Category: Top News Stories

By Anton Riecher
Action is still pending on a proposed 2026 tax rate and a fiscal year 2026-27 budget for Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4, with the latest in an ongoing series of budget workshops scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 26).
Board president Steve Smith said he expects a proposed tax rate and budget to come out of that meeting.
“We will start with our budget next week at the meeting,” Smith said. “We will develop the budget based on what we anticipate it is going to cost us for the year. From there we will back it out to see what our proposed tax rate would be.”

ESD4’s current ad valorem tax rate is $0.521 per $100 valuation, an increase of 14 cents for the district’s median households. That rate supports an approved budget for fiscal year 2026-26 of $1,038 million.
Based on information from the Medina Central Appraisal District, the no-new-revenue tax rate for 2026 is $0.0507 per $100 valuation. The maximum increase allowed…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!

By Kayleen Holder
Editor

A train derailed near the Medina/Bexar County line on Macdona LaCoste road this past Thursday, August 20 around 2:45 pm. The incident was the 3rd of 4 train derailments occurring that afternoon in Texas.

It was a rare occurrence as four separate Union Pacific trains derailed that afternoon within about 5 hours of each other. Official causes…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!

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

DPS responded to the scene of a rollover at Hwy 173 and CR 467 this past Wednesday, August 12 around 1 pm.

Preliminary information from a DPS report “indicates that an Amazon Truck stopped at the SH 173 & CR 467 intersection, failed to yield the right of way to a red pickup traveling north on SH 173 and was struck.” Both occupants of the red pickup were transported to University Hospital with minor injuries.

Two men who were hiding all day long were captured and booked into Medina County Jail last week after an extensive search spanning roughly 6-7 hours in all. Search efforts began around 7:30 am on Friday, August 14 when two suspects threw a package over the prison fence at the Torres Unit in Hondo. Later that day, the search resumed and K9 teams were deployed when 2 individuals were spotted in the area of the nature trail around 8:30 pm. Around midnight both suspects were taken into custody.

“The K9 units led us to the suspects who were hiding in the City Park near the Fair Hall,” said Hondo Police Chief Justin Soza. “Crimes like this happen all too often and contraband in the prison systems is a huge problem. It’s important that we don’t allow this…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 Board Brings Fresh Energy and Ambitious Plans

he Medina County Museum is entering an exciting new chapter as its newly elected Board of Directors launches an ambitious effort to revitalize the 56-year-old institution and strengthen its role as the county’s premier historical resource.
Leading the effort is President Donna Schulte Loth, a Hondo native and longtime genealogist well known to Medina County researchers. Joining her on the board are Joseph Loth, whose skills and dedication have already proven invaluable in maintaining and improving the museum’s facilities; Secretary/Treasurer Debbie Marquis of Hondo; Historian Frances Guinn, who previously served as board president for two decades; and Director Bonnie Jaks of Rio Medina, whose organizational talents and passion for local history have become tremendous assets to the museum.

“We have a lot to accomplish,” said Loth. “For many years the museum has operated quietly, and while it has preserved an incredible collection of artifacts, many of the exhibits are ready for a fresh perspective. Even today, there are people who don’t realize Medina County has a museum, or they know us only as ‘the train museum.’ Our goal is…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!