Top News Stories – Page 13

REWARD

In order to be eligible for the reward, you must call Crime Stoppers first and receive a code number. You will not be asked to reveal your name. Call Crime Stoppers at 830-769-2255.

A reward of up to $5000 is being offered for one week only for information leading to the recovery of an antique John Deere tractor.
This reward is available from June 18, 2025, to June 25, 2025.
On June 6, 2025, an antique 1938 John Deere Tractor was reported stolen to local authorities. Information was received that the tractor was seen in the San Antonio area. Further investigation resulted in the arrest of an individual for the theft of the tractor, but the tractor was not located. A reward of up to $5000 is being offered for one week for information on the location and recovery of the tractor.

Medina Co.fatality rate is among 10 worst in the state

By Anton Riecher
In business this June, Medina County Commissioners voted to authorize the submission of an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the “Safe Streets and Roads for All” grant program to develop a comprehensive safety action plan for the county.
Mark Miller, public infrastructure leader with Westwood Professional Services, said the application, due at the end of June, is for an 80-20 matching grant, meaning that for every dollar provided by the county, the DOT will match with $4.
Among the three main criteria for the grant is fatality rate, Miller said. Medina County currently ranks at nearly 40 driving fatalities per 1,000 residents, rated among the ten worst counties in Texas, Miller said.
The Safe Streets and Roads for All program, established in 2022 under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, has nearly…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Young girl in Devine bitten by snake

By Kayleen Holder
Editor
A 9-year-old Devine girl was bitten by a rattlesnake this past Friday, June 6th around 3 in the afternoon. Her family reports that she nearly lost her hand due to the severe swelling it caused, but she is okay now, and while they wish to remain anonymous, they wanted to remind others that it is that time of year to watch out for snakes on the move. We also spoke to the local wildlife biologist on some practical things that deter and or attract snakes.
The child was reportedly outside in the back yard, even with several dogs around, when she was struck on the hand without any rattling or warning.
“She was picking up sticks to make a ‘nest’ for her toy dragons when it happened,”…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Driver arrested after collision with train

The driver of this vehicle was arrested and charged with a DWI after the collision with a train in the area of 18th Street and Avenue U in Hondo last week on Friday, June 6. The 28-year-old driver was arrested and will face charges of Driving While Intoxicated.
“The vehicle hit the train which was already crossing,” said Hondo Police Chief Justin Soza. “It hit car number 10.”
The driver and 3 adult passengers were treated on scene, and thankfully there were no serious injuries reported.
“How the train didn’t take the vehicle with it further down the tracks, I don’t know,” Chief Soza adds.
The train was traveling around 20 MPH at the time the vehicle collided with it, according to the PD.
Every three hours in the United States a person or vehicle is hit by a train, often with fatal results according to Operation Lifesaver, a national non-profit rail safety organization.
Here are a few more…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Diminishing debt rate favorable to future borrowing, financial advisor says

By Anton Riecher
Financial conditions advantageous to borrowing in support of future capital improvement projects without impacting the county ad valorem tax rate were discussed during the Medina County Commissioners Court meeting June 2.
Mark McLiney, senior managing director of SAMCO Capital Markets, said the current ad valorem tax rate for the county supports $2.652 million in total debt. That debt is expected to drop to $2.378 million next year.
“There is an opportunity to borrow without impacting the tax rate if you have capital improvement projects or equipment that you need to move forward with,” McLiney said.
McLiney serves as a financial advisor to more than 130 clients including cities, schools, community colleges, special districts and counties, including Medina County. SAMCO specializes in public finance, acting as an underwriter and trader of municipal bonds.
A conversation with…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Executive session…Lytle secures deal for future water needs for city

By Anton Riecher
Following a executive session, the Lytle City Council approved an agreement with the Nueces River Authority for the purchase of future water needs for the city. Travis Pruski, chief operating officer with NRA, said the sale is part of a project to provide nearly 40 million gallons to small water districts south of San Antonio.
“This is extremely important to us and to the region,” Pruski said. “We call it internally our South Texas moonshot.”
Other communities expected to be included in the project include Castroville, Hondo and Jourdanton, he said…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Lytle approves development agreement for hyperscaler project

By Anton Riecher
At a May 28 special meeting, the Lytle City Council voted unanimously to approve a development agreement with Rowan Digital Infrastructure as the latest step in the planned construction of a $500 million large scale build-to-suit data center slated to bring nearly 600 construction jobs to the community this summer.
“Obviously we’ve been working really closely for the last few months on multiple phases of the development that’s going to occur for the data center,” said City Administrator Zachary Meadows. “This is the next step, an actual development agreement laying out certain terms.”
The agreement lays out a schedule for annexation of the 440-acre project site located in the city’s extra territorial jurisdiction near the Coal Mine neighborhood. ETJ refers to an area surrounding the city’s corporate limits where it has powers related to land development and annexation, but not full municipal services.
According to Meadows, the agreement would impose a “carbon copy” of Lytle’s zoning regulations for industrial districts on the project. The agreement also…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Help send care packages to local soldier and their squadron

by Kayleen Holder
Editor
Ashley Juarez, of Natalia, sent out the following message, and we thought the community might like to join in on this special mission to show our Armed Forces a little love and appreciation for doing what they do.
“As many of you know, my niece Reagan is serving our country, and she’s currently attached to a squadron where some of the airmen have been deployed for over 10 months without receiving a single care package. Can you imagine? They’re really missing those small comforts and snacks from home that we all take for granted,” Juarez said. “As an auntie, my heart aches knowing these young men and women—that…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Local boy develops new Coffee brand with his team at Texas A&M

There’s a new coffee in town! Hometown boy and college student, Kias Simmons 23, traveled the world studying coffee with his team from Texas A&M. He learned everything about it from how it is grown to how it is brewed. Simmons soon fell in love with the art of creating the perfect cup of coffee, and now this young entrepreneur and two co-owners are preparing to launch their very own brand!
Kias Simmons and co-owner Kerry Simmons both came down to the news office last week to let us taste the new coffee first-hand, and the whole office was quickly filled with it’s sweet, toasty aroma.
The coffee–a Kenyan Double AA grade Batian Arabica from Western Kenya– is picked during harvest time by hand. It is then sorted, washed, and cleaned of defects before it is roasted at a solid medium roasting level and packaged. It is what is known…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Mission Devine crews building ramps, filling hearts

Unity begets Community

Matthew “Moose” Lopez
Staff writer
It’s 101 degrees outside, a typical day in south Texas. The air is dry and the heat is unrelenting, but every Mission Devine volunteer wore bright smiles that rivaled the sun.
Starting with just $500 and two projects in 2005, Mission Devine has blossomed into a conglomerate of local churches that banded together to take on projects of all kinds around south Texas. The projects look to provide assistance to the elderly, veterans and those who are impoverished
Board member, Donna Trott, says Mission Devine reviews applications, surveys the potential project, and is given a cost estimate before the board decides whether to proceed with the project.
“We do a lot of bathrooms where people can’t step into the tub anymore; they need a shower that they can walk into,” Trott said.“We’ve done a lot of roofs….[and] We do a lot of ramps.”
Trott emphasized the collective effort it takes to not just perform these acts of service, but to do it on a consistent and sustainable basis.
“Because we have this ministerial alliance and all the pastors and priests and everybody works together, the whole church…will work together,” Tott said. “So we’ve got to give a lot of credit to our pastors and priests and ministers and brothers who push it and want to see our christian community come together as a whole rather than all these separate congregations.” .
Volunteer Gail Duffer embraces the unity spurred on by Mission Devine and says she is “blessed” to participate every year…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!