Four local road projects listed on TxDot’s 10 year plan
In this week’s edition, Gary Borders reports on State Capital Highlights which includes a short article on the comment period for TxDOT’s 10-year plan, which is currently underway, ending on August 5. Upon further research, it was noted that there are four projects totaling over $475 million dollars in our area coming from SA to northeast Medina County which made the 10-year plan. These projects on the Southwest side of San Antonio going into the Castroville area include:
The board of volunteers who oversee the local ambulance service in Devine and Natalia discusses buying two gently used EMS units as they prepare to take over operations locally. EMS service has been provided by a large private company for years (Allegiance EMS). Pictured are board members George Morales, Tony Martin, Viola Potter, Shelley Watson, and Juan Zamora. Coordinator of the ESD4 Christy Merendon and newly hired ESD4 Director Jason Miller is also pictured as well as Pat Bourcier, District Chief for Allegiance which currently serves the area.
By Anton Riecher A letter of intent giving Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 right of first refusal on two used ambulances due to be retired by a suburb community near Dallas was approved by the ESD4 board of commissioners at their July 2 regular session. EMS Director Jason Miller said the opportunity comes at a time when finances for the district are extremely tight. The district recently approved the purchase of two new ambulances in preparation for taking over operations this fall currently provided by Allegiance Mobile Health. However, the two “gently used” 2016 ambulances belonging to the city of Coppell are available at a “very reasonable” price, he said. “I’d be very surprised if you found another truck at that price or less,” Miller said.
2001 Capital Murder Case went unsolved for almost two years before confession of kidnapping/murder
PRESS RELEASE by Medina County District Attorney’s Office June 27, 2024–On June 26, 2024, Ramiro Felix Gonzales was executed for the rape and murder of 18-year-old Bridget Townsend. The death penalty is something that is never taken lightly by the State of Texas. In the case of Ramiro Gonzales, he had a fair trial and he confessed to the crime and led authorities to her body. Prior to his confession, the family of Bridget Townsend had to deal with the uncertainty of Bridget’s fate for a year and nine months. After the discovery of her body, the family has had to endure the repeated reminders of their loved one’s murder as every appellate effort was exhausted during the 18 years following the jury’s death penalty verdict. “Heinous actions call for severe consequences and nothing can bring back Bridget Townsend. Those intending to commit a capital murder must know that the State of Texas will seek and carry out the death penalty when the facts and circumstances call for it,” said Medina County Criminal District Attorney Mark Haby. “Nothing about an execution is easy. Nothing about losing a loved one to murder is easy. However, it seems to be a fitting end that the defendant was executed on the birthday of the person he killed, Bridget Townsend. May both their souls find peace,” Haby adds. Background of the case:
Parking on either side of Oak Hill Drive prohibited
By Anton Riecher The Devine City Council voted unanimously at its June 18th meeting to prohibit parking on both sides of Oak Hill Drive near Wal-Mart due to ongoing complains about dangerous traffic and pedestrian conditions. Acting on a suggestion by Devine Fire Chief Greg Atkinson, the council voted to establish a fire lane on both sides of Oak Hill Drive. The motion was made by District 5 Council Member Debbie Randall and seconded by District 3 Council Member Jeff Miller. Police reported that despite previous action to restrict parking to the north side of Oak Hill Drive at least 26 citations have been issued in the past year to drivers of 18 wheelers parked illegally. The large trucks restrict access to emergency vehicles, particularly fire trucks. Because many of those drivers are Mexican nationals traveling the Interstate 35 corridor collecting parking fines remains difficult, police said. Mayor Butch Cook reported that the management at…
Over 7,000 homes have been built in Medina County from 2017-2024. Local leaders are forming an alliance to help with water security as more rights are needed to meet future demands.
All the while, subdividers continue bringing more plats for approval at local city council and county meetings. The water alliance held a meeting this past Tuesday in the Medina County Commissioner’s Court room (look for coverage on that meeting next week as the meeting was held on press day).
The alliance eventualy hopes to secure state funding and to construct a Aquifer Storage and Recovery System for Medina County. Photo by Anton Riecher
By Kayleen Holder If you take a quick glance at the State’s projections regarding the supply and demand of water in Medina County, the numbers might not look so bad. But those numbers are rather misleading or outdated as one local expert explains, and here’s why. “This report was based on our historic growth rate of 2-3%. Over the past three years, we have increased the number of water services by nearly 25% increasing the amount of additional water needed to meet future demands,” said Bruce Alexander of East Medina Water. The number of homes in Medina County has grown from 18,791 to 25,938 in the past seven years (2017-2024), with many more huge developments still underway such as the 750+ home subdivisions coming in on I-35 just south of Devine.
By Anton Riecher A rate of $7 per equivalent residential unit in the proposed creation of a stormwater utility fund to better manage drainage issues was approved by the Lytle City Council during their June 24 regular session. The council also approved issuing exclusions for church owned properties of 50 percent. In Texas, cities are authorized to adopt local stormwater drainage utility systems to protect public health from flooding and health issues. Through the utility, communities organize maintenance activities and capital projects to better manage the situation. Equivalent residential units or ERUs are a taxable unit representing the average square footage of impervious area for a…
Principal Fernando Torres proposed the Yondr phone-free system to members of the school board. The system will be implemented in the fall semester of 2024. Photo by Catherine Richard.
By Catherine Richard Five members of the Board of Trustees for Natalia Independent School District met and approved measures to prevent phone use during class and to approve the 2024 budget and bond sales plan on the evening of June 24. The majority of the discussion concerned the new phone restrictions that will begin in the fall semester. Principal Fernando Torres presented a new program by Yondr, a company that aims to create phone-free spaces with magnetized pouches that prevent students from accessing their phones. In this system, each student will be given a pouch which will be locked at the beginning of the school day. Only members of the Natalia ISD staff will have the equipment to unlock these pouches. This action has been proposed due to concerning trends within Natalia ISD and…
Join the Community of Lytle to Celebrate this 4th of July with their Annual Fireworks Show. Event starts at 6 p.m. at the John Lott Park, 15059 Adams Street, Lytle, Texas on Thursday, July 4th, 2024. Fireworks at dark. Free entry, DJ, food trucks, no glass bottles allowed.
