Local News in Santa Cruz County

Editor’s Note: October 2026

Summer is officially behind us, and for that we’re all grateful. Changing of the season means the PRT is back on its monthly print production cycle. We have traditionally skipped two editions in the summer because – so I’m told – that summer is the slow season. And maybe that’s…

Download the October 2026 issue of the PRT

Click here or below to download a PDF of the October, 2026, print edition of the PRT.

Starstruck: Sirius, the Dog Star

Sirius, the Dog Star, headlines a glorious southern sky in October that is best viewed before sunrise.

A Witness to History: Border Monument 111 speaks to the then and now

A walled-off border monument in the San Rafael Valley speaks to the progression of political, social and cultural norms that have changed since the 1853 Gadsden Purchase.

Monsoon rarities

The above-average monsoon rainfall seemed to roll out the red carpet for a wide range of species, flourishing in various local habitats.

Take a Hike: Josephine Canyon Trail

Many people believe Josephine Canyon is the most beautiful area in the Santa Rita Mountains, and I agree.

Heartbreak among the cottonwoods

I didn't want to see what was happening to my childhood playground of Lochiel. It's like visiting a hospice room. The patients are dying.

Glimpses Into Our Past: Huachuca District Ranger Olof J. Olson

Olof J. Olson was the third district ranger for the Huachuca Forest Reserve, serving at thee Rosemont Station and the Canelo Station.

No escaping the hopping menace

It's been an especially prolific (and annoying) grasshopper season in eastern Santa Cruz County, and the only consolation is that cooler weather should tame the onslaught.

The PRT Weekly Bulletin for Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2026

This week's bulletin features Lobos volleyball; lawsuit against Hermosa expansion; Babocomari Bridge proposals; air-quality monitoring project; borderland strip closure; grasshopper invasion; Fire District celebration; Patagonia Elementary students of the month; Community Confab…

The Driving Range at Palo Duro will be closed for overseeding

Sunflowers spread their cheer, and much more

Sunflowers are providers not only of roadside beauty. They also serve as pollinators and are an excellent source of seeds for birds and wildlife.