The PRT Newsletter for the Week of August 14, 2024
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News
Gutfahr Appears in Court, Judge Orders Receivership to Continue
Elizabeth Gutfahr, the former Santa Cruz County Treasurer accused by officials of embezzling more than $39 million over a ten-year period, made her first public appearance since resigning from office in April in Tucson Wednesday afternoon at a civil court hearing in Pima County Superior Court.
Dressed in simple black, with her hair tied back, looking wan, Gutfahr entered the courtroom less than ten minutes before the hearing’s 2pm start, hushing the small but talkative gallery, which included Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway and Supervisors Bruce Bracker and Rudy Molera, journalists, attorneys and a handful of onlookers.
Although this was a civil case hearing, Gutfahr was accompanied by a retinue that included two criminal defense attorneys. She was represented at the hearing by a civil attorney, Jonathan M. Saffer, who told Judge Wayne E. Yehling that he had only been retained by the defendants in the last 24 hours.
Saffer told the court that since assets belonging to Gutfahr and her husband, David, had been placed in receivership by court order on Aug. 8, they were essentially broke. Saffer said that while “everybody wants to see the County made whole,” the effect of the interim receivership was that “right now, [Gutfahr] can’t walk across the street and pay for lunch.”
Attorney Benjamin Reeves, lead attorney for Santa Cruz County’s legal team at today’s hearing, replied, “Mrs. Gutfahr made her bed.” Reeves argued that the receivership order was necessary to keep Gutfahr from moving money amongst various bank accounts and a “web of LLCs” that she controlled, which the County alleges are all linked to the embezzlement and fraud scheme outlined in their civil complaint. Reeves noted that Gutfahr had attempted to transfer $500,000 to attorneys the day after the receivership had been put in place.
After some back-and-forth, Judge Yehling eventually ruled to extend the receivership indefinitely, with Gutfahr being allowed access to $2,000 per month from a personal Wells Fargo account for living expenses.
Judge Yehling scheduled an all-day evidentiary hearing, which will include a review of the findings of the receiver, for Sept. 20.
During today’s hearing, Reeves told the court that forensic accountants working with the receiver “had hit the ground running and made significant progress” in uncovering further evidence of fraud and locating previously unknown, recoverable assets, including a multi-million dollar Mexican estate. He said that continuing the receivership would make further investigation possible.
Reeves also told the court that the plaintiffs had been unable to serve papers to Gutfahr’s husband David, a defendant in the case, and he anticipated that “alternative servicing” may be necessary.
Outside the courtroom after the hearing’s conclusion, Supervisor Bracker talked about the civil case, brought by the County more than four months after the allegations of embezzlement were first made.
“Today showed that the County is being diligent in pursuing the missing funds,” he said.
And what about criminal charges?
“Criminal charges are in the hands of the federal investigators and prosecutors,” Bracker said. “Those things take time, which is why we are pursuing this course.”
Gutfahr did not speak on the record in court, and had what seemed to be only minor contact with her attorneys during the hearing.
After the hearing, as she and her team waited for an elevator in the hallway outside the courtroom, Gutfahr stared straight ahead, refusing to answer questions from reporters.
Dixie Wright (1947 – 2024)
Dixie passed away peacefully July 22, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. She was born in Douglas, Arizona on December 31, 1947 to Guy and Audrey Miller. She grew up on a ranch on the eastern slope of the Chiricahua Mountains, near Portal, Arizona. She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Custie. She is survived by her husband Ken, son Todd (Wendy) and grandchildren Paige and Kylie.
A memorial service will be held at Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene (500 W. Calle Concordia, Oro Valley) on Friday, August 23 at 10am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army.
ADEQ Hermosa Aquifer Protection Permit Meeting Slated for Aug. 21
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) will hold an interactive community meeting regarding an amendment to the Aquifer Protection Permit for the South32 Hermosa Project on August 21 from 6-9pm at Patagonia Union High School.
The ADEQ groundwater program staff that worked on the permit will be available to answer questions and consider concerns. Click here to view the ADEQ’s ‘Permits of Interest’ page on their website, which includes relevant permit documents.
Babacomari Ranch Permit Hearing Delayed
The Santa Cruz County Development Commission has delayed a hearing on a proposed guest ranch to be built on the Babacomari Ranch in Elgin. Francis Peralta, lead technician for the Commission, told the PRT Tuesday, “The notices were posted because this item was originally supposed to be in the August 22 meeting but has been removed from the agenda and is now scheduled for the September 26 meeting.”
It’s Open 24/7
Courtesy of Borderlands Restoration Network, here’s a highlight reel of June’s daytime and nighttime visitors to the BRN’s critter-friendly watering hole at the Borderlands Wildlife Preserve in Patagonia…
Patagonia High Cancels Soccer Season
By Dave Lumia
Patagonia Union High School will not field a soccer team for the 2024 season due to a shortage of student-athletes.
Patagonia High athletic director Nate Porter said the team was well short of the minimum of 11 players needed for a soccer team—and that figure doesn’t account for substitutions, injuries or other absences.
Patagonia had the smallest enrollment of any Arizona school fielding a soccer team in 2023, but the Lobos nonetheless managed to pull off three victories.
“Very disappointing, very frustrated,” Porter said. “(Soccer)’s always a challenge with our enrollment. When you’ve only got between 70 and 80 kids it’s tough. You have to find sports where you don’t need a whole lot of athletes.”
Soccer is the only sport available for male athletes in the fall. Porter said the school would send out a survey next spring to gauge interest for restarting the team in 2025.
“I’m a little pessimistic about that, seeing where we were this year,” he said. “The middle school struggled to get a team last year, so I don’t know if there’s enough incoming players. We might try to do cross country.”
Porter said the girls volleyball program is in good shape for the start of its season on Aug. 28. The school offers boys and girls basketball in the winter, and baseball and tennis in the spring.
“Volleyball’s doing great,” he said. “I have high hopes for volleyball this year.”
Mustangs Break Out the Green Ties for Sonoita Rodeo Royalty Pageant
By Julie Gutierrez
The Mustang 4-H Club helped to serve dinner for the Sonoita Rodeo Royalty Pageant on August 10 at Pioneer Hall at the Sonoita Fairgrounds. Community service is an important aspect of 4-H: giving back to the community helps boost a kid’s self-esteem, instills a sense of empathy and establishes a life-long commitment to being a positive force in their communities. Our Mustangs are willing and ready to help the community when needed.
Remember When?
Over the last two years, we’ve posted over 2,800 articles from past years’ print editions on the PRT website, with more to come. Take a walk down memory lane with this article from August, 2017…
Wonder Woman Reborn
By Patra Kelly
August 4, 2017
Wonder Woman, with sword and shield, rode her horse triumphantly through the streets of Patagonia on the 4th of July this year.
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Upcoming Events
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School Announcements
Local Items of Interest
The Patagonia Senior Center recently received a grant from Delta Dental of Phoenix to help seniors with dental expenses. Vouchers are provided for up to $350 to participating dentists. If interested, please call the senior center at (520) 394-2494.
The Patagonia Museum has joined the Jim Click Millions for Tucson Raffle fundraiser. The grand prize is a 2024 Jeep Wrangler. 100% of proceeds sold by the Patagonia Museum will benefit the museum. Please contact a board member of the museum to buy your chance(s) to win. Click here to learn more about the grand prize. To learn more about the additional prizes that are available, click here. Museum Members, save the date – Oct. 19, from 4-8 pm for a complimentary meal, refreshments and entertainment at the museum facility.
Raffle for the Elgin Cemetery Refurbishment Project. Click here to learn more.
The Arizona Rangers Sonoita Company meets the third Thursday of each month at the SEFD training room in Sonoita. For more information contact Lt. Phil Burdine at (520) 990-4390
Employment Opportunities
Farmers Markets
Patagonia Farmers and Crafts Market – Thursdays 10am-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.
Nogales “Little” Mercado – Fridays 4-7pm 163 Morley Ave, Nogales.
Church Events and Schedules
St. Therese Parish in Patagonia
Patagonia United Methodist Church
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