The PRT Newsletter for the Week of Dec. 11, 2024
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News
Fall Into Winter
Christmas in Elgin
Season’s Photos!
Do you have a holiday season-related photograph that you’d like to share with this newsletter’s 2,000 subscribers? Don’t be shy—submit the photo, with a caption, to prtadast@gmail.com
Gutfahr’s Properties Set to Hit the Market
Several properties owned by former Santa Cruz County Treasurer Liz Gutfahr, including her residence and that of her son Davian and his wife Ana, are slated for sale in the coming weeks.
Gary Brasher of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s Realty International and Brasher Realty is managing the sale of 15 of Gutfahr’s 17 properties throughout Santa Cruz County, along with a townhome in Tucson. The other two properties are homes in Mexico and Pinetop, AZ.
The first properties to hit the market will be five homes along Santa Gertrudis Lane in Tumacácori, which could be listed as early as this week.
Included in this initial sale are Gutfahr’s former primary residence, a 147-acre estate with a listing price of $5.7 million, along with the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Davian and Ana Gutfahr, priced at $1.2 million.
Over the past three months, cleaning and maintenance crews have been preparing the properties for sale. J & J Estate Sales, an estate liquidation company from Green Valley, has been contracted to manage the packing, transportation, cataloging, and sale of items left behind by the Gutfahr family. A three-day estate sale is expected to take place in early 2025.
One of Gutfahr’s holdings, a 139-acre property purchased in 2021 along Duquesne Rd. in Lochiel, is still under consideration for how it will be sold. According to county records, Gutfahr acquired the property—which includes two homes, the De La Ossa family cemetery, and a historic chapel—for $580,000.
MCA Financial Group, acting as the receiver for Gutfahr’s assets, is collaborating with the county and the De La Ossa family to explore options for preserving the cemetery and chapel. Potential plans include creating an easement, establishing a family trust, or seeking support from the Catholic Church to exclude these sites from the sale.
The property sales follow an August 20 court ruling permitting the liquidation of Gutfahr’s assets to help recover a portion of the $38 million she embezzled from Santa Cruz County during her time as county treasurer from 2012 to 2024.
South32 Gives ‘Operational Update’ on Hermosa
South32 issued a press release Tuesday (Dec. 11) giving an extended update on mine construction (including the Cross Creek Connector) and workforce development, along with new sketches of the ‘Centro’ remote operating center to be constructed in Nogales. Click here to read the complete press release.
San Diego College Students Lead Demonstration Against South32 at Patagonia Office
By Robert Gay
About a dozen graduate students from the University of San Diego (USD) staged a demonstration regarding South32’s Hermosa mining project in front of the project’s office in Patagonia last Friday morning (Dec. 6).
The demonstration was timed to coincide with the departure from the office of a van taking visitors on a guided tour of the mine. Demonstrators—including a few local residents—did not block traffic.
USD students said they had visited Patagonia last May and spent the fall semester learning and investigating mining and its impacts. The students’ signs included demands for independent water monitoring, closer involvement by South32 with ecological groups, and mining company payment of ecological restoration money for ongoing and future damages. One young man’s sign read “Minors for responsible mining.”
A Holiday Appeal for Volunteers to Advocate for Foster Children
A public service announcement from the Arizona Supreme Court’s Dependent Children Services Division:
When a child is removed from the only home they have ever known and placed into foster care, they need someone who can not only provide consistency, but also champion for their best interests. CASA [Court Appointed Special Advocates] volunteers dedicate themselves to representing these children in court by offering valuable insights to the judge who can make significant decisions impacting the child’s future.
Children and youth assigned a CASA volunteer reported high levels of hope. A child’s hope has been linked to numerous positive outcomes such as academic success, overall wellbeing, positive social relationships, and optimism. A CASA volunteer can bring this hope to a child.
While many children are celebrating the holidays with their families, hundreds in foster care are waiting for a safe, permanent home. You can be part of their journey towards stability. This season, give the gift of your time and dedication to becoming a CASA volunteer.
Presently, there are hundreds of children in Arizona awaiting a CASA volunteer.
CASA volunteers do not need any prior special training and come from all walks of life. Anyone 21 years of age or older, who can pass a thorough background check and complete 30 hours of training, is encouraged to apply.
To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer visit, AZCASAVolunteer.org.
Remember When?
We’ve posted nearly 3,000 articles from past years’ print editions on the PRT website, with more to come. Take a walk down memory lane with this article from December, 2016…
The Hazards of Javelina (How I Went Over the Edge)
December 2, 2016
Patagonia residents hearing a scream of sirens just after sundown on Nov. 11 may have wondered what all the fuss was about. Problem was, I drove off the side of a mountain when forced off the road by a pack of javelina huddled in the middle of Highway 82. What happened next was my sunshine yellow VW Beetle spun around and flew off the highway.
It was an eerie sensation—careening downwards into a dark, rocky, wooded oblivion…
School News and Youth Events
Upcoming Events
To share information about an upcoming event in this newsletter, please submit a poster/flyer in JPEG or PNG format. Email your submission to prtadast@gmail.com by Monday, 5pm. Remember to submit your event at least one week before the event date. Thank you!
Local Items of Interest
AA: Alcoholics Anonymous:
- Sonoita Bible Church – Tuesdays at 7pm, 3174 N. Doors open at 6:30. Highway 83, Sonoita. Zoom option: 601-758-3907.
- Patagonia Methodist Community Church – Fridays at 7pm. 387 McKeown Ave., Patagonia. Contact Dave at 207-249-8302.
Overeaters Anonymous: to find a meeting go to oasouthernaz.org. Contact Adrienne H. for more info 520-404-3490.
The Patagonia Senior Center has 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.
Click here to consult the PRT’s ‘Community Calendar’ for additional events and meetings.
Employment Opportunities
To list an employment opportunity, please contact Nisa Talavera at prtads@gmail.com or 740-206-9594.
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
Click here to consult the PRT’s ‘Community Calendar’ for additional events and meetings.
Our Advertisers
For information on advertising in the PRT’s print edition, weekly newsletter, website, or a custom package, please contact Nisa Talavera at prtads@gmail.com or 740-206-9594.
