Circle Z Ranch is the PRT Weekly News Bulletin’s Premier Sponsor for 2026. We are grateful for their partnership. If you’re interested in sponsoring the Bulletin, click here for more information.
Got an eye-catching photo or video? A community or nonprofit event announcement or report? Maybe a volunteer opportunity, or birth/graduation/wedding news, or an obituary? Share your news with the PRT’s Weekly News Bulletin’s 2,000 subscribers! Email us at prtadast@gmail.com
News
ADOT attempting to ease wide load traffic on 82, 83 and 90
Cochise County sheriff reports being nearly run off the road by a wide load
By Dave Lumia
As commuter frustration and safety concerns mount over wide-load diversions onto State Highways 83 and 82, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has loosened the width restrictions on Interstate 10 in hopes of minimizing the number of oversized vehicles on the two-lane highways.
The new restrictions allow vehicles up to 16-feet wide to remain on Interstate 10 during bridge repairs between Mileposts 292 and 293. The repairs, scheduled to continue through spring, have reduced both eastbound and westbound traffic to one lane. The previous restrictions required loads wider than 14 feet to detour off of the interstate onto Highways 83, 82 and 90. The extra traffic on Highway 83 has been especially problematic for local residents because of its curvy nature and lack of shoulder and areas to safely pull off the roadway. In addition to frequent delays, numerous commuters said they feared being pushed into ravines or roadside ditches, and at least one Sonoita resident reported that her recreational vehicle was clipped and damaged by a passing load.
Steve Elliott, ADOT’s assistant director of communications, said the revised restrictions were a result of feedback from the community and a letter from District 19 State Rep. Gail Griffin, with the goal of sending fewer “escorted” wide loads on the two-lane highways. Any loads wider than 14 feet are required to have law enforcement escorts and are supposed to be scheduled at 30-minute intervals.
“In response to concerns that were shared with ADOT, we worked with our project contractor to increase the width restriction,” Elliott said. “It is our understanding that this will allow through most—though not all—Class C oversize loads that (were) required to use the detour route. In addition, we’ve included message boards and information on AZ511.”
Griffin sent a letter to ADOT director Jennifer Toth and Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) director Jeffrey Glover on Dec. 29 demanding immediate prohibition of wide loads on Highways 82 and 83.
Griffin said on Monday that ADOT and DPS acknowledged receipt of her letter but she was waiting for further response.
“I’m still on them,” she said. “They’ve had a week now to analyze what they’re doing.”
Griffin said she travels between her home in Hereford and Phoenix on a weekly basis, and what should be a 30-minute stretch between her home and the interstate routinely takes an hour or more. But the delays are secondary to safety concerns.
“Some of the calls I’ve gotten are absolutely unreal,” she said. “For us to allow that to happen is absolutely ridiculous. It’s been very poorly planned.’’
Griffin’s letter called the situation a “life-and-death safety issue” and also noted that Cochise County sheriff Mark Dannels was among those who had been nearly run off the road.
Dannels told the PRT that he and his wife were driving on the 82 near Rain Valley when their vehicle was approached by a DPS wide-load escort. “We pulled over, about 60 percent off the road, and he said you need to get further off the road,” Dannels said. “The problem with that is there was nowhere else to go.”
Highway 82 traverses both Santa Cruz and Cochise County, and though it’s not as narrow or curvy as the 83, Dannels said he’s received numerous complaints from Cochise residents.
“I spoke to DPS about it, looking for solutions with them,” he said. “I know it’s a big issue on my side of the county.
“There’s got to be a better solution than this. People are frustrated. This is an ADOT problem. ADOT needs to fix it.”
While the wider passage on I-10 should reduce the number of escorted wide loads using the two-lane highways, it won’t be a cure-all. Oversized loads—escorted or otherwise—have been a thorn in the side of Highway 83 commuters for years, though not an issue of this magnitude. The problem is that except in metropolitan areas, there are few alternatives for rerouting traffic in any direction in the event of road construction or accidents.
On Saturday, Jan. 3, eastbound I-10 was closed for at least two hours for a traffic incident, forcing all eastbound traffic south on the 83 and east on the 82. Dannels said he heard that traffic was backed up for eight miles.
“The only information I have is that an oversized load became disabled,” said DPS spokesman Kameron Lee. “I am not sure what the cause was.”
State education head visits Elgin School, addresses hot topics in Q & A session
By Marion Vendituoli
Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne defended his department’s controversial policies during a visit yesterday to Elgin School.
Horne was at the school to showcase a new AI tutoring tool that the school will be using to support teachers and students. After a brief school assembly, where he presented Elgin Superintendent/Principal Dan Erickson with an Exemplary Academic Achievement Award plaque, Horne sat down with Erickson, Sonoita School District Board members, staff and invited members of the press to take questions.
Many of the questions centered around the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program which has provided funding for more than 91,000 students to leave the public school system, siphoning money away from state funding for public schools.
Horne praised the ESA program, saying “it would be a crisis as far as the state budget goes” if those students who were benefiting from the ESA program were all enrolled in public schools.
Queried about the negative effects of students leaving public schools, Horne responded that public schools wouldn’t be losing these students if they did a better job. “If they would work harder, they wouldn’t lose students,” Horne said.
Horne did not address the lack of funding for public schools, saying that funding was a function of the legislature, not his office, nor did he address the fact that families are abandoning public education even in high-performing school districts.
The Elgin School earned an A rating from the state in the most recent assessment period, Superintendent Erickson was named Arizona Superintendent of the Year for Small School Districts, faculty members have won numerous county and state awards, and the students perform well on all assessment testing. In spite of this, the school has lost two students this year to alternative schooling, bringing the total number of students in the district whose families have opted out of public education to 82, according to Graham Krewinghaus of the Nogales International.
School board member Harry Dotson asked Horne if he supported academic and financial accountability for home-schooled, private and charter school students. “I haven’t taken a position on that,” Horne replied.
Horne was asked about President Trump’s proposal to require schools to pay $100,000 for each foreign teacher employed at the school. Elgin School currently has two teachers from the Philippines. Such move by the Trump administration could put undue pressure on the small school’s budget and would likely worsen Arizona’s statewide teacher shortage. Horne said he opposed Trump’s proposal.
Sr. Clare Renquin has died at age 98, Funeral Mass set for Thursday
From Santa Rita Abbey, Jan. 4:
Our beloved Sr. Clare Renquin went home to God early on the morning of January 1, 2026.
She was 98 years old and had been 73 years in monastic vows. In 1972 she was one of the six nuns sent from our motherhouse, Mt. St. Mary’s Abbey in Massachusetts, to found our monastery of Santa Rita here in the high desert of Southern Arizona.
Funeral Mass will be on Thursday, January 8, at 9:00 a.m.
May our beloved Sister rest in peace!
Ike Isakson memorial events scheduled
From Patagonia Volunteer Fire & Rescue:
A memorial service will be held at Patagonia Union High School (200 Naugle Ave) on Saturday, January 17, at 11:00am with all friends, family, community members and anyone else welcome to attend. Those who knew Ike are invited to share stories and memories that celebrate the remarkable life he lived.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made in Ike’s memory to Patagonia Volunteer Fire & Rescue.
Click here to read the Jan. 3 announcement of Ike’s passing.
Public Service Announcements
To submit an announcement, please email prtadast@gmail.com. Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
Free food distribution this Saturday in Patagonia
From East Santa Cruz County Community Food Bank:
Come pick up your food bag at the Food Bank, 772 Harshaw Ave, Patagonia on Saturday January 10, between 8:30 am and 10:30 am. Ground beef, eggs, fresh tortillas included this month!
From Santa Cruz County Health Services:
Flu cases are on the rise, with new strains circulating this season. Staying informed and following current health guidance can help protect you and those around you.
If you have symptoms, concerns, or questions about prevention, vaccination, and treatment, talk with your healthcare provider for personalized advice. Prevention starts with awareness.
From Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva:
Congresswoman Grijalva invites you to meet with her staff for help concerning federal agencies this January. Our office can support with questions about Social Security & Medicare, U.S. Passport Services, Internal Revenue Service, the Veterans Administration, Citizenship & Immigration Services and more.
From Patagonia Public Library:
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!
Potluck Presentations at the Research Ranch resume Friday, Jan. 9
From Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society:
This Friday at the Research Ranch Potluck Presentation join Chris Prewitt, from University of Arizona, to learn more about the history of Chiricahua Leopard Frog conservation and ongoing recovery efforts in southeastern Arizona.
Friday, January 9, 2026 5 p.m. to 7 p.m at Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch. Bring a dish to share. RSVP required! Sign up for this and future potlucks here: https://bit.ly/2026potlucks
From Friends of Sonoita Creek:
You are invited to the LABrary Water Monitoring Workshop January 13th
@ 10:30am at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia, AZ
Hosted by Friends of Sonoita Creek and the Tucson Bird Alliance
Facilitated by ADEQ’s Meghan Smart and Audrey Ridge for citizen scientists looking to learn or enhance skills to submit credible data about water monitoring of special riparian areas in Arizona
This is the 1st ever LABrary workshop training opportunity to learn about how to use the new ASU granted water monitoring equipment featuring: small group learning centers
- Multiprobe: Ph, conductivity, temperature, barometric pressure, etc
- Turbidity Meter: measures the clarity or cloudiness of water
- Flow Meter: measure the exact flow of a moving body of water
- Critter Cube Game: identification of “critters” in riparian habitats
- Snacks and Drinks Provided
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
For information on advertising in the PRT’s print edition, Weekly News Bulletin, website or a custom package, contact Priscilla Bolanos at prtads@gmail.com or 520-313-6062.
Want to know when a new PRT Weekly News Bulletin is out? You can receive an email the moment our Weekly News Bulletin is published every Wednesday. Click here to join the PRT email list.