Columbus
Patagonia Regional Times
Garden Guides: Some Sage Advice – Part II
The botanical name Salvia comes from the Latin name ‘salvare’ which means to save or to heal, alluding to the medicinal properties of the plant. Salvias come in the form of shrubs, or subshrubs and are usually perennial here in zone 8. All salvias have highly aromatic leaves and tubular flowers that come out in spikes ranging in color from blue, scarlet, purple, pink, white, or yellow. Even the common sage used for cooking blooms incredible blue flowers in spring.
Dreams Are Still Dying Near Patagonia
On the day before Valentine’s Day this year, another of Alvaro Enciso’s simple wooden crosses was planted near Patagonia. Yellow among the vivid red manzanita branches, it memorializes the passing of 26-year-old Juan Villegas Chilala, whose body had been found October 18 in upper Temporal Canyon. The forces...
Glimpses Into Our Past: Crittenden Cemetery
The town of Crittenden, located about three miles north of Patagonia, was created around 1882 when the New Mexico & Arizona railroad established a stop to serve the local mines and nearby ranches. Most of the town’s buildings were located on the west side of today’s SR 83; the railroad depot was on the east side. The Crittenden Cemetery is located on private property on a small hill southwest of where the town buildings stood. Approximately 12 graves are evident at the cemetery, most of which have headstones. [State of Arizona. Historic Property Inventory Form for Cemeteries and Graves, 2012]. The names (in bold) and brief biographies of those known to be buried at Crittenden follow. Photos of the cemetery and the headstones can be found on Find a Grave (findagrave.com). Special thanks to Cami Schlappy who shared her research and photography of the Crittenden historic area.
Community Homes of Patagonia Hosts Annual Meeting
On Thursday, March 21, at 5:30, Community Homes of Patagonia (CHOP) will host its Annual Membership Meeting for its members, supporters, and those interested in learning about the local grassroots nonprofit’s mission at Cady Hall. It will be a great opportunity for everyone in attendance to learn more about...
Ask an Engineer: Bridge Design
Dear PRT reader, thank you for your question, “In my travels I have noticed a number of different bridge designs for roadway and train tracks. My question is: What are the important factors to consider in bridge design (beam, trestle arch or truss)?”. In simple terms a bridge must...
PUHS Senior Spotlights – March 2024
This month the PRT begins our series of profiles of the PUHS senior class of 2024. Look for more profiles of these talented and interesting young people in upcoming issues of the PRT. Heaven Day. By William Botz. At Patagonia Union High School, Heaven Day is an exemplary student. She...
Snake Versus Snake
A diurnal ring-necked snake (left) attempts to capitalize on a nocturnal nightsnake making a daytime appearance in Temporal Gulch. Both these creatures have a mild venom secreted through enlarged rear teeth…no danger to you. A 20-minute struggle ensued between these small (~2 feet and thin) snakes, both coiling around vegetation for leverage in the tug-of-war of life and death. In the end, the nightsnake pulled away to rethink its choice to tour the Sky Islands by day.
What Is That??
This is a battered statue on the “teacher’s desk” in the Patagonia Museum. (Our imagined teacher collects old bronzes of presidents and Indians.) It is, according to Google Lens, an antique Bronze sculpture of a corsair by Eutrope Bouret (French 1833-1906). Corsairs were privateers, authorised to conduct...
The Lesson of the Hyades and Aldebaran
Let’s take a drive. No car needed. No tolls. Leave your wallet behind. Let’s plan it for around March 10, but if you’re busy and not available, you can go it alone for another week or so before a full moon lights up the sky. And, if need be, you can even wait until the first week of April—when the sky is dark once again—to go on this spin.
A United Nations of Stoners
For the second time in my rock hounding life, I went to the Tucson Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Showcase this year. Showcases are probably a more apt description. There are five distinct shows at different locations for different durations that take place beginning mid-January and run through mid-February. If you...
Eating Our Way Through History: Red Flannel Stew
We all know someone who grabs face cheeks and coos over cuteness. That was “Aunt Odie,” aka Leota Gatlin. Leota, wife of Albert A. Gatlin of the Z Bar Ranch in Patagonia, used to apply her pincers to nephew William Gatlin even after he returned from World War II. So remembers William’s wife, Betty Gatlin, now age 99.
Patagonia’s New Recycling Program Off to a Good Start
After two months of operations, it is already clear that the Town of Patagonia’s new drop-off recycling program has been well received. Town intern Summer Smith has been keeping tabs on the level of participation and the volume of recyclable items accepted at the facility located behind the post office. She reported that on most Thursdays, nearly 100 vehicles are driven to the recycling area where several town personnel and Patagonia Recycling Task Force volunteers unload the recyclables and place them in the two roll-off containers supplied by Republic Services, one for cardboard, the other for mixed recyclables.
Letter to the Editor – March 2024
Every year, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) evaluates each school in the state and assigns a letter grade to that school. These letter grades, A to F, are based on a variety of factors including state assessment results, English learner assessment results, attendance, special education metrics and graduation rates. The ADE also looks at students’ readiness for their next educational steps, whether to high school or to college and careers.
Patagonia Church Thrift Shop Benefits Local Nonprofits
The Patagonia Community Church Missions Committee reports grants given from its Community Thrift Shop 2023 revenue to ten local charities: $800 to the East Santa Cruz Food Bank, $800 to the Patagonia Volunteer Fire Department, $600 to Patagonia Youth Enrichment Program, $500 to CHOP Home Improvement Program, $500 to Patagonia Regional Aquatic Center, $1000 to Nogales Crossroads Mission, $500 to Patagonia Creative Arts Association, $500 to Senior Citizens of Patagonia, $500 to Patagonia Museum and $500 to the Patagonia Library.
Notes From SEFD: Fighting a Fire, Part 1
In 2023 Sonoita-Elgin Fire District (SEFD) responded to 82 wildland fires and several vehicle and structure fires. When a fire breaks out, how are we notified and what happens then?. All 911 calls in Santa Cruz County go to the SCC Sheriff’s Office (SCCSO), though calls originating close to the...
Spring Into Action at the Community Garden
If you haven’t been to visit the Patagonia Community Garden in awhile, you’ll be surprised! We have vibrant green winter veggies growing in our new raised container bed along Smelter Avenue. The beautiful ceramic flower plate sculptures adorning the fence are the creations of Jan Herron and Gama Leyva. The garden in front of the Buddha is dug up and ready for new plantings. Our restored greenhouse is full of seed trays and seedlings. Several winter gardens are thriving.
Lobos Baseball Excited for Fresh Start This Spring
You might think, coming off a 2023 baseball season in which the Patagonia Lobos lost all 15 of their games, that enthusiasm for the new season would be in short supply. “Actually, it’s been a very pleasant surprise,” coach Ricardo Padilla said. “I’ve coached a number of years, and I’ve never seen this much excitement from a group of kids.”
Basketball Squads Wrap Up Successful Seasons
The trend line for the Patagonia High School basketball season was one of a steady upward climb. Both girls and boys teams overcame shaky starts to achieve a measure of success greater than the previous year. For the Lobo girls, who lost three of their first four games, it was...
New Teacher Joins Elgin School
Dr. Jerome Ramirez, the new middle school language arts teacher at the Elgin School, began teaching his sixth, seventh and eighth grade students on January 3. “My students are amazing and way beyond my expectations,” he said in a recent interview with the PRT. “It’s like heaven. There are no problems. They are well-behaved, respectful and have a thirst for knowledge.”
Three New Members Join PRT Board
Elvia Gallaher grew up on the Oak Bar Ranch outside of Patagonia. She attended Little Red School and Patagonia Union High School before enrolling at NAU, where she earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education. She taught in Phoenix before moving back to Patagonia...
Patagonia Regional Times
944+
Posts
1M+
Views
Patagonia Regional Times is a free monthly publication serving the Mountain Empire communities of Canelo, Elgin, Patagonia and Sonoita in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.