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The Bulk and Brush Pickup for the City of Devine is scheduled for February 23 through 27. Ten days prior, starting on Friday, February 13 residents may start placing their brush and bulk pickup items out.
Then on Monday, February 23 the trucks will start the week long pickup cycle…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!

Stricker vs Gentry,
Pepper vs Balderrama

Devine ISD
Devine ISD will have their 2026 General Election on Saturday, March 3, 2026 for two positions on the board of trustees.
There are two new candidates for the District 3 seat, Britny Stricker and Kristi Gentry that Henry Moreno, Jr. currently holds. “District 3 Trustee Henry Moreno, Jr. had signed up prior to the deadline, but withdrew his application,” said Geri Woods, Executive Assistant to Superintendent & Board of Trustees, on Tuesday morning.
District 4 candidates are incumbent and Board President Nancy Pepper and challenger Matthew Balderrama.
Last day to register to vote is April 2, 2026. Early voting first day will be April 20, last day to early vote is April 28, 2026. Election is Saturday, May 2, 2026.
City of Devine
The City of Devine will not need to have an election in May.
District 3 Councilman Jeff Miller signed up for his second term, but has no opponent.
District 4 was open. Adrian Valle is the lone candidate to file for District 4.
District 1 Councilman Ray Gonzales did not seek re-election, but his term does not expire until May. No one submitted their name for this position. The council will have to make a decision before May what to do with this position.
City of Lytle
The City of Lytle will not need to have an election in May.
The only district with two candidates at one point was District 1, and one candidate withdraw his application.
Candidates filing for office are: District 1 Anna Carrillo, and incumbents District 4 Michael Rodriguez, District 5 Matthew Martinez, and Mayor Ruben Gonzalez.
Mike Vasquez withdrew his application for District 1.
Lytle ISD races draw five candidates for the May 2 election

Two Single Member Districts are up for election. The following candidates have filed to be placed on the ballot. 
Single Member District 3 – Incumbent:  Bobby Sollock and challengers Jamila Kuykendall and Wesley Garcia.
Single Member District 4 – Incumbent : Eva Burley and challenger Johnny Tschetter.
Only voters who reside within a specific Single Member District may vote for the candidate(s). Anyone may run for office pending eligibility requirements are met and does not have to live in the district they are running for. 
Last day to register to vote is April 2, 2026. Early voting first day will be April 20, last day to early vote is April 28, 2026. Election is Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Heads up…
TxDot announced they will be closing the IH 35 southbound main lanes and detouring traffic through Devine on SH 132.
This was scheduled to take place on two mornings (February 17 and February 20) to pour both halves of the new bridge.
“We anticipate only having the closure for 4 hours from 2:00 am to 6:00 am,” TxDot said in an email update, weather permitting.
All IH 35 southbound traffic will be detoured off of IH 35 at Exit 124 during this time.
This will allow them to set up a concrete pump truck on the existing southbound Chacon Creek bridge and pour a portion of the new deck.
The detour off of IH 35 at Exit 124, will travel west on FM 463, then travel south on SH 132 (through Devine) to the IH 35 southbound frontage road, and then travel back to IH 35 utilizing the entrance ramp on the frontage road.
This closure should be finished/picked up around 6:00 am, TxDot representatives stated.

By Kayleen Holder
Editor
Jim and Kathy Lawler, affectionately known as “ma and pa” by many in the community of Devine, met on a blind date in Vail, Iowa. This February 15, they will celebrate 57 years of marriage. When it comes to how love and marriage works, I noticed that they nearly always spoke in a way that finished each other’s sentences.
“Our first date was to the big city celebration which was the Pony Show and carnival,” Kathy said.
It wasn’t long before Jim gave her a black pearl promise ring, and about a year and a half after they met, they were engaged to be wed.
“We got engaged on New Year’s Eve,” Jim said. “We were on our way to a party in our 1967 Oldsmobile Cutless.”
Kathy chimed in to explain, “He stopped at a stop sign and he said ‘Hey reach in the glove compartment and get something for me…..I don’t remember what it was that he said he needed. But all that was in there was a ring box.”
“I wanted to surprise her,” Jim said with a smile.
“I was shocked!” Kathy replied. “I think I said something like ‘You’re crazy, but yes!”
“So it was a good New Year’s Eve,” Jim said.
That was December 31, 1969.
Kathy came from a “large Irish family of 14 children,” Jim noted, joking “I got #5 of the litter!…I loved her from the beginning but the more I dated her–it just cemented my opinion.”
The Lawlers said they loved to go dancing, bowling, playing cards and hanging out with family. And they soon started a large family of their own, having six children.
But life hasn’t…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!

Opening of Goodwill last Thursday, February 12 amongst a large crowd of excited shoppers, local leaders, and Goodwill team members.
President and CEO Carlos Contreras was there to address the audience as well as board chair Eddy Salas and Mayor Gonzalez. The idea for a new location in Lytle was presented to the board about 4 months ago, they said.
“Goodwill exists for a mission, and that mission is to change lives through the power of work,” Contreras said. “Goodwill is much more than a store….we are delighted to be part of the Lytle community. This is the epicenter of everything south of Bexar County, and we are excited to be part of it.”
He noted that “every cent spent” will go towards that mission of helping people facing barriers to find work.
“Together we can create a ripple effect of positive change that will go throughout Lytle and beyond,” he said. In an interview after the event he added, “All of the Goodwills exist to help people gain employment. Many people struggle to find work due to a barrier of some kind,” and Goodwills workforce training is here to help.
Mayor Ruben Gonzalez also took…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
In another setback in placing an ambulance substation in Natalia, the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 board of commissioners voted at its Feb. 11 meeting not to proceed with the purchase of a second proposed site after a negative report on a concrete foundation already at the location.
The decision means the sacrifice of $1,200 in earnest money pledged to reserve the site of a former vegetable cannery at the intersection of State Highway 132 and FM 471.
Board president Steve Smith said that…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!