Enter the Parade…
Devine Cactus
Fall Festival set for November 5

The Devine Fall Festival Committee has opened parade registration and encourages all to register their group, business or association as soon as possible. The Devine Cactus Fall Festival Parade is Saturday, November 5, 2022, and begins at 10:00 am as usual. Entries will need to be in place by 8:45 am for judging.
The Parade is the kickoff for the 60th Anniversary of the Devine Fall Festival. The festival is hosted each year in the downtown area of Devine near the library, community center and downtown businesses behind them.
They will have arts and crafts, live music, demonstrations, a carnival, food booths and food trucks. Entertainment for everyone. Live music all day and a free street dance in the evening.
Fill out a form and drop off or mail to parade Co-Chair Sandy Jopling or Cindy Morales by October 22, 2022 in order to give them time to get the line-up made and notify all persons responsible for entries.
Categories include: Commercial/business, youth group, agricultural entries, religious group, antique vehicles, and chamber or associations.
Due to past incidences along the parade route, No one is allowed to ask for donations except for the DHS Project Graduation selling tacos and drinks.
Drop off entries by Morales Realty, 216 W. Hondo, Devine, TX 78016 or mail to Parade Chairman, Devine Chamber, PO Box 441, Devine, TX. 78016.
For questions please contact Cindy Morales at 210-218-6530 or Sandy Jopling 512-618-5330. Entry form on page 2.

AREA EVENTS…
National Night Out October 4th

Devine

America’s Night Out Against Crime, is asking for you and your family to come partner up against crime in Devine at our Devine Municipal Golf Course. This event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 4th from 6 to 9 pm.
There will be a balloon artist, caricature artist, and face painter there for the kids. There will be fire trucks, police vehicles, and helicopters flying in as well.
Outside they will have free snow cones, nachos, hot dogs, popcorn, and bottled water while supplies last.
The Solis Brothers will also be providing live music, and there will be a few food truck vendors selling goods as well.

Lytle

Lytle’s National Night Out event will be held next week on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the Lytle Community Center from 6 PM – 8 PM.
“There will be numerous community groups set up as well as displays of fire and police vehicles and equipment. The Lytle VFW and their Auxiliary will cook and serve hotdogs for us. We also will have a DJ! There will be plenty of drinks and snacks too. It’s a fun time to come out and meet your public safety workers,” said Police Chief Richey Priest. They will also be giving away gun locks.

Natalia

Natalia will be hosting the 39th Annual National Night Out on Tuesday, October 4 in front of the Natalia Police Department on 3rd Street from 6 pm to 8 pm. Our community will be celebrating the event with several million others across the Nation. NNO is a program made in partnership with local Law Enforcement Agencies for an evening to heighten crime and drug prevention and as in the past, free food, fund and giveaways.
We joined with this event, also known as “America’s Night Against Crime” and began inviting neighbors to join us in our front yard but has since grown to closing down an entire block of 3rd Street. We will be joined by our local Law Enforcement, Volunteer Fire Department along with EMS. Bring your chairs and enjoy the evening getting to know local law enforcement and those that have chosen to serve and protect the citizens of our area.

Friendship Art Club to host Falls Arts and Crafts Show on Oct. 1

Josephine McMann instructs Melanie Means during the August meeting in Lytle.

The Friendship Art Club is having their Fall Arts and Crafts Show on Saturday, October 1 in the Lytle Community Center. This is the first year we have been able to offer creative crafts as well as fine arts. A few booths are still available. If you are an area crafter and are interested, please call Jane Brown, Show Chairman, at 210-415-2546. Show your talent in a comfortable air conditioned environment. Set up starts at 10AM, Friday morning, September 30. Judging starts at 2PM for the art competition and we are asked to complete set up before 2. No tents are necessary and tables will be provided. Fall Shows are just beginning and this is a good opportunity to share your talent.
More than 20 booths will offer a wide variety of creative items for the holidays, in an air conditioned environment. Make a plan to enjoy all the Fall activities offered around our area. We open at 9am and close at 4pm. There will also be food trucks to offer a variety of menus. An extensive raffle benefits our local students with annual scholarships for graduating seniors in Devine, Natalia, Lytle and Somerset. Exhibitors are invited to participate in a judged competition of fine arts and three dimensional art work. The audience votes for the People’s Choice Award given to the audience favorite art work.
Each business meeting provides a program to expand interest and knowledge of a variety of art procedures. The October meeting will be an educational judge’s critique of art work entered in the October 1 competition. Special thanks to area artist, Josephine McMann, who worked with us in August. Her program was how to apply gold leaf to your work for extra sparkle. Her demonstration included actively using the application method. We appreciate her taking the time to share her knowledge.
Please join us any Tuesday morning at the Lytle Church of Christ fellowship room. Many members use this time to learn from each other and to work in a variety of media. If you are interested in participating in the show, please call Jane Brown 210-415-2546, or come by Tuesday morning. We start at 9:30 AM.

Season opening meeting of the Current Events Club

KK DuBose Calame, second from left, was the guest speaker at the Current Events Club meeting on September 13th. Hostesses for the meeting were (l to r) Kathleen Zadik, Judy Eaddy, and Cherri Budington. Also shown are antique cameras and an early painting of the Devine News Office. The Devine News is celebrating 125 years this year.

The Current Events Club met in the lovely home of Judy Eaddy on September 13th for their first meeting of a new season. After delicious refreshments, Kathleen Calame, publisher of the Devine News, presented the program entitled, “125 Years of the Devine News”. The newspaper is not only the official newspaper of Devine, but also the official newspaper of Natalia, Lytle, and LaCoste.
The Devine News was first published by George B. Holcombe for three months before W.L. DuBose purchased the paper in 1897 (traded a brand new horse and buggy) and the newspaper remains in the DuBose family to this day. K.K. DuBose Calame’s parents (Pat and Kitty DuBose) turned the paper over to her in 1999. KK’s daughter Kayleen Holder is the current editor of the paper, and fifth generation. KK shared many memories about the newspaper and brought some antiques from publishing past.
The upcoming drawing was discussed by club members. Tickets will be available at Walmart on September 17 and 24th, and in October on the first and 22nd.
Items for the drawing are: 1,000 pounds of deer corn, 500 pounds of deer corn, and a $300 gift card. Ticket cost is $5.00 or 5 tickets for $20. Tickets will be available and the drawing held at the Fall Festival on November 5th. Funds raised from the drawing will go to local causes, charities, and organizations and for two Devine High School scholarships.
Another item of business was the National Wreaths Across America Day. One may sponsor a wreath for $15 to be placed on a veteran’s grave this December 17th at the Devine Evergreen and St. Joseph Catholic Cemeteries. A ceremony will be held at cemeteries from Arlington, Virginia across the nation and then wreaths places on the graves of veterans. To sponsor a wreath honoring a veteran, you may go online to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/TX1147P. Posters across town have QR codes so donations may be made online. Current Events Club members will be at the October 1st Market Day in Devine to assist with orders.
The next club meeting on October 11th will be lunch and a trip to the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Antonio.

Fundraiser for Rangel

Family and friends are hosting fundraisers for Natalia resident, Noah Rangel, 20, who is suffering from an eye condition that can cause blindness if it is not treated.
“He has been dealing with an eye condition called Kerataconus for over two years, and it’s gotten worse. His right eye is shaped differently than his left eye which is over compensating for his right eye,” said his mother Mrs. Savanna Rangel. “He’s seen a few cornea specialists who have told him that if he doesn’t have this surgery which is not covered by his insurance he will eventually need a cornea transplant and because he’s young he may need more than one. If he doesn’t do anything about it he will go blind. The surgery itself will not cure or reshape his eye but it can stop the progression of the disease in hopes of him not losing his eyesight. After surgery he will needs special custom corrective lenses that are also not covered by his insurance. Our family greatly appreciates any donation big or small. His address is P.O. Box 120 Natalia 78059 or cash app $vanna0723.”
Rangel has a one year old daughter Emmy, and Noah works full time. He works as a maintenance technician at Love’s, and hopes to become a pharmacist someday.
Noah graduated in 2021 from Academy of Achievements in San Antonio. He loves computers, music and most of all the Greenbay Packers.
“I am so proud of the man/father he has become. He adores Emmy and would move mountains for her as I would do for him. He has overcome so many challenges in life. He’s smart, funny and caring and giving,” Mrs. Rangel adds.

Medina County burn ban remains in effect

By Anton Riecher
A burn ban in place in Medina County since June 24 remains in effect after county commissioners tabled further action this month.
The ban was scheduled to expire on Sept. 21. However, permission to burn under exceptions to the ban can be obtained from the Medina County Sheriff’s Office dispatch.
A decision on whether permission is granted depends on changing conditions day-to-day, Medina County Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Lutz told county commissioners this month.
The ban allow exceptions to burn for activities related to public health and safety approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Those exceptions include firefighter training, public utility operations involving natural gas pipeline or mining or harvesting of agricultural crops.
Also exempted are burns conducted by a prescribed burn manager certified under Section 153.048 of the Natural Resources Code. Finally, ceremonial fires are exempted provided that advance notice is given to the sheriff’s office and appropriate fire officials of time and location.
Burning of brush on property cleared by a landowner is permissible granted that permission is obtained from the sheriff’s dispatch and the county fire marshal. The landowner or the contractor must remain on scene to supervise and appropriate fire containment equipment must be on hand.
Breaking the burn ban is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 per violation.

MAJOR ROAD CLOSURE:


Northbound ramp in Lytle at IH-35 to be closed for weeks starting today
TXDOT will be closing the NB entrance ramp to IH-35 (the one by Lytle State Bank) from Sept. 21 thru Oct. 4. They will be doing construction / road work. While that ramp is closed you will need to use Main St to access the NB entrance ramp just inside Bexar County (once you cross the overpass).

Area Veterans, Devine Wants You… For Grand Marshall

The Devine Fall Festival Parade this year will feature area veterans as Grand Marshalls of the parade. Veterans from all branches of service are asked to participate. They will occupy the lead cars and floats and will be recognized at the grandstand at the parade finally.
The Fall Festival Parade is on November 5, 2022. Judging of parade entrants is at 9:00 AM and step off is at 10:00 AM.
Veterans who wish to participate are asked to contact Gary Saathoff, call or text him at 210-289-6204.
You can also email him at gsaathoff7@yahoo.com.