Category: Top News Stories

By Medina County Sheriff’s Office Press Release–On 3/10/2026, Medina County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 508 West Moore Avenue in Devine, Texas as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation.
“During the execution of the warrant, five individuals were taken into custody at the residence, including three males and two females, identified as Raul Roy Martinez, Daniel Martinez, Anthony Nathaniel Alexander Rios, Jessica Marie Ramirez, and Martha Sauceda Settles,” said Sheriff Randy Brown.
“Investigators located digital scales, packaging materials, and baggies containing methamphetamine that appeared to be prepared for distribution. In addition, each individual arrested was found to be in possession of narcotics on their person.”
All subjects were transported and booked into the Medina County Jail for possession and or delivery. This investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.
“Medina County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to aggressively pursuing illegal narcotics activity and protecting the safety of our communities,” Sheriff Brown said.
Suspects were charged with…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

By Angelica Ariza- Devine News Intern
After years of working in education, Jodi Ann Dzierzanowski decided to take on a new challenge, becoming an author. Dzierzanowski grew up in Cheektowaga, New York and now lives in Devine Texas. During her career, she served as principal at middle and high schools in South Texas communities including Pearsall, Natalia and Devine.
Dzierzanowski said she didn’t begin writing until she was 57 years old. The inspiration came during a trip with her father to Salem. While visiting museums and learning about the town’s history, she became interested in the stories surrounding the witch trials, also known as the Salem Witch Trials that began in 1692, and remain one of the most well known and tragic chapters in early American history.
“That trip really sparked it all,” Dzierzanowski said.
Her research and interest in Salem’s history led to a fictional three book series about witches, aimed at younger readers who…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

By Anton Riecher
In a compromise reached with Lytle State Bank, the Lytle City Council voted unanimously at its March 9 meeting to amend its depository services agreement with the bank to include creation of a $2 million money market account for city funds.
Officials with the bank raised concerns in January that the council’s decision to invest nearly $7 million in city funds in TexPool, a low-risk pool providing investment services to more than 2,750 communities across Texas, rather than locally with the bank would negatively impact the Lytle economy.
In other financial business, the council also voted unanimously to approve the issuance of $6 million in certificates of obligation to support future city utility projects.
Regarding the new bank agreement, City Administrator Zachary Meadows said that after considerable “back and forth” between the city and the bank a workable negotiation was finally reached.
“(The bank) would like to amend the existing depository agreement to establish a money market account that would stay at a constant $2 million,” Meadows said. “If it drops below $2 million for any amount of time as outlined in the agreement then we would have a limited amount of time to get it back up to $2 million.”
On a motion by…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Many of the Arabian track and field team members got in a little extra work in Kerrville last week during spring break as they competed in the Charlie Dobbs 51st Annual Invitational in Kerrville.
Devine placed 5th overall out of 11 teams in competition.
Rylie Wells led in scoring and gold medals as…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
The Devine High School Theater cast and crew of This is a Test earned advancement out of the District 27-4A One Act Play Contest, securing a spot at the upcoming Area competition alongside fellow advancing schools Floresville and Carrizo Springs.
Area competition will be held on March 24 at approximately 5:00 p.m. at Navarro High School. Tickets for the event are $7, and community members are encouraged to come out and support the students as they continue their postseason run.
The advancement marks a special milestone for director Jose Guardiola, who is in just his second full year serving as a One Act Play director at Devine High School. Guardiola spent his first two years with the program as an assistant learning the ropes under former director Mrs. Patricia Tiatano before stepping into the lead role, making this advancement an exciting moment in his young directing career.
The achievement is also particularly meaningful for the program’s seniors. Many of them began their high school theater journey during Guardiola’s early years with the program, and…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Devine Hospice Thrift Store donated $5,000 to the A-T Children’s Project this week. A-T is a neurological disease impacting children. Although it is a rare disease, there are more children in Texas battling A-T than any other state, including one sweet little girl right here in our community. The team at Devine Hospice is truly amazing, donating over $409,000 to support our community in the past two years! And they do it all with the generous donations of gently used clothing and household items from our community.
The donation was presented as part of an upcoming A-T Children’s Project fundraiser to be held at Devine Acres Farm on April 18th. The event, Audrey Jane’s Light, will feature live music and lots of family fun. Tickets or sponsorship forms are online at www.atcp.org/audrey
The thrift store accepts DONATIONS on Mondays from 8am to 1pm and on Wednesdays from 8am to 2pm. They are open for SHOPPING on Wednesday and Fridays from 10am to 2pm. Volunteers are always needed, and you can inquire at the store at any of those times.

By Kayleen Holder
Editor
Two local races will end up in a runoff in May, including Koch v Sanchez who are vying for the JP 3 spot, and Everett v Bermea who are running for County Clerk. Republican County Commissioner Larry Sittre will also face opposition in the upcoming election from opponent Eli Arroyo, who ran on the democratic ticket.

LOCAL RACES
The local County Clerk race in Medina County was a close one, with each of the candidates taking close to a third of the votes cast. Cindy Modgling Everett leads with 36.2% of the vote, with Kimberly Bermea taking 32.82% of the vote, and Jessica Walden garnering 30.98% of the vote. This race will result in a runoff.
In the Medina County Pct. 2 Commissioner race, incumbent Larry Sittre won the primary, garnering over 63% of the Republican vote with (1,193 votes) compared to his opponent John Garza who captured a little over 36% of the vote with 693 votes in the Republican Primaries.
Sittre will now face Democratic Candidate Eli Arroyo who garnered 829 votes in the primaries.
In the Justice of the Peace Pct 2 race, Bill Tschirhart, Jr. earned 79.7% of the vote with 1,508 votes, to his opponent Michael Barr’s 20.3% (384 votes).
In the Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 race, there will be a runoff. Teresa Koch led the primaries with 45.64% of the vote (659 votes), followed by Micheal Sanchez with 32.34% (467 votes). The third candidate Lainey Franklin garnered a little over 22% with…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Warhorse Band earns Sweepstakes

Devine ISD Band Boosters- Congrats to the JV and Varsity Warhorse Bands. JV received Excellent ratings and Varsity got STRAIGHT ONES in Concert and Sight-reading earning a SWEEPSTAKES!! Only 5 bands out of 23 earned straight ones today!
Congrats to our amazing middle school bands also. They both did an outstanding job at UIL concert and sight reading contest! DMS Concert Band received a 1(Superior)in concert and a 2(Excellent) in sight-reading! DMS Symphonic Band received a 1(Superior) in concert and a 1(Superior) in sight reading!

Natalia Mustang Band brought home Sweepstakes honors from UIL Concert and Sight Reading.

Mustang Band earns Sweepstakes

Natalia ISD.net- Our Mustang Varsity Band earned Straight 1’s at the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Concert Contest — the highest possible rating bringing home Sweepstakes honors.We are so proud of our talented student musicians and directors for their dedication, discipline, and countless hours of hard work. Your commitment to excellence truly shows!Way to represent Mustang Nation with pride! Natalia JR High Sweepstakes-Congratulations to our Junior High Band! Our talented students earned straight 1’s and Sweepstakes at the UIL Concert Contest! This outstanding achievement reflects the hard work, dedication, and countless hours of practice from our students and directors.

Lytle Pirate Band received a First Division in Sight Reading at the UIL Concert & Sight Reading.

Pirate Band sending 20 to State

LytleISD.org- 20 students qualified for STATE in Solo and Ensemble. Our select Lytle Band Members performed for UIL Solo and Ensemble on Feb. 26, and we are pleased to announce that the results were fantastic!  Solo and Ensemble performances receive ratings, just like UIL Marching and UIL Concert and Sight Reading, where a rating of a 1 is the highest score, and a 5 is the lowest.  

…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 $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!