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Photo of the Week
“Unexpected, welcome help to fight the bee problem: a praying mantis devours a bee at one of my hummingbird feeders, with a hummingbird watching.” —Anne Vogt, Patagonia
News
Sky Island Alliance to host Aug. 28 webinar on border wall construction’s status, effect on wildlife
Sky Island Alliance posted a photograph on its Instagram account Tuesday showing what it says is a “border wall construction site in the San Rafael Valley.” The photograph, by photojournalist John Kurc, was dated Aug. 25.
The PRT reported last week that Santa Cruz County officials were informed by Customs and Border Patrol and government contractor Fisher Sand & Gravel on Aug. 12 that construction of the new $309 million border wall was imminent.
Sky Island Alliance, the Arizona-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to “is to protect and restore the diversity of life and lands in the Sky Island region of the U.S. and Mexico,” will host a free webinar tomorrow (Thursday, Aug. 28) to discuss the effects of the border wall construction on wildlife. Here’s the info:
Concerned about all the recent developments at the border and not sure where that leaves wildlife? Join Sky Island Alliance’s wildlife team on Aug. 28 at 9:30am for our next virtual Coffee Break. We’ll take a virtual tour of southeast Arizona and describe the current status of border wall construction projects underway at the Santa Cruz River and across the San Rafael Valley.
We’ll also share insights from our vast network of cameras that’s faithfully keeping watch on wildlife’s cross-border movement and tracking impacts. Areas to be featured in the update include Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, Coronado National Forest, San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, and San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge.
Join us this Thursday, Aug. 28, at 9:30am: https://ow.ly/gl2R50WBIrA
110th Annual Sonoita Labor Day Rodeo this weekend at the Fairgrounds
Information and advance tickets for this weekend’s 110th Annual Labor Day Rodeo are available at SonoitaFairgrounds.com
Some details:
Gates open daily at 10 am / Admission – $17.00 / 5 and Under – Free
Junior Rodeo starts at noon daily. Main performance starts at 2pm daily.
SATURDAY: First Responder Appreciation Day
SUNDAY: Tough Enough to Wear Pink
MONDAY: Military Appreciation Day – $10 admission with valid Military ID
Merchandise and concessions are available on site, with Steak Fry and dance on Saturday & Sunday.
Steak Fry runs from 5pm-7pm.
Live music starts at 7pm. Southern Reins perform on Saturday; Jack Bishop & Flipside perform on Sunday.
Agenda set for Patagonia Town Council’s Aug. 27 meeting
The Patagonia Town Council will hold its second of two regular meetings this month on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 6pm. As always, members of the public may attend the Council meeting in person or via Zoom: Meeting I.D. 957-511-4862, password 338501
Agenda items for this meeting include:
- A proposal to hire DeMenna Public Affairs for lobbying and government relations engagement at $1,000/month.
- A proposal to appoint Victor Romo to the Planning and Development (P & D) Committee.
- A proposal to appoint Council Member Gary Retherford to the P & D Committee as the Council representative.
- A proposal to accept Patrick O’Neal’s resignation from the P & D Committee.
Click here for more information, including the full agenda.
The fishhook barrel cactus’s standing army
By Vince Pinto
August is prime time for flowering on our local fishhook barrel cactus plants, where more is afoot than meets the eye. In the video above, filmed recently at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary, you can easily see a native bee—likely a solitary, ground-nesting species—at one of the blossoms. In return for its pollination services, the bee acquires copious amounts of pollen as food. The pollinated flowers eventually form yellow fruits full of black seeds that are an important food for select birds and mammals alike.
You can also easily see the ants swarming under and along the cactus’s flowers. One might assume that they too are there to seek nectar and/or pollen as food. This may be true—in part. However, my experience has taught me that the ants are likely there as a sort of “standing army.” In a page out of the book of many tropical plants, fishhook barrel cactus possesses extrafloral nectaries—small structures at the base of some spines atop the plant that produce food for ants and apparently serve no other purpose.
So: Why does the cactus waste energy feeding the ants?
Any person who has been swarmed by ants, being bit or stung in the process, can attest to the efficacy of their attacks. When a plant-sucking true bug in the order Hemiptera tries to suck vital fluids from a barrel cactus, the ants readily assault it, foiling their feeding attempts. Hence the idea of a well-fed army at the ready to vanquish any herbivorous interlopers.
If you would like to witness such an assault, find a barrel cactus and plunk its terminal spines. More often than not a single species of ant will start to climb the spines looking to attack. Interestingly, a wide variety of ant species are attracted to the extrafloral nectaries across various plants, while any one cactus never seems to host more than one. It seems that no sort of NATO alliances apparently exist among the ants, where it’s first come, first served at the nectaries. The species of ant depicted here might belong to the genus Crematogaster, though identifying ant species in the Sky Islands can be a fool’s errand—we host more species than any place in North America.
Public Service Announcements
Fall internship seeks Patagonia, Sonoita and Elgin youth to help shape local justice solutions
From Santa Cruz County Justice Project (SCCJP):
August 2025: The Santa Cruz County Justice Project (SCCJP) is inviting high school juniors, seniors, and college students from Patagonia, Sonoita, and Elgin to apply for its Fall 2025 Internship Program.
SCCJP is a local nonprofit organization seeking to make the legal system easier to understand and more accessible for everyone in Santa Cruz County. This hands-on internship will empower youth to contribute to real-world justice initiatives and help develop resources addressing domestic violence, housing challenges, and civil disputes.
“We want to hear from every corner of Santa Cruz County,” said SCCJP founder and Patagonia Municipal Judge Pro Tem Miguel A. Lopez. “The voices and experiences of students from Patagonia, Sonoita, and Elgin are essential to making sure our work serves the entire community.”
Recognizing that traveling to Nogales can be a challenge for eastern county residents, the program will offer flexible participation options, including remote work, carpool coordination, and adjusted meeting times.
Interns from the inaugural SCCJP Summer 2025 Internship Program are also reflecting on the value of their experience: “Not everyone in the county can afford a lawyer,” said Samantha Thwaits, a senior at the University of Arizona. “Our work will bridge the gap so justice can be found in more places.”
Applications are set to open on September 1. Students from Patagonia, Sonoita, and Elgin are encouraged to apply. For more information, including how to apply, visit sccjpaz.org/internships or email info@sccjpaz.org.
Remember When?
We’ve posted over 3,400 articles on the PRT website, with more to come as we digitize the print issues’ archives. Here’s an article that’s relevant to this time of year, first published in our September 2014 edition…
Colonel Johnson’s Legacy
By Ann Katzenbach
Sept. 4, 2014
I have come to loathe Johnson grass, a plant unknown to me before I moved to Arizona. This is not to say that Arizona has an exclusive on this nasty weed. Turns out it has made its way to almost every state, including Hawaii, and it grows on every continent except Antartica. How did I manage to miss it for all these years? Just lucky, I guess. But now, my lack of relationship with Johnson grass is being repaid tenfold. Every day, and especially now, in the monsoon season, I can become obsessed with it, and I know I am not alone.
School News and Youth Events
Upcoming Events
To share information about an upcoming event in the PRT Weekly News Bulletin, 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!
Award-winning early music ensemble Magdalena to perform free concert tonight in Patagonia
From Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts:
We are thrilled to announce that the Benderly-Kendall Opera House has again been selected as the first of three venues for the concert winners of the 2025 Arizona Early Music Emerging Ensemble Residency Program. This prestigious program aims to support and showcase new talents in the field of early music (music from the 14th and 15th centuries, played on period instruments). We are honored to host Magdalena—this year’s winning ensemble—at our exquisite venue in Patagonia.
We hope you won’t miss this opportunity to be part of an exciting musical event!
Join us on Wednesday, August 27 at 5pm in congratulating the performers and celebrating their dedication to enriching the world of early music!
From the Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts (SCFPA):
The announcement for our upcoming season was designed by the talented Paula Schaper and inspired by Pat McNamara’s wonderful work of art. Please mark your calendars for the 2025-2026 season at the Benderly-Kendall Opera House. Tickets will go on sale September 15.
Recurring Events
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.
Crossroads Quilters: Are you a textile artist (weaving, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting)? The Crossroads Quilters invites all interested textile artists to our meetings. Bring a project to work on and enjoy a morning of information sharing and camaraderie. We meet the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 9am at the Sonoita Bible Church, 3174 N. Highway 83. For more information email: alisbunting@gmail.com
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.
From City of Nogales/Santa Cruz County Library:
Homework Tutor (Sonoita Library)
Responsibilities: Receives supervision and direction from the Library Director or designee. Greets students and assesses each one for subject area and grade level; groups students in areas by grade level. Works one-on-one with students that have difficulty with subject at hand or with expressing themselves. Group students, no more than three to a group, if they are compatible and are working on similar projects. Alerts the Children Services Coordinator if they have a problem or need advice. While waiting for students, shelves books so they can show students where the materials are. Must have basic secondary knowledge of Math, English, and general Science courses. Skills in defining problems, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions.
Education, Certification and Requirements: Must be attending high school (junior or senior) and have good grades (A’s and B’s) OR have graduated high school and currently attending local college. Valid AZ Driver’s License.
Preferred Qualifications: Experience working with children. Knowledge of how to use computers. Familiarity of the way materials are stored in the library and willingness to learn the library system. English and Spanish language fluency.
Salary/Classification: Part-time position; FLSA non-exempt; $15.79 per hour
Close Date: Interested and qualified candidates are invited to apply by submitting a completed City of Nogales Employment Application and resume to the Human Resources Department. This position is Open Until Filled.
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 News Bulletin, website or a custom package, please contact Nisa Talavera at prtads@gmail.com or 740-206-9594.
Private collector interested in buying good quality minerals from the Patagonia area and other Arizona locations. Please contact Bob Stewart, 315-440-2786 (Sahuarita)
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