Leaders help “break ground” Monday at the Project Cinco data center campus, a $900 million investment in Medina County by Rowan Digital Infrastructure. Turning the dirt are Dan McNary, chief data center officer for Rowan; Stephanie Blanks, executive director for the Go Medina economic development foundation; Lytle Mayor Ruben Gonzalez; Medina County Judge Keith Lutz; Lytle ISD superintendent Dustin Breithaupt and Xiomara Gerlach, Rowan senior director of site development. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
The words “truth, trust and empathy” are inscribed on a coin that Rowan Digital Infrastructure CEO Charley Daitch presented to Lytle Mayor Ruben Gonzalez earlier this year. He referred to those words at the groundbreaking for the company’s Project Cinco data center campus Monday. “That’s the biggest thing that reflects what this organization is about,” Gonzalez said. Medina County officials gathered at the construction site on Highway 132 near the Coal Mine neighborhood to break ground on the massive hyperscaler. Joining Gonzalez at the podium were Medina County Judge Keith Lutz and Lytle ISD superintendent Dustin Breithaupt. With earth moving equipment rolling across…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
It was love at first sight for Don and Irma Dunford who met and got hitched when they were just 16 and 17 years old. As they celebrate 64 years, they will have the honor of leading the big parade through the community they love so much. Photo by Elizabeth Homan. Here’s a little about their story and how it all began.
In 2011, we interviewed these two love birds as they were celebrating their 49th anniversary. Almost fifteen years later, these two are still as in love as ever, and remain pillars of the community. This year, they will have the honor of leading the parade as Mr. and Mrs. Grand Marshall, through downtown Devine, a community they have loved and generously supported for many, many years through their family business, Chaparral Ford, and also raised their family. Don and Irma Dunford met when they were teenagers at a birthday party in San Antonio, and they are now celebrating 64 years together. Back in an interview years ago, they shared a little about how their story began. We enjoyed and hope you will too…. “My cousin Leroy had a little birthday party, and Irma was there too because she was best friends with Leroy’s sister. That’s where we met and, and where I fell in love. We had chemistry. I just felt it. Do you know what I mean?” Don says. Irma remembers that Don started coming over to “visit his cousin” an awful lot after that birthday party. “Don said he was coming over to visit his cousin, but he really just wanted to see me,” Irma laughed. “We all went out together. Everyone pitched in a quarter for gas and piled in Don’s car,” she said. Irma and Don married only a year after they met, at the ages of 16 and 17. Shortly after they married, Don joined the Air Force and the couple had to move to Missouri for four years. “I think that helped us so much, being on our own for awhile, without anyone else’s influences,” Irma said. But Don remembers that times weren’t always easy when they first started out in that little apartment in Missouri . “When we were young, we were just trying our best to make it. Everything in our apartment was used—all of our furniture. My grandma sent us five dollars each month, and that helped us pay our electric bill. Irma always kept me grounded,” he said. About a year after moving back to Texas, the couple bought a small trailer house behind a local car dealership, now Chaparral Ford, which Don and Irma currently own now. “When I bought this dealership, Irma freaked out. I started with nothing. I sold all my guns, my boat, and my car, anything I could to invest in the company. But my wife wouldn’t let me sell our house in San Antonio until we were sure the dealership would be successful. We’ve come a long way since then,” Don said. When it comes to staying happy, after spending nearly half a century together, Don swears by the old cliché: If momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy. “That old cliché is really very true,” he says. With a more serious tone, Don acknowledges that he and his wife don’t always agree, but stresses the importance that a husband and a wife respect eachother’s opinions. “I always listen to what my wife has to say. I think that’s really important,” he said. The two love birds see the importance of working together and that is clear. Irma says her favorite thing about marriage is “partnership, always having a partner.” “Marriage is a really wonderful experience,” Irma said. “It’s about giving and taking. I think the biggest thing about a lasting marriage, though, is knowing that you can do it if you want to. Differences always work out if you want them to,” Don added. All these years later, they reside in Devine where they’ve raised their family. They have two children, three grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and one on the way! Two of their grandsons, son-in-law, and their son and daughter are helping to carry on the legacy of the family business, Chaparral Ford, which began over 44 years ago.
CITY OF DEVINE RESIDENTS: In the September 3rd edition of the Devine News, the City of Devine provided incorrect information regarding the tax rate for fiscal year 2025-2026. The city stated that the proposed tax rate of 0.05900 is NOT greater than the no new revenue rate; in fact, it is greater than the no new revenue rate at .05675 On a previous meeting it was announced by Mayor Cook that revenue from property taxes would bring in an additional $39,348.00. The information he was given was incorrect. The new tax rate will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $61,685.00. This is a 4.09 percent increase. The property tax revenue to be raised from the new property tax roll this year is $11,624.00. To ensure the public has ample opportunity to participate in the budget process, we will be republishing the budget and tax notice in the Devine News on September 17th, and the new dates for the public hearing and passage on the budget and public hearing and passage of the tax rates are Monday September 29th. at 6 p.m. at George S. Woods Community Center in Devine. Everyone is Welcome to come and participate. The City apologizes for…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
Devine City Administrator David Jordan, left, and Mayor Butch Cook confer during a special session of the Devine City Council held Sept 9 Photo by Anton Riecher.
By Anton Riecher At its Sept. 9 special meeting, the Devine City Council voted unanimously to stand pat on the same property tax rate as last year – 59 cents per $100 valuation. But, after the meeting it was discovered that the city had published the wrong date for the public meeting to set the tax rate and part of its wording, so it will have to be redone and be voted on again on Monday, September 29, 2025 at a 6:00 p.m. public meeting for a Proposed Budget and Tax Rate for fiscal year 2025/2026. (See both corrected public notices published in this week’s Devine News.) (Apparently when you keep the tax rate the exact same, but take in more money than the prior year due to property value increases, the tax rate is considered a tax increase in the end). Mayor Butch Cook said a lack of attendance at the public hearing (Sept. 9) on the tax rate apparently signifies that “everyone is in agreement with what we’ve decided.” “All things considered, with our water rate increases and such, we wanted to do our best to keep things as manageable as possible for the citizens,” Cook said. With all five council members in attendance, District 2 Alderman Michael Hernandez made the motion putting forward the tax rate. The motion was seconded by District 1 Alderman Ray Gonzales. Cook noted that as a result of increased appraisals the approved tax rate will bring in about $40,000 or nearly three percent more in tax revenue that the same rate last year. “I don’t want to mislead anybody into thinking that we’re getting the exact same amount of money,” he said. Of the added revenue, $11,641 of it will result from new property added to the tax roll in the past year, Cook said. A breakdown of the tax rate shows $.4864 per $100 valuation dedicated to maintenance and operating (M&O) funds, same as last year. Likewise, the debt service rate or INS will stand at $.1036 per $100 valuation, also the same as the previous year. Debt obligation under the general fund stands at…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
By Anton Riecher Action by the Lytle City Council on the annexation of nearly 100 acres designated as the site of a future residential subdivision has been postponed until Sept. 22 due to recent changes by the Texas Legislature in the posting requirements for governmental meetings. Located south of Interstate 35 and east of Rolling Meadow Drive in Bexar County, City Administrator Zachary Meadows said the yet unnamed subdivision will host between 100 and 200 new houses. The annexation is listed as “voluntary” on the agenda for the council’s Sept. 10 special meeting. That meeting had been postponed from its original Sept. 8 date due to the wide spread confusion among local government entities following changes to the Texas Open Meetings Act during the recent 89th session of the Texas Legislature. Previously, notice of a meeting of a governmental body had to be posted at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of that meeting. However…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
Natalia Little League will hold elections for the 2025-26 season on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 1 p.m. at the Natalia Little League Field, 12 3rd Street. A regular meeting will precede the vote at 12:30 p.m. Community members interested in volunteering or serving on the board are encouraged to attend. Contact (210)831-0077 for more information.
Medina County Emergency Services District 4 board president Steve Smith, left, and board treasurer Patrick DuBose confer during a board meeting held Friday evening Photo by Anton Riecher.
By Anton Riecher By a 4-0 vote, the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 board of commissioners took action at its Friday meeting not to renew the district’s contract with Allegiance Health Care which expires Sept. 30. However, the board voted to invoke a “lame duck” clause in the contract to extend service until Nov. 1 when a new contract with Castroville-based ESD No. 1 takes effect. ESD4 board president Steve Smith blamed shifting demographics for the board’s recent decision to change ambulance providers. “Our older generation is aging out,” Smith said. “While still engaged, they have lesser physical ability and increasing health care concerns.” In other business, the board took action to approve a 2025 tax rate of $.0521 per $100 valuation, an increase of 14 cents for the district’s median households. The board action followed a Sept. 10 public hearing that saw no input from the community on the issue. Regarding the decision to align with ESD1, Smith said the older generation has been largely unable to “pass the baton” on to younger residents because “nobody’s stepping up,” Smith said. Parents overwhelmed by personal obligations find little time to engage in community concerns. Younger residents are too often occupied with financial challenges. Businesses operated by outside interests no longer support volunteerism, Smith said. All of this has come together to force an allegiance with ESD1 “in order to provide the services our citizens demand,” he said. With no local hospital to rely on “ESD1 is the primary health care provider in this district,” Smith said. “We can’t rely on tenured volunteers to provide the services,” he said. ”We need to ensure the highest quality service for the district we can afford.” On a motion by board treasurer Patrick DuBose, seconded by Jerry Beck, the board approved the non -renewal decision. The lame duck extension was on motion by Beck, seconded by DuBose. A draft letter to Allegiance outlining the transition to ESD1, including the transfer of the ESD4 ambulances, was approved on a motion by board member Tony Martin, seconded by DuBose. The board voted to appoint Smith to negotiate the details of the operational transition with ESD1. The board also voted to appointed Beck to serve as its representative in interviewing candidates for a new administrative position to work together with a battalion chief assigned to Devine by ESD1. Regarding the ESD1 transition, Natalia-based ESD5 administrator Elizabeth Cargile questioned the board on proposals to convert the ESD4 station in Devine into administrative offices and training center for local emergency response. “My concern is that Natalia tax dollars will be going to Devine Fire if they make this the administrative office,” Cargile said. Smith explained that the proposal involves staging one of the two local ambulances at the DuBose fire station in Devine. However, Devine ESD2 and ESD4 will remain separate operations with separate accounting. Plans remain in place for the construction of a separate ambulance station in Natalia in the near future, Smith said. Until then, the ambulance crew assigned to Natalia will continue to sleep at the ESD4 Devine station as there are no personal quarters available at the fire house. Natalia Mayor Tommy F. Ortiz and Alderman Darin Frazier also attended the Friday meeting. Smith noted that one advantage of the new service contract is the ESD1 staff includes a deputy chief who is currently serving as contractor on renovation of the Hondo fire station. It is expected that he will help move the Natalia substation project forward. “They used a prefab building that does not look like a prefab building,” Smith said. “It was very, very cost-effective.” In other business, a report by Allegiance district chief Patrick Bourcier showed 194 ambulance calls in August, all of which were made in the contracted response time. Ambulances were dispatched for mutual aid assistance six times from Lytle and eight times from Moore. No critical cases were involved in those mutual aid calls. In a financial report, DuBose said the district currently shows a balance of $1.180 million with all accounts reconciled. Bills to be paid include $17,666 for the Allegiance contract. Also due is a $435 penalty issued by the Internal Revenue Service regarding missed payroll payments. The penalty was linked to a past changeover from monthly to quarterly payments, DuBose said. He also reported that ESD1 Chief Clint Cooke has intervened with Zoll Medical Devices to negotiate reduced payment on $2,738 owed for medical equipment. Another expense discussed was repairs to the ambulance station doors following a recent accident. With regards to amendments to the 2024-2025 operating budget, DuBose reported that the district stands nearly $100,000 under budget for the period involved. “We are way under budget so this doesn’t affect our bottom line but we do need to make the amendments for these expenses that were not accounted for,” DuBose said.
By Adam Russell Researchers from Texas A&M University, the University of Florida and the Texas Department of State Health Services say the time is now to recognize Chagas disease as endemic in the U.S. The multi-institutional team’s perspective article, published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s September volume of Emerging Infectious Diseases, underscores growing evidence that points to endemic transmission. “The biggest need is awareness, and that is the focus of our publication to share the scientific perspective that Chagas disease is endemic in the U.S.,” said Gabriel Hamer, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research entomologist in the Department of Entomology, Bryan-College Station. “Too often, medical and veterinary training programs dismiss Chagas as only a tropical disease and irrelevant to public and animal health in the U.S. “But kissing bug vectors, the parasite and locally acquired human cases are here. It is critical for our next generation of doctors and veterinarians to be aware of this vector-borne disease to assist with the diagnosis of humans and animal patients.” Raising awareness about U.S. Chagas cases, endemicity Blood-sucking triatomines, commonly known as kissing bugs, are confirmed in thirty-two U.S. states. Many carry the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, also known as T. cruzi, which causes Chagas disease. Each infected bug poses a risk of transmission to humans and companion animals. Eight states in the southern U.S. have documented human T. cruzi infections, and therefore, locally acquired Chagas disease. Texas leads the nation in the number of locally acquired Chagas disease cases. Norman L. Beatty, M.D., FACP, associate professor of medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine, said that public awareness could lead to earlier diagnosis and timely treatment. He said the endemic status of Chagas disease will raise awareness among local, state and federal public health agencies. “Identifying Chagas disease as an endemic disease in the United States ensures that the public understands this parasite is being consistently transmitted in certain regions of our country,” Beatty said. “The concern with Chagas is that it goes unrecognized for decades until symptoms appear, and often, chronic damage is done. Early detection can lead to treatment, which could be curative and ongoing monitoring for disease progression.” Why classification matters The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define “endemic” as the constant presence or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area. Beatty, Hamer and other members of the research team implore that the reclassification of Chagas from nonendemic to endemic is critical to improving awareness, diagnosis and surveillance. Co-author Sarah Hamer, Ph.D., DVM, DACVPM, professor of epidemiology in the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said many wildlife species are involved in the ecology of Chagas disease. Animals provide blood meals to kissing bugs and serve as parasite reservoirs that pose a threat to people and pets. “These wildlife-associated bugs occasionally disperse to areas where dogs and humans are at risk of infection,” she said. “It takes a ‘one health’ approach to decode the complex transmission cycles. But general awareness about the disease’s presence here and how it is transmitted is a necessary first step toward prevention.” Gabriel Hamer said Chagas disease’s inaccurate classification downplays the risk it poses in the U.S. and creates a false sense of security among people and public health officials. “The reality is the vectors are here, the parasite is here, and infections do occur,” he said. “Public health messaging should reflect the science so communities and professionals can respond appropriately.”
1970-71 DEVINE HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS: Top – Katie Keilman, head cheerleader. Middle – Linda Arche & Kay Marsh. Seated – Barbara McEntyre & Sandy Beck *Katie & Sandy are on the board of directors for the Devine Ex-Students Teachers Association for 2025 and will be welcoming all former cheerleaders, mascots, and pep squad members to all the Homecoming festivities on Homecoming weekend, Sept. 26 & 27. *See DExSTA Homecoming Activities Schedule for details.
The DHS Class of 1975 will meet on Homecoming weekend, Sept. 26 & 27, for their 50th Class Reunion! On Friday night they will meet at Warhorse Stadium for the annual Homecoming game and will be introduced on the track at halftime. After that they will meet up at Chayitos Restaurant to open the celebration part of the weekend and hope that other classmates from the 70s will come by there to visit also! (Chayitos will stay open later to the public that night.) On Saturday, Sept. 27th, there will be TWO celebrations! 1. DExSTA Homecoming Social @ 1:00pm at the old Green Alamo (VFW hall) the class will be recognized and honored at the annual HC Social for all Devine alumni. 2. Private ‘75 reunion @ 6:00pm at Triple C Restaurant. *Please let Linda Martin Gunn, Thelma Gutierrez, Ofilia Hernandez Pedroza, or Cheryl Schott Lorraine know if you plan to attend the evening event! *CLASS PICTURES WILL BE TAKEN AT ALL THE EVENTS! See you at Homecoming !
