The PRT Newsletter for the Week of April 19, 2023
Breaking News in Our Community
Volunteer Appreciation Week
SEFD Pancake Breakfast
Request for Support: Patagonia/Sonoita Train Track Trail (TTT)
Proposed Trail Expansion From Casa Blanca Canyon to Sonoita. Connecting People and Community to Nature Through Trails.
The New Mexico and Arizona Railroad was built in 1882 from Benson, through Fairbanks, Huachuca City, Elgin Sonoita, Patagonia, Calabasas and Nogales where the track connected to another rail to the port in Guaymas, Mexico. The railway was abandoned in 1963 and tracks removed.
In 2006 a group in Patagonia organized the Mountain Empire Trail Association (META) to use the old railway as a trail. The ultimate was to have a trail the length of the old railroad from Benson to Nogales. Regrettably, most of the railroad right of way has been converted to private property, making it difficult to use the original railway.
Currently the TTT runs from the town of Patagonia to Casa Blanca Canyon, about 5 miles NE of town near SR-82. The TTT connects to the Arizona Trail Casa Blanca Trailhead, as well as 4 miles of trail in the Borderlands Restoration Network Wildlife Preserve. In Patagonia the trail connects Doc Mock Park, Tucson Audubon Paton’s Hummingbird Center ant the Nature Conservancy Sonoita Creek Preserve.
In 2022, a fiber optic cable was installed in the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) right of way of SR-82, clearing a path for equipment most of the way between Patagonia and Sonoita.
META is partnering with Friends of Sonoita Creek and the Cienega Watershed Partnership to petition ADOT to permit the extension of the TTT from Casa Blanca Canyon to Sonoita utilizing the cable optic track. The trail will be for non-motorized recreation, hiking, bicycling and equestrian use.
This portion of the trail is to be dedicated to Tom Meixner, former professor and head of the University of Arizona Hydrological and Atmospheric Sciences and director of the Cienega Watershed Partnership.
Connecting People and Community to Nature Through Trails.
Please submit your letter of support NOW to:
Mountain Empire Trail Association
c/o P. O. Box 919
Patagonia, AZ 85624
Or email traintracktrail@gmail.com
Community Homes of Patagonia (CHOP) Celebrates Fair Housing Month
By Elvia Gallaher
Community Homes of Patagonia (CHOP), your local grassroots nonprofit, invites you to celebrate Fair Housing Month with us in April.
Join CHOP in a culminating community potluck celebration on Thursday, April 27th, at Gopher Field starting at 5:30 pm. The informal event will consist of games, food, and an informational chat. Gopher Field, our Community Land Trust property, is located in front of the senior housing complex and next to the Catholic church on 3rd Ave. Bring your blankets, chairs, a goodie to share with your neighbors, and your good spirits.
A brief history on Fair Housing Month: The Fair Housing Act was signed in 1968 by President Johnson, after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Act forbids discrimination in the rental, sale, and financing of houses based on color, race, and gender. The Patagonia Town Council voted that April is Fair Housing Month in our community. We acknowledge and support the idea that we should be free of any form of discrimination in buying a house and that we welcome people of diverse backgrounds as our neighbors.
We invite you to come to share a meal on the property that is the future home of six affordable housing units. For questions, call Tod C. Bowden, CHOP Board President at (520) 394-9051.
Upcoming Community Events
Remember to check out and add any upcoming events to our NEW community calendar!
On Saturday, April 22, the Patagonia Museum will sponsor a docent training day. At 9 am in front of the Train Depot, a walking tour of Patagonia historic sites will begin. At 10:30 am in the Patagonia Public Library, a power point presentation of a History of Patagonia will be offered. At 1 pm in the Patagonia Museum, a brief tour of the museum will be presented. All interested persons are welcome to attend one, some, or all of these events. No obligation to volunteer as a docent is required.
Community Interest Items
Starting in April at the Sonoita Library, every second Wednesday of every month, bring your partner or even your own chess game to play! 520-455-5517
Actors Wanted – Julia Green Voice and Piano Studio LLC will be producing an original one-act comedy theatre work at the Tin Shed, Patagonia AZ, and we are seeking to expand the cast to 50+ years old actors. Audition requirement is one short, memorized monologue or poem limited to one minute. Please prepare to deliver your chosen monologue in different accents, i.e. East Coast melting pot. Auditions being held at the Tin Shed in Patagonia April 22-25. Performance dates are September 8,9, and 10 of 2023. Please call Julia Green at 505-350-8543 to discuss and schedule your audition.
Open Friday & Saturday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Find us on Facebook: Patagonia Community UMC Thrift Shop. Donations taken when we’re present – Thursday am, Friday & Saturday 10 – 1:00 pm. Donations by appointment – email the Church at: patagoniaumc@gmail.com
Accompanist WANTED for the Santa Cruz Singers. Paid position. Must be able to sightread music and have advanced piano skills. Please call/text 617-645-4239 or email scfpaexec@gmail.com
Community Farmers’ Market Schedule Patagonia Farmers and Crafts Market -Thursdays 9am-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. Click here for more info. Nogales “Little” Mercado – Fridays 4-7pm 163 Morley Ave, Nogales. Click here for more info.
Gratitude Drum Circle
Meets at Patagonia Town Park by the gazebo Tuesdays 4-6pm, no experience necessary. Call 520-490-4991 for more info.
Community School Information
Patagonia High School is currently recruiting a High School Soccer Coach. Interested individuals can contact Nate Porter at the school for details.
AZ Community Foundation Scholarship Application
The Arizona Community Foundation’s online scholarship portal is now accepting applications at azfoundation.org/scholarships. Scholarships are available to students in Patagonia and surrounding communities attending postsecondary schools during the 2023-24 academic year. Scholarships are available for high school seniors, current college students, graduate students, or adult re-entry students attending accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities, as well as career and technical schools anywhere in the United States. Each award has its own deadline, with some closing as early as March 1 or as late as May. Students are encouraged to apply early to maximize their opportunities. Visit azfoundation.org/scholarships to access scholarship awards and learn more about scholarships available through ACF.
PRT Community Calendar
The Patagonia Regional Times is pleased to offer our new Calendar of Community Events on our website. See online form here. Your text, photos and fliers all can be posted on the calendar. Click here to read our guidelines.
E-Newsletter
We do not post any notices in the PRT Newsletter for events that are more than three weeks away. Flyers for nonprofits, community organizations and fundraisers will be accepted. Submissions and or questions should be in email form or a word document to Nisa Talavera, Assistant Editor at prtasted@gmail.com. All submissions for the Wednesday e-newsletter must be submitted by Tuesday, 10 a.m.
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