For Immediate Release by Atascosa County Sheriff’s Dept.: Just before 8am Monday, deputies were dispatched to the 21000 block of FM 791 for a caller who advised that he had a piece of Civil War era ordnance that could possibly be a live explosive. The caller told deputies that he had owned the ordnance for years and had always thought it was a dummy round. When a military friend of his saw it, he suspected it to be live and that is what prompted them to call the Sheriff’s Office. Out of an abundance of caution, deputies contacted an explosive disposal team from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio who arrived on location a short time later. Atascosa County EMS and the Atascosa County Office of Emergency Management assisted the Sheriff’s Office during this call. The explosives team confirmed that the device was indeed a live “parrot round” from the Civil War era and safely transported it to an explosive range at Camp Bullis where it was disposed of in a safe manner. Deputies and other first responders cleared the call just before 11 am. No one was harmed during this incident and no charges are pending.
$1.2 Million infastructure improvements, new patrol vehicles included in buget
By Anton Riecher Moving from general presentation to detailed questioning, the Devine City Council held its second summer workshop July 21 to shape the proposed $5.865 million city budget for fiscal year 2026-2027. City Accountant Cassandra Maldonado opened the workshop with a refresher on the budget numbers presented at the first budget workshop held July 6. “This workshop focuses on the city’s main operating funds, highlighting the financial strategies, capital investments and policy decisions included in the proposed budget,” she said. The discussion…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 Kayleen Holder Editor Explosions could be “seen for miles” says Bigfoot Volunteer Fire Lieutenant Denise Woody who helped battle quite a blaze this past Friday, July 24. The call for a structure fire in Bigfoot came out at 8:44 pm on Hwy 173, about 5 miles east of Devine. There were about 15-20 explosions from pressurized gas containers, within minutes, according Lieutenant Woody, who said many of those “fireballs topped the tree lines.” The fire began in one barn and quickly spread to two other barns containing gasses used for welding and several propane cylinders as well as some ammunition. Both Bigfoot VFD and Moore VFD responded…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!
Former college athlete Coach Samantha Mendez brings 15+ years of coaching experience to the Arabian program. Hired by Devine ISD this Summer, she is excited to lead the Arabians into the upcoming season as the Head Volleyball Coach.
By Kayleen Holder Editor Coach Samantha Mendez will take the lead of the Arabian Volleyball program this season. Mendez has been coaching for 15+ years, and she’s really excited about what she’s seen so far from the maroon and gold. “I’ll tell you right now, we have a lot of talent here in Devine, girls who are hungry to win and hungry to carry on the tradition,” Coach Mendez said. “That’s something I definitely see in these girls, and I’m super, super excited to coach these athletes. They are eager to play, willing to learn and willing to work.” Mendez has coached at a variety of levels at San Antonio ISD, SA Memorial, Wimberley club volleyball, as well as Lytle ISD most recently. One of her favorite coaching memories was coined “The Memorial Volleyball Miracle” by the SA Report. In this historic turnaround, Coach Mendez led the San Antonio Memorial volleyball team to its first district championship in over 40 years. Coach Mendez says…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!
The matter of the dog attack this past May will be discussed again at a future meeting council said in response to a Devine resident who presented new information and questions to the council during the public comment’s portion of Tuesday’s meeting.
By Anton Riecher Land-use decisions, infrastructure funding and long-term action on code enforcement occupied the Devine City Council during a regular meeting held July 21. City Permits Director Juanita Romero noted the wide ranging variety of land-use decisions facing the council. “Today we have a little potpourri of what planning and zoning actually does,” she told council members. Leading the agenda on land use, the council voted to approve a preliminary plat for a new coffee shop at 635 East Hondo Ave. The brick-and-mortar drive-through coffee location extends a brand established in nearby Lytle. A public notice was mailed to 23 properties within a 200-foot buffer of the shop site, together with an ad published July 1st and 8th in The Devine News, Romero said. Of those properties only two owners replied, both in favor of the new business. With the plat meeting all city design requirements, the council voted to approve the plat on the recommendation of the city staff. Zoning Issues The council also approved a rezoning at 105 Anderson St. that changed two acres of a 16-acre tract from Class A residential to Class B residential to allow placement of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development financed manufactured home. Class A zoning allows only a standard single-family home while Class B allows manufactured homes. Notice was mailed to 16 properties within a 200-foot buffer and advertising notifying the public of the zoning request published in The Devine News. Two responses to the mailed notices were received by the city, both positive. The owners of the property, on hand for the council meeting, explained that the land had belonged to the same family for many years. The council discussed…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!
County Clerk Gina Champion displays a specially designed container designed to preserve historic records on file with her office. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
By Anton Riecher A contract with a Dallas-based company specializing in restoration and preservation of historical records for governmental agencies was unanimously approved by the Medina County Commissioners Court Monday. Outgoing County Clerk Gina Champion reported that the current preservation project undertaken by Kofile Technologies, Inc., involving digitizing records as well as preservation of the original documents had been completed. “I’m coming to the end of my time with the county clerk’s office,” Champion said. “Since the beginning of my term in office I’ve worked on numerous projects and I’ve very proud of the present preservation from deterioration project that has been completed.” Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch took charge of the meeting in the absence of County Judge Keith Lutz who was scheduled to testify before Texas Senate Committee on Finance Monday in Austin on issues of infrastructure in counties adjacent to large metropolitan areas. The purpose of the Kofile Technologies project is to protect records from deterioration, create a digital backup for vital records in case of natural or man-made disaster, and improve public access to records in digital form. Subject covered…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!
Two Divisions – JRs (3rd & 4th graders) and SRs (5th & 6th graders). Football sign-ups will be held this Sunday, August 2nd from 10am-2pm at 717 Tuttle Dr. in Devine. Registration fee is $100.00 and a copy of the child’s Birth Certificate is required when registering. If you have any questions, contact Jack Zimmerle at 210.215.4944.
Jerel Beaty The sound of whistles, squeaking shoes, and of course, volleyballs striking the court will return this Saturday as teams from across the state officially open their preseason workouts. August 1 marks the first day programs may issue equipment and conduct workouts, giving athletes their first organized opportunity to begin preparing for what all hope is a memorable and playoff-appearance making 2026 season. Like all schools, Devine, Lytle, and Natalia will not have long to settle in before competition ramps up. The first scrimmages are scheduled for August 7, followed by the first day for matches on August 10. Those early dates give coaches a short window to evaluate lineups, build rotations and prepare players for the pace of regular-season play. The regular season will build toward district certification on October 27 when playoff qualifiers are finalized. From there, the postseason begins quickly with bi-district matches set for October 29-31 and area-round play scheduled for November 2-3. The playoff road continues with regional semifinals November 5-7 and regional finals November 9-10. Teams that advance beyond their respective region will move on to the state semifinals November 14, with state championship matches scheduled for November 19-21. Best of luck to all Arabian, Lady Mustang, and Lady Pirate teams during their 2026 seasons!
Devine Soccer Club Wolfpups U6 and U7 won 2nd place this past Thursday. Bottom row L to R: Elijah, Araya, and Arabella. Top row: Coach Mayra, Haley, Kayne, Brantley, Lucas, Kopelyn and Coach Rcki. Kayne was awared the Golden Boot for most goals scored in the division. He finished with 17 goals in just 10 games.
Jerel Beaty Staff writer High school student-athletes have little to no plausible reason to report to two-a-day training or any fall practice out of shape. Whether it is football, volleyball, Cross Country, Team Tennis, or whatever else, today’s athletes have more offseason opportunities than ever to prepare for the physical demands that lie ahead. With the University Interscholastic League loosening many decades-long restrictions over the last couple of years as to what coaches may teach and supervise during the offseason and especially over the summer, players should be ready to go as all fall sports soon begin. Coaches invest in summer preparation-oaches in Devine, Lytle, and Natalia dedicate much of their summer “free time” to coaching, teaching, and training athletes from every sport at their schools. The word “free” deserves quotation marks because, although most positions include a stipend, the hourly return is far from the reason coaches show up. They do it because they care about their athletes, their programs, and the product they put in front of their sports-loving communities. Preparation creates separation Athletes who either skip summer training altogether or do the absolute bare minimum risk giving other athletes the chance to pass them by. A player who was slightly behind in strength or skill when school let out three months ago has more than enough opportunity to gain ground or even move ahead by showing up consistently through the summer. So why does it matter if the season officially starts on the first Saturday or first Monday in August? Because not every athlete arrives on equal footing. Coaches notice when players report out of shape or when they have failed to improve from where they were at the end of the previous school year. They also notice the athletes who continually commit to improving. Training, nutrition, and recovery matter-Consistent training and a healthy diet give athletes the opportunity to build strength, improve skills, increase endurance, and enhance overall fitness without the immediate pressure of competition. That foundation supports better performance and can help reduce the risk of injury once official season training begins. Offseason programs allow athletes to focus on specific areas of improvement, including muscle strength, endurance, agility, technical skills, and weaknesses that may have shown up in previous seasons. This kind of preparation helps athletes return to competition more confident and better equipped for success. Nutrition is just as important. A healthy diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables along with steady hydration provides the energy needed for training and recovery. It also supports muscle growth and repair while helping athletes maintain a healthy weight. When a player “crashes” during a workout, the cause is often not limited to what happened during a particular practice that morning or that afternoon. More often, it connects back to how well the athlete refueled, rehydrated, and recovered the night before and the morning of their next practice. START NOW!It is never too late to begin a healthy, beneficial routine. With Team Tennis and Cross Country already practicing, volleyball set to serve on Saturday, August 1, and football hitting the grass Monday, August 3, the time to start (or continue) is always going to be right now. Hydrate responsibly. Eat nutritionally balanced meals. Exercise with a purpose. Give your body and yourself the best chance to be successful and to remain healthy. Best wishes to all student-athletes, marching band members, and cheerleaders on a fantastic and healthy 2026-2027 school year!
