Celebrating 126 Years of Serving the communities of Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot, and Moore in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties
Keep up with what’s going on in Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot and Moore areas in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties.
Most of the brush and trash from the Winter Service projects done locally were transported back to Devine First UMC where it was picked up by South Texas Refuse Disposal Inc. (STRD). Thank you to Freddie Cuellar and Blake Caesar with STRD for making this happen! Thank you also to the college students from the Texas A&M Wesley Foundation for your generous time and hard work in Devine! “We like helping, especially churches,” said Cuellar.
By Anton Riecher
In what amounts to an annual tradition, Medina County commissioners voted Monday to borrow up to $1.980 million from the county general fund to pay upcoming debt obligations that will eventually be covered by tax collection.
County Auditor Eduardo Lopez said he did not anticipate needing to use the entire amount authorized by the commissioners.
“We haven’t collected enough from the tax office yet, so what we do every year is borrow from the general fund,” Lopez said. “As soon as we receive revenue from the tax office we pay back the general fund.”
The borrowed funds will be used to make payment on a certificate of obligation, plus two tax anticipation notes (TANs). A TAN is a short-term debt security issued by government to fund project secured by future tax revenue.
Lopez said he anticipates receiving the December 2024 tax report from Medina County Tax Assessor-Collector Melissa Lutz within the next few days.
On a motion by Precinct 2 Commissioner Larry Sittre, seconded by Precinct 1 Commissioner Jessica Castiglione, the commissioners approved borrowing the funds by a 3-0 vote. Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch was absent from the meeting due to illness.
The monthly auditors report presented by first assistant county auditor Jennifer Konegni showed a cash balance of…
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Medina County dispatch received a call for a welfare check for a Devine resident on Sunday, January 12 around 11:14 pm. Devine PD responded to the residence in the 1300 block of Windy Knoll in Devine where they sadly found 78-year-old Lloyd Fowler deceased.
“The man had a single gun shot wound,” said Lieutenant Chris Andrews. “Any questionable death is investigated as a homicide. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.”
Devine PD added that “the anonymous caller refused to identify their names upon first contact with dispatch.”
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While the exact location is unknown to us. The 440-acre property under development has two water wells owned by the company. Data centers use large amounts of water to operate cooling systems needed to protect sensitive equipment. Although two water wells exist on site, Rowan is working with East Medina County Special Utility District and the City of Lytle to provide water and sewer service.
Negotiations also call for the site to maintain 40 full-time jobs at 120 percent of the county’s average wage which is $32,091 according to the latest Census.
Build-to-suit data center gets $17 million tax break
By Anton Riecher
Medina County commissioners have unanimously approved an 80 percent property tax break covering the initial 10 years of Project Cinco, a proposed $2.1 billion data center campus west of Lytle that developers hope to have annexed into the city.
County Judge Keith Lutz extended warm greetings to officials with Colorado-based Rowan Digital Infrastructure following the Dec. 30 vote to designate the project a reinvestment zone under chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code.
“Welcome officially to Medina County,” Lutz said.
Aaron Henry, Rowan’s director of economic development, said the company intends to request annexation by the city of Lytle upon completion of first phase construction at the site. The final decision will rest with city officials.
“If that doesn’t happen we will still follow the city of Lytle ordinances so we are governed by a project standpoint and do have oversight from the city of Lytle, no matter what happens, annexation or not,” he said.
Henry said the company plans to partner with the county and city in an “open house” presentation to the community in January, most likely at the Lytle Community Center, to share information about the project.
“We do it with little…
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By Anton Riecher
A Hondo strip mall is under close scrutiny as the potential new home of the Medina Central Appraisal District, MCAD board president Cindy Malone advised Medina County commissioners during their Dec. 30 meeting.
“We’ll be back in front of you in February to say, ‘Okay, it’s time for a vote,’” Malone said.
The Ridge building located at 728 18th St. offers 7,900 square feet of space contained within five separate storefront offices. The location was the former home of the Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Center.
Projected cost for the purchase and remodeling is between $1.5 million and $1.6 million, Malone said.
Board member Jody Jacobs said MCAD inquired into leasing the strip mall and has since learned that the owner, Sheldon Grothaus, is interested in selling the location. Jacobs said he did not want to discuss specific pricing at this time.
“We feel like with the space that’s there and the ability for us to repurpose it, it’s going to be…
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By Anton Riecher
Medina County had only three adult sexual assault cases filed in 2024, said Scott Simpson with Criminal District Attorney’s Office. That number represents the severe degree to which the offense goes underreported.
“What I want the community to know is that the DA’s office stand ready, willing and able to prosecute these cases” despite the legal difficulties involved, Simpson said.
Simpson addressed the Medina County Commissioners Court on Dec. 30 to give the biennial Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) report. A retired prosecutor with 20 years of experience in Bexar County, he took charge of the Medina County team in February.
SART meets monthly with members of the mental health community and law enforcement to encourage reporting of sexual offenses.
“The purpose of the sexual assault response team is to try to get the same type of integration and cooperation the county has successfully done through the..
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By Anton Riecher
Medina County commissioners gave their blessing to use $125,000 in COVID-19 stimulus funds to finish construction of a wastewater treatment plan serving the Megan’s Landing subdivision near Castroville.
County Judge Keith Lutz said the money amounted to the last of nearly $10 million that the county received under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package passed by Congress in the wake of the COVID pandemic.
“This is really pretty simple,” Lutz said. “This project is already underway.”
The decision made during the Dec. 30 commissioners’ court meeting came only one day before the final deadline for obligating remaining ARPA funds. Last minute budget changes were made to shift the funds from other projects, Lutz explained.
According to Lutz, the funds approved will be used to reimburse the Yancey Water Supply Corporation for money spent to cover the final three to four months of construction on the water reuse plant, also known as a water recycling facility.
The plant treats wastewater generated by the subdivision and reuses it for various purposes such as irrigation. As of November, Megan’s Landing has only five homes out of a projected…
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Saturday was the Wesley Group’s first day of work. They also helped the Salvation Army Outreach Response Center by building shelves meant to store supplies and serve as a place of outreach in case of a natural disaster like the snowstorm.
By Brianna Paredes
Every year, the Texas A&M Wesley Foundation Group, a student leadership organization funded by other Methodist churches, takes a trip to a small town to spend a week helping out the community. Liam Eshleman, a member of the group whom was interviewed, says that this year’s trip to Devine, in particular, is special because of his family roots to the small town. His family has lived in Devine their entire life and he views it as giving back to them and the town.
Saturday was the Wesley Group’s first day of work. They spent it at the Methodist Church cutting off some trees that were hanging off the roof, working on the playground, attaching posts, power washing, and doing more yard work. They also helped the Salvation Army Outreach Response Center by building 40 shelves from plywood and painting the cabinet they went into. These shelves are meant to store supplies and serve as a place of outreach in case of a natural disaster like the snowstorm that occurred back in COVID.
On Sunday, the Bluegrass Band, associated with the Wesley group, played at the…
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Meet Julian, Kayla, Natalye! These three sweet kiddos are waiting for adoptive families and are being featured in a small Heart Gallery at Chayito’s Mexican Restaurant. There are 30 kids in our local Heart Gallery featuring children in care of the state of Texas. Being featured in a Heart Gallery like this increases their chance of adoption by 60% according to statistics, so you can help out in a big way! Please contact The Devine News if you would like to host a Heart Gallery in January or February at your business or church. Call Kayleen at 830-665-2211.
Who would like to “adopt” Heart Gallery kid’s for January?
By Kayleen Holder
We already have several businesses and churches signed up to display some of the children waiting for adoption this January, but we need several more businesses and churches to come on board.
So far signed up for January, we have Charlie’s Daughter On the Green Restaurant, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mag’s Place, The Devine News, Alamo Truck Accessories, Trinity Baptist Church, Chayito’s Mexican Restaurant, Napa Auto Parts, and…??????
Please let us know if you can display 2 or 3 or maybe even 5 or 6 of these photos featuring children who are in complete care of the state of Texas, and need adoptive homes. Being featured in a heart gallery increases their chances of being adopted by 60% according to statistics!!!!
We want to say a Huge THANK YOU to all of the following churches, local businesses, and organizations for who have been displaying photos! Y’all are the best!!! Already, we have seen a huge impact, with at least two local families starting the adoption process!
Heart Gallery photos of children waiting for adoption were displayed at the following locations this December:
Brown Dodge
Chaparral Ford
Brown Chevy
Devine VFW
St John Bosco Catholic Church
First Baptist of Natalia
Black Creek Baptist Church
Lytle Methodist Church
City of Devine
Devine PD
Devine ISD Special Education Office
Chayito’s Mexican Restaurant
Napa Auto Parts
You can contact Kayleen Holder on Facebook or call The Devine News 830-665-2211 and ask for Kayleen if you would like to host the next heart gallery in January or even February. All that is needed is space in a high traffic area such as a lobby or entry way.
