Category: Top News Stories

Keep up with what’s going on in Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot and Moore areas in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties.

I’ll be home for Christmas…

I’ll be home for Christmas…

After 40 long days away, Pvt 2 Elijah Amir Gomez of Devine, arrived home this Saturday for a 2 week holiday block leave from Army Basic Training. As you can tell, his mom Sopheila Zori is so grateful to have her soldier home.
Pvt Gomez, a 2024 Devine HS graduate, is serving in the Army National Guard -stationed at Fort Leonardwood, MO as he undergoes Basic Training. Pvt Gomez said he is proud to “serve and defend the nation that provided my family with the opportunities and freedoms they didn’t have before.”
Proud parents are Michael Gomez and Soheila Zori, of Devine.
Special thank you and Merry Christmas to Pvt Gomez, and all of the men and women serving in the Armed Forces, and their families, who have made so many great sacrifices for us all.

Positive results reported for Devine water well restoration

By Anton Riecher
What one Devine city council member referred to as a “$32,000 gamble” to restore the city’s long dormant L.C. Martin water well to operation has apparently paid off.
Chuck Jones with Converse-based Advanced Water Well told the council at its Dec. 16 meeting that the company has completed the rehabilitation project and is now waiting to install either a new or repaired submersible pump.
“We did our typical running a brush down it and jetting out all the fill as well as we acidized the well to recede all the iron bacteria in the formation,” Jones said.
The council voted…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!

Devine wins UIL Academic Competition 12th year in a row

By Melody Riou
UIL Academics is a wonderful program for students to be involved in.  Academic competition for younger students has been around since 1913, with the under age ten categories beginning in 1921.
The program of academic competition for elementary, middle school and junior high officially became “A+ Academics” in 2008. A+ Academics includes 20 different events for grades 2-8. These events span the curriculum – they are designed to complement and expand upon what students learn in the classroom, both through learning specific subject knowledge, and through learning skills that are valuable in many disciplines. Approximately 3,000 Texas schools participate in A+ Academics, competing in more than 300 district meets each year.
On December 5th, our UIL students competed in Floresville for our annual UIL competition.  Our kids competed against other students from Floresville, Pearsall, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde and Somerset.  Devine won the UIL meet for the 12th year in a row. We are so proud of each and every team member.

Devine’s Wreaths Across America Ceremony

Rey Alvarado, at right, with VFW Post 3966, presents Jordan Davis, retired Army sergeant first class, with a ceremonial wreath. one of many placed on veteran graves Sunday during the National Wreaths Across America Day ceremonies Sunday at Devine Evergreen and St. Joseph Catholic cemeteries in Devine. (Photo by Anton Riecher) 

Gary K. Saathoff of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3966, left, and Martha Wall of the Devine Current Events Club preside over National Wreaths Across America ceremonies in Devine Sunday.  (Photo by Anton Riecher) 

Devine Livestock Booster Dinner & Dance Jan. 10th

The Devine Livestock Booster Dinner & Dance will be held January 10 from 6pm-Midnight. The event will be held at The Devine Golf Course. You can get 2 tickets for the dinner and dance for $125 total. Jerry DeLeon and the Southbound Band will be providing the live music for the evening. For dinner, the club will be serving fajita plates with rice and beans.
There will be a silent auction and ticket auction going on as well as a Card Deck Drawing for guns. The highlight of the silent auction will a guitar signed by George Strait himself!
You can buy a pair of tickets from any 4-H kid or from Sam Barber at 830-741-0300.

Come out and bid to buy heifers and ranch colts Jan. 23rd

Anyone is welcome to come out and check out some great heifers and ranch yearling colts who have been raised by local 4-H students. More like a traditional auction, bidders will go home with the animals they win from these events and support a great cause at the same time. Here are the details on these two auctions:
Commercial Heiefer Sale:
The sale will be held January 23 at 5pm. Local kiddos will have about 116 head of cattle which will be split into pens of 2-3 animals. Bidders will bid per head, but they will be sold as a lot of 2 or 3 (depending on how many are in that pen).
There will be various breeds. You can register and bid online as well. Or you can just walk up and register the day of. You can view the cattle that will be for sale online.
Colt Sale:
This sale will also be January 23rd and will kick off at 2 pm. Local kiddos expect to bring about 19 yearling ranch colts to the sale. These colts will be around 2 years old, and students will have started on ground work and saddling, but not all will be ridden down. You can register and bid online as well. Or you can just walk up and register the day of.

ESD4 votes to terminate contract for proposed site, buy land in Natalia to build EMS station on

Natalia Alderman Darin Frazier addresses the ESD 4 board Friday on the long promised ambulance station in Natalia. Photo by Anton Riecher.

By Anton Riecher
The Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 board of commissioners voted Friday to exercise its option to terminate an April 2024 contract with the city of Natalia to build an ambulance station on property next to the Natalia firehouse.
Board president Steve Smith said the board remains committed to building in Natalia but prefers to own the site outright rather than on loan from the city of Natalia.
“What the contract says is the property is basically loaned to use,” Smith said. “If we or the city decided not to provide EMS anymore then they get the property back and we have to move the building.”
What the ESD4 board wants…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!

Meet Serenity loves baking, karate, and art

Serenity is a very active, sweet, nurturing, and social ten-year-old who enjoys playing outdoors.  Some of her favorite pastimes are swimming or riding her bike with friends.
 One new activity on her list of things to do, is she has recently begun karate lessons and is learning additional levels of discipline, she is looking forward to one day obtaining her black belt in karate.
 Serentiy is currently into listening to K-Pop, watching anime such as Sailor Moon, and enjoys spending time with her caretaker and engaging in family activities such as going to church, going out to eat, or a shopping trip.
 Serenity loves eating and creating sweets, as she has recently begun to learn how to bake cookies & cakes, to share creations with her friends.
 Some fun facts about Serenity
 She loves reading and art.
Is currently taking karate lessons
Loves to go swimming
Going to church on Sundays
 Serenity is still young and is not sure what she wants to do career-wise, but she knows she wants to attend college, as education is very important to her.
 But she is sure about Christmas being her favorite time of the year, as she loves the feeling of being around loved ones and enjoys the holiday treats, with the ultimate gift of a forever family.
 
Serenity is wanting a family with many siblings, younger or older, and one with many pets, but most importantly forever love.  
 If you think you could be Serenity’s forever family or another Texas child, please call 1-800-233-3405 for more information or visit www.adoptchildren.org where you can find a schedule of online public information meetings, and learn about the foster/adoption program.
You can also view the www.heartgallerystx.org website, where South Texas children have their portraits along with individual personal stories they wish to share, with their future forever family.

Reopening and guest appearance by Santa @ the Library Friday

Press Release–The Driscoll Public Library is delighted to announce that, after several weeks of dedicated work by library staff and the City of Devine Public Works crew, the library will officially reopen its doors to the public on Friday, December 12 at 10:00 a.m.
During the first few days, staff will be busy catching up on patron needs and preparing for the holiday season—but the real celebration begins on Friday, December 12th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The community is invited to join library staff, the Devine Police Department, and fellow city employees as we commemorate the grand reopening of the newly renovated library.
Guests can enjoy complimentary cookies and hot cocoa courtesy of the City of Devine—perfect for warming up while exploring everything the refreshed library has to offer. The Devine Police Department will also be welcoming a very special visitor: Santa Claus himself! Families will have the opportunity to take photos with Santa, check whether they’ve made the “nice list,” and share their holiday wish lists.
This festive celebration is the perfect chance to tour the updated space, reconnect with your community, and help us usher in a bright new chapter for the Driscoll Public Library.
Please join us as we celebrate the season, our community—and the joy of reading—together!