The PRT Newsletter for the Week of December 7, 2022

**Photo by Marion Vendituoli** Our volunteer writers meet once a month to discuss the articles in the next issue of the PRT. They give generously of their time and expertise to bring you news that you won’t find anywhere else. Can you help us by donating to the Patagonia Regional Times during our NewsMatch campaign?

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Breaking News

BOS Vote to Approve Leasing Office Space to SOUTH32 in Historic County Couthouse

Photo By Robert Gay Carolyn Shafer, resident of Patagonia speaks at the call to the public at the Dec. 6, Board of Supervisor meeting. She said, commenting on the BOS vote to approve leasing space at the historic county courthouse in Nogales to South32, “I want you to vote NO, but I anticipate that you will vote to approve this contract…..I implore you not to be distracted from what is really at risk. Be
aware of what is truly going on: a foreign mining company wants to make a significant profit by extracting mineral resources.” The BOS ultimately voted to approve the lease. The public was only made aware of the proposal to lease space to a for-profit business in the old courthouse just two days before the meeting. Many residents of eastern SCC have expressed their frustrations about the perceived lack of transparency and a breakdown of communication coming from the county government.

Local Protesters Slow Construction of Container Border Wall

As of Dec. 7, 466 shipping containers, ordered by AZ Gov. Doug Ducey, have been stacked on the border in Cochise County to fill in gaps along the border that were left when Biden halted Trump’s Border Wall. This wall is heading west across the San Raphael Valley towards Santa Cruz County. If the construction crosses the County line, SCC Sheriff David Hathaway vowed last week to arrest the crew working on it for “illegal dumping.” In contrast to Hathaway, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels supports construction of the container wall. “It will deter crime and stop criminal behavior,” he said recently. Click here to read more.

Big Crowd at Christmas in Elgin Despite Rain

***Photo by Sally Reichardt*** The Elgin Community Club hosted a busy craft holiday fair Dec. 3.

***Photo by Sally Reichardt*** Pat McNamara and Linda Anderson sold handmade stained glass crafts at the ‘Christmas in Elgin’ craft fair.

Cardinals on Display this Fall

***Photo By Orion Wallen*** 11-year-old Orion Wallen snapped this photograph of a cardinal while on a family walk at Patagonia Lake State Park.

Centennial Year Celebrations Begin for PCUMC

***Phot*****o by Linda Fong** The Patagonia Community United Methodist Church hosted a community dinner on December 2, 2022 to kick off its Centennial Year celebrations. Shown above is congregation member Connie Alford welcoming back former PCUMC pastor Rev. Dr. Mike Kerr-Osman and wife Karen Kerr-Osman, who served here in 1999-2004, during which both their daughters were born in Patagonia and Karen taught at the Montessori school. “Circuit rider” Methodist pastors, first on horseback, started serving this area in 1859, and the church sanctuary was built in 1923. The PCUMC’s colorful history includes serving as the local Patagonia High School in the 1920’s and its high-ceiling Thurber Hall being constructed to accommodate trapeze acts.

Hansel and Gretel at the Tin Shed Theater

***Photo by Cassina Farley*** The cast and crew of Club Theater’s “Hansel and Gretel” Performed at the Tin Shed Theater on December 5 to a standing room only crowd.

County Recorder Submits Retirement Mid-Term

News Release

Santa Cruz County Recorder has notified the Board of Supervisors of her intent to retire December 31, 2022. County Recorder Sainz’s service to the community spans 27 years as Recorder and an additional 14 years at the County Assessor’s Office. The Board of Supervisors accepted the County Recorder’s resignation at their regular meeting on December 6, 2022. Click here to read more.

Remember When???

The PRT has been hard at work placing online hundreds of articles, photographs, artwork and poems from past years’ print editions of the PRT. Take a walk down memory lane with this 2014 piece from the PRT archives …

The Family That Farms Together Stays Together

By Cassina Farley

I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday night—surrounded by my family, covered in milk and dirt.

Pianist Wanted

Patagonia Community UMC seeks an accomplished pianist or pianist/organist to accompany Sunday worship, including prelude/postlude, meditation, offertory, hymns, and SATB choir anthems, as well as provide occasional special music/accompany soloists. This is a part-time, paid position, approx. 3 hrs/week. Position requires availability 1-2 Sundays/month, with prior Tuesday choir rehearsals. The position may expand to include additional Sundays in future.

Applicants must read multi-part music and must sight-read well. The position includes Tuesday choir rehearsal (4:45-6pm), Sunday choir warm-up (9:30am), and Sunday worship (10-10:45 am), along with paid special services such as Christmas Eve, Good Friday, and Easter Sunrise. Salary is commensurate with education/experience; mileage is available upon request, as applicable.

To apply, please send a resume w/cover letter to Kay.Pitt@nau.edu. The position will remain open until filled. Thank you!

Upcoming Community Events

Remember to check out and add any upcoming events to our NEW community calendar!

SCFPA Holiday Events

Borderlands Produce on Wheels Without Waste (POWWOW) & *CHRISTMAS MARKET* at the VINE Church in Sonoita Saturday, December 17th, 8-11 AM.
This is the Saturday before Christmas Eve, and we anticipate a busy market, so come early! POWWOW in Sonoita, AZ is always on the third Saturday of the month. At the same time, we have Sonoita Community CHRISTMAS Marketside Venders at the same location. Here you’ll find wonderful homemade goodies/coffee/breads/jams, and gift items for the holidays. If you’d like to share your handcrafted or homemade local goods at the market, we’d love to have you. NO FEES – please text/call gardenia at 602.292.1616 to reserve a spot.

*It is a $15 contribution for 70 LBS of produce. No residential or income requirements. If you’d like to join the Community Volunteer Team or become a Market Vendor, please text/call gardenia 602.292.1616.
AND if you know of any youth in the community who would like or need volunteer hours, I can provide documentation for those who need it ;D
Follow @SonoitaAZCommunityMarket on FB & IG to see our Veggie Varieties Friday afternoon! Thank you in advance for your support and participation!

The Patagonia Museum will host a highway cleanup on Thursday, December 22, at 10 am. Please meet at the ramadas on Beaty Lane and Highway 82 for a brief safety meeting.

**Christmas Eve Candlelight Service w/ Community Choir at the VINE Church Sonoita,** 3107 AZ 83 (across from Sonoita Propane) at 6 pm Christmas EVE. Christmas Cookie Reception to follow. ALL WELCOME!
**For more info AND to join the Community Choir please text/call 602.292.1616 gardenia** *Please note there will be No Christmas Day service

The Patagonia Museum will host the annual meeting on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 10:30 am in the Patagonia Library. Officers will be elected and the budget will be presented during the annual meeting. Dr. Thomas Sheridan will be the guest speaker who will speak on the struggle to keep the Empire Ranch from being subdivided in the 1970s.

Community School Information

A Note from the Patagonia Public Schools – WE’RE AT IT AGAIN! Another Canned Food Drive for our community! This time it will be a competition between the Elementary, Middle, and High School! Boxes will be provided to collect the cans and they will be distributed to the free pantry in Patagonia and the Patagonia Community Food Bank. The Food Drive starts Dec. 1 and ends Tuesday, December 13 at noon. Please help our community and families have enough food for a wonderful holiday season! Contact Journee Hayes or Kate Peake with questions.

Items of Interest in Our Community

A Note from Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Resucue – Thanks everyone for supporting Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Rescue at the Fall Festival Burger Burn. We appreciate the relationship between us and the community! We’ve got some leftover frozen beef patties for sale at under market value, it’s patty time. Patties are 1/3 lb and come 18 to a sleeve. Each sleeve is walking out of the freezer at $20. If you’d like 1 or 100, contact Eric at 602.635.0117 or eric.herman@atozec.com. Thanks again Patagonia and surrounding community!

The Patagonia Community United Methodist Church Thrift Store will be having extended hours during the Art Walk on November 25 and 26. We will be open 10 – 4 both days and will have holiday items and winter clothing for purchase.

Updated Hours: Regular shop hours are now 10 – 1p.m. Friday and Saturdays.

New Date For Tutoring at Sonoita Hills Church

Sonoita has a very small “billiards club”. We generally try to get together to play pool every two weeks, but it’s pretty informal and sometimes we’ll skip a week and pick up again on an off week. We have a few spots left if anyone is interested. Email Bill at bill.bruyn@gmail.com or call him at (480) 236-7632

Farmers’ Market Schedule

Patagonia Flower Farm’s Monthly Artisan and Farmers Market – Last Thurs. of the month 9am – 3pm by the gazebo in the park. Call Aishah for more info 520-335-7384 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 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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