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Warhorse powerlifting 3rd place in Dilley

Warhorse powerlifting medalists in Dilley were Rolandolando Garcia, Weston Leal, Joe Guerrero, and Jaden Rodriguez.

Jaden Rodriguez, Weston Leal, & Israel Reyes earn 1st place

Warhorse powerlifting
3rd place in Dilley
Jaden Rodriguez, Weston Leal, & Israel Reyes earn 1st place
Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Jaden Rodriguez, Weston Leal, and Israel Reyes lifted their way to gold medals for the Warhorse powerlifting team last Wednesday in Dilley.
Rodriguez won the 114lb division with a total lift of 690 pounds.
Weston Leal took the 132lb class with a total lift of 810 pounds.
Israel Reyes claimed the 181lb division with a total lift of 1,615 pounds.
Joe Guerrero earned silver in the 148lb class (1,020lbs) while Rolando Garcia (132lb-700lbs) and Samuel Diaz (198lb-1,110lbs) each took bronze.
Team standings
1st Dilley 48, 2nd Lytle 35, 3rd Devine 33, 4th South San Antonio 33, 5th Natalia 20, 6th Carrizo Springs 6.
Warhorse results (Lifter-Class-Place-Squat-Bench-Deadlift-Total)
Jaden Rodriguez-114lb-1st-275-155-260-690lbs; Weston Leal-132lb-1st-300-185-325-810lbs; Rolando Garcia-132lb-3rd-325-155-270-700lbs; Joe Guerrero-148lb-2nd-385-250-385-1,020lbs; Israel Reyes-181lb-1st-660-405-550-1,615; Samuel Diaz-198lb-3rd-420-260-430-1,110lbs; Ivan Iglesias-220lb-5th-355-220-330-905lbs; Fabian Reyes-220lb-6th-315-205-360-880lbs; Samuel Alcanter-220lb-7th-360-170-300-830lbs; Kolter Parker-275lb-6th-285-170-320-775lbs.

Arabian Varsity golf team champs in opening tourney !

Arabian JV and Varsity golfers pictured left to right are: Reese Navarro, Briana Balderrama, Kenzie Schott, Mackenzie Ramirez, Lily Lawless, Kayleigh Smith, Gabby Morales, Brianna Schaefer, and Emma Gonzales (not pictured).

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
In the sporting world, there’s nothing like having home field advantage. For the Arabian golf team competing in their first tournament of the 2025 season, playing at familiar Devine Golf Course surely gave them a little comfort in navigating the course and relieving some possible anxiety that may have been present on unfamiliar territory.
Devine shot 392 to defeat runner-up Pleasanton who posted 414. Hondo was on the Lady Eagles tail, finishing the day with 416.
Brianna Schaefer placed third individually as she broke 90 with a solid 89. There were 79 total competitors.
Gabby Morales was just out of medal-reach with a 92.
MacKenzie Ramirez (105), Lilly Lawless (106), and Brianna Balderama (113) rounded out the fivesome.
Devine 2
There are no shortage of golfers in Devine High School as Coach Mark Mangold had enough players to have a Devine 2 squad.
Reese Navarro shot 118, Kenzie Schott 128, Emma Gonzales 132, and Kayleigh Smith 133. Devine 2’s 511 team-score placed them 12th overall in the 14-team field.
Team scores
1st Devine 392, 2nd Pleasanton 414, 3rd Hondo 416, 5th Jourdanton 419, 6th Navarro 457, 7th Marion 459, 8th Crystal City 465, 9th Blanco 476, 10th Somerset 504, 11th Lytle 506, 12th Devine2 511, 13th Floresville 515, 14th Natalia 539.

Warhorses splash Pleasanton;

#1 Ray’sean at the free throw line

Ray’sean Beaver’s long-range 3 forces OT!

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Splash! Ray’sean Beaver hit a sideline hugging, nothing-but-net, 25-foot three-point shot from the left side of Sessions Court over two Eagle defenders with .9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 52 and send it into overtime.
The Horses could not hold on to big leads built over the course of the first three quarters but were able to come through in the clutch to outscore Pleasanton 8-5 in the extra period to claim the exhausting 60-57 District 27-4A victory.
Devine’s big 41-23 lead toward the end of the third quarter quickly shrunk as Pleasanton clawed their way back from an 18-point deficit to take a 52-49 lead on a free throw with 16.7 seconds remaining.
The Horses inbounded under Pleasanton’s basket after the made free throw, advanced the ball up court, and exchanged a few passes before Cecilio De La Garza shuffled off the assist to Ray’sean’s game-tying shot.
With .9 on the clock and the Eagles setting up a play after their timeout, Pleasanton tried a baseball-type throw to the opposite end of the court that Mason Beaver intercepted like a defensive back would in football.
Mason was dragged to the court by a back-jumping Eagle offensive player that was initially called a foul on Pleasanton as the buzzer sounded.
For an unknown reason…

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Showtime

Baylee Boehme 11 New Zealand Black rabbits 6th place CMYK

Local kiddos have been working hard raising their animals and now bringing them to the stock show this past week. Look for results in a future edition of The Devine News. Look for dozens of photos in this week’s edition of The Devine News.

Devine Education Foundation to award $30,000 in grants !

One of our favorite shots of Coach Jim Sessions, cheering his team on from the sidelines in one of many games he coached in the DSAC.

Sessions Family honored with court dedication

The evening will kick off with the dedication of the basketball court to the Sessions family. The court will now be officially known as “Sessions Court” in recognition of the family’s exceptional contributions to Devine ISD and the community.
In December, the DISD Board of Trustees approved the name change, acknowledging the Sessions family’s decades of service. From teaching and coaching to volunteering as scorekeepers and bus drivers, Don, Gayle, Neva, and Jim Sessions have given more than 108 years of dedicated service to the district.
“The Sessions Family has a longstanding and meaningful connection to Devine ISD. Through their leadership in the classroom, on the field, and as volunteers, they have shaped generations of students and set a standard for excellence in the district,” said Jerel Beaty, who coached with Jim and is a family friend. “The family has upheld values of integrity, dedication, and respect…

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Bake Sale Feb. 8 by Methodist Youth

The United Methodist Youth of Devine First UMC will be having a Bake Sale on Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 10am-1pm. We will be located at Party Rentals, Etc. (512 E. Hondo Ave., Devine) and at A Bushel & A Peck (516 N. Teel Dr., Devine).
Stop by to get some treats for your Superbowl party or for an early Valentine’s Day gift! All proceeds will go towards the Youth attending Camp Eagle, which is a Christian camp that focuses on outdoor adventure, Biblical truth, and lasting relationships. Thank you for your support!

Commissioner’s Comments

First month of 2025 is dang near gone already.  When this paper hits the racks, there may be a little rain in our area…finally.  Just make sure that you pay the rent on the homes that you own so that our local governments can function.  Even if you don’t have kids or grandkids in school, pay the school taxes that encompass the bulk of our tax bills and hope that the funds are spent wisely.
On February 1, the interest and penalties will start to accrue and there aint no exceptions.  Talked to our Tax Assessor Collector the other day and she neglected to pay on time once….she paid the late fee (penalty).  She don’t mess around or play favorites either.
If you would like a little discount around this time of year, call your local Board Member of ESD #2 and ESD #4 and ask them to support Homestead Exemptions for folks living within their boundaries.  Won’t be but 50-100 dollars but, its something.  During our last ESD meeting, the effect on the Budget (-$61,000) was given as a reason to delay a decisive vote on this.  Good idea.  I found $51,000 that we could trim from the Budget (without digging into the line items) before the meeting was over.  Trimming our Budget would make the Board a little more conservative with our tax money.  Or you could show up at the next meeting on February 12th round 6:30.  
Then we get to get ready to pay our Federal Government for the blessing of living and working in the USA.  Hopefully, the government will do away with tax on Social Security like our President said that he would do.  Lotta positive things happening in Washington DC nowdays.  
Heard from one lady that as a result of the passage of the new Social Security law, her SS check went up $400.  Sandy’s went up $1.80 so, don’t know when it will kick in.  Aint got mine yet…

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Surviving the 70s – To Catch a Thief

 “The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief.”

William Shakespeare (Othello)
In the foolishness of my youth, I spent a number of years employed in the grocery business. It was a good job for young man and allowed me the ability to purchase a brand-new Chevy truck. My time was spent evenly between the check stand, the produce department, and the grocery isles in between. Duties included filling the milk box, pop isle, stocking shelves anywhere and everywhere as needed, and catching shoplifters, purse snatchers, and other miscreants. It was a wild time!
In recent years, it has become apparent that retail thieves these days have an easier time executing their wicked deeds. In some states, laws against shoplifting and theft have been relaxed to the point that bad folks have no fear of the law and seem to steal as they please. It is common in some stores to see many goods locked up, accessible only by summoning a high school kid with a key ring. This is because of the fear of legal issues. Now, if you chase a shoplifter, you can get sued, or fired, or both. It didn’t use to be that way.
In my day (I’m pretty old), as part of our grocery work, we would hunt shoplifters. Always ready to sprint into action when needed, we were on constant patrol. Shoplifting, and the robbery of our customers, was considered a personal offense. And chasing and fighting bad guys was fun, if a bit dangerous.
Note – I am not advising anyone practice these methods today.
Back in the 70s, the stores that I worked in had two-way mirrors around the perimeter of the store. Behind these mirrors was a catwalk, accessible through a back hallway in the breakroom. From the catwalk we could spy on customers and employees in the store below. It was a common practice to stay alert and when observing the furtive movements of potential thieves, we would hit the catwalk and observe. Often shoplifters could be simply confronted by the store manager just outside the door, but this was not always the case. Most fun were the runners. I can’t count the number of times we chased thieves in full retreat across the parking lot headed for freedom. These chases were thrilling. Usually, when caught, the bad guys gave up. Rarely were punches thrown.

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Napoleon Leal Herrera Jr. “Nap”

”Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13 
Napoleon Leal Herrera Jr. “Nap”, a dedicated servant to his country, community, and family, was born on January 8, 1935, in San Antonio, Texas. Surrounded by love, he passed peacefully at his home in Natalia Texas on January 12, 2025, at the age of 90. He is now reunited in Heaven with his parents, Napoleon Leal Herrera, and Annita Nelson Herrera and siblings, Lloyd and Rudy Herrera, Harry Nelson, and Emma Herrera Mier. He rests in the grace of the Lord he served with steadfast faith.
Napoleon’s life was defined by an extraordinary commitment to service. A proud United States Marine Corps veteran, he served honorably during the Korean Conflict, exemplifying courage and devotion to his fellow Marines and his nation. Following his military service, he continued to protect and serve as a San Antonio firefighter and became one of the first two Mexican American highway patrolmen for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) in 1964. His trailblazing career with DPS was marked by integrity and a dedication to justice, which he carried forward as a Special Agent for U.S. Customs.
In addition to his law enforcement roles, Napoleon shaped countless lives as an instructor at the DPS Academy and as an investigator for the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. Later, he became a truant officer for Devine ISD and served as a Natalia ISD School Board Trustee, advocating tirelessly for the education and well-being of children in his community.

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