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Lady Mustangs Volleyball wraps up tournament season

Lady Mustang Lyncie Acosta had two kills against Creek View in a thrilling three set match. Photo by Moose Lopez.

Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Sports Editor
The Natalia Lady Mustangs have wrapped up their last tournament of the season as district approaches. The Lady Mustangs played a total of five teams, pushing their skills and themselves to the limit in numerous competitive matches.
With tournament season officially over, Natalia has two more matches before the start of district. Jourdanton will visit Natalia Tuesday, Sept. 1 then the Lady Mustangs will travel to Pleasanton on Friday, Sept. 4 at 5 P.M.

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Vaqueros rope Warhorses 39-21 in season opener

Despite the offensive surge late in the game, Devine couldn’t pull out the win over San Diego. However, their ability to respond to adversity bodes well for the future of this team! Photo by Brigid Howard.

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Devine showed flashes of the explosive offense they hope to build around in 2026, but costly penalties, communication breakdowns, and an inability to get off the field defensively on third and fourth downs proved too much to overcome Friday night in San Diego as the Vaqueros defeated Warhorses 39-21 in the season opener.
Head Coach Jacob Campsey cited encouraging moments, particularly the way his offense answered after San Diego had jumped out to an early lead but there were also plenty of lessons to be learned from the first game of the new era of Warhorse football.
“I loved the way our offense responded the first two drives after really bad defensive possessions,” Campsey said. “Had we been able to get off the field a time or two, I think we could have taken control of the game.”
San Diego opened…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!

Bond issue for courthouse restoration approved by county commissioners

The Medina County Radio Emergency Communications Assistance Team (REACT), the Medina County Amateur Radio Corporation and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) were honored during the county commissioners court Monday for their actions during the July flood emergency.
This group of volunteers is essential in being the “eyes and ears” on the ground throughout the county during hazardous weather situations like the flooding this year. (Photo by Anton Riecher)

By Anton Riecher
Issuance of certificates of obligation not to exceed $11 million to finance restoration of the historic Medina
County Courthouse and possibly other renovation projects such as the Texas Department of Public Safety building
in Devine was unanimously approved by county commissioners Monday.
“The number one primary objective of this project is the complete restoration of the courthouse,” County Judge Keith Lutz explained during Monday’s meeting.

Of seven bids received from across the country by the 10 a.m. deadline, the commissioners approved…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!

Medina County approves potential 2026 tax rate

Precinct 3 Commissioner Larry Sittre countered accusations of racism against him during the Medina County Commissioners Court meeting Monday.
Sittre will face democratic opponent Eli Arroyo in the November election. (Photo by Anton Riecher)

By Anton Riecher
On a motion by Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler, a proposed zero increase 2026 tax rate of $0.4434 per $100 valuation for Medina County was unanimously approved by county commissioners during their regular
meeting in Hondo Monday.
A public meeting on the proposed tax rate is scheduled for Sept. 8.
County Judge Keith Lutz gave the no-new-revenue tax rate calculated by the Medina Central Appraisal District as $0.4306 per $100 valuation. Based on MCAD figures, any tax rate above $0.4653 would require voter approval.
“The proposed tax rate is the same as last year’s,” Lutz said.
The motion made by Lawler was seconded by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch.


Commissioners also voted unanimously in support of a proposed zero-increase special road tax rate of $0.0364 per $100 valuation for precinct 2. A public hearing on that rate was scheduled for Sept. 11.
The no-new-revenue tax rate based on MCAD figures was given as $0.0349 per $100 valuation. The maximum…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!

Lutz apologizes for comment on data center negotiations

By Anton Riecher
Medina County Judge Keith Lutz issued a public apology Monday for publicly stating that he had never signed any non-disclosure agreement when, in fact, he signed NDAs with at least two data center developers negotiating with the county for infrastructure approvals and economic incentives.
Lutz delivered the apology at the close of the Medina County Commissioners Court regular session Monday. He said it was connected to an unscripted half-hour audio interview he gave Precinct 3 Commissioner Larry Sittre in October 2025 that recently resurfaced on Facebook.

“I never went back and even listened to the interview until this weekend after it was brought to my attention,” Lutz said. “In that interview I was asked about signing an NDA about any of the largest centers. I did a very poor job of articulating what my thoughts were during that time.”
A non-disclosure agreement is a binding legal contract between people or companies that keeps sensitive
information private. It prevents…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!

New tax rate, budget still pending at ESD4

ESD1 Chief Clint Cooke, foreground, addresses Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2, board members during its Aug. 18th board meeting. (Photo by Anton Riecher)

By Anton Riecher
Action is still pending on a proposed 2026 tax rate and a fiscal year 2026-27 budget for Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4, with the latest in an ongoing series of budget workshops scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 26).
Board president Steve Smith said he expects a proposed tax rate and budget to come out of that meeting.
“We will start with our budget next week at the meeting,” Smith said. “We will develop the budget based on what we anticipate it is going to cost us for the year. From there we will back it out to see what our proposed tax rate would be.”

ESD4’s current ad valorem tax rate is $0.521 per $100 valuation, an increase of 14 cents for the district’s median households. That rate supports an approved budget for fiscal year 2026-26 of $1,038 million.
Based on information from the Medina Central Appraisal District, the no-new-revenue tax rate for 2026 is $0.0507 per $100 valuation. The maximum increase allowed…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!

Train derailment was third in a string of 4 incidents that day

In a rare occurence, there were major train derailments in four communities within five hours of each other, with the first one just before Noon and the last one around 5 pm. Photo by Moose Lopez.

By Kayleen Holder
Editor

A train derailed near the Medina/Bexar County line on Macdona LaCoste road this past Thursday, August 20 around 2:45 pm. The incident was the 3rd of 4 train derailments occurring that afternoon in Texas.

It was a rare occurrence as four separate Union Pacific trains derailed that afternoon within about 5 hours of each other. Official causes…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!

Local first responders “address” a big problem

By Kayleen Holder
Editor
Labeling your address on your mailbox is critically important. In life-threatening emergencies, police, fire trucks, and ambulances waste precious minutes searching for unmarked homes. Clear numbers let crews find you fast.
“The street number and your name is not needed on the mail box,” said Russell Johnson of Natalia Volunteer Fire Department. “People really need to make sure their address is posted along the road in big, reflective letters…Sometimes it is so cluttered with the address and street name on the same mail box and they are such small letters.”
According to 911Ready, letters should be at least 3 inches tall to be clearly visible.
Devine Fire Departments Batallion Chief Beau Powers echoes that concern.
“Lack of either numerics on mailboxes or painted curbside can cause delays in response…Having your street number labeled can ensure a fast response from Fire or EMS.”
Bigfoot Lieutenant Denise Woody also commented on the matter.
“We always tell people if we can’t find you, we can’t help you,” Woody said. “Please put big numbers that can be seen day and night on a fence or post or something that’s near the road on the same side of the road as the address, not across the street on a mailbox.”
“Houses that are…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!