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Photo of the week
Above: Monsoon lightning, July 12. Photographer Yuri Ouskov said he got the shot “south of the Huachuca mountains, in the middle of nowhere, but a great place for photographing storms. I did not plan it — I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
News
Santa Cruz All-Stars eliminated in hard-luck loss
The Santa Cruz Little League 9-11-year-old All-Stars were eliminated from the state tournament Tuesday night with a 3-2 loss to Gilbert American Little League in Tempe.
Santa Cruz, representing the smallest league among 14 competing at the state tournament, finished 2-2 at state after going 4-0 in the District 8 tournament. The local All-Stars opened with a 3-0 loss to Goodyear, followed by a pair of victories — 12-9 over Arrowhead and 24-0 over Kingman — before bowing out on Tuesday.
Microburst topples massive tree in Sonoita
Marlene Simmons returned home to Sonoita on Sunday to discover massive storm damage in her back yard. (Photo by Marlene Simmons) 
Simmons said the storm toppled a tree that stood nearly 70 feet tall and had been on the property for decades before she moved in 33 years ago. (Photo by Pat McNamara) 
For perspective, neighbor Jewell Anderson, who helped Simmons clean up, stands 5-foot-9. (Photo by Pat McNamara)
By Pat McNamara
“It was like losing my best friend,” Sonoita resident Marlene Simmons lamented upon discovering the devastation an apparent microburst delivered to her back yard on Sunday night.
The friend in question stood nearly 70 feet tall and had resided on the property well before her arrival.
Simmons said she had never experienced such a damaging storm in her 33 years living off of Highway 83, south of town. “Thank God it didn’t hit the house,” she said. “I’m sad because it used to shade my east wall.”
The storm hit while she was away on Sunday and was a shocking discovery to return home to. “It brought me to tears when we pulled in the driveway,” she said.
The storm also took out a neighbor’s tree and did some damage to their roof.
Simmons will miss her giant friend that was there for decades before she moved in, but she was grateful that other friends are there to help clear out the remnants of the storm’s wreckage.
Donations enable Humane Society to delay closure
By Dave Lumia
An influx of more than $140,000 in donations will enable the Santa Cruz Humane Society to postpone its shutdown date until the end of the year.
The nonprofit Humane Society, which operates a no-kill shelter for dogs and cats at 232 E. Patagonia Highway in Nogales, announced in early July that it would be forced to shut its doors in the fall due to dwindling contributions. The shelter’s annual expenses are estimated at about $384,000.
Since the announcement, members of the community have stepped up with enough donations to extend the organization’s closure timeline, but not its ultimate fate. Its goal is to remain open until all the remaining animals at the shelter are adopted or rehomed at other rescue organizations.
“We will stay open as long as there are funds out there,” said Sue Rogers, president and executive director of the Humane Society board of directors. “I’m so grateful to the people who want us to stay open and help the animals, and I know they want to try to save the shelter, but the funds aren’t there continuously. Right now we can’t take in any dogs or cats because I’ve got these dogs and cats adopted or sent out to rescues before we can do anything.”
Rogers said Wednesday there are still “28 dogs and some cats” in need of homes.
Santa Cruz County also operates a shelter for dogs and cats at 1368 N. Hohokam Drive, but it has a smaller capacity than the Humane Society, is often full and is inadequate to meet the needs of the animals housed at and turned into the Humane Society.
At Wednesday’s meeting of the County Board of Supervisors, county manager Jesus Valdez said he had met with Pima County deputy manager Steve Holmes to discuss possible collaboration between the counties on animal control and management efficiencies in the near-term.
The county has studied constructing a modern, larger facility, and preliminary plans for such a facility came in with an estimated cost of $10 million, according to deputy county manager and finance director Mauricio Chavez. Construction of a new facility is one of several capital projects suggested as a possibility if voters approve an increase in the county’s annual spending limitation on the November ballot.
The ballot measure was approved at a July 8 meeting of the county Board of Supervisors. Numerous speakers at the meeting expressed support for a new shelter, though the cost estimate met some resistance. It was suggested that a less ambitious project would be more affordable and readily achieved.
“Why not a $1 million, $2 million facility,” asked Robin Lucky of Rio Rico. “We have got to move on this now.”
Elgin residents report missing mail-in ballots
By Carrie White
Chaun Copus of Elgin has voted in every election since she turned 21. Which was 66 years ago. For 25 of those years, she’s been voting by mail, as she is disabled.
Not this year. She never got a ballot.
“I was out of town over the July 4th weekend, and the mail-in ballots were mailed by the (county) recorder’s office on June 24,” Copus said. Back in town on July 7, there was no ballot in her box. Consequently, she contacted the recorder’s office, which canceled her initial ballot and issued a new one.
That one never came either.
Other Elgin residents are in the same ballot-less boat, including Jenny and Frank Whitehead and Sue Downing.
“I know of nine registered voters in Elgin who have not received their ballot,” Downing said.
Frank Whitehead has been voting by mail for 16 years. “We’ve moved three times during that span and never had any issues receiving ballots,” he said.
Through the ballot tracking system, Downing knows her ballot was sent, but it never arrived in her locked mailbox.
Which has led to some speculation. The Trump Administration has fiercely opposed voting by mail and issued at executive order calling on the U.S. Postal System to handle mail-in ballots only from voters on preapproved lists. However, a federal judge in Washington blocked the Postal Service from carrying out changes to its delivery of mail-in ballots following Postmaster General David Steiner’s testimony before the Senate in June that ballots would not be delivered in states that declined to hand over sensitive, unredacted voter records to the U.S. Department of Justice. Arizona was one of those states.
Santa Cruz County Recorder Anita Moreno noted that her office has been receiving calls from voters regarding undelivered ballots and is currently working with Postal Services processing and distribution center personnel in Phoenix to determine what happened to them. All ballots bear a tracking number, and Moreno is hoping information will soon be forthcoming. She would encourage anyone who did not get an early mail-in ballot to contact her office.
“We’re trying to get to the bottom of this because it is a little bit ridiculous,” said Moreno, who has been in office since 2023.
Whitehead said he plans on going to a voting center on election day — a first for him.
As for Copus, the county recorder is arranging for a registered Republican and a registered Democrat to hand-carry a ballot to her ranch. That ballot will be delivered to the county recorder’s office in Nogales in a sealed bag.
The Santa Cruz County Recorder can be reached at (520) 375-7999 or amoreno@santacruzcountyaz.gov
Meet the candidates: Justice of the Peace
Two candidates, incumbent Adriana Olaiz (left) and challenger Miguel Lopez (right), are on the ballot in the July 21 primary election to be the Democratic party nominee for Santa Cruz County Justice of the Peace.
Both of the candidates responded to an email questionnaire from the PRT regarding their candidacy. Click here to read their responses.
County sends spending limit increase to November ballot
By Dave Lumia
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on July 8 to place a measure on the November ballot asking voters to approve an increase in its annual spending limit by $19.8 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2027.
The board’s vote came after public hearings at the county complex in Nogales on July 1 and July 8.
Deputy County Manager Mauricio Chavez explained that the increase would provide long-term stability and allow the county to keep pace with expenses that are rising faster than the Annual Expenditure Limitation formula currently allows, while also enabling the county to spend additional revenues that are anticipated over the next 20 years, in large part due to South32’s Hermosa mining project coming online.
“The county’s operating costs and revenues have been growing faster than the formula’s population and inflation growth factor,” Chavez said. “It’s an old formula that’s keeping us from being able to move forward.”
Chavez stressed that if the measure is approved by voters, “this is not a tax increase, it will not increase tax rates, it will not impose any new taxes or impose any type of fee. It only adjusts the authority of what the board can spend.”
If the measure fails to pass, the county would be bound by its current spending limitation and be unable to spend any additional revenues that are collected above the limit. Chavez said they would be banked in an escrow account. The PRT sought clarification from the Arizona Auditor General’s office as to whether there are provisions requiring the return of excess funds to the taxpayers via tax decreases or other means but did not receive a response.
Click here to continue reading this article.
Get ready to go back to school
School is back in session in less than two weeks. Here’s a roundup of activities provided by local schools to get the young folks and their parents prepared.
Thursday, July 23 — Meet the Teacher, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, July 27 — First Day of School
Tuesday, Aug. 18 — School Pictures
Monday, July 27 — Freshman Orientation, 10 a.m.
Wednesday, July 29 — Open House and Meet the Teachers, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3 — First Day of School
Monday, July 27 — First Day of School
Border wall construction: The view from Mexico
Ruben Peralta, former mayor of Santa Cruz, Sonora, sends along this video of border wall construction from the Mexican side of the border. In the video, he says that the construction is currently about 100 meters from the Santa Cruz River.
Obituary
Shirley Ann Ambrose, 1934-2026
Public Service Announcements
To submit an announcement, please email prtadast@gmail.com. Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
From Santa Cruz County:
JP-East Justice Court services are available every first and third Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Sonoita Community Space/County Building. We provide civil services, including small claims, civil complaints, evictions, orders of protection and weddings — bringing access to justice closer to Elgin, Sonoita, Canelo and Patagonia. We’re here to serve our community with fairness, empathy and integrity. Call: (520) 375-7661.
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. To list an event, please submit by Monday, 5pm. Remember to submit your event at least one week before the event date. Thank you!
Info for families regarding the National School Lunch Program
Press release from Sonoita Elementary School District:
Sonoita Elementary School District #25 announced its policy for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the National School Lunch Program. Elgin School offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.75; lunch costs $3.00. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $ .30 for breakfast and $ .40 for lunch.
To apply for free or reduced-price meals, households may fill out the application and return it to the school unless your children qualify for free benefits (see below). Application forms are being distributed to all households with a letter informing households of the availability of free and reduced-price meals for their children and what is required to complete on the application. Applications also are available at the Elgin School Office. The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and verification of data. Applications may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials. An application for free or reduced-price benefits cannot be approved unless it contains complete eligibility information as indicated on the application and instructions.
Here is the complete press release:
Our Open House will be prior to the school year, this year so that all students and parents can meet their teachers before classes begin. We look forward to seeing all of you.
From Elgin School Parent Teacher Club:
The Elgin PTC is looking for new members to join our team and help make our school an even more amazing place for our students, staff, and families! Whether you can volunteer a few hours a month or help with a specific event, there is a place for everyone in the PTC! Interested in learning more? Send us a message at Elginptc@elgink12.com. We’d love to have you join our flock! Together, we can help Elgin soar even higher!
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!
In response to the forthcoming closure of the Santa Cruz Humane Society, the City of Nogales and Santa Cruz County Animal Control are sponsoring a 5K and pet adoption event from 6 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Karam Park, 159 N. Morley Ave. in downtown Nogales. The Humane Society is looking to rehome about 30 animals prior to closing this fall due to lack of sustainable funding. The adoption fee for a dog or cat is $10 and includes Parvo/Distemper shot for dogs or RCP vaccination for cats.
From Borderlands Nursery & Seed:
Our second bilingual Native Plant Propagation & Nursery Management Workshop of 2026 is coming up on Saturday, August 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and we only have a few spots left for participants!
Join us for an informative class to learn about all things related to running and managing a native plant nursery, such as propagating native plants from both seeds and cuttings, seed and plant sourcing, plant lists, dormancy, mechanical scarification, temperature stratification, transplanting, pot sizes for retail vs. restoration needs, irrigation, soil type, timelines, and more. The nursery will also be open for shopping.
Sign up at borderlandsplants.org
Recurring Events
To list an event, please email prtadast@gmail.com. Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format. Remember to submit your event at least one week before the event date. Thank you!
Fresh vegetable distribution Mondays at the Patagonia Senior Center
Come with friends and pick up your weekly fresh vegetables from East Santa Cruz County Community Food Bank every Monday at the Patagonia Senior Center (100 Quiroga Ln, Patagonia) at 10:30am. Take what you need and give what you can.
The Sonoita Food Pantry at The Vine Church is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Monthly bird walks at the Paton Center
From the Paton Center:
Fun news: we will now be having regular monthly Paton Center bird walks led by docent Wayne Smith on the fourth Saturday of every month! Join us for a relaxing morning featuring short, easy walks (less than a mile total) along trails like the Cuckoo Corridor and Gray Hawk Birding Trail. We’ll also spend some unhurried time enjoying the activity around the bird feeders.
-Alexis Stark, Paton Center Site Manager
Boat tours at Patagonia Lake State Park
Every Saturday and Sunday, $7 per adult, $5 per child (13 years and under)
- 9 a.m. Avian Adventure Tour
- 10:15 a.m. Avian Adventure Tour
- 11:30 a.m. Lake Discovery Tour
- Twilight Tour on Saturdays only. Time varies.
Call the park to make your reservation: 520-287-2791
Boat rentals are available at the Patagonia Lake Marina.
Alcoholics Anonymous:
- Sonoita Bible Church – Tuesdays at 7pm, 3174 N. Highway 83, Sonoita. Doors open at 6:30. 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.
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.
We are hiring a full time Nursery and Seed Specialist for the Borderlands Restoration Network Native Plant Program in Patagonia, AZ!
This position is a full time year round position responsible for assisting with nursery management and retail nursery and seed sales in the native plant program with a full-time benefits package. Apply by Monday, July 20.
For more details visit www.borderlandsrestoration.org/employment.
Questions email afclaverie@borderlandsrestoration.org
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
To advertise in the PRT’s print edition, Weekly News Bulletin or website – or a custom package – contact Priscilla Bolanos at prtads@gmail.com or 520-313-6062.
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A 2026 CORE Grant from the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona provides the Patagonia Regional Times with valuable operating support.