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LIVE MUSIC…Catch a tune this June

By Joseph Ramon
Devine News Intern
There’s lots of live music to find here in Medina County! Here’s where you can catch a tune in June.

June 26
Matt Castillo at Cora’s 471 Grill- 2204 FM 471 Castroville, TX

June 27
Garret Talamantes 7-10 p.m at Black Creek Bar & Grill- 1721 Highway 173 S Devine, TX

June 28
Brad Jenschke 7-10 p.m.at 702 Tejas Sports Bar y Mas- 15306 Main St. Lytle, TX

For fans of country, blues, and rock n’ roll be sure to grab a seat at one of these local spots.
To add a local live music show, email devinereporter@devinenews.com or call Joe 830-665-2211.

Fireworks, music and more…Lytle to host July 4th Independence Day Celebration

This year the city will be partnering with the Lytle Chamber of Commerce for Lytle’s Annual Independence Day Celebration. The event will take place on July 4th at the John Lott Municipal Park. There will be food trucks set up along with a DJ.
The Music and food trucks will start at 5:00 p.m. and end at 8:20 p.m. with fireworks beginning at dark for the grand finale.
We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the evening with family and friends. Don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs and dancing boots. If you don’t want to stay for the fireworks show feel free to visit the food trucks for a great dinner option and enjoy some live music.

Cheer Camp/ Football Camp

The following programs are offered to Devine ISD students:

July 14 – 17 – Mini Cheer Camp for Kinder from 9 am to 12 noon and grades 1 through 8 from 9 am to 3 pm at DHS Gym. Cost is $45 for Kinder and $65 for grades 1 through 8. Theme days will be: Let’s Glow Monday (Neon); Tiki Tuesday (Beach/Hawaiian); Workout Wednesday (Workout Clothes); and Super Slay Spirit Thursday (Maroon/Gold).
July 14 – 17 – Warhorse Football Camp for grades 3 through 6 from 8:30 am to 11:30 am at the Warhorse Practice Field. Cost is $50.

Lytle council faces tough decisions on wastewater rate hike in next five years

Matthew Garrett, managing director of client relations for NewGen, offered the council rate projections for the future.

By Anton Riecher
With the number of water and sewer customers expected to grow by 700 connections in the next five years, the Lytle City Council reviewed a presentation on recommended rate projections offered by a consulting firm specializing in public sector finances.
Based on the June 16 presentation by NewGen Strategies and Solutions, Mayor Ruben Gonzalez said the council will most likely keep water rates at their present levels. However, wastewater and sewer rates may see a percentage increase in collection fees in order to fund more than $15.3 million in infrastructure expansion.
Gonzalez said the presentation drove home two important points. The first involves water.
“Basically our city is on track and where we need to be in the sense that we already had some of the major projects funded,” Gonzalez said.
Unfortunately, the second point, expansion of wastewater infrastructure, needs to be a focus of concern, he said.
“That one needed to be targeted,” Gonzalez said. “With this presentation we’re getting it down in black and white what we need to do in the near future.”
Matthew Garrett, managing director of client relations for NewGen, offered the council rate projections for the future, recommendations and “thoughts to be considered taking action in the future based on our input.”
“Obviously, the utility fund is an enterprise fund,” Garrett said. “We’d like it to be self-sufficent.”

Garrett’s entire presentation and 2025-2026 budget proposals by several city department is included in video coverage posted by the Devine News’ YouTube channel.


Leatrice “Lea” Joy Strunk

Leatrice “Lea” Joy Strunk, of Devine, Texas, passed away on June 4, 2025, at the age of 87.
Lea is preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Vinita Patterson, and daughter JoBeth Nieto, and son, Wesley Aliff.
She is survived by her husband, Billy Strunk, Jr., daughter, Judith Gonzales (Joel), brother, Terry Wayne Patterson (Eunice), and sister, Kay Johnston. She also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.
The family will have a Memorial Service at Evergreen Cemetery at a later date.
Funeral arrangements under the care of Primrose Funeral Services of Devine, Texas, 303 W. College Ave, 830-663-4445.

Pascuala De La Rosa

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Pascuala De La Rosa, a great daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother of Devine, TX. She was born on December 15, 1943, in Candela, Coahuila, Mexico, where she spent part of her life. She passed away peacefully on June 18, 2025, in San Antonio, TX., at the age of 82.
She is survived by her husband, Joe De La Rosa; son, George A. De La Rosa (wife), Bea De La Rosa; son, Hugo De La Rosa (wife), Leticia Luna-De La Rosa; niece, Violeta Mata, and many grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, Juan Castillo; her mother, Pascuala Cadena; her daughter, Nadia C. De La Rosa; and her son, Juan J. De La Rosa.
There will be a visitation on Friday, June 27, 2025, from 9 A.M. to 10 A.M., and a funeral service will begin at 10 A.M. All located at Primrose Funeral Services in Devine, Texas. A burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, located in Devine, Texas.

Brian Preston Koehler

After a long battle with cancer, Brian Preston Koehler died on June 20, 2025. He was surrounded by his loved ones and was not in pain.
Brian is survived by his wife of forty-one years, Joni Koehler, his son, Adam Koehler, his daughter, Amy Koehler Catterson, his son-in-law, Arman Daniel Catterson, and grandsons Gabriel Heshmat Catterson and Anthony Terry Catterson. In addition, he is survived by his sisters, Ginger (Jonathan) Garcia and Bonnie (Tim) Friesenhahn, and their families, including nieces Holly (Rene) Muniz, Maggie (Dustin) Burleson, Erin (Tucker) McCord, Lindsay (Trace) Morrow, and nephew, Nicholas (Mairead) Friesenhahn, along with seven great nieces and two great nephews. On Joni’s side, he is survived by in-laws Audrey and Terry Wilkinson, brothers-in-law David (Tracey) Arneson and Jonathan (Mayela) Wilkinson, and sister-in-law Libby (Kevin) Paterson, and their families, including nieces Victoria and Emma Wilkinson and Kaitlan Gil-Najarro, and nephews Austin, Jordan, and Travis Paterson. He is preceded in death by his father, Preston Herman Koehler and his mother, Josephine Kunz Koehler.
In family gatherings, Brian was the one the babies all gravitated toward. He was kind and patient, and always put his family’s needs before his own. He loved hunting and being in nature and also tinkering with broken machines, often fixing things that would otherwise be lost causes. He volunteered for many years in his church and community.
Brian worked at Southwest Research Institute in the Fuels and Lubricant division for 39 years. He frequently traveled for his job, and went to many different countries, including China, which he visited multiple times. He was a committed employee and was trusted by many in his workplace as a problem solver.
As busy as his work life was, he found time to coach tee-ball and baseball, drive teenagers to contests and events, and be a present and loving parent, husband, brother, and son.
Our hearts are broken over his loss, but we know that his suffering is at an end, and for that we are grateful. We know that he is with his parents now, and is probably out hunting or watching all of the James Bond movies.
Brian’s celebration of life will be held at Primrose Funeral Home at 3 p.m. on July 27, 2025. In lieu of flowers, Brian requested that donations be made to the American Cancer Society at donate.cancer.org.

Carol Ann Pitman Ashley

Carol Ann Ptiman Ashley of Devine, Texas, formerly of San Antonio, entered eternal rest on June 20, 2025. Born in Jacksonville, Florida on March 13, 1944, she was the only child of Ruth (Knight) and Jerome Carroll Pitman. Carol graduated from Sam Houston High School in San Antonio in 1962 and went to work at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She worked there for twelve years. She married Frank Wayne Ashley, her husband of 53 years, in 1972. She is survived by her three daughters: Suzanne (Jack) Craig, Melanie (Matthew) Kotzur, and Michele Ashley, and her beloved grandchildren: Kirsten, Annalise, Jack, Aubrey, Ava, Logan and Maxston.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 from 5pm-7pm at Mission Park Funeral Chapels South. Graveside service will be on Thursday, July 3, 2025 at San Jose Burial Park, San Antonio, TX.

Devine ISD calls meeting for June 26 to hire Athletic Dir. & HS Principal

The Devine ISD Board of Trustees called a meeting for Thursday, June 26 at 6:30 pm at the Superintendent’s Office to possibly hire a high school principal and athletic director as well as the start of school closes in, only five weeks away. The hiring of other professional staff will take place as well.


Teacher in-service starts in five weeks on August 4th, students August 12 on the new style schedule.

Bids on tennis court, softball field and sale of building
Also the board may take action on the Tennis Court Bids and Softball Field Bids which they wanted to wait until after the final budget was set. They will also look at the bid of the Portable Building Sale.
Agenda items are as listed:

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Texas leaders prepare to launch “fly dispersal” facility in South TX

“The United States has defeated NWS before and we will do it again,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins during the big announcement this past Wednesday, June 18.  Congressman Tony Gonzales and  Rollins laid out the plan to launch an $8.5 million “fly dispersal facility” using sterile New World screwworms (NWS) in South Texas. 

Per the USDA, the facility in South Texas is expected to be ready within six months. In addition, they announced a sweeping five-pronged plan to detect, control, and eliminate this pest. 

 “Today’s policy changes represent a huge step forward to eradicating the screwworm and protecting American livestock, especially the opening of a U.S.-based eradication facility in South Texas. This facility has been one of my top priorities in Congress. From introducing the STOP Screwworms Act to leading funding efforts through my seat on the House Appropriations Committee, I am determined to do everything possible to eliminate this deadly parasite,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales.  

  “We do not take lightly the threat NWS poses to our livestock industry, our economy, and our food supply chain,” Rollins said. “The United States government will use all resources at its disposal to push back NWS….We have the proven tools, strong domestic and international partnerships, and the grit needed to win this battle.”  

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