The PRT Newsletter for the Week of August 28, 2024
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News
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to benefit Sonoita-Elgin Fire District Captain Robert Moreno and family in the wake of the recent tragedy. For more information, please click here.
SCC Supervisors Condemn AZ Auditor General’s Report on Gutfahr
In a press release issued earlier today, Santa Cruz County’s three supervisors demanded the Auditor General retract what they call “its self-serving and misleading report” about alleged embezzlement of $39.4 million by former SCC Treasurer Liz Gutfahr, issued on Aug. 26.
“Upon reviewing the Auditor General’s negligence in this matter over the last ten years, it is obvious that the office failed to utilize basic accounting audit principles in its oversight of the Santa Cruz County Treasurer,” the Supervisors wrote. “As such, the true motive of the Auditor General issuing this ‘report’ is clear: to deflect responsibility from the Auditor General’s own failures.”
Click here to read the complete text of today’s press release from the Supervisors.
And click here for the PRT’s coverage of the Auditor General’s report, published Aug. 26, which includes the complete 15-page report.
New Documentary on Santa Rita Abbey Nuns Gets Its Arizona Premiere in Tucson on Sept. 8
Final Vows, a new feature-length documentary film about the nuns at Santa Rita Abbey in Sonoita, will receive its Arizona premiere on Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Fox Theatre in Tucson.
From the film’s website:
Final Vows chronicles the life of a cloistered order of nuns at Santa Rita Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in the high desert of Arizona. The nuns, who take a vow that binds them to remain in the community they entered for life, candidly share their joys and struggles. While each woman’s journey is unique, they all felt a call and chose to join this community of prayer and work.
The nuns rise at 4am for their first prayers of the day and support themselves through the mechanized production and sale of altar bread. The Abbey faces challenges as the nuns are aging and few young women are choosing a monastic life. The Abbess, a life-sustaining presence for this striving community, may be required to step down soon when she turns 75 years old. Made from small moments of daily life, the film serves as a meditation on aging and caring for others and asks viewers to consider if this lifestyle offers any wisdom for our society.
Director Victoria Westover, Sister Victoria Murray and Sister Pamela Fletcher will be present for a Q & A after the Sept. 8 screening. Click here for all of the details.
Here is the trailer for the film:
For more on Santa Rita Abbey, see the “Remember When?” section further down on this page.
Annual Patagonia Community Garden Pie Auction Set for Sept. 21
From Mary Sky Schoolcraft and David Fain, Co-Managers of the Patagonia Community Garden:
“This delicious annual fundraiser has become a twenty-year tradition… always fun and entertaining. Live music this year by Jac Heiss and friends. Bring yourself, your family and friends to a memorable evening in our beautiful community garden. This year’s event is raising money for the ongoing care and maintenance of the garden, to make the garden more handicapped accessible, and to develop more activities in the garden for all ages. Come hungry and ready to bid on a delicious homemade pie!”
Click here for all the details — and if you’d like to donate a pie for the auction, contact Mary Sky Schoolcraft at 520-510-2851.
Friends of Sonoita Creek Launches New Groundwater Level Monitoring Program
From Friends of Sonoita Creek’s Aug. 27 newsletter:
Friends of Sonoita Creek [FOSC] has started a groundwater level monitoring program for the Sonoita Creek Watershed to figure out how fast our water levels are dropping.
Initially, about 20 wells will be selected across the Sonoita Creek Watershed for long-term monitoring by FOSC, including wells in the US National Forest which bound the watershed, and private wells along Sonoita Creek and its tributaries.
FOSC has two volunteer opportunities to support the groundwater level monitoring program. We are looking for volunteers with high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicles to venture on Forest Service roads to wells at the edges of the watershed.
We are also looking for private wells which are unused. Unused wells are ideal for water level monitoring because the level in the well represents the static groundwater level in the aquifer. The water level in a well which is used may not represent static groundwater levels in the aquifer because pumping changes the water level in the well and the surrounding aquifer for a period of time.
Please contact Chris Gardner at Groundwater@sonoitacreek.org if you (1) are interested in providing four-wheel drive transportation in the forest or (2) have an unused well you would like Friends to consider your well for long-term water level monitoring.
Splish Splash, I Was Taking a Bath
From Sky Island Alliance (SIA):
FotoFauna highlights from July are in — and this month it’s all about water. Laying in it, jumping for joy because of it, and even catching prey unaware as they drink from it. Check out this video [above] from our Wildlife Specialist Miguel Enríquez.
A little background for those who are new: FotoFauna is a growing network of 293 individuals and organizations in the Sky Islands, with wildlife cameras set up in the U.S. or Mexico. It’s easy to get started. Just set up a wildlife camera in your backyard and submit an online monthly checklist of species you observe. In addition to being fun and another way to form community, the data will help us study when and where wildlife is present so we can better protect their habitats. Learn more about how to join us: skyislandalliance.org/our-work/science/sky-island-fotofauna/
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 April, 2023…
Santa Rita Abbey Celebrates 50 Years
By Linda Jade Fong
April 6, 2023
A review of the Cistercian monastery’s history with Mother Vicki Murray was, surprisingly, a nonstop laughing session. “All the nuns there are full of joy,” said a neighbor.
Did you know that as part of our mission, the PRT does not charge to publish obituaries?
Please support the PRT — every dollar counts!
Upcoming Events
To share information about an upcoming events in this newsletter, pleas submit a link to your event page or poster/flyer, or a brief description of the event. Poster/flyer submissions require an image in JPEG format, along with a brief description of the event. Email your submission to prtadast@gmail.com by Monday, 5pm. Remember to submit your event at least one week before the event date.
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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