Reform Mining Law

Patagonia, Arizona is my chosen home because it offers a healthy diversity of people, plants and animals, clean air and water, dark night skies and a natural and beautiful environment that supports quality of life. It is home and habitat for a wide variety of birds, butterflies, bees and wild animals…all necessary to establish and maintain a balanced and healthy environment. For lack of protection this treasured place is in danger from significant negative effects of mineral development.

The patchwork of federal and state laws and regulations that attempt to fill the holes of the Mining Law of 1872 is inadequate for safeguarding the existing natural resources that sustain life. Toxic mine wastes and leaks threaten the air we breathe and the water we drink.

It is imperative that we reform America’s 140-year old mining law to promote responsible mining practices, hold mining companies accountable and ensure that our communities and water supplies are protected. Passing Bill H.R. 2579, introduced by Congressman Raul Grijalva, would be a step closer to protecting specific land and water designations.

Let’s work together to protect and improve quality of life for all who call the Patagonia Mountain region our home.

Jacqui Treinen

Patagonia

Knights of Patagonia

I am, I guess, what you might call a “Sunbird.” I spend four months every summer in Duquesne, visiting my sister, hiking with friends, riding horses and avoiding the wet and windy New Zealand winter. You may have noticed me driving around in my trusty, dusty Trooper. Trusty that is until he spat the dummy, seized the idler pulley & snapped the serpentine belt as I was leaving Tiny Bubbles. Somewhat of a disaster late in the afternoon of the Friday before Labor Day weekend. I spied three guys sitting outside the gas station and explained my dilemma. They burst into action and between them phoned around to find the parts needed, drove me into Nogales to purchase them and then spent a deal of sweat and effort fitting them. A very, very big heartfelt thank you to my heroes, Jack, Mark the painter, Charlie and Aaron who so willingly and generously gave their time to help a damsel in distress. Rarely do you find such a wonderful community spirit in the world these days, with such genuine warmth and caring. It is something Patagonians should be proud of. Chivalry lives on and Knights in shining…well…overalls, T-shirts and jeans do still exist!!

Thank you again.

Dawn from Down Under

Improve the School

For twenty years I taught in the Arizona public school system. Approximately ten years ago my children and I moved to the Sonoita/Patagonia area because the area schools have a low student to certified teacher ratio, which is paramount in education. Unfortunately, the Patagonia School District does not appear to share the same sentiment. Since 2018, the middle school and high school have steadily become devoid of human certified teachers, like Jason Schreiber, Gilbert Melanson, Paisely McGuire, Carmen Gomez, Doug Brewington, Augusta Lucas, Elizabeth McCowin, Rosann Clark, Deborah Goff, and possibly others. Instead of replacing these certified teachers with new certified teachers, they are mostly replaced with either computers or non-certified staff, slowly morphing into your basic home-schooling option.

I can conclude two possible reasons for this; 1) budget or 2) these teachers were a casualty of callous ambitions. If budget is the problem, the low student to certified teacher ratio should take priority over the low student to administrator ratio. If budget is not the problem, then it can be assumed that the aforementioned certified teachers were not congruent with the district’s radical ambitions/changes/plans.

Ultimately, the school should not be in this situation. If these certified teachers had been valued appropriately, then they might still be here. The certified teachers named in this article meant more to this school, community, and students than any administrator ever has or ever will.

Peter Chap

Patagonia