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 council moves ahead with major water storage rehab, 3-1 vote

The move to repair rather than replace the tank will save the city and taxpayers over a million dollars.

By Anton Riecher
By a 3-1 vote, the Devine City Council approved hiring Maguire Iron to refurbish the city’s major ground level water storage tank near Warhorse Stadium, and commit to a 10-year contract to maintain the structure.
The action during the council’s Sept. 3 special meeting followed through on an earlier decision to abandon a $2.1 million plan to completely replace the 72-year-old structure that serves as the city’s largest water storage facility.
District 5 Council Member Debbie Randall, an ardent supporter of the replacement project, was alone in rejecting the refurbishment proposal. District 2 Council Member Michael Hernandez was absent from the meeting.
The motion by District 3 Council Member Jeff Miller, seconded by District 1 Council Member Ray Gonzales, called for breaking the cost of the renovation over a two-year payment plan. The maintenance contract does not include the city’s elevated storage tanks.
“I don’t want to marry ourselves to a single provider for 10 years,” District 5 Council Member Josh Ritchey said.
The refurbishment project calls for replacing the tank roof which has suffered extensive damage owing to years of chlorine exposure. The project also calls for extensive interior renovation of the steel tank walls.
A second bid anticipated from a contractor who inspected the tank last week was delayed. Mayor Butch Cook expressed concern that postponing the project further might mean problems due to seasonal demands on the water system.
During a lengthy budget workshop, the council reviewed…

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ESD4 agrees to lower tax hike after outcry, probes extending Allegiance deal

ESD 4 board (overseeing our local EMS service) met amidst a packed house. They were scheduled to meet again this week to vote on a budget and tax rate. The ESD’s expenses would climb from approximately $500,000 a year to over $2 million dollars a year if the board decides to move forward with plans to provide it’s own EMS service rather than continuing to contract with Allegiance to provide EMS to Devine and Natalia.

By Anton Riecher
Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 commissioners were scheduled to meet on Tuesday as we went to press so look for outcomes of that meeting in the days ahead. Last week, they voted during a public hearing on Aug. 27 to back down on a proposed 57 percent tax rate increase in the face of stiff opposition from local taxpayers.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to adopt a tax rate of $.0496 per $100 valuation, the highest official voter-approval tax rate that the board can set without requiring an election. A tax rate of $.0785 per $100 valuation was originally proposed to support the ESD operating its own ambulances rather than signing a new contract with an outside provider.
“What we did find was that the…

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https://www.markkidd.com/?cmpid=b3s1_blm_0001

MM Meyers,local author publishes book: Pocket watch Portal Adventure

MM Meyers of Moore, Texas with her newly released book which can be ordered on Amazon.

So what would you do if while out playing at your grandparent’s ranch you find a pocketwatch? What if this pocket watch has special powers and you happen to find this out totally by accident? What if that special power is to take you to other places and times?
Mrs. Mary Meyers, of Moore, is thrilled to announce that her first book has been published, a dream come true for this talented Grandma.
“My grandchildren and I wrote this book called Pocketwatch Portal Adventure, and it was just released on Amazon,” Myers said.
Her grandkids Justice age 10, Teddy age 9, Ellie 6, and baby Artie 3, all contributed on this book.
“This book was written for their daddy, their real life hero. Please keep him and his unit in prayer as he heads on a very long deployment.”
You can find the book on Amazon. Her author name is MM Myers if anyone trys to look up books on Amazon.
As summarized on this listing, “This enchanting children’s book weaves together…

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Devine council calls public hearing on proposed tax increase

By Anton Riecher
A public hearing on a proposed Devine city tax rate of 59 cents per $100 valuation has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at the city community center.
The city council voted 5-0 on the proposal during a budget workshop held Aug. 27.
“We honestly would like to see consideration for the 59 cent tax rate which would generate some $100,000 extra,” City Administrator David Jordan told the council during the budget workshop.
The present municipal tax rate is $.55 per $100 valuation.
Discussion during the workshop session covered topics as diverse as election expenses, longevity pay, city vehicles and police overtime.
District 4 Council Member Josh Ritchey expressed concern about the prospect of reduced sales tax influenced by election year economic issues.
District 5 Council Member Debbie Randall said she considered the proposed tax rate a “very conservative number.”
“I’ve always said we need to live within our means,” Randall said. “But if we’re going to go to 59 cents I think at least the numbers are conservative enough.”
In other action, the council approved a motion to proceed with negotiations with Maguire Iron, Inc. to refurbish the city’s main above ground water storage tank near Warhorse Stadium.
The motion by District 3 Council Member Jeff Miller, seconded by District 2 Council Member Michael Hernandez, also involves…

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“Predator Poachers” group tracks suspect to Devine

Press Release by Devine PD–On September 1, 2024, at 1:21 PM, Officers from the Devine Police Department responded to a disturbance at Walmart, located at 175 IH 35, involving two males. Upon arrival, Officers spoke with Alex Rosen, who is part of Predator Poachers, a group that conducts online investigations into the sexual solicitation of minors.

Rosen stated that the other individual, identified as Eric Rey Castillo, age 25, had come to Walmart to engage in sexual activities with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old boy.

Rosen provided the Officers printed messages exchanged between Castillo and the purported minor, whom Rosen was impersonating.

After being informed of his Miranda Rights, Castillo stated he knew the boy was not real but insisted he needed to verify this for himself. He claimed his visit to Devine was motivated by a need for mental “help” and anticipated police presence. Castillo was subsequently arrested and transported to the Medina County Jail, facing charges of Online Solicitation of a Minor, a second-degree felony. A second-degree felony in Texas can result in 2–20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.

Medina Co makes breakthrough in 1974 Cold Case

Press Release–The Medina County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce a significant breakthrough in a decades-old cold case. After nearly 45 years of persistent investigative efforts, an unidentified body discovered off Red Wing Road, now County Road 371 Castroville, TX in 1979 has now been positively identified as Gary Alan Robbins.


On November 26, 1979, the remains of an unidentified individual were found approximately 90 feet north of Red Wing Road in the brush. Despite extensive efforts at the time, investigators were unable to determine the identity of the deceased, leading the case to go cold.


Recent advances in forensic science, particularly in DNA analysis, have provided the tools necessary to revisit this case with renewed vigor. Working closely with Identifinders International, Intermountain Forensics, and through Gray Hughes Investigates’ financial support. Medina County Sheriff’s Office has successfully identified the remains as those of Gary Alan Robbins, born in Chicago Illinois on July 25, 1946.


Medina County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest gratitude to the community for its support and to the forensic teams whose dedication and expertise made this identification possible. This breakthrough would not have been possible without the resources provided by Gray Hughes Investigates, whose commitment to justice and community safety has made a profound impact.
While this discovery brings closure to one aspect of the case, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Gary Alan Robbins death continues.

We urge anyone with information related to this case to come forward. You can contact Sergeant Investigator Alfonso R. Oranday at 830-741-6150 or by email alfonso.oranday@medinatx.org


You can also submit tips anonymously to the Medina County Crime Stoppers Hotline, at 1-800-FOR-CUFF (1-800-367-2833) or by APP: P3 TIPS (Available on IOS & Android Devices)

The victim has now been positively identified as Gary Alan Robbins.

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EMS tax hike proposal draws concerned citizens to contentious meeting

MCESD4 District provides EMS service to Devine and Natalia and the surrounding area. It has been planning to switch over on October 1 from hiring a third party amublance service to starting their own EMS business with the thought the taxpayers would get more service. Apprarently not all board members were on the same page, as Board Members Juan Zamora and George Moralez tabled the actions when he learned that Allegiance was already providing TWO 24 HR Ambulances. He was under the impression the ESD was only getting 1.5 ambulances, and the new business would bring that up to 2 ambulances. He questioned why that was misrepresented to the him and Moralez the two newest board members.
As of press time Tuesday, August 27 a new public hearing was happening to see what the board plans to do with tax rate and if Allegiance will be asked to keep providing the service instead of it stopping on Sept 30 since as the board has already cancelled their service as of that date.

By Anton Riecher
With anger and frustration boiling over during an August 20 public hearing, the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 Board of Commissioners voted to postpone action on a proposed 57 percent tax rate increase to support its transition to operating its own ambulances rather than contracting with an outside provider. The new tax rate would cause a 73% increase in the actual tax bill of the average homestead will pay.
Former Devine mayor and county commissioner Jerry Beck and Natalia ISD board president Eric Smith among a room full of others were very concerned in the often heated opposition to both the tax increase and the revamp of ambulance service.
“We didn’t know you were going to raise our taxes until it came out in the newspaper the other day,” Beck said. “We wanted to ask, number one, why, but it’s already been decided. You’ve already fired the contract company. You’ve already hired new people.”
Video coverage of the ESD4 public hearing is posted on the Devine News YouTube channel.
Friction was also apparent between board president Anthony Martin and board treasurer Juan Zamora over the issue of whether…

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