The February issue of the PRT is out now!
Click on the cover below to read the entire issue in PDF format.
You can also read every story from the new issue of the PRT at our website. Here are direct links to a few of the stories…
Fire Destroys Sonoita Home
By Carrie White and Dave Lumia
Three dogs and the clothes on their backs: that’s what Patty Scarboro and Ted Swigart walked away with when a fire consumed their Sonoita residence last month.
Post Office’s ‘Jackie of All Trades’ to Retire After 31 Years
By Bob Brandt
For over three decades, Jackie Covey has been the human face of the Patagonia Post Office. Her last day is Feb. 28.
Hermosa Water Discharge Impacting Crossings
By Marion Vendituoli
Concerns are being voiced about road safety as well as the potential for downstream pollution and even flooding.
Patagonia Considers Water, Sewer Rate Hikes
By Lynn Davison
Fees would increase by 80% over the next six years if the Town Council approves the measure at its March 12 meeting.
Home Insurance Crisis Impacts Local Residents
By Dave Lumia
As wildfire risks grow, rural homeowners are facing rising rates and canceled policies.
Opinion: Patagonia Needs to Get Firewise, Now
By Zay Hartigan
Without a community-wide Firewise program effort, our town is doomed.
Mixed Results for Lobos on Hoopcoming Night
By Dave Lumia
The PUHS basketball teams closed out their home schedule with Hoopcoming festivities, complete with royalty, a bonfire and a boisterous gymnasium.
Parting Shots
By Dave Brown
The quail season that is just now
drawing to a close has been a perplexing one.
2024 Christmas Bird Count
By Donna Edmonds
On the 124th annual Christmas Bird Count (the 52nd for Patagonia), a total of 6,238 individual birds of 120 species were counted by 59 volunteers. Here’s the list.
Good Neighbor Award Winner: Linda Shore
By Mary Tolena
Here are a few of the many ways Linda has made our community a better place.
Good Neighbor Award Winner: Darlene Hilgeman
By Dottie Farrar
Here are a few of the many ways Darlene has made our community a better place.
Check It Out at the Library: Meet the New Librarian
By Summer Smith
Shawnie Kennedy is excited about her new position as Director of the Patagonia Public Library. “This is such a friendly, enchanting place that I will be honored to be a part of and contribute to,” she said.
A Thank You to Our Generous Donors
In 2024, the PRT received $76,310 in donations from 481 donors. We are so grateful for this continued support.
What’s In a Name?
By Cassina Farley
It’s a tough time to be a nostalgic person.
Letters to the Editor (Feb. 2025)
Letters from Patagonia resident Bob Brandt and Hermosa President Pat Risner.
Broadband Comes to Patagonia
By Lynn Davison
Installation of fiber optic high speed internet service for residents and businesses is underway across town.
Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Rescue History – Part 1: In the beginning, there was no firetruck
By Dottie Farrar
To mark the 100th anniversary of PVFR’s founding, the PRT is presenting a history of the company. Here is the first installment in our series.
Don’t Forget the Good News
By Dave Lumia
We can celebrate the blessings and still be informed, responsible citizens at the same time.
Town Council Notes – Feb. 2025
By PRT Staff Reporters
News from the Jan. 8 and Jan. 22 meetings of the Patagonia Town Council.
Nature Journeys: The Food, the Bad and the Bugly
By Vince Pinto
One way to keep winter blues at bay is to delve into the lives of our local trees.
Glimpses Into Our Past: A High School for Upper Santa Cruz County
By Alison Bunting
One hundred years ago, voters in the Elgin/Patagonia/Sonoita area approved the establishment of a Union High School district by a two-to-one margin.
Starstruck: Like Clockwork
By Harold Meckler
Stargazing, like baseball, can certainly be an escape. Just like the sport, however, it can be a whole lot more.
Let’s Go Get Stones: The Nitty Gritty History of Sand
By Keith Krizan
On AI, silicon dioxide and all the different ways humans have worked with sand over the millennia.