Even as the County receives and administers vaccines, the virus continues to infect record numbers of area residents. The month of January saw Arizona having the highest per capita rates for new infections in the country and Santa Cruz County having the highest rate in the state. Dr. Eladio Pereira, Chief Medical Officer for Mariposa […]
Sarah Klingenstein
Posted inCommunity
The De La Ossa Family Story, Part 1 – The Pioneers
According to family lore, Carolina and Antonio De La Ossa arrived in the San Rafael Valley from California in 1880. This is the story of these pioneers.
Posted inLocal News
County, Residents Frustrated by Slow Vaccine Rollout
“When can I get my COVID vaccine?” It’s on almost everyone’s mind. A lot of the talk is about how many doses of the vaccine Santa Cruz County has and the fact that, when someone calls or goes online to register, the appointments have all been taken. The problem is slow vaccine allocation, both to […]
Posted inCommunity
Dirtbags Hit the AZ Trail
Chris Strohm briefs the crew as they spread out along the trail to begin work. Photo by Chuck Klingenstein A local volunteer trail building and maintenance crew has begun lending a hand to the Arizona Trail’s largest construction project since the Trail’s completion in 2000. They are building, by hand, a 1.3-mile section of the […]
Posted inCommunity
Plaque Commemorates Women’s Suffrage Movement in Arizona
The old Grammar School on School Street, so familiar to Patagonians, has had yet another honor bestowed upon it. The longest continuously utilized elementary school building in the state of Arizona when it closed in 2014, and currently the site of the Patagonia Museum, it is now being recognized as an historic polling place with […]
Posted inLocal News
Surge Continues in SCC Even as Vaccinations Begin
Cases of COVID-19 have risen rapidly in Arizona, in Santa Cruz County, and in Patagonia throughout the month of December. For the first time, new daily cases in Santa Cruz County (SCC) have surpassed the highest reported during the early summer surge, with 125 new cases reported on Christmas Day. Currently, over one in 10 […]
Posted inCommunity
Making a Difference
Each year, the PRT honors members of our communities who have made a difference in our lives. The individuals and organizations featured here stood out for their commitment and their tireless efforts during these difficult times. But so many people have stepped up to help their neighbors this year, and it was really difficult to choose […]
Posted inSchool News
County Honors Two Local Educators
Both the Santa Cruz County Teacher of the Year and Runner-up Teacher of the Year for 2020 teach at eastern Santa Cruz County schools. Nominated by their peers and/or school principals, Michelle Sebert, from the Elgin School, and Nate Porter, at Patagonia Union High School, were selected out of a pool of 22 educators through […]
Posted inSchool News
COVID Surge Shuts Down In-Person Learning in Patagonia
The rising number of COVID cases in the County and State have sent Patagonia School District students back to distance learning for the foreseeable future. The district joins most others in Santa Cruz County who have recently closed campuses. The Patagonia Union High School campus had closed three weeks previously after two students tested positive […]
Posted inLocal News
Local Nonprofits Addressing Growing Need in Eastern SCC
Shaun Alexander hands out Thanksgiving turkeys provided by the Eastern Santa Cruz Community Food Bank on Nov. 18 in Patagonia. 132 turkeys were distributed in less than an hour at the event. Photo by Robert Gay Since the start of COVID, Patagonia has been fortunate to be home to several nonprofit organizations that focus on […]