Improve Town Internet
On October 23 the Patagonia Town Council voted unanimously for Patagonia to apply to the AZ Commerce Authority (ACA) for an Arizona Broadband Planning Grant. “Broadband” is a technical term for modern, highly capable internet service.
With ACA approval Patagonia may receive up to $50,000 to pay for 12 months of planning for state-of-the-art broadband service in and around the Township proper. Then, if the resulting plan meets a second set of ACA requirements, Patagonia can apply for a much larger grant to subsidize in part the cost of creating the new network using existing assets and newer technologies.
My motivation? Earlier this year, my wife, the journalist and longtime Patagonian Charlotte Lowe, and I decided to return to Patagonia. Nowhere could we find the broadband service I needed for my work as a technology-policy consultant frequently working online, sometimes in three or more dimensions, with persons around the world.
Encouraging people with well-paying jobs to move to Patagonia, creating a thriving economy, ensuring Patagonia’s young people have a quality education, helping our graduates to remain and prosper in Patagonia, opening new realms for artists and writers to explore, and ensuring that retired persons receive top-notch healthcare: these are some of the important reasons for the Town’s effort to bring broadband here. Rapid-respond emergency services will benefit greatly. And Patagonians’ power to determine their town’s destiny will grow.
Patagonia has the chance via a broadband network to amplify its many wonderful voices, and strengthen its community locally, regionally, and around the world. And showing the world how it can be done, well.
Bob Jacobson
Tucson
Honor Veterans
The veterans of our small town and remote area gave so much for our country I feel a need to honor them every year on Veterans Day, November 11th. This honor was historically done by local service groups, particularly our local VFW. Over many years this group of veterans and their supporters aged until the local VFW had so few members that the group dissolved in 2015. I had been volunteering to put out flags with the VFW for the past 20 years and have personally been placing flags since then with help from a few friends.
On Sunday November 10 at 9:00 I invite all people to help with this honor. We meet at the center of the cemetery, team up and have fun looking at each and every headstone to determine any clues as to their military service. The flags look beautiful and it is surprising how many there are.
Maybe I will see you at the cemetery Sunday November 10 at 9:00a.m.
Take care,
Murphy Musick
Patagonia
Sonoita by Starlight
Dear Community,
After more than 20 years of celebrating Christmas with all of you, Buffalo Gals is bowing out of “Sonoita by Starlight” for reasons of my health. I am really off balance, which is par for the course in my case.
When I started this event I conceived it as Sonoita by Moonlight as there was a full moon that first evening. It then occurred to me that perhaps I might want to do it more than once! Over time every local owner-operator of Sonoita shops joined in. Our Fire Department was fantastic as was the school, Border Patrol, Santa, some supportive husbands, but most of all, you.
We really enjoyed seeing each of you. Please continue to shop at our local shops, we really all appreciate it.
Susan McDonald
Sonoita
Errors and Omissions
In the August issue of the PRT, we reported that the new refrigerator and freezer at the Patagonia Senior Center were purchased with funds from the Arizona Community Foundation, Wells Fargo and United Way. The new appliances were funded by the Patagonia Regional Community Foundation, Santa Cruz Community Foundation and United Way. Wells Fargo was not involved in the funding.
Our apologies for these errors.