Reliability is a quality you expect from a doctor, a pilot, an engineer.
It is also something you should look for in a journalist – a nonpartisan, unbiased presenter of facts.
Pilar Martinez bears that standard as a writer who has worked for The Associated Press, the Arizona Daily Star and the Tucson Citizen. Following her print career, she served as director of campus communications and later senior director for strategic communications at the University of Arizona. She retired from that latter post in 2025.
Now she joins the Patagonia Regional Times as managing editor, a job just south of her Tucson birthplace.
“Thanks to the leadership and vision of my predecessor, Marion Vendituoli, the PRT is a solid newspaper overall,” Martinez said. “It covers the things that matter to eastern Santa Cruz County. And, because of its volunteer writer base, it reflects a diverse array of voices, backgrounds and perspectives.”
Martinez’s interest in journalism and writing started at an early age, a symptom of her innate curiosity.
“When I was a freshman in high school, a very special teacher – Margaret LaDue – walked me over to the school newspaper office and introduced me to Dave Cosgrove, who was the teacher for the student newspaper and yearbook.” A semester later she joined the newspaper. A semester after that, she was editor.
“When I started at the UA, there was no question about what my major would be: journalism!”
But the profession almost lost her to law, an aspect that still plays a part in her life today.
“I covered trials for the AP and the Arizona Daily Star and briefly considered law school when I was trying to escape from Midwestern winters,” Martinez said. Her stints with AP were in Phoenix and Omaha, Nebraska.
She began volunteering as a mediator in 2006, and received a Master of Legal Studies with an emphasis in alternative dispute resolution from the UA James E. Rogers Collect of Law in 2016.
Since taking over as PRT’s managing editor, there are a number of observations she has made based on her increased time spent here: the area’s natural beauty, the kindness and warmth of the people, and the rich history eastern Santa Cruz County enjoys.
And again, the writing staff of 15-plus volunteer citizen journalists speaks volumes as to the level of engagement and commitment that people calling this home have for the area.
“The PRT does an excellent job reflecting the communities it serves with a nice mix of news, features and sports,” Martinez said.
That it fills an important place in the hearts and minds of residents is not lost on her.
“Aside from being watchdogs, newspapers in rural areas cover local issues and efforts that would never receive attention from bigger media outlets,” Martinez said.
And it is her mission to continue delivering reliable, accurate and interesting stories to the residents of and visitors to Canelo, Elgin, Patagonia and Sonoita.
To that end, she invites readers to share story ideas by emailing editor@prtnews.org.