“We’ve got Spirit! We’ve got Drive! We’re the Class of ’75!” DHS Class of 1975 will be celebrating their 50th reunion this year. Pictured above are some of the DHS Class Officers that year: Secretary Betty Brown, VP Sharon Wells, President Cindy Hundley, Treasurer Sybilla Irwin *Picture from the DHS 1973 yearbook.
DHS CLASS OF 1975 – 50TH REUNION SCHEDULE: No rsvp needed, just show up and join in the celebrations at all three events! Friday, Sept. 26: HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME at Warhorse Stadium – SIGN IN at your class table and get your NAME TAG. – Sit in stands with classmates in the alumni section at south end of stands (by the ramp). – LINE UP ON TRACK to be INTRODUCED AT HALFTIME and take CLASS PICTURE. – Meet up at CHAYITOS afterword (500 Ross Ave. in Devine) to visit classmates and other friends – *Chayitos will be open late that night to the public and will have food & drink menus, so invite others to come on by!
Saturday, Sept. 27: Two events – Come to both events! – 1:00pm – DExSTA ALUMNI HOMECOMING CELEBRATION at Devine VFW, aka old Green Alamo at 211 W. College Ave. The CLASS OF 1975 WILL BE RECOGNIZED & HONORED DURING THE PROGRAM and a CLASS PICTURE will also be taken. *This is the annual Homecoming celebration held by the Devine Ex-Students/Teachers Association and all Devine school alumni of all years are invited to attend. – 6:00pm – PRIVATE CLASS REUNION at Triple C Restaurant in Devine. Join us for the ’75 Class Trivia, Door Prizes, Class Picture, and more! *Dutch Treat event with guests responsible for their own meals/drinks.
Leaders help “break ground” Monday at the Project Cinco data center campus, a $900 million investment in Medina County by Rowan Digital Infrastructure. Turning the dirt are Dan McNary, chief data center officer for Rowan; Stephanie Blanks, executive director for the Go Medina economic development foundation; Lytle Mayor Ruben Gonzalez; Medina County Judge Keith Lutz; Lytle ISD superintendent Dustin Breithaupt and Xiomara Gerlach, Rowan senior director of site development. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
The words “truth, trust and empathy” are inscribed on a coin that Rowan Digital Infrastructure CEO Charley Daitch presented to Lytle Mayor Ruben Gonzalez earlier this year. He referred to those words at the groundbreaking for the company’s Project Cinco data center campus Monday. “That’s the biggest thing that reflects what this organization is about,” Gonzalez said. Medina County officials gathered at the construction site on Highway 132 near the Coal Mine neighborhood to break ground on the massive hyperscaler. Joining Gonzalez at the podium were Medina County Judge Keith Lutz and Lytle ISD superintendent Dustin Breithaupt. With earth moving equipment rolling across…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!
It was love at first sight for Don and Irma Dunford who met and got hitched when they were just 16 and 17 years old. As they celebrate 64 years, they will have the honor of leading the big parade through the community they love so much. Photo by Elizabeth Homan. Here’s a little about their story and how it all began.
In 2011, we interviewed these two love birds as they were celebrating their 49th anniversary. Almost fifteen years later, these two are still as in love as ever, and remain pillars of the community. This year, they will have the honor of leading the parade as Mr. and Mrs. Grand Marshall, through downtown Devine, a community they have loved and generously supported for many, many years through their family business, Chaparral Ford, and also raised their family. Don and Irma Dunford met when they were teenagers at a birthday party in San Antonio, and they are now celebrating 64 years together. Back in an interview years ago, they shared a little about how their story began. We enjoyed and hope you will too…. “My cousin Leroy had a little birthday party, and Irma was there too because she was best friends with Leroy’s sister. That’s where we met and, and where I fell in love. We had chemistry. I just felt it. Do you know what I mean?” Don says. Irma remembers that Don started coming over to “visit his cousin” an awful lot after that birthday party. “Don said he was coming over to visit his cousin, but he really just wanted to see me,” Irma laughed. “We all went out together. Everyone pitched in a quarter for gas and piled in Don’s car,” she said. Irma and Don married only a year after they met, at the ages of 16 and 17. Shortly after they married, Don joined the Air Force and the couple had to move to Missouri for four years. “I think that helped us so much, being on our own for awhile, without anyone else’s influences,” Irma said. But Don remembers that times weren’t always easy when they first started out in that little apartment in Missouri . “When we were young, we were just trying our best to make it. Everything in our apartment was used—all of our furniture. My grandma sent us five dollars each month, and that helped us pay our electric bill. Irma always kept me grounded,” he said. About a year after moving back to Texas, the couple bought a small trailer house behind a local car dealership, now Chaparral Ford, which Don and Irma currently own now. “When I bought this dealership, Irma freaked out. I started with nothing. I sold all my guns, my boat, and my car, anything I could to invest in the company. But my wife wouldn’t let me sell our house in San Antonio until we were sure the dealership would be successful. We’ve come a long way since then,” Don said. When it comes to staying happy, after spending nearly half a century together, Don swears by the old cliché: If momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy. “That old cliché is really very true,” he says. With a more serious tone, Don acknowledges that he and his wife don’t always agree, but stresses the importance that a husband and a wife respect eachother’s opinions. “I always listen to what my wife has to say. I think that’s really important,” he said. The two love birds see the importance of working together and that is clear. Irma says her favorite thing about marriage is “partnership, always having a partner.” “Marriage is a really wonderful experience,” Irma said. “It’s about giving and taking. I think the biggest thing about a lasting marriage, though, is knowing that you can do it if you want to. Differences always work out if you want them to,” Don added. All these years later, they reside in Devine where they’ve raised their family. They have two children, three grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and one on the way! Two of their grandsons, son-in-law, and their son and daughter are helping to carry on the legacy of the family business, Chaparral Ford, which began over 44 years ago.
CITY OF DEVINE RESIDENTS: In the September 3rd edition of the Devine News, the City of Devine provided incorrect information regarding the tax rate for fiscal year 2025-2026. The city stated that the proposed tax rate of 0.05900 is NOT greater than the no new revenue rate; in fact, it is greater than the no new revenue rate at .05675 On a previous meeting it was announced by Mayor Cook that revenue from property taxes would bring in an additional $39,348.00. The information he was given was incorrect. The new tax rate will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $61,685.00. This is a 4.09 percent increase. The property tax revenue to be raised from the new property tax roll this year is $11,624.00. To ensure the public has ample opportunity to participate in the budget process, we will be republishing the budget and tax notice in the Devine News on September 17th, and the new dates for the public hearing and passage on the budget and public hearing and passage of the tax rates are Monday September 29th. at 6 p.m. at George S. Woods Community Center in Devine. Everyone is Welcome to come and participate. The City apologizes for…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 City Administrator David Jordan, left, and Mayor Butch Cook confer during a special session of the Devine City Council held Sept 9 Photo by Anton Riecher.
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By Anton Riecher At its Sept. 9 special meeting, the Devine City Council voted unanimously to stand pat on the same property tax rate as last year – 59 cents per $100 valuation. But, after the meeting it was discovered that the city had published the wrong date for the public meeting to set the tax rate and part of its wording, so it will have to be redone and be voted on again on Monday, September 29, 2025 at a 6:00 p.m. public meeting for a Proposed Budget and Tax Rate for fiscal year 2025/2026. (See both corrected public notices published in this week’s Devine News.) (Apparently when you keep the tax rate the exact same, but take in more money than the prior year due to property value increases, the tax rate is considered a tax increase in the end). Mayor Butch Cook said a lack of attendance at the public hearing (Sept. 9) on the tax rate apparently signifies that “everyone is in agreement with what we’ve decided.” “All things considered, with our water rate increases and such, we wanted to do our best to keep things as manageable as possible for the citizens,” Cook said. With all five council members in attendance, District 2 Alderman Michael Hernandez made the motion putting forward the tax rate. The motion was seconded by District 1 Alderman Ray Gonzales. Cook noted that as a result of increased appraisals the approved tax rate will bring in about $40,000 or nearly three percent more in tax revenue that the same rate last year. “I don’t want to mislead anybody into thinking that we’re getting the exact same amount of money,” he said. Of the added revenue, $11,641 of it will result from new property added to the tax roll in the past year, Cook said. A breakdown of the tax rate shows $.4864 per $100 valuation dedicated to maintenance and operating (M&O) funds, same as last year. Likewise, the debt service rate or INS will stand at $.1036 per $100 valuation, also the same as the previous year. Debt obligation under the general fund stands at…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!
By Anton Riecher Action by the Lytle City Council on the annexation of nearly 100 acres designated as the site of a future residential subdivision has been postponed until Sept. 22 due to recent changes by the Texas Legislature in the posting requirements for governmental meetings. Located south of Interstate 35 and east of Rolling Meadow Drive in Bexar County, City Administrator Zachary Meadows said the yet unnamed subdivision will host between 100 and 200 new houses. The annexation is listed as “voluntary” on the agenda for the council’s Sept. 10 special meeting. That meeting had been postponed from its original Sept. 8 date due to the wide spread confusion among local government entities following changes to the Texas Open Meetings Act during the recent 89th session of the Texas Legislature. Previously, notice of a meeting of a governmental body had to be posted at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of that meeting. However…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!
ometimes a man just has to step up and be a man, and that’s what these men did,” said Chief Justin Soza at Hondo PD, still in disbelief at the awful crime that was in progress, but so grateful there are heroes among us who noticed something was wrong and stepped up this past Friday, September 5th without ever thinking twice about it. According to the report, crews outside a local business saw the suspect attempting to throw a precious 3 month-old baby into a…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!
A concerned crowd filled the Medina County commissioners court chamber Monday to hear a presentation from CPS Energy on plans for a record-sized 765 kilovolt transmission line stretching 370 miles from San Antonio to Fort Stockton. The exact route of the line is yet to be determined. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
By Anton Riecher Willing or not, Medina County may be selected as the future host of a record setting new power transmission line stretching from near San Antonio to West Texas, a representative of CPS Energy told a public hearing in Hondo Monday. Kirk Rasmussen, an attorney for Jackson Walker LLC, said the Texas Public Utility Commission has assigned the construction of three new 765 kilovolt power lines to CPS and AEP Texas to be in service by 2030. Prior to this, the largest transmission lines in Texas operate in the 500 kV range. Of the three new lines, the 370-mile Howard Road-Solstice transmission project may come through Medina County, Rasmussen said. “In an application of this length we will probably have hundreds of different route combinations where we will measure the data and present that to the commission,” he said. A capacity crowd was…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!
ESD1 Chief Clint Cooke addresses the ESD2 board Thursday during the ESD2 special meeting to discuss contract negotiations. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
Negotiates with new group to provide fire dept. services in Devine
By Anton Riecher Taking unanimous action, the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 board of commissioners voted Thursday to enter into contract negotiations with Castroville-based ESD No. 1 to take charge of managing local fire protection. Board member Jerry Stevens said the vote was in keeping with his call for a “hard reset” in emergency response leadership. “Something had to change,” Stevens said. “We had to look at doing things differently.” On a motion by Abigail Beadle, seconded by Stevens, the board voted to negotiate a contract with ESD1 for no more than $900,000 annually. By choosing the ESD1 proposal, the board rejected a competing proposal by the volunteer fire department membership board to extend its current management contract. ESD1 Chief Clint Cooke said he expects to have the final details for the contract in place within a week. ESD2 board president Todd Summers said a final contract would be presented at the regular monthly meeting Sept. 16. ESD2 board member Ken Nighswander told the audience gathered for the meeting that choosing the ESD1 proposal was not only good for the community but for the firefighters. “We feel we can bring this to a competitive level,” he said. “I think it’s going to help everyone.” The vote 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!
A lifelong Mustang, businesswoman and cornerstone of the community July 1, 1945 – August 29, 2025
By Ruby Vera How does one start to put into words how one person can effect and affect so many in a very short time on this earth. Well, Dianna was one of these type of people, always with that smile, making you feel like you were the most important person at that very moment you were speaking with her, and she was the first to be there for you – no matter what. I have tried to remember what all she brought to this community – during her school years, marriage, and as a business woman. There is not enough space to do her justice, but I am going to try. Dianna, excelled in all she set her mind to do. A lifelong MUSTANG from the 1st grade to her graduation in 1963. She bled Blue and White. I am going to focus on her High School years – where she was a “A and A/B” student, and as a freshman made the Girls Basketball team – then called the “Palominos.” She was in the Future Homemakers of America; a Majorette in the Rancheretts (before there was a Mustang Band); and was Queen of the Fall Festival. This set a pattern of her involvement throughout the four years in High School. She was a class officer for three of her high school years; she was voted Miss Mustang in 1962; Senior Favorite 1963; FFA Sweetheart and so on and so on, One of her favorite things she loved to do was twirl a baton. In 1962 she joined the Brand New “Natalia Mustang Band under the direction of Mr. Richard Cortez and played the trumpet. Dianna was one of the original Majorette’s for the Natalia Mustang Band. In addition to all her other school activities add – Editor of the School Newspaper “The Stirr-up”, homecoming Queen, and lettered all four years in Basketball and was Captain that year. She then married Charles Brown Jr and went to work at “Brown’s Grocery”. I can still hear her voice when you called “ always so distinctive – almost like a “little song” and no matter who was calling – you could actually hear her smile over the phone. I don’t ever remember a time when Dianna was not at the store – even when she became a mom to Tiffany and Chuck. She was always there – from the time they opened until they closed. Dianna will be missed by all of us – I just wish I could have told her before she passed into her Eternal Life, how very much she was loved by the entire community. Let this serve me as a reminder to let the folks who have brought so much into your life know “just how much they have done to bring a smile to your face and make your heart a little lighter.”
