Events – The Devine News

DEVINE FALL CACTUS FESTIVAL 2026…

Brayden Newman, Luke Fitch and several friends enjoy one of the swinging carnival rides.

88 Vendors lined the streets of South Bright and College Avenue as well as the bank parking lot for the annual Devine Fall Festival last weekend.

Anthony Patterson and his wife enjoyed visiting with friends.

Folklorico dancers of San Antonio were part of the enertainment Saturday.

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HARTS Members busy …Fall Conference and monthly meeting

HARTS President, Earline Schlortt, presented an appreciation gift to Ray Wolff, who presented the D’Hanis Brick program to the retired Teachers.

Ten members of HARTS (Huajilla Area Retired Teachers and Staff) attended the District 20 Fall Conference in Boerne on October 22. Members who attended were President Earline Schlortt, Second Vice President Lola Hill, Secretary Irene Dubberly, Treasurer Maria Elizondo, Past President Jim Rigby, Linda Perkins, Dottie Wolff, Cindy Howard, Walter Huegele and Sam Dubberly. The Conference is attended by TRTA members from 13 chapters in District 20. In addition to participating in the business meeting, the members heard from Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Chief Contract Services Officer Shannon Gosewehr who provided financial updates on TRS and the process necessary to become financially actuarily sound before any increase in annuities can be considered, and upcoming changes in the medical insurance provider for members.
TRTA Immediate Past President Ella Gauthier addressed members about the importance of membership growth and involvement and provided insight on retiree issues which will be faced by the next state legislative session.
President Earline Schlortt had the honor of introducing the District 20 Past Presidents in attendance, which included HARTS member Irene Dubberly.
A special memorial program honored the deceased members from each of the 13 chapters.
Monthly Meeting
On Monday, October 26, President Earline Schlortt called to order the monthly meeting of the Huajilla Area Retired Teachers and Staff at the D’Hanis Community Center. Holy Cross priest, Father Lajarus Soreng offered heart-felt greeting to the 40 members and 5 guests present. Father Lajarus spoke about the importance of…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!

Bake Sale Nov. 14 at Bigfoot Museum

The Bigfoot Wallace Museum will be having a Bake Sale, Saturday, November 14th starting at 9:00 a.m. We are located at F.M. 472 and F.M. 462. We look forward to seeing you there.

1st Place Overall Winner of parade floats – Devine Intermediate Ballet Folklorico

Taking 1st place overall was the Devine Intermediate Folklorico Club. It’s the second year for the club which was started by teacher Elisia Mitchell and assistant Amy Bailey. 35 kids have enrolled and are enjoying learning and performing. The 65th annual Devine Cactus Festival was a huge success with 150+ floats/vehicles this year and thankfully the rain held off just long enough! See more results on page 2 and tons of photos inside on pages 9,16, and 17 by KK Calame, Kayleen Holder and Mable Byrd. Over 2 inches of rain fell the next day.

65th Devine Cactus Festival this weekend… Parade 10am

The carnival is selling wrist arm bands for a block of hours with 2 sessions on Saturday and one each on Thursday and Friday nights. Get the Presale discount by using QR Code on the ad on page 3.

The 2026 Devine Fall Cactus Festival committee is wrapping up sponsorships, parade entries and final details for the 65th annual event set for November 5-7.
The Carnival will be open three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Friday Night Festivities will include vendors, food and drinks, DJ Reggie and new this year a photo booth, as well as the carnival.
Saturday Parade-The parade will start 10:00 a.m. at the middle school and travel to downtown, ending at the VFW. Lineup positions will be sent out this week. Over 61 entries have been received so far to include the Warhorse Marching Band. Grand Marshalls will be local Veterans, so far 14 have signed up.

Theme this year is Patriotic, Red-White-Blue in honor of America’s 250th.
Saturday Festival will kick off with entertainment followed by live music. Starts at Noon in the Momentum Bank Parking Lot. See schedule below. The FREE live music and dance will continue through to 12 Midnight along with the vendors and food and drink booths. No outside drinks or ice chests are allowed. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs. It will be a variety of live music all day to include …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!

Lytle FFA places at Palo Alto Invitational LDE

1st place – Public Relations Team members (l to r): Katherine Chuong, Mia Rollins, Ashley Olvera, Peyton Leverton. Coached by Mrs. Megan Patty.

The Lytle FFA pirates placed high at the 11th Annual Palo Alto College LDE Extravaganza on Friday Oct. 23rd.
It was a great day as our teams competed against some larger and tougher schools from around the state. The day was highlighted by three teams walking away with awards plaques!
1st place – Public Relations Team (members Left to right: Katherine Chuong, Mia Rollins, Ashley Olvera, Peyton Leverton) Coached by Mrs. Megan Patty
1st place – Senior Creed Speaking, Lluvia Olvera – Coached by Mr. Samuel Yanez
2nd place…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!

A season to be proud of: Natalia Marching Band advanced to Area Finals for the Sixth Time in School History

By Sergio Mendez
Director of Band, Natalia ISD
As the marching season comes to a close, we look back on a season filled with hard work, perseverance, challenges, and accomplishments. We could not be prouder of our students and everything they achieved this year. Their dedication, determination, and commitment to our band program were evident every step of the way, and their success is something worth celebrating.
From the first days of preparation to the final performance of the season, our students worked hard to improve, grow, and perform at their very best. The season was not without its challenges. Scheduling conflicts sometimes made preparation more difficult, requiring our students and staff to remain flexible, focused, and determined. Despite these obstacles, the band continued to push forward, supporting one another and staying committed to the goals we set at the beginning of the season.
We also knew this year would bring an especially competitive environment. With more schools moving down to the 3A classification, we anticipated a challenging season filled with strong programs and talented performers. The competition was tough, and we knew our students would need to bring their best to every performance. They rose to the challenge, placing at every contest throughout the season and demonstrating just how much their hard work and preparation had paid off.
One of the most exciting highlights of the season came at the Area competition. Our band earned…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!

Pirate Band marching earns 3rd place ranking at Area,just miss finals

Photos by Mable Byrd

On Saturday, 10/24/26, the Pirate Band traveled to Alice HS for their 9th consecutive trip to UIL Area E Marching Contest.
The Pirate Band gave their best performance of the year, most notable receiving a ranking of 3rd place marching from one of the 5 judges. After all 29 bands had performed and the judges tallied up their scores, the final ranking of the Pirate Band was 11th place. Only the top 10 bands at Area advanced to finals this year, so the Pirate Band’s competitive marching season has come to a close.
We are immensely proud of the progress the Pirate Band has made this year, and are looking forward to what the future holds for this amazing ensemble.

Haunted House Open at Devine VFW!! Open every Friday & Saturday through Halloween!

Devine’s Haunted House will be open every Friday and Saturday starting October 23rd until Halloween is over. The hours will be 8 pm until midnight at the Devine VFW (old school house).
It will be bigger and better than ever, organizers say, almost double the size of last year’s Haunted House with 4,000 square feet! You can expect to encounter a terrifying experience with great special effects and a pitch black maze section!

Veterans Memorial Golf Scramble November 14, 2026 at Devine Golf Course

Devine VFW Post 3966 will host a Veterans Memorial Golf Scramble on Saturday November 14, 2026 at Devine Golf Course, 116 Malone Dr. Proceeds from the event go to veteran support programs and Post upkeep.

Registration will start at 7:30 AM with a shotgun start at 9:00 AM. Price per golfer is $125with 4-Person teams. Entry fee includes green fees, ½ cart, 2 mulligans and a grab and go lunch. Max handicap: Men 18, Women 24, only 48 teams 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!