969, when it was revived by Joyce Jorgensen and renamed the Ouray County Plaindealer, which has remained its name. Jorgensen, also an artist, was the editor and publisher. David Mullings bought the newspaper in 1995. Mullings' Ouray County Newspapers also owned the Ridgway Sun and the Silverton Standard in Silverton.

In 2010, the Sun and the Plaindealer were sold to Alan Todd and Beecher Threatt, publishing as 550 Publishing.

In January 2024, the Plaindealer published a story alleging a violent sexual assault against a teenaged girl at the home of the Ouray police chief. Press reports indicate that "nearly every copy" of the issue was stolen from 12 of the 13 news racks in the county. The paper received some $2,000 in donations, and printed and distributed another run. The stolen papers were later returned in a garbage bag.

Awards

The Plaindealer is a frequent winner of Colorado Press Association awards in its class, and in 2007, publisher David Mullings received the state's "Service to the First" (Amendment) award for initiating legal action against the Ouray County Board of County Commissioners that resulted in an open process of selecting planning commissioners.

In 2021, co-publishers Mike Wiggins and Erin McIntyre jointly received the "Keeper of the Flame" award of the Colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. and the "rising star" award of the Colorado Press Association.

References

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References

1. Gregory, Doris H.. (1995). "History of Ouray: A Heritage of Mining and Everlasting Beauty". Cascade.
2. Woody, Stephen. (February 9, 2023). "The Notebook: Western Slope newspapers striving, thriving". Montrose Press.
3. (2010). "Ouray". Arcadia.
4. Todd, Alan. (April 4, 2019). "New owners of Plaindealer passionate about community journalism". Ouray County Plaindealer.
5. (November 22, 2021). "Colorado journalists leap into entrepreneurship, buy their own newspaper". 9NEWS.
6. (January 18, 2024). "Ouray Plaindealer newspapers stolen on day it publishes story with allegations of rape at police chief's house". Denver Post.
7. Hanson, Amy Beth. (January 20, 2024). "A Colorado town's newspapers were stolen after a story about rape charges at the police chief's house". Associated Press.
8. McKinley, Carol. (January 20, 2024). "Tiny Ouray County newspaper roars, stands ground". Denver Gazette.
9. (January 19, 2024). "Hundreds of Plaindealer newspapers stolen, then returned". Ouray County Plaindealer.
10. (May 6, 2021). "Plaindealer publishers honored with award from state journalism organization". Ouray County Plaindealer.
11. (June 10, 2021). "Plaindealer owners given 'rising star' award". Ouray County Plaindealer.