Cemetery Trail gets narrated audio walking tour
Thanks to longtime naturalist Kathy Pasierb, people enjoying the popular Patagonia Cemetery Trail can now learn about the area’s human and natural history, and the flora and fauna that live there, as they follow the trail.
WHAT’S NEW?
Lobos baseball opens season with back-to-back victories
Patagonia opened its season with a 12-8 victory over San Miguel on Feb. 25 and followed that up with a 14-4 win over San Simon a day later. “A 2-0 week feels really nice,” coach Ryan Shore said. “I like winning a lot more than losing.”
LOCAL NEWS
New law strips planning committee’s authority
As of Jan. 1, much of the Patagonia Planning and Development Committee’s authority to review and approve development plans was removed by a new state law.
Town Council notes for February, 2026 meetings
News and notes from the Feb. 11 and Feb. 25 meetings of the Patagonia Town Council.
Sheriff’s Blotter – March 2026
A log of calls to the Sheriff’s office from eastern Santa Cruz County in February.
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.
A brief look at The Daydreamer’s second running
The locally organized trail run event returned Feb. 6-7 to Patagonia for its second year, attracting 140 runners—70% of them female—across three long-distance races. Here’s a roundup of the event.
COMMUNITY
The fishes and loaves story at the Community Church Thrift Shop
The Thrift Shop at Patagonia Community United Methodist Church continues to share its revenue by providing grants to 17 local nonprofit organizations and programs. “It’s a circle of generosity,” says one volunteer.
Good Neighbor Award Winner: Cassie Baker
Our community has benefited from Cassie’s time, expertise and countless acts of kindness since she and her family moved to Sonoita five years ago.
Patagonia Pool updates plans for 2026
With spring in the air, here’s the latest news from the Patagonia Regional Aquatics Center.
20 nonprofits awarded Santa Cruz Community Foundation grants
Here’s the complete list of this year’s grant winners.
SCHOOL NEWS
Botz tunes up, turns on the school music program
Nick Botz, the Patagonia schools’ new music instructor, follows a teaching philosophy in which students “learn music through play.”
Lobos have high hopes for boys tennis season
The squad is led by seniors Jaxon Yslava and Skylar Sanchez and juniors Alex Ruskowitz and Louis Reyes, who are joined by two newcomers: senior Lenin Albarran and sophomore Jorge Sotello.
Building compassion is focus of new program for middle schoolers
The Empathy Project, a multiyear collaboration involving three local nonprofits, aims to help local youngsters understand and develop more empathy.
Student groups show their projects at first Patagonia Science Expo
Student teams from kindergarten through eighth grade competed for honors at the event, with a “magnetic windmill” demonstration by a team of fourth graders taking first place.
Spelling champ makes Patagonia Middle School proud
Eighth grader Isabella Felix captured the Santa Cruz County 2026 Spelling Bee’s top award by correctly spelling “supplicate” in the 10th round. Now she heads to the Arizona Spelling Bee Finals on March 21 in Phoenix.
ARTS & CULTURE
New musical turns classics into an original
In “Roll On, America!”, debuting March 13 at the Tin Shed, American folksinger Woody Guthrie’s life and songs have been formed into a narrative arc. The play features 11 local actor-singers.
Great trees of Eastern Santa Cruz County: The western sycamore on the way to Gardner Canyon
How a western sycamore in Sonoita won the heart of a local nature artist and avid birder.
Check It Out at the Library: Ken Burns documentary has more to teach about American Revolution
Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution,” now available as a DVD set, is gritty and fascinating. It shows us that the revolution was more a civil war than a fully united uprising against the British monarchy.
‘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.
COLUMNS
Notes from SEFD: Firefighters form union
Union members expect that forming a new chapter of the International Association of Firefighters will increase unity and cohesion, as well as bring access to numerous benefits that could not be obtained locally.
Glimpses Into Our Past: California – Arizona Beef Cattle Tour
In 1949, a tour bus full of cattle growers from California, Nevada and Arizona spent a day visiting five ranches in the Patagonia/Sonoita area. Here’s what they found.
Take a Hike!: Old Baldy Trail
The Old Baldy Trail, the shortest route to the summit of Mount Wrightson, is a popular hiking trail. It’s also a difficult walk through a gnarly maze.
Nature Journeys: Build your own national park, part II
Resilient habitats on private property of all sizes are vital links in the chain of local wild lands – key pillars of our region’s biodiversity.
Starstruck: The telescopes searching for life beyond Earth
What will it mean for us when we discover life exists on other planets?
OPINION
Man in a van
Years ago in Patagonia, the watchful eye of the community kept the town’s kids safe, and let them have a childhood filled with bike riding and fort building. Our kids today deserve the same.
The aging writer
Aging teaches that not all friendships are meant to last, but all friendships are meant to shape us. Even those who disappeared left a memory etched in the heart.
Letter to the editor – March 2026
A letter from Larry Spears of Sonoita on the responsibility of citizens.
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.