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.

Devine Fall Festival only 1 week away…Patterson / Richards to headline Free Dance

Anthony Patterson from the Devine and Crystal City area.

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. 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 Tejano and Country and everything in between. DJ Reggie will fill in between bands.


Co-headlining this year is rising Tejano artist Anthony Patterson from the Devine and Crystal City, Texas area. Patterson is known for his classic Tejano style music mixed in with a 90s vibe, his songwriting, with some of his most popular songs being “Me Voy a Kansas City” and “No Digas No.”
Growing up, his dad had a large musical influence on him as he was a musician too. As a kid, it was common 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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Statebound!

Pirates Jacob Cantu, Adrian Reyna, Shawn Robinette, Jaden Castro, Sebastian Garcia, Nathan Garza, and Frank Cantu advanced to the State Meet after winning the Class 3A Region IV Championship in Corpus Christi on October 27.

Statebound Warhorse Zach Guerra prepares to take off.

Lady Pirates Annalisa Quintanilla, Elyse Cortinas, Kaycee Galindo, Addison Wagner, and Sophia Herrera placed third as a team at Tuesday’s Region IV Class 3A Cross Country Regional Meet in Corpus Christi.

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Rabid bat found on school sidewalk

A bat was found on the sidewalk outside the fenced area of the Devine Intermediate Campus early Monday morning, prior to the start of the school day, according to Devine ISD. It later tested positive for rabies.
“Getting the  word out to parents quickly is good in case any one comes forward with more info,” said Medina County Health Unit Director Pat Mechler. “Right now, we have no reports of contact with the bat.”
Devine Animal Control removed the bat from campus shortly after it was discovered and confirmed it was positive for rabies. Superintendent Grandjean stated that the school resource officer reviewed video surveilance to ensure no one touched the bat.


In an email alert to parents, the school district stated 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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Arabians beat Pirates in a 5-set thriller!

The Varsity Arabians defeated Lytle in a hard-fought victory in Lytle this past Friday night to claim the District Championship. Pictured above are Rylie Wells, Calleigh Schnieder, Ava Rangel, Hali Carroll, Brooke DuBose, Kyrie DuBose, Margarita Vizcarra, Kaylee Rodriguez, Adalee Perez, Greeley Malone, and Peyton Dixon-Davis. Photo by Kayleen Holder. The Arabians will hit the road for playoffs this Thursday at Wagner High School.

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! Click the link to sign up today! www.devinenewsmembers.com

Large scale amendment to close Devine’s 2025-2026 budget draws council attention

By Anton Riecher
An amendment totaling $780,000 made to the fiscal year 2025-2026 Devine city budget – nearly a fifth of the budget total – won approval during the Oct. 20 city council session but not without substantial objections from some members.
District 3 Council Member Jeff Miller described the amendment as “an awful lot to expect without much explanation.”
“My question is why (is the council) just now finding out about this because these are not small amounts of money?” Miller asked. “This is my third year on the council and I’ve never seen amounts like this before ever.”
The largest amount among the items composing the amendment is $500,000 for the city water and sewer fund related to expenses involving a Texas Water Development Board bond project. The amendment also includes $65,000 for airport and golf course maintenance, respectively.


Remaining items under the general fund include $40,000 for street light improvements, $35,000 for municipal court collections, $30,000 for city hall and other improvements, $30,000 for tree maintenance, and $15,000 in consulting services.
City Treasurer Cassandra Maldonado told the council that the purpose of the amendment was to officially complete the city’s fiscal year 2025-2026 budget in preparation for the annual state-required audit. Approval by the council is required to close the books for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.
“The amendment addresses previously approved expenditures and projects that require corresponding budget adjustments to ensure the adopted budget more accurately reflects the city’s financial activity for the fiscal year,” Maldonado said.
However, council members pressed for more explanation of the…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!

Natalia celebrates soon-to-be Multipurpose Center with a ribbon cutting

The new multipurpose center in Natalia is on track to be built during 2027! Plans are ready and the funding should be coming in soon to finalize all the rest of the paperwork needed. Leaders celebrated with a ribbon cutting this Tuesday. Full story on page 2.

The City of Natalia celebrated a ribbon cutting, behind the veteran’s monument, for their upcoming multipurpose center which will be built during 2027. Plans are ready and the funding should be coming in soon to finalize all the rest of the paperwork needed. “This will be a great place for our community and county for many years to come, especially in situations like the snow/freeze emergency we experienced. It was obvious then to others, that not only do those who live in city limits rely on the City of Natalia. They were coming from Forest Woods and the rural neighbors for water just like the citizens of Natalia. That opened many eyes and helped provide the proof of the need for this center. The pictures and write ups in the Devine News helped paint the picture we were in,” said councilman Darren Frazier. “ Besides the center, there will be 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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Early voting in progress

Medina County Voting Information:
Early voting locations:
Medina County Courthouse Annex, 1300 Ave. M, Room 110, Hondo, TX
Medina County Pct. 2 Annex Building, 8366 FM 471 S., Castroville, TX
Medina County Pct. 4 Annex Building, 317 State Hwy 132 N, Devine, TX

Times:
Mon., Oct. 19 – Fri., Oct. 23 – 8 am to 5 pm
Sat., Oct. 24 – 7 am to 7 pm
Sun., Oct. 25 – 9 am to 3 pm
Mon., Oct. 26 – Fri., Oct. 30 – 7 am to 7 pm

Contested local elections are:
Medina County Commissioner Precinct 2
Eli Arroyo (D)
Larry Sittre (R)

Medina County Hospital District Board At-large Place 5
Mary E. Mangold (Nonpartisan)
Bobby Pittman (Nonpartisan)

Medina County Hospital District Board Precinct 2
Tim Hardt (Nonpartisan)
Wesley Williams (Nonpartisan)

…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!

New road marks a milestone

For the Lytle Coal Mine families and the local leaders who have long worked to improve access to the neighborhood, the road marks a milestone decades in the making. Funded and built by Rowan and its partners, the new paved road gives residents and emergency responders a second route in and out of the neighborhood, when the primary road is blocked by a train on the tracks. Story on page 3.

New road will improve emergency access to Lytle neighborhood

Rowan Digital Infrastructure celebrated the opening of Carroll Farm Road Monday with a block party and ribbon cutting alongside Medina County, the City of Lytle, leaders and residents of the Coal Mine neighborhood.
Funded and built by Rowan and its construction partners, the new paved road gives residents a second route in and out of the neighborhood, improving daily traffic flow and giving emergency responders better access to the homes there. For the Coal Mine families and the local leaders who have long worked to improve access to the neighborhood, the road marks a milestone decades in the making.


“Many of these families have lived in the Coal Mine neighborhood for generations, and this is a road they will use every day, whether that means getting to work, getting kids to school or making sure help can reach them quickly,” said Tim Alborg, senior director of government and community affairs for Rowan. “Being part of this community meansYou 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! Click the link to sign up today! www.devinenewsmembers.com