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News
Rules for the road
By Alison Bunting
The Arizona Department of Transportation began construction on the Interstate 10: Amole Interchange and Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation Project on Nov. 12. The east- and westbound I-10 left lanes are closed from milepost 292 to milepost 293 through spring 2026. As a result there is a 14-foot vehicle width restriction in place and all oversize loads will be traveling on SR83, SR82 and SR90.
This project won’t be completed until Spring 2026, so we’ve gathered some information that we hope will assist everyone in planning travel.
Some of the rules and regulations that apply to oversize loads:
- Travel is restricted to daytime hours (generally 30 mins before sunrise to 30 mins after sunset), though special permits can be issued for nighttime travel.
- The City of Tucson restricts travel of oversize loads during rush hour (7 to 9 am and 4 to 6 pm). This applies to travel on I-10 during these hours.
- Weekend travel is generally not permitted, though special permits can be issued for weekend travel.
- Loads over 12’ – 14’ must have a front and rear escort
- Loads over 14’ – 16’ must have a front and rear escort and 2-3 law enforcement escorts.
A few assumptions/suggestions based on the rules and recent experience. Due to the weekend travel restrictions, Mondays may have especially heavy oversize load traffic; that was certainly the case the week of December 8-12. The City of Tucson rush hour restrictions may mean that westbound oversize traffic won’t begin before 8am. If you are traveling to Tucson via SR83 or Sierra Vista via SR82 on weekdays daylight hours plan to add an extra 30 minutes to your usual travel time. Getting an early start and avoiding Mondays may also help.
Note from the editor: See Dave Lumia’s article about the hazards facing motorists on local highways in the Jan. 2026 edition of the PRT.
County invites South32, ADEQ and hydrogeologist to discuss recent Hermosa water sampling results
News release from Santa Cruz County:
Dec. 30, 2025 – The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has invited South32, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), and local Hydrogeologist Chris Gardner, RG, to provide information regarding the recent water sampling results from the South32 Hermosa Mine. The sampling, conducted to meet the conditions of the mine’s Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Individual Aquifer Protection Permit, revealed an elevated presence of antimony, a regulated pollutant.
The detection of elevated antimony triggered a mandatory ADEQ review under state environmental regulations. These meetings will be an opportunity for stakeholders to update the community and respond to questions.
Meeting Schedule
- South32 Jan 7, 2026 9:30 am 2150 N. Congress Drive, RM120, Nogales
- ADEQ Jan 21, 2026 9:30 am 2150 N. Congress Drive, RM120, Nogales
- Chris Gardner, RG Feb 4, 2026 9:30 am 2150 N. Congress Drive, RM 120, Nogales
Submit Questions
We encourage all attendees to participate respectfully during the sessions. To support a timely and organized discussion, questions may be submitted in advance to clerkoftheboard@santacruzcountyaz.gov.
Members of the community will also have an opportunity to ask questions during the meeting; however, time will be limited. The sessions will also be available on the Santa Cruz County YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@santacruzcountyarizona.
For more information about the South32 Hermosa Project water quality permitting, visit the ADEQ website: https://azdeq.gov/wqd/hermosa-south32.
Click here to view the County’s entire press release.
2025, as covered by the PRT
By Marion Venditouli
As we step into 2026, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the contributions of our volunteer citizen journalists. The PRT has filed over 450 articles in 2025, bringing you unique local stories that inform, inspire, and connect our readers to our community.
I am so proud of all the stories that the PRT brought to you this past year. Click on any of the issues below to read the articles that our staff and volunteer citizen journalists have worked so hard to bring you.
2025 has not been an easy year for many of us, globally, nationally, locally, and personally. It feels like dark times are upon us. But the heart of this community keeps beating. You can find proof of that in our stories about community support for our food banks, events at our Fairgrounds, our dedicated teachers and coaches, our kids’ achievements on and off the sports fields, our fire and rescue departments, friends and family coming together to honor those who have passed, along with a whole host of other examples.
I am also so grateful for all the support our readers have shown us during this past year. Your contributions have made a difference, enabling us to bring local news, at no cost, to all our readers. I’m looking forward to seeing what opportunities the new year holds for us all.
Click on the cover image of any issue below to view a PDF of the entire issue.
Obituary
Public Service Announcements
To submit an announcement, please email prtadast@gmail.com. Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
School News and Youth Events
To report school news or list an event, please email prtadast@gmail.com. Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
From Elgin School, Jan. 2:
Upcoming Events
To list an event, please submit an image file 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!
Recurring Events
To list an event, please email prtadast@gmail.com. Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
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: The OA Sky Islands Recovery group meets every Wednesday 11am-12noon at the East Santa Cruz County (ESCC) Food Bank at 772 Harshaw Ave in the meeting room at the end of the driveway. For additional meeting info, 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 email prtadast@gmail.com. Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
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 Community United Methodist Church
Click here to consult the PRT’s ‘Community Calendar’ for additional events and meetings.
Our Advertisers
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