Sonoita Races Canceled
A host of factors played into the Santa Cruz County Fair and Rodeo Association’s decision to cancel the May event, breaking a tradition begun in 1915.
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WHAT’S NEW?
FBI Searches Property Owned by Former County Treasurer Liz Gutfahr
The County’s Board of Supervisors appointed an interim treasurer while a multi-agency investigation of ‘irregular bank transfers’ continued.
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State Attorney General to Attend Patagonia Town Hall Regarding Hermosa Concerns
Patagonia Mayor Andy Wood said the April 30 town hall would be a ‘listening’ event, with AG Kris Mayes wanting ‘to hear directly from the citizens of Patagonia to better understand the numerous issues facing Patagonia and South32’s impact on our community.’
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LOCAL NEWS
FBI Investigating Financial Irregularities at County, Supervisors to Appoint Temporary Treasurer Today
Here is the press release from Santa Cruz County, which includes a joint statement from the Board of Supervisors on the situation.
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South32 Chooses Nogales for Hermosa Operations Center
The nine-acre office complex called ‘Centro’ will house 200 full-time employees. Construction starts by the end of this year.
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Patagonia Sees Growth, New Challenges
The Town’s proposed budget will use increased revenues to address aging infrastructure and a shortage in affordable housing.
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Rabies Incidents a Reminder to Keep Pets Vaccinated
A gray fox, suspected of being rabid, bit three people earlier this month at Saguaro National Park. Protect yourself by keeping a safe distance from wildlife, especially animals that may be behaving abnormally.
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Town Council Notes (April 2024)
Notes for the Feb. 28, Mar. 13 and Mar. 27 meetings of the Patagonia Town Council.
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COMMUNITY
Staving Off Erosion One Rock at a Time
Stone-lined trincheras, Zuni bowls and weirs: a day on the job with the Borderlands Restoration Network crew working to direct the ebb and flow of water across the arid landscape.
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My Neighbor Sue Hey
I liked her straightforward honesty, felt kindred with the lady. Not just anybody would live alone in the middle of nowhere, especially someone who seemed to have traveled all over the Western world.
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Wagon Wheel Relies on Tried-and-True Recipes
Eclectic decor, hearty fare, cold beer: it’s a winning combination that keeps Patagonia’s Wagon Wheel Saloon rollin’ along.
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Notes From SEFD — Fighting a Fire, Part Two: Driven by the Wind
An inside look at how SEFD’s response to 2022’s Elgin Bridge Fire unfolded.
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KPUP Rocks On…With a Little Help From Its Friends
For its volunteer DJs and unpaid staff, Patagonia’s 50-watt music radio station is a labor of love. The community loves it right back.
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SCHOOL NEWS
Lobos End Victory Drought
Patagonia’s 8-5 win over Baboquivari ended a victory drought of nearly three years for the Lobos. “Finally,” coach Ricardo Padilla said. “We got that monkey off our backs.”
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PUHS Class of 2024 Spotlights, Part 2
The PRT’s series of profiles of the PUHS senior class of 2024, written by members of that class, continues.
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New Teacher Joins Elgin School
Dr. Jerome Ramirez has spent the last 20 years teaching in the Philippines, Myanmar and Vietnam. Here’s how he landed in Elgin.
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Students Ready Cars for Auction
A 2008 Dodge Avenger is the third vehicle restored by PUHS auto/welding shop students to be brought to auction in the last two years. Here’s a look at how they do it.
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ARTS & CULTURE
The Day ‘Longmire’ Creator Craig Johnson Came to Town
Wearing a big old cowboy hat, jeans and boots, the Wyoming-based author of the popular long-running mystery series charmed and awed fans at three events in Patagonia on March 7.
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Eating Our Way Through History: Red Flannel Stew
An inexpensive nod to St. Patrick’s Day, courtesy of ‘two-cow woman’ Leota Gatlin of Patagonia’s Z Bar Ranch.
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Garden Guides: Some Sage Advice – Part II
More advice on the hardy varieties of sage you can plant in your garden right now.
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Steve Getzwiller: A Visionary Straddling Two Worlds
When the Sonoita-based textile trader died last August at age 74, he left behind a remarkable legacy in the world of Navajo weaving. “He took care of us,” one weaver said.
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Local Author Jim Koweek Pens ‘Nontechnical’ Guide to Native Plants
“This book is meant to be enjoyed, not endured,” says Koweek. “Learning about plants should be fun.”
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COLUMNS
Striding Seeds
Poppies and springers, clingers and wind-surfers, floaters and fallers: here’s a look at all the ways our native plants spread their seeds.
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Pilfer
Halfway across the galaxy is a small, rocky planet orbiting its sun much like we do our own. I call it Pilfer, because it has stolen my heart.
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Commissioners, Quail Hunters Voice Concerns
Big game tags and Mearns quail limits were the hot topics at the Arizona Game and Fish Commission meeting on March 16 in Oracle.
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Glimpses Into Our Past: The Harrison Family Graveyard
A small graveyard on private property near Lochiel holds the graves of three members of the Harrison family. Here’s what we know about their lives.
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OPINION
News From the Nest at the Paton Center
The trees are leafing out, flowers are blooming and our summer birds are migrating back into the Patagonia area.
Read more…When Greenwashing Fails
South32 has been stuffing our mailboxes with fliers about the bright, sustainable future they are building for us. Their claim is premature.
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Audubon and Nature Conservancy Defend Use of Herbicides
In response to concerns recently expressed by individuals in the Patagonia community, Audubon and Nature Conservancy explain the restoration strategies the organizations are using to make the Sonoita Creek watershed “healthier and more resilient.”
Read more…Walk It Off
I am part of the “walk it off” generation. I’ve been shot in the leg with a BB gun, hid the event from my mother and then extracted the projectile myself. I’ve got the scar to prove it.
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Letters to the Editor (April 2024)
In our mailbag: more thoughts on the Mearns quail hunting situation from a retired wildlife manager, and a news junkie falls hard for the PRT.
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OBITUARIES
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FROM THE PRT ARCHIVES…
Small Affordable Houses
Can a 300-square foot house meet a need for affordable housing in Patagonia? A ‘tiny house’ built by local developer Todd Lipton and contractor Kevin McKay at 446 Duquesne showcases the concept.
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When Patagonia Was a Mecca for Wagon Restoration — Part 1: The Museum Connection
The wagon building and restoration industry that flourished in this modest town in the latter half of the 20th century was perhaps the premier facility of its type in the world.
Here’s a look at how it started.
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Copper Brothel Brewery — A New Destination in Sonoita
“This has been my dream,” Bob Jesser said, as he stood in front of the newly opened, 5,000-square foot Copper Brothel Brewery in Sonoita. “Our intent is to bring craft beers to people who are non-craft connoisseurs. We’ve been told that the local market is too small, there’s no way you’re going to get support. We beg to differ. We’re sticking our necks out.”
Read more…Oaks, Toads and Sleeping Women
The horned toad had a great place to live. He was king of his hill. But I was bigger, and stronger, with money for a bulldozer. He had to go.
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Local Nature Sanctuary Offers Unique Experience
Vince Pinto and his wife, Claudia Campos-Pinto, have devoted the last eleven years to creating a unique wilderness experience for visitors to their 42-acre nature preserve near Lake Patagonia.
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