The PRT Newsletter for the Week of Oct. 9, 2024
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News
There Will Be Wine
Sale of Gutfahr’s Properties Includes Lochiel Chapel, Family Homestead
By Marion Vendituoli
When German Quiroga learned, in 2021, that his great-great-grandparents’ homestead in Lochiel was being sold to a relative, he remembers feeling relieved that the property, that had been in his family since the 1880s, was going to stay in the family. Unfortunately, for the descendants of Antonio and Catalina De La Ossa, that relative was Liz Gutfahr.
The property is owned by the Double D Cattle Company that lists as its address P.O. Box 37, Tumacacori, the same address listed for Elizabeth Gutfahr on other holdings in the county. Quiroga confirmed that Gutfahr, a De La Ossa descendant, is the current owner.
Gutfahr bought the family homestead and 138 acres at 1879 Duquesne Rd. in Lochiel for $580,000, according to the County Assessor’s website. She also purchased 0.9 acres across the road at 9 Lochiel Rd. that includes the family cemetery and chapel, which was at one time part of the diocese of Tucson before being deeded back to the family.
The past is present in Lochiel, located almost 20 miles south of Patagonia in the San Rafael Valley. A dirt road slows you down as it bends around to the east after almost taking you across the border to Mexico. The soil is sandier than further north in the valley, and there are more cows and horses than houses. The chapel sits on a rise overlooking Lochiel and down into Mexico. The cemetery holds the remains of generations of De La Ossa descendants, including Army veteran Antonio De La Ossa (1889–1984) and Navy veterans Ramon De La Ossa (1946–2020) and Antoinette De La Ossa Tews (1950–1982).
A giant cottonwood stands guard over the old one room schoolhouse, built sometime before 1905, that Quiroga and many volunteers have worked for years to restore. Across the road, in front of the entrance to the chapel, stands another huge cottonwood. Both trees are old enough to have witnessed Quiroga’s ancestors ranching and raising their families.
But now the property is in danger of being bought by a stranger. On August 20, the judge overseeing the civil lawsuit brought against Gutfahr by Santa Cruz County gave permission for her properties to be sold to help recover at least some of the $38 million that Gutfahr allegedly stole from the county coffers during her tenure as county treasurer.
It is not clear when these two parcels will be sold, or whether or not they will be put up for auction. Quiroga, who serves as the president of the Patagonia Museum Board of Trustees, which he worked to create, said he has asked in the past that the family form a trust to protect the chapel and the cemetery. He, of course, would like to see the land stay in the family. “Maybe the universe will smile on us,” he said, “and we’ll figure something out.”
BLM Proposes Fees for Las Cienegas, Empire Ranch as Visitor Numbers Surge
The Tucson Field Office (TFO) of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing that visitors be charged $10 per vehicle for day use visits to the the 42,000 acre Las Cienegas National Conservation Area (LCNCA) north of Sonoita. The LCNCA currently charges no fees for visitors to the area, which is a popular destination for tourists, equestrians, hikers, birders and ATV riders.
The BLM is also proposing a $15 per vehicle camping fee, a $100 fee for camping groups up to 75 people, and a $200 fee for groups of 76 or more. Visitors could purchase an annual day use pass for $40.
“This pass will be a great value for local community members who regularly visit these sites for day uses,” states the “BLM Tucson Field Office (TFO) Recreation Fee Sites and Areas Business Plan”, issued in early September, which outlines the rationale behind the fee proposal.
The BLM notes that while staffing funding has remained the same, visitation to Las Cienegas has nearly tripled in the last five years. In 2019, 69,567 people visited the site. By 2023, the number of visitors had increased to 160,422.
“Under the current funding levels provided through appropriated funding, the TFO does not and will not have the capacity to continue to keep up with the current maintenance needs,” the report states. “Through enacting the fees changes proposed in this business plan, the TFO looks to more effectively manage recreation use and improve infrastructure to add capacity and enhance the quality of recreation experiences at these sites.”
The BLM is accepting public comments on the proposal through October 21. Click here for more information.
Remember: Expect Slight Traffic Delay During Oct. 10 Homecoming Parade
Patagonia Union High School will be having their homecoming parade on Thursday, October 10 from 9:30-10:30 down Highway 82 and McKeown Ave. This will cause a slight traffic delay.
Traffic will be able to detour down 1st Avenue to Sonoita to 4th Avenue if necessary.
Beware the Puss Moth Caterpillar!
Elgin residents are reporting an influx of Puss moth caterpillars in recent days. And while these freaky one-inch critters may seem harmless, they are in fact one of the most venomous caterpillars in the United States. We checked in with Vince Pinto, the PRT’s popular ‘Nature Journeys’ columnist, to get the the scoop on these weird little dudes.
“Puss moth caterpillars are so densely covered in hairs that they look a bit like a miniature version of Cousin Itt from the Addams Family—minus the sunglasses,” he says. “My rule of thumb is if a caterpillar has any level of hairiness, from dense to sparse, then I might well get stung if I touch one.
“Most people run afoul of Puss moth larvae when one falls onto their flesh or clothing. Even a slight brush against the skin suffices to trigger toxins from the hairs. Severe reactions can occur among sensitive individuals, who may experience radiating pain or even life-threatening anaphylaxis. While I have yet to have the pleasure, those stung by the caterpillar’s hairs liken the pain to that induced by blunt force trauma or a broken bone! Clearly, these strange moth caterpillars do not want to be eaten, their hairs acting as an extreme defense against most predators…”
Local Author Wins Book Prize
Patagonian Stuart Brody has won the 2024 “Grateful American Book Prize” for his novel Humphrey and Me, a fictionalized account of his evolving friendship and professional relationship with Vice President Hubert Humphrey.
From the Grateful American Foundation’s press release:
The annual book prize comes with $13,000 to commemorate the original 13 Colonies [and] a lifetime membership to the New York Historical Society. It is given for high quality—7th through 9th grade level—historical fiction, non-fiction, and biographies, that depict the events and personalities which have influenced the United States since its founding.
For more about Brody and Humphrey and Me, see last year’s profile in the PRT by Carrie White.
Our Crickets and Grasshoppers Beauty Pageant Continues…
We’re still looking for great photos (and videos!) of this year’s crickets and grasshoppers to share with the 2,000-plus readers of this newsletter. Please email your entries to prtadast@gmail.com — the higher the resolution, the better. Thank you!
Get Ready to Vote!
We at the PRT believe that it is imperative as a democracy that we have informed and active participation in government. And we believe that local news services like the PRT have a mandate to take an active role in this process.
To that end, we have built a webpage—the PRT 2024 Voter’s Guide to Local Elections—which features the PRT’s text interviews, forums and Zoom interviews conducted with candidates, as well as other informational resources, like the League of Women Voters’ pamphlet on the ballot propositions.
Early voting has begun. We hope that the PRT 2024 Voter’s Guide to Local Elections will assist voters in making informed decisions on their ballot.
Did you know that as part of our mission, the PRT does not charge to publish obituaries?
Please support the PRT — every dollar counts!
Remember When?
Over the last two years, we’ve posted over 2,900 articles from past years’ print editions on the PRT website, with more to come. Take a walk down memory lane with this article from October, 2014…
A Creepy Crawly Bedtime Story
By Cate Drown
October 3, 2014
Ouch! I jumped out of bed. My cat, Dulcie, went flying; my dog, Sunny, sprang to attention; and I went running to the kitchen to see what the heck happened. Something had stung or bitten me. Wow, did it hurt! I popped a Benadryl and a Tylenol, then returned to the bedroom and threw back the sheets.
There, looking right at me, antennae raised, was a six-inch long centipede.
School Announcements
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. 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 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.
On Saturday, October 19, from 4pm to 8pm, the Patagonia Museum Board of Trustees will host a Member Appreciation Dinner. Jim Koweek will provide the entertainment. Please save the date and if you are not a museum member please consider joining.
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.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for the upcoming academy classes for Patrol Deputy, Adult Detention Officer, and the Communications Division (Dispatch).
Starting Salaries:
Deputy: $49,595.00/Year
Detention Officer: $42,766.00/Year
Dispatch: $42,766.00/Year
Please complete an application and submit it to the Santa Cruz County Human Resource Office. Application Link: https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/documentcenter/view/3602
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.
