My dad and brother invited a gazillion boy cousins over for a campout, fishing, and cattle-working day at the ranch this past weekend, and they had a great time. My brother caught a big garter snake and proceeded to walk in the house with it to scare me so that was the highlight of the evening for them all I’m sure. They also caught lots of crawdads, frogs and only God knows what else trekking around the tank bank with Uncle Sherm. I doubt I want to know exactly what all they caught. My brother’s sort of like that crocodile hunter guy. Thankfully, we don’t have any of those. Tucker is the youngest of the bunch, and he had so much fun tagging along with his older cousins, who no doubt taught him the ways of the world and just one or two cuss words along the way (accidentally). When you get a bunch of kids together, they sure ask some funny questions, that’s for sure. It’s a lot of fun to eaves drop. Some of the teenage girl cousins were there too, and when they all came running up to each other when the third one arrived they shrieked with joy to the high heavens. It was so funny. Cousins are fun. On the morning after the wild campout, I took a couple of the boys for a horse ride, and they sure loved it. I got my exercise leading the horse around the ranch in the full sun, but their conversations and observations kept me entertained. I love to share the love and joy of a horse with children every time I get the chance. My rides around the ranch meant so much to me.
Well, I could use last week’s column for this week, because not much has changed! The weather is still stiflingly hot, the highs for the day are usually 103ºF to 104º and this is at 3:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon. It’s Saturday, and twice today the sky has clouded over, the wind has picked up and it looked as if we could get some rain…not a drop so far. My week was quiet, compared to what it has been lately. I only worked the one day in the gift shop and wasn’t too busy, but I did have a pretty good day. My little four-legged friend is visiting for a few days, he always wants either in or out! I am getting plenty of exercise walking back and forth to the doors. This week, I’ve found out I’m going to be great grandma for the 18th time, and that was just one of the high points of the week. The other on is that I’m going to get to go on a vacation with part of my family and go to NM! I haven’t been in that area in many years and am really looking forward to the trip. This morning, a group of us that attend the country church, got together and cleaned the pavilion as we will be having breakfast there tomorrow morning after church. We do this on a monthly basis, but this month is special as it is in honor of the saint the church is named after; “St. Ann”, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Prior to the pandemic, we usually had Mass in the afternoon and then served chili dogs or some such thing. Now, we will be doing breakfast, and serving various and sundry casseroles, kolaches, fruit, cake, and other brunch foods. I made a ‘Southern Pecan Praline Cake’ for our meeting last week, and it went over well enough that the president of our group requested that I bring it! Luckily, it’s a pretty simple cake to make. Also, I’ll be making a casserole using shredded hash browns as a base with a really delicious sausage sauce over it, as well as some mini-cinnamon rolls. If it turns out as usual, we’ll have enough food for a small army, hope lots of folks decide to come to early Mass! According to World Book Encyclopedia, the tiniest snowflake or particle of frost imaginable weighs less than a tiny bird’s feather. The weight of a glacier is in the billions of pounds. Glaciers, snowflakes, frost and hail stones are all ice and are formed the same way when the temperature of water and moisture in the air falls below 32ºF, or 0ºC. Salt, sugar, and alcohol added to water lower the temperature needed to freeze it. This is why alcohol is used in anti-freeze to keep car radiators from freezing. When frozen, the volume of the water increases by 1/11. This is why ice floats in water and also why jars of liquid in the freezer or water pipes burst when frozen. Five to ten million dollars of ice is sold in the United States annually. Most of this ice is made in ice plants where pure water is frozen in vats in blocks weighing 300 to 500 pounds. In some areas of Canada and the northern parts of the United States, ‘natural ice’ is cut from rivers and lakes and stored in ice houses which are made especially for this purpose. In or around 1800, ice was first shipped from New York City to Charleston, S.C., and during this time clipper ships carried it to many parts of the world including the West Indies. The first commercially successful ice making machine was used in Florida in 1851. An ‘artificial ice’ plant was first set up in New Orleans in 1868, and during this same year, refrigerated railroad cars were built; which meant that more areas of the country could have fresh produce and fresh meat. I’ve given you various ice cream recipes over time, so I’m not including them today, (other than the one for Big Red Ice Cream) but wanted to remind you how wonderful an old-fashioned Root Beer Float would taste on these hot days, also, we’ve also used Big Red to make the same type of float…have fun, stay cool. Root Beer Float 1½ cups vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt 1½ cups cold root beer Put two scoops of ice cream in a tall fountain glass and pour in enough cold root beer to cover. Add two more scoops and top again with root beer. Serve with a spoon and straw. Do you remember the days of going to A&W drive in on Nogalitos St. in San Antonio, and having root beer floats served in frosted mugs? How about the Black Cow on Broadway near Pearl Brewery? Their root beer float was called “Black Cow”, and was also served in a frosted mug. Weren’t those days fun? You can make a Big Read Float this same way, using red soda in place of the root beer! It is delicious. In case you want to try something different, here is a recipe for Big Red Ice Cream. Big Red Ice Cream 4 eggs 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 can (large) evaporated milk 1 cup granulated sugar 1 small box (cook type) vanilla pudding mix 1 bottle (2-liter) Big Red soda ¼ teaspoon salt Mix together eggs, condensed milk and evaporated milk. Stir in sugar and pudding mix and mix well. Add Big Red soda and stir just until mixed. Pour into freezer container and churn until frozen. This is a fun and slightly different cake to make, my friends and family have always enjoyed it. Earthquake Cake (aka-German Chocolate Up-side Down Cake) (Read all instructions before beginning). 1 box German Chocolate cake mix, (along with ingredients to make according to directions) 1 cup coconut 1 cup chopped pecans 4 cups powdered sugar 1 block cream cheese (8-oz) 1 stick butter 1 teaspoon vanilla Lightly grease the bottom only of a 9×13 baking pan. Sprinkle pecans and coconut over pan. Mix German chocolate cake according to package directions and pour over coconut and pecans. With mixer, mix together powdered sugar, cream cheese and butter and vanilla. Drop by spoonsful over cake mix. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes.
Another week with not too many calls, that sure is nice. Officers handled 47 calls for service and conducted 88 traffic stops. Those 88 stops resulted in 79 citations and 9 warnings. Officers made one arrest last week. Sgt. Hanson and Ofc. Pena responded to a domestic disturbance on N. Benton St. and arrested a male for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Only three property crimes were reported to us. #1 – H.E.B. Plus reported a theft that occurred on a prior day. An unknown female was observed on camera leaving the store with $9 worth of unpaid merchandise. All I can say is that they have some rather good cameras up there, $9 doesn’t buy much these days …. maybe you could hide that in the palm of your hand. # 2 – H.E.B. Plus reported another theft, a male left the store with a rotisserie chicken and an adult beverage. I’m not sure which flavor rotisserie chicken he got but if I were going to steal one it would be the lemon pepper, it’s good. #3 – A complainant reported that somebody got their new debit card and set up a pin and “went to town”. They charged about $600 before the card was shut down. In another case, a complainant who reported his handgun as stolen back in 2020 said he found it. We removed it from the system as stolen. I misplace stuff all the time, never done that with a gun though. In another case: A gentleman found a wallet and turned it into the PD, it was full of cash. I thanked him and told him that most people take the cash out before they turn it in. We were able to locate the owner and reunite him with his wallet and cash within the hour. Mark your calendars for the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. We will be hosting our first National Night Out event since 2019. The event will be held at the Lytle Community Center, so the heat or rain won’t ruin our event. If your group or business is interested in setting up a booth, please email me. I am sure we will be providing food, drinks, and snacks. It should be a fun night. I would have a celebrity show up, but I don’t have those kinds of connections.
PROGRAM WELCOMES PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HELP US MONITOR OUR CAMPUS GROUNDS
Requirements: A criminal history background check is required for all school volunteers, including parents and guardians. If you want to be a Pirate LookOut!, and do not already have an approved Lytle ISD background check for this school year, you must go to Central Office between 8am and 4pm to complete the background check. (Typically happens the same day.) LookOut! volunteers agree to: Bring your driver’s license to pick up an orange vest and ID badge provided at the campus front desk during the LookOut! shift. Move around the campus exterior grounds on foot – priority areas are outside the school buildings. Keep conversations to a minimum so you can continue to look for potential risks trying to access the school. Before investigating SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY THAT IS CONCERNING, please call our Lytle ISD School Resource Officer at 210-478-0055, the campus front desk, or in the event of an emergency, call 911.
By Anton Reicher The Devine Volunteer Fire Department has approved paying some emergency personnel beginning with the fire chief and assistant fire chief positions, Chief Greg Atkinson reported to the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 board on July 19. “We’ve gotten to a point with the Fire Academy, the EMT work and all the things we are doing that we have to have some consistency with the people in the building,” Atkinson said. The chief also reported to the board that the association that Medina County Emergency Services District No. 6 in Hondo has requested a proposal for Devine VFD to contract to provide fire and first responder services in their area. ESD No. 6 currently contracts with the Hondo and Yancey volunteer fire departments. “They have some questions on the level of services they are getting right now,” Atkinson said. “I have been approached asking if it was okay for our association to submit a proposal.” Regarding the new paid positions, Atkinson said the initial focus will rest mainly on administrative work and maintenance. “The goal is to eventually become a full ‘combo’ department and have some paid staff on here around the clock,” Atkinson said. “But right now we hope we can supplement two to four people here from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. which is our hardest time to get volunteers.” Atkinson said the addition of paid personnel “raises the level of protection we can offer to the community and the professionalism that goes with that.” Asked if Devine ISD will lose its status to apply for grant funding as a volunteer department, Atkinson said that because the salaries are funded through the volunteer association rather than the taxing district the department would maintain its volunteer status. “The rules are written to the advantage of rural communities such as this,” he said. If services are extended to ESD No. 6, that emergency services district would contract with the Devine VFD in the same way as the local ESD No. 2 presently does. Atkinson compared it to the way Allegiance Mobile Health provides ambulance service to multiple ESDs in the county. “Our goal would be to build up a system very much like we have in place here,” Atkinson said. The advantage to the Devine VFD would be a bigger pool of personnel to draw from and distribute as needed, he said. “There are times right now where if we have a lot of people leave for the weekend, say Memorial Day weekend, we are left saying ‘Hey, we need mutual aid assistance from other departments because we only have one or two people available,’” Atkinson said. In his presentation to the ESD No. 2 board, Atkinson reported that in the previous 49 days the Devine VFD had responded to 17 fires, seven medical runs, four accidents, two public service events and two utility problems. Although fire activity remains high, the total of emergency runs is down from the previous year. “This is probably the first time in my 20 years in the fire business that I’ve had more fire calls than rescue calls,” Atkinson said. “That’s pretty much unheard of for a volunteer department.” For the year to date, the Devine VFD has logged 770 man-hours of in-house training and another 692 man-hours of off-site training, costing $3,452, Atkinson reported. At present, the department has eight firefighters ranked as Fire Fighter 1 under National Fire Protection Association standards, and five ranked as Fire Fighter 2. The department also has five certified fire instructors, four EMS instructors and seven wildland firefighting instructors. “In a department of our size to have that many fire and EMS instructors and certified firefighters is a blessing,” Atkinson said. “It also shows the work ethic of the people here.” In Texas, it is still possible with some volunteer departments to simply show up and get to ride the fire truck, he said. “Here, if you come in you have to have certain training accomplished to meet the state minimum requirements to hold a fire certificate,” Atkinson said. He also brought the board up to date with regard to the Fire Academy project designed to train high school juniors and seniors to work in fire rescue and emergency medicine. “We are working on a schedule to fix the training with a school day,” Atkinson said. “We’re working on when we can conduct the necessary skills tests.” San Antonio College is allowing the Fire Academy to use their live-burn training facility for that testing. “Everyone has been extremely supportive of this,” Atkinson said. “It’s exciting to watch it come together.”
Treasurer’s Report The ESD No. 2 treasurer’s report states that the district has $326,879 in its operating fund at American Momentum Bank and another $99,889 in a money market account at Security State Bank. Adding $63,704 in an interest and sinking account at Security State Bank and the district shows $490,473 in total cash. The Fire House loan is at $777,187. The ESD paid $9,812 in expenses for the month of June, including the Fire House note payment $7,828 and other regular expenses such as utilities. Total property tax revenue, interest and other income was projected to be $426,200 for the 21-22 fiscal year. The next ESD No. 2 board meeting is tentatively set for August 9.
Devine and Natalia ISDs are among many Texas schools battling staffing shortages for the upcoming school year . School is slated to start August 9 in Natalia, August 11 in Lytle, and August 22 in Devine. Natalia ISD had 4 unfilled positions as of this week. “In my 22 years in education, I have never seen it like this,” said Natalia ISD Superintendent Harry Piles. “This has been most challenging. I’ve never had multiple individuals actually decline a contract after going through all the interviews and getting to that point. I currently have four spots open, so what I am going to recommend to the board is that we hire paraprofessional aides to help fill in, while we continue to search for teachers.” In other cases, some classes will just “be a little larger than we’d like,” especially at the secondary level where staffing has been most challenging, Piles adds. He also noted that he appreciates how staff has come together as a team to adjust and fill in where they are most needed. Devine ISD has 10 open positions still listed on their website, and administrators were not immediately available to say if any of those have been filled. There are also 4 additional positions listed on their website, for which applications are accepted year-round. Another educator commented that the shortage hit hard and fast. “It’s hard to be competitive with the benefits offered by San Antonio schools,” said Dawn Schnieder, Director of Student Services at Devine ISD. She also noted, “The staffing shortage wasn’t even gradual. It sort of hit us all at once across the state.” The statewide staffing shortage is so bad that several rural school districts in Texas have made the jump to 4-day school weeks to incentivize educators and compete, according to The Texas Tribune. In their extensive coverage they cited school safety issues, Covid protocol, and tensions surrounding race and gender issues. TEA also launched a Teacher Vacancy Task Force. On the other hand, Lytle ISD was happy to state they have filled all positions, which Superintendent Michelle Smith attributes to a special effort by staff early on to help with recruitment of educators. “Recruitment is at an all time low with the exiting of educators in the field if education and few college students electing the field as a degree plan,” Lytle Superintendent Smith said. “We have called on our Pirate family to assist in the recruitment of educators to fill our openings and we are proud to say they have come through with numerous quality applicants enabling us to start the year fully staffed. Our employees reached out to family and friends who might not otherwise have known about our openings. We hired several qualified educators as a result. We are also looking forward to using our PTECH grant to create a “grow your own program” beginning in 23/24 enabling our students to obtain a no cost bachelor’s degree in education.” Devine’s Superintendent Grandjean was not immediately available for a comment on press day.
DEVINE ISD (the following openings and job descriptions were still posted as of this July 26): Elementary School Special Education Aide (PK-2) Must meet ESSA ‘Highly Qualified’ requirements (48 college hrs./2 yrs. or attend TOPP training at ESC 20) and local criteria. Must have knowledge of basic computer operations and skills; ability to operate personal computer and educational software; ability to work with students and teachers effectively; effective organization, communication, and interpersonal skills. Criminal Background/Fingerprinting Required. Intermediate School 4th Grade Teacher Generalist EC-4 and/or 4-8 or Generalist EC-6 Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas teaching certificate; knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and maintain highly structured and orderly environment; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. Intermediate School Special Education Teacher (3-5) Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas special education teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subjects; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills; knowledge of special needs students; ability to develop IEP through ARD committee process; plan and use appropriate instructional and learning strategies. CPI training preferred. Middle School Special Education (Math) Teacher (6-8) Math 4-8 (preferred) or Generalist 4-8 and Special Education Certified Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas special education teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subject; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills; knowledge of special needs students; ability to develop IEP through ARD committee process; plan and use appropriate instructional and learning strategies. CPI and behavior management training preferred. High School Teacher (9-12) (ESSER funded) ELAR 8-12 or Math 8-12 (preferred); Science or Composite Science 8-12; Social Studies or Social Studies Composite Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subjects; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. High School English Teacher (9-12) tentative ELAR 8-12 Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subjects; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct student and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. Pre AP & AP certified preferred or training required. ESL certified preferred or willingness to obtain certification High School Math Teacher (9-12) Certified Math 8-12 Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subjects; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills; MA preferred. Pre-AP and AP Calculus certified preferred or training required. ESL certification preferred or willingness to obtain certification. High School Science Teacher (9-12) OR High School Science Teacher w/Boys’ Athletic Coach or Girls’ Head Softball (9-12) Science Composite 6-12 or Science Composite 9-12 or Science 6-12 or Science 9-12 Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subjects; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. High School Math Teacher (9-12) OR High School Math Teacher/Boys’ Athletic Coach or Girls’ Head Softball (9-12) Certified Math 8-12 and Physical Education K-12 Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subjects; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills; MA preferred. Pre-AP and AP certified preferred or training required. ESL certification preferred or willingness to obtain certification High School Spanish Teacher/Athletic Coach (9-12) Secondary Spanish 6-12; Physical Education K-12 Bachelor’s degree with valid Texas teaching certificate; ability to demonstrate competency in core academic subjects; general knowledge of curriculum and instruction; ability to instruct students and manage behavior; strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. Substitutes for Nurses Minimum Requirement-Medical Assistant Bus Drivers CDL and Criminal Background/Fingerprinting Required Custodian(s) Criminal Background/Fingerprinting Required Cafeteria Worker Criminal Background/Fingerprinting Required We are an equal opportunity employer who fully and actively supports equal access for all people, regardless of Race, Color, Religion, Gender, Age, National Origin or Disability.
Natalia ISD (the following openings and job descriptions were still posted as of this July 26):
Digital Communications Teacher & District Public Relations (9th-12th) 2022-23 JobID: 475 Position Type: High School Teaching Business Education Teacher (9th-12th) (Coaching Opportunities available) JobID: 490 Position Type: High School Teaching Math Intervention Teacher (6th-8th; ESSER) 2022-23 School year JobID: 481 Position Type: Junior High School Teaching
Christian is one of the estimated 117,000 children waiting to meet his forever family. Sadly, every year about 20,000 kids exit foster care without being adopted.
Christian is a friendly, sweet, active ten year old, who enjoys playing outdoors with anything sports related, going swimming, and just being around other children and adults. Christian like many children loves to play video games on the play station and lists his favorite snacks such as Takis, Mexican sweet bread, and anything spicy, he is also a fan of Anime with Dragon Ball Z being one he enjoys the most. Christian loves going to the zoo, as he is fascinated with all of the exotic and rare animals he can see. A zoo trip there will always bring the biggest smile to his face. Christian is very excited of the idea of being adopted and says he’s always wanted older siblings as he would love to be the youngest in the home. He would also like to have the older siblings & cousins to act as role models. He would like a family that travels, as he would like to make beautiful and everlasting memories of the time spent together as a family. The perspective adoptive family is one who loves outdoor activities and would support Christian playing team sports like soccer, football, and going to visit the zoo. If you think you could be a forever family for Christian or another Texas child, please contact the department at 1-800-233-3405, for more information about adoption or visit www.adoptchildren.org where the schedule of adoption information meetings for Texas are posted. There are currently 117,000 children waiting to be adopted in the United States. They range in age from infants to 21 years old (in some states). The average age of a child in foster care is more than 8 years old. Nearly one-quarter of children in foster care will be adopted, many by their foster parents. However, each year, approximately 20,000 youth will age out of the foster care system when they turn 18 or 21, or when they finish high school (depending upon the state in which they live.) These children are at increased risk of poor educational outcomes, experiencing homelessness, and being unemployed.
Basic Requirements The prospective foster/adoptive parents may be single or married and must: be at least 21 years of age, financially stable, and responsible mature adults, complete an application (staff will assist you, if you prefer), share information regarding their background and lifestyle, provide relative and non-relative references, show proof of marriage and/or divorce (if applicable), agree to a home study which includes visits with all household members, allow staff to complete a criminal history background check and an abuse/neglect check on all adults in the household, and attend free training to learn about issues of abused and neglected children.
Medina County Commissioners Jerry Beck, David Lynch, Larry Sittre, and Tim Nueman, along with Judge Chris Schuchart will be discussing the possible tax freeze for 65 and older this Thursday.
If you would like to see an over 65 exemption on your Medina County taxes like the school districts offer, please contact your county judge and commissioner to let them know you would like to see this offered to senior citizens over the age of 65. What the Devine ISD taxing unit offers is an over 65 residence homestead exemption which freezes your tax rate and appraised evaluation from the moment of exemption on as long as that is your homestead. Medina County is considering and may take action on what they can or want to offer in the form of a tax exemption or freeze at the 10:00 am July 28, 2022 Medina County Commissioners Court meeting at the new courthouse annex which is across the road from the old courthouse in Hondo. It’s time to speak up and/or show up if you want to see an exemption passed. It would help many people. “I think people are ready for any kind of tax relief right now,” said Commissioner Jerry Beck. Contact: Medina County Judge Chris Schuchart at 830-741-6020. Pct. 1 Comm. Tim Neumann, Hondo, 830-741-6016 Pct. 2 Comm. Larry Sittre, Castroville, 830-931-4000 Pct. 3 Comm. David Lynch, Hondo, 830-741-6006 Pct. 4 Comm. Jerry Beck, Devine, 210-244-3413 cell or 830- 665-8015.
The Medina County Commissioner’s Court met for their regular meeting on July 14, discussing a variety of important issues including proposals for the Castroville Loop to ease traffic due to the booming growth there. The County Commissioners discussed the need for notice of any surcharge on countywide bids, prior to accepting any bid. All agreed this would enable discussion of the surcharge before any bids are accepted. All members voted to approve this proposal.
There’s a new mural in town. If you haven’t seen it yet, stop by Sherry’s Flowers in downtown Devine. This beautiful mural painted by local artist Kirsten Schneider encompasses all things Devine. It highlights the iconic maroon and gold water tower, the community’s big heart, awesome golf course, local farming and hunting industries, excellent Mexican food, music, churches, and of course, “We love Eddie.” “Cindy Morales contacted me and asked me to do it. It was a really fun project,” Schneider said. “It started out as a butterfly, but it took on its own personality as I went….it really did. When I got close to finishing, my mind was blown and I just needed a few more items to add to it. So we called some friends and they started recommending some more ideas to add to it.” Schneider worked on the mural for about two and a half weeks. Morales is super pleased with the mural, and can’t wait to start the next one at Bushel and A Peck. “I think having little murals around town is kind of fun, and we are hoping it spreads,” Morales said. “I already talked to another business owner who said he is in. Marcus kind of started this with the color wall (in downtown Devine) and then Margaret did the beautiful mural (at Mag’s Place), so I knew I wanted to do something. We started with the idea of a butterfly, but then we started thinking outside of the box. Kirsten is a former classmate and she is so talented. I am going to keep her busy! We named this mural the Devine Butterfly.”
