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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.

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 !

We’re thrilled to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 Devine Cactus Fall Festival—our largest and most anticipated event of the year! This two-day, family-friendly celebration will take place on Friday, October 31st and Saturday, November 1st, 2025, in downtown Devine as usual.
This year’s festival will be packed with live music, food trucks, artisan vendors, local organizations, games, contests, family activities, and more—drawing hundreds of attendees from Devine and surrounding areas.
Whether you’re a returning vendor, nonprofit, school club, or a new business, we’d love to have you be part of this exciting community event!
Event Details
Dates: Friday, October 31st (Evening Halloween Celebration) and Saturday, November 1st (Full-Day Festival)
Location: Highway 173 & Bright Street, Downtown Devine
Times: Friday 31st 2 pm-10 pm and Saturday 1st 8 am-12am
Friday night will focus on Halloween fun! All participating vendors are required to bring candy for trick-or-treaters—costumes and themed booths are encouraged!
Booth spaces are limited and will be assigned on a first-confirmed basis, spots are not guaranteed.
How to Apply:
Attached to this email is the official festival application, which includes booth fees, guidelines, policies, setup instructions and other important information. Please complete and return the application as soon as possible.
Note: Application review and approval may take up to 2 weeks. Once your application is reviewed, we will personally email you.
Price details are included on the form—booth spots are not reserved until payment is received, spots are NOT guaranteed.

Special Notes:
All food vendors must comply with Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) and Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) regulations, including any required permits, labeling, licensing, and certifications.
Cottage Food Vendors must follow Texas Cottage Food Law. Products must be non-potentially hazardous, made in a home kitchen, and properly labeled. A food safety training course is required.
Hot Food Vendors must have all appropriate permits and operate from an approved facility. This includes food trucks, trailers, or booths serving food that requires temperature control.
Cactus Fall Festival Application- email us for a copy of it.
We can’t wait for another amazing Cactus Festival and look forward to showcasing all the talent, creativity, and community spirit that makes Devine so special.
“If you have any questions or need assistance with the application, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’m happy to help!” Savannah Kendrick, Devine Market Association Secretary.
Email: DevineMarketAssociation@gmail.com

007 HOMECOMING COURT: Jessica Rodriguez, Deann Honig, Melanie Ferarri, Holly Howard, Willie Jo Beck, Tawny Martinez. These young ladies represented their classes at Devine High School and were selected by their fellow students to serve on the 2007 Homecoming Court. *Come Celebrate Homecoming again this year on Sept. 26 & 27, 2025! *See the DExSTA Homecoming Schedule for details.