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With open-week over, Horses now “Hinnant-to-Win-It”

Varsity Warhorse #78 Aiden Martinez gets hyped after pancaking his opponent. Photo by Brigid Howard.

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
After taking a well-earned open week, Devine is ready to trade in the practice field for the Friday night lights once again, returning to action this Friday night in Poteet as they continue their march through District 14-3A DI play. While an open week can sometimes be viewed as a chance to simply catch a breath, Warhorse Head Coach Jacob Campsey said his team approached the break with a different mindset.
“Honestly, what I liked most is that they were still chomping at the bit,” Campsey said. “These guys just want to improve constantly, and it’s a credit to their work ethic.”
The coaching staff used the extra time for plenty of reflection and preparation, taking a hard look at what the Warhorses have done well…and what they have not done so well. “We did a lot of self-reflection, self-scouting, and working on some team-specific things that we have not been great.”
Perhaps just as important as the X’s and O’s was the opportunity for the Warhorses to regroup as a team following a physically and emotionally demanding stretch of the season. Now, with district play moving forward and the playoff picture coming in to play at a quick pace, Campsey…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

4-1 Horses hit the road against 1-4 Poteet

The Warhorses are currently the number 1 seeded team in the district with an overall record of 4-1 and a district record of 2-0. Photo by Brigid Howard.

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
The Warhorses enter the District 14-3A DI matchup riding a four-game winning streak after opening the season with a road loss at San Diego. Poteet, meanwhile, enters the contest 1-4 overall and 0-2 in district play after suffering losses to Carrizo Springs and Lytle.
Although the Warhorses carry 2-0 district mark into Friday night matchup with Aggies, don’t let the headline fool ya. When Devine takes the field in Poteet Friday night, Head Coach Jacob Campsey will have his players believing both squads are 0-0.
“Our guys understand that we play a sport where any given night the team that ‘shows up’ will win regardless of record,” Campsey said. “Poteet has some dangerous athletes that are not indicative of their record.”
And the Warhorses have already learned that lesson the hard way. “We’ve seen when we play badly teams will beat us. That San Diego taste is still in our mouths.”
Poteet opened the season with losses to Kenedy, 57-12, and Brackenridge, 45-27, before putting together an impressive 42-0 shutout of San Antonio Christian. The Aggies then opened district play with consecutive losses to Carrizo Springs, 50-0, and Lytle, 58-33.
But those numbers do not…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Memorial Service for Nancy Bales Oct. 10th

Nancy Janelle Love Bales, 86, of Devine, Texas, passed away on Saturday, September 12, 2026. 
Nancy was born on December 31, 1939 in Round Rock, Texas to Clyde Milton and Carrie Mae Bingham Love.  She attended Sharp Schools, in Sharp, Texas.  On September 1, 1957 she married Larry Dean Bales.  They were married for 56 wonderful years.  Larry passed away in 2013.   Nancy was a devoted mother of two sons and one daughter. She was involved in both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts with her children, along with being a room mother at school.  She attended all sporting events.  She loved being involved in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s lives.  Nancy was a mother figure to all the children in the neighborhood, and many still called her mom.  She worked as an Activity Director {Devine} and later after going to college and earning her Administrator’s License, ran nursing homes in Pearsall and Pleasanton.  After she retired, she went to work at the Devine News and enjoyed many years with the ladies that she would call family.
She is survived by her son, Layne Bales and wife Nadine of Lytle and a daughter Kimberley Bales of Devine, 6 grandchildren. Lauren (Bales) Haass and husband Randolph, of Biry, Colton Bales of Woodinville, WA. Leslie (Bales) Raymond and husband Aubrey of Surprise, AR, Elizabeth (Libby) Bales of San Antonio, Lillie and Max Bales of Hondo. And four great-grandchildren Elaine Haass, Eleanor Raymond, Abigail Raymond, and Randolph Haass. 
Nancy was also survived by sisters Dottie “Sissie” Stevenson, and Karen “Susie” Dixon and husband Bill, her bothers Leon Love and wife Coty and Lynn “Buster” Love and brothers-in-law Bob Merritt and Paul “Krutch” Kruse, sisters-in-law Kathren Shelton, and Linda Jarvis and husband Louis along with many beloved nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her father-in-law and mother-in-law Derwood and Willie Bales, her husband Larry Dean. son Mitchell Bales, her sisters Bobbye Ruth and husband Joe Runnels, Florene “Rene” and husband J.D. Acord. Wanda Elaine “Sookie” Merritt, Judi Kruse. Brothers Jimmie and wife Barbara Love, Dennis Love, and Bryan Neal Love, brother-in-law Martin Stevenson, and Thomas Hickey. Sister-in-law Frances {Bales} Walker and husband Cliff Walker.
Memorial to be held October 10, 2026, at 11:00 am at Devine Community Center 200 East Hondo Ave, Devine, Texas.  Family and friends are invited to stay for a meal following the memorial.  

Deacon Miguel “Mike” G. Perez, Jr.

A devoted servant of God, courageous civil rights advocate, and beloved patriarch

A Life of Faith, Courage, Family, and Service
NATALIA, TEXAS — Deacon Miguel “Mike” Perez, Jr. (“Papo”), a devoted servant of God, courageous civil rights advocate, and beloved patriarch, passed away peacefully on October 2, 2026, surrounded by his family. He lived a vibrant, purposeful life rooted deeply in his Catholic faith, hard work, and an unshakeable commitment to human dignity and educational advancement.
Civil Rights & Justice
Born and raised in Natalia where he attended public schools during an era of segregation, Mike learned to stand firm for dignity. Riding a segregated school bus at age 9, he was ordered by the driver to move to the back seats designated for Hispanic students. Mike refused to move in a quiet act of bravery supported by the school principal; foreshadowing a lifetime of civil rights advocacy.
Later, while serving as head custodian at Roosevelt High School and East Terrell Hills Elementary, Mike organized 200 custodians across Northeast ISD. Speaking before the school board alongside supportive teachers, he successfully led the effort to win fair wages ($1.25 an hour), overtime pay, uniforms, healthcare, and paid vacation for his fellow workers.
In 1966, Mike and his wife Adelina joined the farmworkers’ march from San Antonio to Austin along Interstate 35. They carried their young daughters and held high a banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When Governor John Connally’s limousine stopped the marchers outside New Braunfels, Mike and his fellow workers marched on. One of the civil rights leaders shared guidance that became his lifelong guiding principle:
“Mr. Perez, educate your kids. Educate your kids. That’s the key… to be somebody in America. Educate your kids. We need more Hispanics to get educated to be lawyers, politicians, engineers, doctors, technicians, or whatsoever.”
Taking this message to heart, Mike ensured his three daughters attended Catholic schools and obtained a higher education.
Family, Labor & Enterprise
Mike met the love of his life, Adelina “Mamo” Perez, at a local dance, beginning a beautiful courtship that led to their marriage in 1956. In their early years, they traveled as farmworkers across West Texas, Colorado, Montana, and Iowa. They harvested cotton, sugar beets, and tomatoes, forging lifelong friendships along the way. When Adelina became pregnant with their first child, they returned to Natalia to find traditional work as they sought to prioritize the children’s education. He earned his GED after marriage, owned and operated a janitorial business, an antique shop, and Squeak’s convenience store in Floresville.
Ministry
In 1962, Mike attended his first Cursillo Retreat, which inspired him to pray the Rosary and attend Holy Mass daily. Seeking spiritual clarity, he took his family on a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, kneeling at the altar to pray for a sign.
In 1986, Father Paul Razz invited him to enter the seminary to discern the diaconate, answering Mike’s prayers to Our Lady of Guadalupe. On September 9, 1991, he was ordained a Deacon in the Catholic Church.
For 38 years, Deacon Mike dedicated his ministry to prisons and nursing homes, bringing spiritual comfort, Catholic teaching, and Holy Communion to incarcerated individuals and elderly residents. For 15 years, he served faithfully at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Floresville—working alongside the Guadalupana Society, the Cursillo movement, and ACTS retreats. He also taught Bible and Catechism classes.
In 2006, Deacon Mike and Adelina returned to their roots in the Natalia and Devine area. He served congregations at St. Joseph in Devine, St. Augustine Catholic Church in Moore and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Bigfoot.
Family & Legacy
Deacon Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Miguel and Casimira Perez, his beloved wife of over six decades, Adelina Perez and his siblings, Alvina, Ciriaco, and Jose. He is survived by his loving daughters, Sonia Perez (Javier), Liza White (Jim), and Debbie Perez; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and his sister Petra Tibball (Joseph). Deacon Mike will be remembered as a faithful servant of God and a cherished patriarch whose legacy of faith and love continues to inspire his Catholic community.
Celebration of Life
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM, with a Rosary recited at 6:00 PM at Primrose Funeral Services of Devine, Texas. Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Devine, Texas, with interment to follow in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery.

St. Joseph’s Octoberfest 2026

Everyone enjoyed the tunes at the Octoberfest!

The Gonzales and Perez family enjoying the music at the Octoberfest this past weekend. Looks like little man had a big day! Pictured from left to right are Kahll, Abram Perez, Rosa Gonzales, Samuel Perez, Rachel Gonzales and Solangel Perez. Photo by Brianna Paredes.

Devine Current Events Club promotes their upcoming event “Wreaths of Amercia” during the Octoberfest. Pictured from left to right are Martha Wall, Linda Kreinhop, Sarah McAlpin and Alma Harvath. Photo by Brianna Paredes.

…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Lytle utility customers to see 25-35% increase to water, sewer rates on December 1 bill

The City of Lytle will increase their utility rates effective 30 days from the published notice of October 7, which will reflect on customer’s December 1st bill. The City Council voted to increase these rates at the September 28, 2026, City Council meeting. See page 17 for rate comparisons.
The new rates also include the removal of small business commercial as an overall category and placing those customers that were listed as such under the commercial category.
See public notice in this week’s Devine News on page 17 for complete chart of rates for both residential and commercial rates for water and charts for sewer also. Rates vary for those who reside inside city limits and those who reside outside city limits.


Also noted is the old rate fee(current rate) and the new rate fee.
Rates include a base rate plus the volumetric charges for how much water is used that month. The rates for over 10,000 gallons are about four times…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Homecoming Day #2…

1951 Devine Warhorse football team. First row, left to right: Emory Wright, Manager ; L. E. Potter, Ray Stephens, Santos Rodriguez, Tommy Parker, Jack Klingeman, David Dyer, Sammy Ridgeway, Stanley Lindsey, Dickie Bohl.
Second row: Gene Calame, Roger Stock, John Harlan DuBose, George Thompson, Arth Whitley, Francis Schmidt, Wayne Topping, Bobby Killough, John Watson, Doyle Sansom.
Third row: Dave Coleman, Head Coach; Jack Schneider, Bob Briscoe, Wesley Robbins, Wayne Bush, Larry Stroud, Willis Boone, Charles Schulze, Dean Hawes, Donald Bush, Don Mittanck, Bill McCutcheon and Alfred Coleman

Saturday, Oct. 17 @ 1pm at VFW Hall

The Devine Ex-Students Teachers Association (DExSTA) will hold its annual Homecoming Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 17th starting at 1:00pm at the Devine VFW Hall at 211 W. College Ave. All Devine Alumni are welcome to attend! *Look for the HC schedule in this week’s Devine News for details.
Honoring the 50th Reunion Class (1976 this year) has been a long-standing tradition at Homecoming with the Friday night introductions on the track at the football game & the Saturday afternoon DExSTA HC celebration. But a few years ago, the DExSTA Board of Directors discussed the opportunity to recognize important school groups that made a large impact on the lives of the students at DHS, as well as DMS (and formerly DJHS). So, a new tradition was started to…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Lytle council approves 4.5% tax hike for 2026

By Anton Riecher
By a 4-0 vote, the Lytle City Council voted at its Sept. 28 meeting to approve a 2026 ad valorem tax rate of $.0485 per $100 valuation, an increase of 4.578 percent from the previous year. Municipal taxes on the average Lytle homestead now stands at $1,029, an increase of 31.9 percent.
Mayor Ruben Gonzalez said the increase represents less than half a cent per $100 valuation.
“It’s going from $.483 to $.485,” Gonzalez said. “So that’s how much of an increase it is.”
The increase supports a fiscal year 2026-2027 city budget of $8.976 million, also approved by a 4-0 council vote. Among the increase is a three percent cost-of-living adjustment for city employees.
A public hearing on the proposed tax rate was opened and closed with no additional public comment.
The $.0485 rate represents a debt service tax rate of $.41139 per $100 valuation combined with a tax rate of $.41139 per $100 valuation cover maintenance and operations.
District 4 Alderman Michael Rodriguez put forward the separate motions on the budget and tax rate. District 1 Alderwoman Anna Carrillo seconded the budget motion and District 3 Alderman David Emery seconded the motion on the rate increase.
District 5 Alderman Matthew Martinez was absent from the meeting. District 2 Alderman Richard Hughes had earlier voted against…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

HOMECOMING 10 DAYS AWAY!

Friday, October 16, the game starts at 7pm. The Class of 1976 will be honored at half-time on the track. Pictured above are 1976 Warhorse standouts Francis Schmidt, Jack Schneider, and Bob Briscoe.

Devine Homecoming Oct. 16 & 17!

ALL Devine Alumni are invited to a Homecoming Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 17th starting at 1:00pm at the Devine VFW Hall, with the Devine Ex-Students Teachers Association (DExSTA). Join us with the 50th Reunion Honor Class of 1976, and former Warhorse & Colt Football Teams & Coaches to Celebrate Homecoming 2026!
Friday, October 16, registration will open at 6:30 pm at Warhorse Stadium. Game starts at 7pm. Tickets are sold online or at the gate. 1976 Honor Class recognition will be at half-time on the track in front of the press box. Wave as your name is called out. All Devine Exes look for the…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!