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Patagonia Regional Times
Local Knowledge
Let’s start at the beginning. As a newly minted resident of Sonoita, I’ve got no rightful claim of being considered a “local.” Hope to earn that distinction some day, but I realize it’s an exclusive club. As for “knowledge,” best I can claim is that, unlike my friends from Nebraska (it’s an old football joke), I know how to spell it.
Cone of Devastation
This spring, I was delighted to learn of the Hobbs administration’s intent to revoke water-pumping permits for the Saudi operators looking to raise alfalfa in La Paz County. It was a very welcome bold stroke that sent a clear message to “big ag” about our water priorities in Arizona.
How We Can Keep Our Communities Unique
Our built environment increasingly looks the same, no matter where you happen to be. We see the same big box retail stores, the same drive-thru coffee shops, and the same gas stations on every corner. But some areas have managed to retain a unique feeling. Eastern Santa Cruz County is one of those areas. Our mix of minimally developed open space (ranches and vineyards, nature preserves, protected watersheds) and small communities with a village-like atmosphere make this area recognizably special to those who live and visit here. In urban planning we call this quality ‘community character.’ Many would agree that our area’s community character should be embraced and preserved, especially as it positively impacts our tourism economy.
We Are All in This Together
In March, we wrote the Nogales International (NI) a letter, ‘Enough of South32’s Tokens,’ about our public officials bending over backwards to assist any form of development in our County. At that time it appeared the negative impacts would accrue to the east side of Santa Cruz County while the west may have thought it would benefit from South32’s largesse. But how quickly the script has changed, with the rapid approval process for Rio Rico/I-19 Economic Development Corridor recently outlined by the NI article, “Rezoning battle continues in Rio Rico.” Approval would open a large swath of Rio Rico and the Santa Cruz River area to industrial development.
There’s No Place Like Home
On a recent trip north, I wandered into a gas station convenience store to buy a lottery ticket and a Gatorade. Upon entering the store, I noticed right away that the clerk behind the counter was a little off. He kept reminding the customer in front of me to “keep it cheesy” as he swayed back and forth, apparently unable to stand still.
What Has Happened to Recycling?
After nearly four years of working with my colleagues on the Patagonia Recycling Task Force, it is with considerable disappointment that lately I see little evidence of recycling activity in and around Patagonia. Created in early 2020 primarily to address the contamination that plagued the town’s drop off facility and...
The Joy of Animosity
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah, 2:4. 700 B.C. Could have fooled me!. For the past week or so, with the mercury north of 100 degrees, a...
Kids’ Art on Display
The Patagonia Creative Arts Association’s Summer Art Camp went off without a hitch during the month of June. Teaching artists helped campers make paper collages, marble mazes, ceramic birds and bowls. Ms. Tammie, a longtime Summer Art Camp instructor led a class on homemade kites where kids learned how to sew on a sewing machine. The highlight of this year’s Camp was a trip to the Sonoita Creek where kids were given permission to trek trough the water during the hottest part of June. Summer Camp ended with an art show at the Patagonia Museum and a BBQ potluck for friends and family on June 29.
How Grapes Become Wine
Deep Sky Vineyard is a custom crush facility in Elgin that processes wine for Deep Sky, Rune, Autumn Sage, and Omphalos wineries. Most of the larger wineries in southern Arizona process their own wines, but, for some, a custom crush facility makes economic sense, the necessary machinery being so expensive. “They bring the grapes, and they get them back bottled,” said Kim Asmundson, co-owner of Deep Sky.
Inside Omphalos Winery, Elgin’s Newest Vineyard
Omphalos Winery, owned by Tom Messier and his wife, Teresa, is the latest winery to locate in the Elgin-Sonoita area, the 20th vineyard to be established in eastern Santa Cruz County. The Messiers are currently making white, red, rosé, and fruit wines under their Omphalos label, and are offering their...
Step By Step
The various trails in and around Patagonia have been given some love recently by several organizations, often aided by residents. Here’s a look at what’s been happening on the trails, and what may be coming in the future. The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy (TNC)’s Geoffrey Platts Trail...
Kiyo Taylor, Sky Island Silversmith
One need not look too far in our Sky Island area to find creative and very talented artists. One of them is Elgin-based Kiyo Taylor, whose exquisite silverwork and jewelry have garnered return customers from all over the world. A difficult family situation spurred Taylor, a Colorado native, to drop...
A poem by Lily Armenta
Lily Armenta wrote this prize-winning poem for the recent Sonoita Library poetry contest. We hope you appreciated this article. Before you move on, please consider taking the step of supporting the Patagonia Regional Times. You are able to access our free reporting about our community because of our donors who support local, nonpartisan, quality journalism. Our supporters keep us independent, beholden to no outside influence and accessible to everyone – whether they can afford to pay for local news, or not.
What Is That?? Curios From the Patagonia Museum (Aug 2023)
This item is on loan to the Patagonia Museum from the Arizona Geological Survey. It is a rock splitter. Prospectors and miners could examine the interior surfaces of the ore specimens with this tool. Age unknown.
Sinema Bill Names Patagonia Post Office After Late Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema sponsored bipartisan legislation to rename the Patagonia Post Office as the “Jim Kolbe Memorial Post Office.” The Senator’s bill honors and memorializes the late Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe, a public servant who advocated for Arizonans for over 30 years, first in the Arizona Senate and then in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Stone Techniques for Land Restoration Spiced with Live Music
At 7am, in the relative coolness of Saturday morning, July 15, Borderlands Restoration Network (BRN) held a restoration awareness event as a walk among six of its projects in the Borderlands Wildlife Reserve along SR 82 north of Patagonia. Zach Farley, Watershed Restoration Crew Leader, led a group of ten on a walk among the sites, and used the rock structures to share permaculture principles for containing erosion and slowing waterflow in washes. At each site, Zach encouraged awareness of what water was doing there, where it had come from and where it was headed.
Spending the Day With BECY Students
One day last week, Kathy Pasierb remarked, “I just had the best day! I worked with ten high school kids getting their impressions of the cemetery trail. Friends of Sonoita Creek are going to write a trail guide and we want to use their words and impressions of the trail.”
The Hidden Problem
Many of you who are new to the community do not know about our non-profit. Though we started our current services in 2016, our organization has been helping residents since 1976. More than 80 per cent of our clients live on $1000/month or less. Imagine you live on $880 a...
Jackson Withdraws Rio Rico Proposal, Aug. 15 Board Hearing Canceled
Landowner Andrew Jackson has formally withdrawn his controversial applications to reclassify over 3,500 acres of land in Rio Rico, according to a press release late this afternoon from Santa Cruz County Community Development Director Frank Dillon. As a result, a Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors hearing scheduled for the...
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Patagonia Regional Times is a free monthly publication serving the Mountain Empire communities of Canelo, Elgin, Patagonia and Sonoita in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
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