A Salute to Ike Isakson
Members of Ike’s family, Patagonia Volunteer Fire & Rescue, and the wider community share remembrances in this special tribute to the beloved town elder.
WHAT’S NEW?
Canelo Hills Residents Report Surge in Hunting Abuses
Five residents from the Canelo Hills area have expressed concerns to the PRT about being overrun with “bad actors” during the Coues whitetail deer season that concluded in December. They want to see fewer permits issued—and more enforcement.
LOCAL NEWS
Sheriff’s Blotter – Feb. 2026
A log of calls to the Sheriff’s office from eastern Santa Cruz County in January.
Town Council Notes for Jan. 2026 Meetings
News and notes from the Patagonia Town Council’s three January meetings.
[Press Release] Hermosa CPBA Signatories Report December Work
In a Jan. 30 press release, the City of Nogales, the Town of Patagonia, Santa Cruz County and South32 outlined how they were advancing a Community Protection & Benefit Agreement.
Callaghan, Four Tails Earn Medals at San Francisco Chronicle Competition
Elgin-based Callaghan Vineyards won 15 medals, while Cochise County-based Four Tails Vineyards, which has its tasting room in Sonoita, earned seven.
ADOT, DPS Adjust Scheduling of Wide Loads to Reduce Congestion on 83
Escorted wide loads are now limited to certain routes between 8am and 1pm on specific weekdays, at a one-per-hour interval. Here are the details.
COMMUNITY
2025 Christmas Bird Count
Here’s a look at results from this year’s survey in and around Patagonia. There were some surprises, including a dramatic population surge in Lawrence’s goldfinches.
‘Dark Sky’ Designation a Work in Progress for Sonoita-Elgin
While people may not move to eastern Santa Cruz County for dark skies, they soon come to appreciate them. Now a group of locals are working to preserve our unique night skies by pursuing an ‘International Dark Sky Community’ designation for the area.
The PRT Welcomes Two New Board Members
Meet Kate Peake and Mary Tolena, the PRT’s newest Board members.
Wildlife Habitat Restoration, One Step at a Time
In just four years, Anne Vogt has radically expanded the wildlife populations and biodiversity on her Wood Canyon property—even the fireflies have come back. Here’s how she’s done it.
Special Delivery: Sonoita Bids Farewell to UPS Tom
UPS driver Tomas Rojel, whose last day on the job was Christmas Eve, has been a fixture in the area for the past 22 years. “We will miss Tom,” said one local. “His service has been above and beyond.”
SCHOOL NEWS
Friday Morning STEAM Classes Stimulate Kids’ Imaginations
The Mat Bevel Company, an arts and science nonprofit, offers free Friday morning courses in Patagonia for local 4th-8th graders. The goal? Sparking the “natural creative genius” in kids. Here’s how they do it.
Civics Summit Provides Inspiration for Patagonia High Students
Patagonia High School National Honor Society and Student Government members trekked to State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Jan. 20 for the Civics Matters Arizona Summit.
Lobos Closing In On State Playoff Berths
It’s been a long uphill climb, but the state playoffs are within reach for the Patagonia High girls and boys basketball teams.
New Biking Program Launched at Patagonia Middle School
This fall, Patagonia sixth-graders had something new to look forward to in PE class: riding brand new mountain bikes.
ARTS & CULTURE
‘Together We Fly’ Sculpture Planned for Doc Mock Park
Ahead of a March 1 fundraiser for the project, Patagonia artist and metal fabricator Keith Spooner shares her vision for a dramatic, 11-foot-tall piece of public art.
Verse Against the Machine
Longtime environmental advocate Russ McSpadden’s first book is a collection of poetry drawing on his experiences in the borderlands.
Treasure Trove of Local Works Waiting to Be Discovered at Library’s Reading Room
The Patagonia Library carries books written by several award-winning local authors, including Philip Caputo, Gary Paul Nabhan and Jim Harrison.
Our Falstaff
Writer Jim Harrison, a winter resident of Patagonia for 24 years, wrote a lot, and lived a lot. The recently published ‘Devouring Time: Jim Harrison, a Writer’s Life’ by Todd Goddard is a full and fascinating biography.
![[Press release] Staged Reading of AI Family Drama ‘Marjorie Prime’ Coming to Tin Shed](https://i0.wp.com/patagoniaregionaltimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2153346553034748103.jpg.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&quality=89&ssl=1)
[Press release] Staged Reading of AI Family Drama ‘Marjorie Prime’ Coming to Tin Shed
The four-person 2014 science fiction play, directed by Gail Cleveland, will be presented Feb. 20, 21 and 23 in Patagonia.
COLUMNS
Take a Hike!: El Pilar and Bathtub Tank
Here’s the shortest, easiest and most direct route to two landmarks in the upper basin of Adobe Cabin.
Glimpses Into Our Past: Dixie Collie Walker
A look at the life of an Arizona one-room schoolteacher in the early 20th century.
Nature Journeys: Build Your Own National Park!
Whether you own ten square feet of barren turf or hundreds of wild acres, you have a genuine opportunity to bolster the biodiversity of the Sky Islands.
Starstruck: Planetary Alignments
Perhaps, now more than ever, it is crucial to understand the viewer just as much as what is being viewed.
Notes From SEFD: Fire Services Before SEFD
We owe a big debt to those individuals who began fire services in this area, literally beginning with nothing.
OPINION
R.I.P. McGruff the Crime Dog
We Gen X kids high-fived the campus cop, knowing he was keeping us safe. Today we have masked guys grabbing people off the streets and terrifying schoolkids. It’s a far cry from what I learned growing up.
The PRT Needs More Writers
Help the PRT give the people something good to read: volunteer as a citizen journalist!
FROM THE PRT ARCHIVES…
Sonoita Neighbors Upset by Deer Hunters
Two Representatives from AZ Game and Fish met with more than 50 residents after complaints were raised about hunters seen taking a deer in the Sonoita Hills area.
Locals Share Memories of Growing Up in Patagonia
Maureen De La Ossa, Cynthia, Matus-Morriss, Emma Matus-Voss, German Quiroga and Sylvia Benedict shared memories of their early years here during the May 3 “Living Treasures” event at Patagonia Public Library.
Taxes, Secession Topics at Sonoita Town Hall Meeting
More than 100 Sonoita and Elgin residents gathered on Nov. 12 at the Sonoita Fairgrounds to discuss property taxes and the possibility of joining Cochise County.
Rotary Park Opens in Sonoita
The Sept. 29 opening ceremony for the Fred Sang Memorial Park was the culmination of eight years of hard work by the Mountain Empire Rotary Club.
Informed Mowing: Sustaining the Sonoita Grasslands
Haying our high desert native perennial grasses at the peak of their green growth can be a real threat to the long-term sustainability of our grasslands.