November 2020 Serving the Mountain Empire Communities of Canelo, Elgin, Patagonia and Sonoita Vol
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PATAGONIA REGIONAL TIMES NOVEMBER 2020 SERVING THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE COMMUNITIES OF CANELO, ELGIN, PATAGONIA AND SONOITA VOL. 10 ISSUE 9 LOCAL ELECTION Board Looking into Allegations RESULTS Page 3 Photo by Marion Vendituoli Fire Chief Joseph DeWolf is on paid administrative leave while an investigation into claims of a hostile work environment at the station is being conducted. SOUTH32 OPEN HOUSE By Kat Crockett and Marion Vendituoli on scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being excellent) at about a 4 or 5 since the beginning of the year. Sonoita Elgin Fire District (SEFD) Fire Chief Contributing factors are supervision, not being Joseph DeWolf was placed on paid administrative listened to, and not getting answers. We are looking leave at the October 9 Fire District Board meeting, into allegations of retaliation, verbal abuse, physical pending an investigation of allegations of a hostile abuse, and possibly sexual misconduct, and involv- work environment within the fire department. On ing multiple members of the administration.” The October 20, a second member of the SEFD adminis- investigation is also looking at qualifications and tration, EMS Director Laura Sink, was also placed on certifications of Fire Station employees. paid administrative leave. “I have no comment on that, because I am not Chris Johnson, Chairman of the SEFD Board. aware of anything like that,” Chief DeWolf said in a stated that “the board received a number of letters recent phone interview. He has been with SEFD for over the past several months from the community 24 years, and Chief for 18 years. “I came out of my and current and former employees that led the medical leave. I emailed a letter [to the board] from Page 5 board to appoint an investigator.” According to my doctor saying I could go back to work. I went Johnson, Mark Bennett, who had been employed into a meeting and they put me on administrative as Operations Chief, resigned in July 2020, and that leave. It was a total shock.” HALLOWEEN many people felt that he was forced out by the There has been some sentiment expressed that Chief. both Bennett and current employee Kathe Prentice In early August, Chief DeWolf had been placed have been ousted from their jobs in retaliation for on medical leave at his request. He appointed Jon their perceived support of a complaint of sexual Buonaccorsi, a former captain at the station, as the misconduct on the part of Chief DeWolf, although acting chief at SEFD, with his salary set at $2,000 Bennett denies having had any involvement in that per pay period. At the October 9 board meeting, complaint. Chrystal Belt, formerly of Elgin, filed a DeWolf was directed to have no contact with the complaint in January 2019 alleging that DeWolf, district except for responding to the investigator on Nov. 9, 2018, became inebriated at a local bar, and dealing with the Acting Chief. He was also where she was working. Later that evening he directed not to work with Palominas or use any accosted her at her home and tried to kiss her. district vehicle. (The SEFD Chief also serves as Chief According to the report she sent to the SEFD Board, of the Palominas Fire Department under an inter- “He lunged toward me, grabbed my left arm and governmental agreement between the two Fire put his right hand around my neck and pulled me Districts.) towards him trying to kiss me.” DeWolf declined to “I am really trying to make the fire department comment on this allegation. a nice place to work”, said Johnson. He stated that According to Johnson, the board-initiated it is the board’s responsibility to the people to do investigation into the 2018 incident revealed that due diligence and investigate these allegations and DeWolf was not on duty, he Page 14 the work environment. “I would rate the morale did not use any firefighter See SEFD/ p. 4 Double your Donations With Newsmatch By the PRT Fundraising Committee public forums live on Facebook for March 2020. But this year, donations candidates running in critical races in are absolutely critical for our contin- Heading into the end of the year, Santa Cruz County (with thousands of ued existence. Nonprofit news gives MISSIONPRT STATEMENT many of us are reflecting on how un- views). power to people, but power doesn’t precedented and unpredictable 2020 Since the pandemic, the PRT has come for free. To publish a nonprofit has been. From the pandemic to civil seen an astounding increase in its We are a lean machine, the paid community newspaper which unrest, extreme storms and wildfires, web presence, with our website, time of our four staff members com- serves the Mountain Empire not to mention a high stakes elec- Facebook, Twitter and YouTube bined is less than one full time salary, communities of Santa Cruz tion cycle, 2020’s impacts have been County, including Canelo, Elgin, channel. We hope to add Instagram our columnists and reporters are vol- far greater than anyone could have in 2021 to our list of social media han- unteers, and we have no office save Patagonia, and Sonoita, and anticipated. These impacts have, of which is open to all views, high- dles. You’ll see PRT banners at both a donated storage shed. Your invest- course, been felt locally and globally, lighting local issues and empha- Patagonia Public and Elgin Schools. ment in the PRT goes a long way. at an individual level and organiza- sizing the contributions of local And, we published and distributed 10 Here’s how NewsMatch works: talent. tionally for us here at the PRT. And regular issues of the paper! We can earn up to $11,500 in yet, one thing is certain: the hunger When Arizona, and particularly matching funds from NewsMatch. For WHO WE ARE for news is stronger than ever before. Santa Cruz County, became a hot spot donations received between Nov.1 That’s why we’re excited to share for COVID this spring and summer, and Dec 31, NewsMatch will match We are a nonprofit organization, an opportunity to double your dona- the PRT increased its coverage of your new monthly donation x12 or funded by paid advertising, do- tion this year. We have once again COVID-19 with daily on-line updates. double your one-time gift, all up to nations and grants. PRT is a free been selected to participate in News- monthly publication distributed to When public health and safety re- $5,000. Match, a national matching-gift cam- quired our local businesses to close The PRT must raise at least news stands and local merchants paign that drives donations to non- in The Mountain Empire. their doors, the PRT recognized the $20,000 from our donor base in order profit newsrooms (like ours) around Managing Editor: economic hardship and reduced to continue producing the high-quali- the U.S. Since 2016, NewsMatch has advertising rates for our merchants, ty, independent, and local journalism Marion Vendituoli raised over $100 million for nonprofit even giving our local advertisers you’ve come to depend on - especial- Assistant Editor: journalism. That’s a lot of impact. free ads. Increased expense and ly this year. In the last year, the PRT has added Aisha Chapra Sander decreased revenue has obviously The time is now. Trusted jour- a mid-month e-news service, co-spon- affected our bottom line. nalism like ours has never mattered Bookkeeper: sored a photography and essay con- Last year the PRT was able to raise more. Cynie Murray test with our schools, collaborated $28,000 during our first-ever News- Give today and NewsMatch will with the University of Arizona School Administrative Assistant match campaign. It was crucial for double the impact of your donation. of Journalism to publish a special our operational expenses, for creat- Send us a check to: Ad Manager: edition of the paper, initiated a recy- Jared Krikorian ing a small reserve fund and for the P.O Box 1073 Patagonia, AZ 85624 cling task force whose members are expanded coverage and community Or donate online at Contributing Writers: working to return recycling services services we have been providing since www.patagoniaregionaltimes.org/ Bob Brandt to Santa Cruz County, and held two Alison Bunting Francesca Claverie nd Kat Crockett 2 Annual PRT School Essay Contest Lynn Davison Jo Dean Essay Topics: Grades 6 – 8: Cassina Farley The PRT, in collabora- • If it were up to you to choose one item from your Robert Gay tion with the Patagonia community to place in a time capsule for future genera- Patra Kelly Creative Arts Center and tions, what would you choose? Use specific reasons and Sarah Klingenstein Borderlands Restoration examples to support your choice, explaining both the Martin Levowitz Network, is sponsoring the item’s significance and the reasons why it embodies the Pat McNamara nd 2 annual Patagonia culture of your community. Harold Meckler Regional Times essay contest. Grades 9 – 12: Vince Pinto The contest is open to all stu- • Some people are actively involved in promoting Laura Wenzel dents in Elgin, Canelo, and supporting a cause, such as fighting for racial equity Board of Directors: Patagonia and Sonoita in grades or protecting the environment from climate change. Is Bob Brandt 6 - 12. There will be two divisions, there a cause you actively support? Write an essay con- Tom Beal Middle School (grades 6 - 8)and High vincing readers to support that cause. Francesca Claverie School (grades 9 - 12). Lynn Davison Amazon gift cards will be The deadline for entries is December 15, 2020. Cassina Farley awarded to the first place, For more information about these contests, visit Jac Heiss second place and honorable www.patagoniaregionaltimes.org, email prteditor@ Donna Lee mention winners.