The PRT Newsletter for the Week of Jan. 15, 2025
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News
Clayworkers

Patagonia Town Council Schedules March 12 Hearing and Vote on Rate Increases for Sewer and Water
The Patagonia Town Council decided at its Jan. 8 meeting to hold a hearing on March 12 on proposed increases in sewer and water rates, which had first been discussed at the council’s Nov. 20, 2024 meeting. The March 12 hearing will be followed by a vote on the proposal.
Click here to read the PRT’s report on the Jan. 8 Town Council meeting
Lobos Take Four-Game Win Streak Into Critical Stretch
By Dave Lumia
After hundreds of miles on a bus and five weeks of nothing but practice and road games, the Patagonia High basketball teams are settling in for an important stretch of games in front of their hometown fans.
The Lobos have played just three home games thus far—most recently on Dec. 11—but they’ll play six of their final nine regular-season games at home over the course of the next three weeks.
The Patagonia boys will take a four-game winning streak into Friday’s home game against Baboquivari. They have a 7-2 record in games factored into the state rankings, but even so, they have ground to make up if they are to earn one of 16 berths in the Class 1A state tournament. They entered Wednesday ranked 19th in Class 1A.
The Patagonia girls team is also coming off a victory—32-17 over Superior on Jan. 11. The girls are 2-6 on the season and ranked 27th in 1A.
Click here to continue reading this article, which includes the schedule for the teams’ remaining games
Rare Birds Showing Up at the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
Above: Galley of three rare birds recently seen at the preserve. Photos by Marc Faucher
News from the Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve:
We’ve had a few rare birds show up in the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve during the past month. They have attracted many birders from Arizona and other states. Among them have been a Varied Thrush, Rufous-backed Robin, and a Brown Thrasher. Some more information follows:
A Varied Thrush was found visiting the Patagonia-Sonia Creek Preserve on November 30, 2024 by a Preserve host, Deb Locke. According to eBird, the last Varied Thrush reported in Santa Cruz County was made almost 10 years ago! The birds breed in Alaska and northwestern Canada and overwinter along the Pacific Coast. The Varied Thrush continues to inhabit the Preserve, feasting on hackberries and drinking from Sonoita Creek.
Another rare thrush visiting the preserve is the Rufous-backed Robin. Once thought to be endemic to Mexico this bird now makes more frequent visits to the Southwestern U.S.
A Brown Thrasher, normally found further east, has been skulking in the Himalayan Blackberries. If you’re lucky or patient, you may get a glimpse of this bird if it pops up from the bushes.
Two other species normally found further east, a Winter Wren and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker have been visiting the Preserve.
These birds may be viewed from trails within the Preserve during hours of operation, Wednesday through Sunday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Remember When?
We’ve posted over 3,100 articles from past years’ print editions on the PRT website, with more to come. Take a walk down memory lane with this article from the February, 2017 edition of the newspaper…
Opening Ceremonies for Benderly-Kendall Opera House
By PRT Staff Reporters
On Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, with scissors in hand, John Henry Kendall, benefactor, and Fred and Christina Wilhelm, founders of the Santa Cruz Foundation for Performing Arts (SCFPA), cut the ribbon at the entrance and opened the doors of the new Benderly-Kendall Opera House in Patagonia, welcoming in the crowd of 250 people that had gathered below the steps. It was the beginning of a most memorable weekend for the SCFPA…
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

Sonoita Produce on Wheels & Local Market, at the VINE Church Saturday, Jan. 18th, 8-11 AM – $15 contribution for 70 LBS of produce. No residential or income requirements.
Follow @SonoitaAZCommunityMarket on FB & IG to see our Veggie Varieties Friday afternoon!
Borderlands POWWOW in Sonoita is always on the third Saturday of the month. At the same time, we have Local Marketside vendors. At our local market, you’ll find wonderful homemade goodies/coffee/breads/jams, and gift items.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for this Saturday’s [Jan. 18] Sonoita Produce on Wheels (POWWOW)!
If you’d like to lend a hand, this is what you would be doing… Sorting and Packing fresh produce, and assisting participants as they go through our farmer’s market style line. The shifts are 6:30 – 9:30 AM AND/OR 8:30 – 11:30 AM. *Those who volunteer for a shift will receive a complimentary unit of produce.
If you’d like to give back to your community in this way, please call/text gardenia 602.292.1616 and let us know which dates and shifts you’re able to volunteer. AND if you know of any youth in the community who would like or need volunteer hours, we can provide documentation for those who would like to volunteer.
If you’d like to share your handcrafted or homemade local goods at the market, we’d love to have you. – please text/call gardenia at 602.292.1616 to reserve a No-Fee spot.



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 – Thursdays at 6:30pm. 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.


























