The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition presented its Jean Otto Friend of Freedom Award to Erin McIntyre and Mike Wiggins, owners and co-publishers of the weekly Ouray County Plaindealer since 2019.
“Needless to say, the people of Ouray County have been well served by Erin and Mike’s dogged and dog-inspired reporting, without which they would be largely in the dark about what their government is up to,” said CFOIC president Steve Zansberg, presenting the award Friday during the Colorado Press Association’s annual convention.
With four-legged “newshound” Walter Cronkite by their side, McIntyre and Wiggins have broken numerous important stories about government in the small communities they cover, often fighting for access to information and First Amendment rights in the process.