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Photo of the Week
Above: Not all who wander are lost. Then again… Photo by Pat McNamara of Elgin
News
Thanksgiving dinner for 156 at the Fairgrounds
By Dave Lumia
As Thanksgiving dinners go, it had something for everyone. Turkey (both roasted and fried). Ham. Mashed Potatoes. Stuffing. Gravy. Green Bean Casseroles. Green Salad. Cranberries. Pumpkin and Apple Pie. Cookies. Enough to feed 156.
And the most important item on the menu on this day of gratitude and thanks: Fellowship in abundance.
“People just want to get together and connect as a community,” said Tom Moffett, pastor, along with wife Gardenia, of The Vine Church in Sonoita. The dinner at the Sonoita Fairgrounds was hosted by The Vine, with support from other local churches and area businesses. “Ultimately that’s our goal, that nobody in this community is alone. They have a place to go.”
We’ll have a full report on the community dinner, with more photos, in the December edition of the PRT, published this Friday, Dec. 5.
Lobos squads hit the road for holiday basketball tournament
By Dave Lumia
The Patagonia High basketball teams pack up the bus today and hit the road for one of the highlights of their regular season—a four-night stay in Williams for the Coach Edgar Brown Holiday Tournament.
“It’s a huge deal,” athletic director and boys coach Nate Porter said. “[The students] have to raise over $8,000 to do it. They worked hard to raise that money. Often it’s some of the kids’ favorite memories of high school. The kids appreciate it, they look forward to it.”
The trip is about bonding, team building, experiencing new things, but don’t forget the basketball. Call it fun and games. Lots of games.
“We play five games in three days,” Porter said. “They’ll learn a lot about themselves basketball-wise.”
Click here to continue reading the article.
‘Blue Star’ Memorial marker coming to Patagonia next year
By Jay Babcock
It’s official.
The order for a new Blue Star Memorial historical marker honoring members of our nation’s armed forces has been placed with the manufacturer in Marietta, Ohio, with the memorial set to ship to the Town by Feb. 6, 2026.
“The citizens of Patagonia have made this effort possible,” said project organizer Murphy Musick.
The marker’s $2,700 manufacturing cost was fully funded through private donations, in a campaign administered by The Patagonia Museum. The Town of Patagonia will contribute $1,000 from its Parks budget to assist in landscaping and other installation costs.
An official dedication for the marker, which Musick says will be sited in Dr. Mock Park near the new ramadas off Beaty Lane, is scheduled for July 4, 2026—the nation’s 250th birthday.
Nature’s rich pageant
Jason Miller, everyone’s favorite Vail-based independent wildlife videographer, has posted a new six-minute collection of video clips compiled from trail cameras at his “cave spot,” which is located somewhere in southern Arizona. Turn up the volume, and have a look and listen:
For more of Jason’s wildlife videos, follow him at his YouTube channel and on Instagram.
Who is that handsome woodpecker with the mustache?
By Vince Pinto
The northern flicker is the largest woodpecker species in Arizona and is widespread throughout the U.S. Gaudily plumaged in a broad spectrum of colors and various markings typical of its species, the individual in this recent video also bears a trademark red “mustache,” marking him as a male. Across their vast range—from coast to coast and Alaska to southern Mexico—the northern flicker is separated into two distinct groups, each with various subspecies—the yellow-shafted flicker of the eastern and central U.S. and our red-shafted Flicker, common throughout the West. The yellow and red-shafted designations refer to the ventral color of the flight and other feathers, as evidenced by this perched, then flying, male.
Northern flickers stand out from the woodpecker crowd in Arizona. They are not only our largest species, but also the most colorful and are often quite animated in their behavior. Watch for them not only clinging to trees, like other woodpeckers, but also foraging on the ground. There they seek various invertebrates, especially ants. Currently at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary they also have four wild fruits to augment their diet. The purple fruit of Arizona grape vine is one of their favorites, but they may also partake of spiny hackberry, evergreen sumach, and holly-leaf barberry fruit on occasion.
Northern flickers are in turn preyed upon by various predators, raptors in particular. Their large size and slow flight render them vulnerable to hawks and even loggerhead shrikes. Over the years I have found numerous piles of bright red-orange feathers, marking the demise of an unwary/unlucky red-shafted flicker.
Northern flickers are rather poor excavators of wood, lacking the ultra-reinforced cranial hardware of other woodpeckers. This often relegates them to excavating rotten wood or enlarging an existing woodpecker nest/roosting hole. Indeed, they often rely upon a smaller woodpecker species, such as the Arizona woodpecker, to form a hole that is later made bigger by a northern flicker. Only then is the hole large enough to accommodate a northern flicker family.
Remember When?
We’ve published over 3,500 articles from past years’ print editions on the PRT website, with more to come. Take a walk down memory lane with this article from December, 2018…
Taxes, Secession Topics at Sonoita Town Hall Meeting
Sonoita and Elgin residents gathered on Nov. 12 at the Sonoita Fairgrounds for a town hall meeting to discuss property taxes and the possibility of joining Cochise County. Sonoita-Elgin Community Group Chair David Green moderated the meeting, which drew more than 100 residents, including guests Judge Keith Barth of Sonoita, and State Senator Gail Griffin, who represents Legislative District 14 in the Arizona State Senate.
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School News and Youth Events
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The Elgin PTC is looking for volunteers for the Community Ugly Sweater Party on Friday, December 19. Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044FADAB28AAFAC52-60871443-ugly#/. Questions can be directed to the PTC at elginptc@elgink12.com. Thank you!
Upcoming Events
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The speakers will be Patti Holbrook Oliver, Noemi & Joe Quiroga, Arnulfo (Arnie) De La Ossa, Ophelia De La Ossa, Juan Urias, Bob Bergier and Abel Murietta. Maureen De La Ossa and Sherry Wearne will facilitate.
Recurring Events
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Alcoholics Anonymous:
- Sonoita Bible Church – Tuesdays at 7pm, 3174 N. Doors open at 6:30. Highway 83, Sonoita. Zoom option: 601-758-3907.
- Patagonia Methodist Community Church – Thursdays at 6:30pm. 387 McKeown Ave., Patagonia. Contact Dave at 207-249-8302.
Crossroads Quilters: Are you a textile artist (weaving, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting)? The Crossroads Quilters invites all interested textile artists to our meetings. Bring a project to work on and enjoy a morning of information sharing and camaraderie. We meet the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 9am at the Sonoita Bible Church, 3174 N. Highway 83. For more information email: alisbunting@gmail.com
Overeaters Anonymous: The OA Sky Islands Recovery group meets every Wednesday 11am-12noon at the East Santa Cruz County (ESCC) Food Bank at 772 Harshaw Ave in the meeting room at the end of the driveway. For additional meeting info, 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
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Pronghorn Pizza is now hiring kitchen workers. Email resume to chow@pronghorn.pizza
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 Veteran’s Memorial Park.
Nogales “Little” Mercado – Fridays 4-7pm 163 Morley Ave, Nogales.
Church Events and Schedules
St. Therese Parish in Patagonia
Patagonia United Methodist Church
Click here to consult the PRT’s ‘Community Calendar’ for additional events and meetings.
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