Medina County officials are waiting on the SA bomb squad to investigate a suspicious device found in Natalia this evening.
“A suspicious electronic device was found along the side of the road,” said Medina County Emergency Manager Keith Lutz, said at 7:40 pm this Monday April 16. “We don’t think it is really a bomb, but we are just being cautious right now. I am hoping we will have an answer soon.”
Natalia PD Chief Gilbert Rodriguez adds, “We evacuated homes on both sides of the 500th block of Aubrey St. We are waiting on SAPD bomb squad.”
Check back for updates on the situation.
UPDATE- At 8:45 pm, we were notified that SAPD Bomb Squad made location.
“They checked it out, and we were given the all clear,” said Natalia PD Chief Rodriguez.
By Kayleen Holder Editor The numbers are now 28,980 homes in Medina County, up from 18,791 homes in 2017. It’s an increase of just over 10,000 new homes in 10 years, with just under 1/3 of those new homes popping up in the past two years alone. The appraised value of Medina County properties has nearly tripled from $2.8 million to over $8.1 million in ten years as well (2017 to 2026).
Total appraised values in Medina County :
2017: $2,857,428,102 2018: $3,007,626,516 2019: $3,476,214,251 2020: $3,832,984,245 2021: $4,374,084,631 2022: $5,232,813,305 2023: $6,240,126,321 2024: $6,994,751,873 2025: $7,693,299,977 2026: $8,173,758,160 Preliminary will certify values in July
On a drive down FM 1343 between Devine and Castroville, a large plot of land sticks out with a tall commercial chain link fence amidst the green rolling hills. It is the site of the 9th data center in Medina County. Data centers now account for roughly 2,673 acres in our county that we know of.
However, there is a large amount of land, over 12,000 acres, which has been taken out of Ag/wildlife exemption and it is unknown what it will be used for. Photo by Angelica Arriza.
By Kayleen Holder Editor
Medina County has long been known for its rural landscape, farms and ranches. On a drive through the green rolling hills on FM 1343 between Devine and Castroville, a large plot of land sticks out. A tall commercial chain link fence has now replaced the old farm fencing on a long stretch of property. It’s one of the newest data center sites. Over 41,000 acres once used for agriculture, has now either been developed or awaits its fate. To be exact, the county has lost 41,111 acres of farm and ranch land since 2013.
With this decrease in ag land, about 23,300 acres of land is now considered “vacant”, a designation given to recently purchased properties for which the use has not yet been determined. About half of that (11,464 acres) will most likely be subdivisions, according to the county, and it is unknown what is to come of the other 12,134 acres or so of land whose owners have let go of the ag and wildlife on it. Land use classified as “Industrial” has seen a 999% boom in Medina County since 2013, now accounting for 7,023 acres across Medina County while “residential” has seen over 10,200 acres of homes and subdivisions added in the past 13 years. According to officials, some companies have kept large amounts of acreage in Ag or wildlife exemption for years until construction began. So land that has been purchased but not yet developed, may still be classified as agriculture currently.
LAND USE
2026 Residential acres- 50,409 acres total (including 11,464.62 acres coded as Vacant residential acres which will most likely be used for residential at some point) Agricultural acres – 746,379.29 Open Land– 12,134.94 (not qualified for open-space ag & wildlife) Commercial acres – 2,070.37 Industrial acres – 7,023.10 (approximately are attributed to 2,673.53 data centers so far, with the majority of other industrial being quarries and large manufacturing sites) *The above figures for 2026 show a more accurate picture of what development is in progress or projected, by breaking down and detailing the predicted use of newly vacant land that was lumped in the residential category due to state codes a couple years ago.
2025: Agricultural acres – 749,385.49 Residential acres – 73,410.38 (figures included some vacant lands per new state code) Commercial acres – 1,933.60 Industrial acres – 4,189.74
2024: Agricultural acres – 753,514.84 Residential acres – 69,467.36 (figures included some vacant lands per new state code) Commercial acres – 1,874.08 Industrial acres – 4,216.17
2013: Agricultural acres – 787,490.67 Residential acres – 40,140.79 Commercial acres – 1,577 Industrial acres – 639.51 Have a news tip? Submit your photos and stories to us on Facebook or to devinereporter@devinenews.com …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!
Findings from a financial audit of the Devine Volunteer Fire Department for fiscal year 2023-2024 were forwarded to Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown following its presentation to the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 board of commissioners during the board’s April 21 meeting.
By Anton Riecher Findings from a financial audit of the Devine Volunteer Fire Department for fiscal year 2023-2024 were forwarded to Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown following its presentation to the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 board of commissioners during the board’s April 21 meeting. Board president Todd Summers said the intent is to give the sheriff the most complete information available in the aftermath of substantial fraud uncovered in late 2024. “Let the DA tell us if they believe we need to go further or not,” Summers said. “Is this going to be enough to prosecute the case to the fullest?” In other business, the board voted unanimously to
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Lieutenant Christopher Andrews was honored for his 34 years of service with the City of Devine Police Department! Pictured above is Mayor Butch Cook, Police Chief Joe Brown presenting Lieutenant Andrews with an Employee Recognition Award at the City Council Meeting Tuesday. Photo by Anton Riecher.
A lingering dispute related to a controversial management change at the Devine Golf Course in 2022 was thought to be put to rest by the Devine City Council last week at its April 21 meeting when the council originally agreed to a 99-year lease exchange to retain clear access to a portion of the course’s paved golf path but the vote was cancelled after the meeting by Cook. Two days after the meeting Mayor Butch Cook used his power to “nullify” the action so the item can be voted upon again.…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!
In the turbulence of our modern world, many of us are often stressed beyond our limits. With the perils of daily life pounding our minds, we can be overstimulated and undone, like a horse that is ridden hard and put away wet. Is there any hope for peace and calm? Yes, I believe there is, and here is the key. Less is more. What follows are some concrete and practical tips on finding peace daily. For a better life, try them… Stop Trying to Fill Every Moment. There is a great Seinfeld episode (perhaps the greatest sit-com ever made in TV history) where Elaine and her stoic boyfriend David Puddy are returning home to New York after a fight-filled European vacation. On the flight home, while Elaine uses her time in the air to read, Puddy chooses instead to stare at the back of the seat in front of him. He doesn’t want a book to read. He doesn’t need a pillow to nap. He is content to simply sit and stare, alone with his thoughts. Frustrated and thinking her boyfriend is a moron, Elaine breaks up with him on the plane. As it turns out, Puddy may have been on to something. When we are constantly busy, we are training our brains to hate stillness. Unending stimulation and activity, filling every gap in our day with productivity, alters our mental state for the worse. When our brains are not directly focused on a task, something psychologists call our Default Mode Network kicks in. This resting state for the brain is crucial for self-reflection and problem solving. And it’s how we build our identity. When we fill every gap in our day with phone scrolling, planning, or game playing, this default mode in our brains never switches on and we lose the deeper processing that our brain needs to maintain mental health. Pausing your constant productivity and stimulation gives you back presence and calm. Your pause is not wasted but is instead required for peace of mind. Give your brain a chance to catch up. Try being still. Eliminate the Noise of Negative Self-Talk. The way you talk to yourself matters. Psychologists call this Self Perception Theory. Your mind will believe what you tell it. Instead of focusing on the negative, use positive self-talk and shift your identity for the better. For example, if you fail at something, instead of beating yourself up, tell yourself that this is what learning looks like. Endeavor to learn from your mistakes and move on positively. If you are working to improve yourself, also frame things positively. Shifting your identity is the key to positive growth, change, and healthy thinking. Reduce or Eliminate the Background Noise in your Life. As mentioned previously, our brains need quiet and operate with something called the Default Mode Network. This process only turns on when the brain is not taking in information, when you are alone with your thoughts in a state of wakeful rest. During this process we make connections and process emotions. It is where we consolidate memories. It is where creativity and self-awareness live, in this good mental space. When we constantly have something playing all the time, we deny our brains that wakeful rest we need. Constant news and podcasts and music and more, piped into our heads every waking moment destroys our peace of mind and creativity. Outsourcing your quiet time can destroy your mental health. Constant connectivity and information consumption can be emotionally and mentally toxic. Your brain is craving quiet. Capture Your Mornings for Daily Peace. Many of us wake up every morning and give away our peace of mind, embracing stress by immediately looking at our phones or turning on the morning news. Protect the first minutes, or better yet, the first hours of your day with some kind of peaceful routine. Enjoying a good cup of coffee or hot tea as you watch the sunrise fosters peace of mind. Many walk or exercise first thing in the morning. You may have a cozy nest in your living room with a comfortable chair where you can relax and breathe in the first hours of the day. Some start their days journaling or reading. Mental health has been linked to solid spiritual grounding. For those so inclined, a wonderful way to start your day involves reading the Bible. Scripture can be settling. If there is a God, and I believe there is, He’s a good person to know. Go to Him each morning. Less is more. Life will get better and more peaceful when you reduce the load on your weary mind. Consider cutting some of the junk out and find peace daily…
Sandra Lynn Shipp Holding, of Devine, Texas, passed away April 16, 2026 at the age of 68. She was born December 23, 1957 in Dallas, Texas, to Jesse James Shipp, Jr. and Bobbie Jean Spann Shipp. In 1975, Sandra graduated from W.W. Samuell High School in Pleasant Grove, Texas. Survivors include her husband, Donald L. Holding; children, Jessica Verstuyft (John Kyle Carnley), Jacob Allen (Candice), Lindsay Woolcott (Chris), Jessica Holding, and Boone Holding (Liz); fourteen grandchildren; sister, Sharon Shipp Worthy; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives. Sandra was preceded in death by her parents. Visitation will be Friday, April 24, 2026 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home, with a Celebration of Life at 5:00 p.m. Services will conclude at the funeral home. Arrangements by Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home. www.tondre-guinn.com
Jacob Cantu (left) and Diego Reyna (right), are two of 10 Pirates to represent Lytle at the Regional track meet in Seguin. Photo by Brigid Howard.
Jerel Beaty Staff writer Ten Pirate and two Lady Pirate Track and Field athletes compete May 1-2 in Seguin at the Class 3A Regional Championships. Matador Stadium is located on the campus of Seguin High School. While not just a ton of spectator information was available on the UIL Regional website, the key takeaway is tickets will be sold at the gate with a $10.00 CASH ONLY per person requirement for entry. No passes are accepted.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Friday, May 1 8:00am—Discus (Noah Smoot), Long Jump (Angel De La Rosa), Boys Triple Jump and Girls Pole Vault and Long Jump 10:00am—3200m Run (Frances Scotello, Jacob Cantu, Adrian Reyna), Boys High Jump, Girls Shot Put 1:30pm—Running Prelims—Rolling Schedule 400m Relay—Chase Guevara, Angel De La Rosa, Toby Davila, Jewell Hicks 100m/110m Hurdles 100m Dash 800m Relay 400m Dash—Klayre Cook, Jewell Hicks 300m Hurdles 200m Dash 1600m Relay—Chase Guevara, Jewell Hicks, Clayton Jopling, Sebastian Garcia Saturday, May 2 8:00am— Long Jump (Angel De La Rosa) Boys Pole Vault and Girls Triple Jump and Discus 10:00am—Boys Shot Put and Girls High Jump Running Finals (TBD) 1:15pm—400m Relay 1:30pm—800m Run (Sebastian Garcia) 1:50pm—100/110m Hurdles 2:10pm—100m Dash 2:25pm—800m Relay 2:45pm—400m Dash* 3:00pm—300m Hurdles 3:15pm—200m Dash 3:30pm—1600m Run (Frances Scotello, Jacob Cantu, Diego Reyna) 4:00pm—1600m Relay* ***Awards Ceremony
Arabians (left to right) Kenize Schott, Kylie Monreal and Rylie Wells all punched their tickets to the Regional track meet at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville campus. Photo by Moose Lopez.
Jerel Beaty Staff writer After eight Arabian Track and Field athletes advanced from District 27-4A to Area, seven of those are now ready to compete at the Class 4A Regional Meet in Kingsville on May 1-2. Kylie Monreal, Rylie Wells, Kenzie Schott, Caroline Suhr, Camila Sierra, Peyton Dixon-Davis, and Ivy Stricker along with alternate Kaylee Guerra are hoping to put their best foot forward on the grounds of Javelina Stadium in order to advance one more round which would mean they would compete at State. Best of luck to all Regional Qualifiers and their coaches!
Warhorse Enoch Hall is one of 11 athletes to represent Devine in the Regional track meet at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville campus. Photo by Moose Lopez.
Jerel Beaty Staff writer Twelve Warhorse Track and Field athletes advanced from the District 27-4A Meet to Area, and now 11 of those are ready to perform their best at the Class 4A Region IV Regional Meet on the campus of Texas A&M-Kingsville on May 1-2. Rowdy Esparza, Mikey Rodriguez, Karter Brown, Enoch Hall, Bo Wheeler, Brody Lane, Zach Guerra, Ryan Weinkam, Jonathan Cantu, Lucas Hudson, and Esai Sanchez along with alternate if needed Alex Garcia-Castillo are eager for the chance to move from Regional to State if events go their way this weekend. Best of luck to all Regional Qualifying Warhorses and their coaches!
