The PRT Newsletter for the Week of Jan. 22, 2025


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Full moon over the Mustang mountains, Jan. 12. Photo by Andrea Walker

News

Valley TeleCom Launches Regional Broadband Project in Patagonia

(From left) Patagonia Regional Broadband Project participants Bob Dahlstrom (Valley Telecom), Keith Watkins (Arizona Commerce Authority), Troy Judd (CEO, Valley), Nathan Hood (RLM Underground), Jeremy Payton (RLM Underground) and an unidentified woman prepare to cut the ribbon at the Jan. 21 ceremony in Patagonia. Contributed photo

Valley Telecom Group and the Town of Patagonia held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 21 to commemorate the recent launch of the company’s broadband initiative in the area. The company estimates that the first residential hookups of high-speed internet via fiber optic cables will begin by June. The PRT will have a full report on the project in our next issue, out Feb. 7.


Patagonia Town Council Meets Tonight

The Town of Patagonia will hold a regular Town Council meeting Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 6pm in Town Hall Council Chambers at 310 McKeown Avenue. The meeting can also be attended via Zoom. The meeting I.D. is 957-511-4862 and the password is 338501.

Items on the agenda include:

  • Discussion and possible action to designate all town buildings as no-dog zones.
  • Discussion and possible action to adjourn into executive session to review the Town Manager’s evaluation for the prior year and to determine his continued salary and benefit package.
  • Carolyn Shafer will present an update from the Patagonia Area Resources Alliance.

Click here for more information.


A Funeral Mass for Lucy Valenzuela Mihalik

A funeral mass will be held for Lucy Valenzuela Mihalik on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 10am at St. Theresaโ€™s Catholic Church in Patagonia. A private burial will be held immediately following the mass.


Volunteers Needed at Paton Center

From Tucson Audobon’s Paton Center for Hummingbirds:

Want to volunteer at the world-famous Paton Center? Now’s your chance: we’re looking for a few good people!

Share with the public the wonderful birds seen at the Center and help keep the feeders full as a Birding Ambassador. Or help restore prime riparian habitat as a Habitat Ambassadorโ€”two opportunities a month, the next being Feb. 5.

Of course, violet-crowned hummers and many other birds will be your companions, pretty difficult to beat that!

Find both positions at tucsonaudubon.org/volunteer


Janice Pulliam and Caleb Weaver to Star in ‘Explosive Dramatic Comedy’ at Tin Shed Theater

From the Patagonia Creative Arts Association:

โ€œThe Velocity of Autumnโ€ by Eric Coble, an explosive dramatic comedy, will be presented at the Tin Shed Theater on Feb. 21 and 22 at 7pm and Feb. 23 at 3pm. Tickets are $5 at the door. 

Produced by the Patagonia Creative Arts Association and directed by Gail Cleveland, the play is a wonderful exploration of coming to grips with oneโ€™s past and future. 

Alexandra (Janice Pulliam) is an 80-year-old artist in a showdown with her family over where sheโ€™ll spend her remaining years. In her corner are her wit, her passion and the fact that she has barricaded herself in her Brooklyn brownstone with enough Molotov cocktails to take out the block. But two of her children have their own secret weapon: estranged son Chris (Caleb Weaver), who returns after 20 years, crawls through Alexandraโ€™s second-floor window and attempts to be the familyโ€™s mediator.

Click here for more information


Gravel House Dinner to Benefit ‘Patagonia Recycles’ Program

From Heidi Rentz/The Daydreamer:

If youโ€™ve ever wondered how to give back to our local recycling program, Patagonia Recycles, this beautiful evening will be an incredible opportunity to do so. A gorgeous family dinner, a cute little bar with beer, wine, sparkling water and hot tea, live music by Leila Lopez next to the bonfire, and a very special speaker to inspire us all to recycle, reuse and renew. This fundraising event, on Feb. 27, is coordinated by Patagoniaโ€™s newest trail running event, The Daydreamer.

Click here for more information

Remember When?

We’ve posted over 3,100 articles from past years’ print editions on the PRT website, with more to come. Take a walk down memory lane with this article from February, 2019

Side profile of a man in a bucket hat and blue corduroy.
Author Robert Cabot describes writing a memoir as being โ€œfraught with all kinds of dangers.โ€ Photo by Penny Cabot

Local Author Publishes Memoir

By Aisha Sander

Feb. 1, 2019

Robert Cabot, born in 1924, has lived a colorful and exciting life, pursuing his love for writing since the late 1960s. He has lived part-time in Patagonia, just outside of town limits, since 2011, where he spends much of his time writing. The rest of the year Cabot and his wife Penny live in Seattle, Washington.

On January 20, Cabot launched his first memoir, Time’s Up!: A Memoir of the 20th Century, in Seattle. Cabot said that writing a memoir was โ€œnot as much funโ€ as writing novels for him. โ€œIt was fraught with all kinds of dangers,โ€ he said, because in telling the story of his life he had to write about secrets to get to the truth. He also had to weigh what was necessary to share, and consider the feelings of those he wrote about, and the damage or hurt revealing secrets may cause.

Continue readingโ€ฆ

School News and Youth Events

Who Made the Honor Roll?

Click here to find out who made the 2nd Quarter Honor Roll at the Elgin School.


Click flyer for more info



Upcoming Events

To share information about an upcoming event in this newsletter, please submit a poster/flyer in JPEG or PNG format. Email your submission to prtadast@gmail.com by Monday, 5pm. Remember to submit your event at least one week before the event date. Thank you!




Click flyer for more info or to reserve a place for this free event

Click flyer to email makeart1@msn.com for more info or to register


Click flyer for more information and to purchase tickets

Click flyer to email makeart1@msn.com for more info or to register

Click flyer for more information and to register


Click flyer to RSVP via email to egallaher.chop@gmail.com

Click flyer for more info and to register

Local Items of Interest






AA: Alcoholics Anonymous: 

  • Sonoita Bible Church โ€“ Tuesdays at 7pm, 3174 N. Doors open at 6:30. Highway 83, Sonoita. Zoom option: 601-758-3907.
  • Patagonia Methodist Community Church โ€“ Thursdays at 6:30pm. 387 McKeown Ave., Patagonia. Contact Dave at 207-249-8302.

Overeaters Anonymous: to find a meeting go to oasouthernaz.org. Contact Adrienne H. for more info 520-404-3490.

The Patagonia Senior Center has received a grant from Delta Dental of Phoenix to help seniors with dental expenses. Vouchers are provided for up to $350 to participating dentists. If interested, please call the Senior Center at (520) 394-2494.

Click here to consult the PRT’s ‘Community Calendar’ for additional events and meetings.

Employment Opportunities

To list an employment opportunity, please contact Nisa Talavera at prtads@gmail.com or 740-206-9594.


Accompanist Wanted for the Santa Cruz Singers Chorus in Patagonia

Paid position. Travel expenses considered. Must be able to sightread music and have advanced piano skills. Spring Concert scheduled for late April.

Weekly Rehearsal Schedule: (Based on availability) 4:30-6pm at the Benderly-Kendall Opera House (344 Naugle Ave, Patagonia)

If interested please contact director Christina Wilhelm at 617-645-4239 or email:scfpaexec@gmail.com



For a full list of open positions and application details, click on flyer

For a complete list of qualifications and position descriptions, click on flyer

Farmers Markets

Patagonia Farmers and Crafts Market – Thursdays 10am-12pm by Red Mountain Foods.

Sonoita Farmers Market – Saturday Mornings 9am-12pm at the Sonoita Post Office parking lot (NW corner of Hwy 82/83)  

Sierra Vista Farmers Market Thursday 10am-2pm at Veteranโ€™s Memorial Park.

Nogales “Little” Mercado – Fridays 4-7pm 163 Morley Ave, Nogales.

Church Events and Schedules

Canelo Cowboy Church

St. Therese Parish in Patagonia

Sonoita Hills Church

The Vine Church Sonoita

Patagonia United Methodist Church

Sonoita Bible Church

Click here to consult the PRT’s ‘Community Calendar’ for additional events and meetings.

Our Advertisers

For information on advertising in the PRT’s print edition, weekly newsletter, website, or a custom package, please contact Nisa Talavera at prtads@gmail.com or 740-206-9594.