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New Devine Fire office manager struggles to correct past bookkeeping

Sophia Benavides (center) has been tasked with cleaning up the past accounting practices for the Devine Volunteer Fire and Rescue.

By Anton Riecher
A new office manager/bookkeeper for Devine Volunteer Fire & Rescue is diligently working to correct and reconcile the agency’s ledgers in the wake of a scandal involving $76,000 in missing funds, DVF&R membership association president Robert Pequerno reported April 15 to the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 board of commissioners.
“Right now, with the whole new system, we’re just trying to clean it up and have it user friendly and presentable,” Pequerno told the commissioners.
Sophia Benavides, the new DVF&R bookkeeper, described some of the difficulties involved in cleaning up past accounting practices.
“I do feel that as I’ve been looking through a lot of our accounts that the funds haven’t been put in the right buckets,” she said…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

$4,000 donated to Mission Devine

The Devine Wesleyan Fellowship would like to thank the citizens of Devine and surrounding communities for their participation and generous giving at our recent fundraiser for Mission Devine. Thanks to your support we are able to present a check for $4000 along with $395 which was put in the donation jar.
We would like to thank all the local businesses for their support by purchasing meals.

We would also like to recognize Mark Kidd for his contribution for buying the brisket and a special thank you to Get Some! Bar-b-que for donating the potato salad. It was wonderful. Be sure to go by and check them out. HEB also contributed a gift card to help us purchase several needed items.
There is still time to contribute to Mission Devine, check out their website. Also, a reminder that all applications must be submitted by April 30.
Thank you again for supporting Mission Devine.

Blood Drives…

Devine:April 23

Lytle:April 24

Primrose Funeral Services will hold a blood drive on Wednesday, April 23 from 9 am to 2 pm in Devine at 303 W. College Ave. The bloodmobile will also be at their Lytle location (14822 Main St.) on Thursday, April 24 from 9 am to 2 pm.
Save lives and get rewarded! Join us at our upcoming blood drive and make a difference in your community. As a thank you receive an e-gift card for your life-saving donation. Every drop counts – your donation could help save up to three lives.
Give the gift of life and enjoy a little gift for yourself too!
If you have any questions please call Britty Richardson at (830) 663-4445 or email at britty@primrosefuneralservices.com.

Cesar’s dream is finding his forever family, hopes to be a barber someday

Meet 13-year-old Cesar. Cesar’s dream is finding his forever family, who will make him a part of a forever home & family, with parents who will love and guide him into adulthood.
At thirteen years of age, Cesar is like many children his age; he’s talkative, friendly, and social. Cesar likes to participate in all sorts of events, whether school games, dances, or arcades. He is also very athletic, and is very good at all sports; however football is his favorite sport. And would love to have parents to be his biggest “fans in the stands”, and cheer him on, not only on the football field, but in life.
Cesar’s enjoys attending school as he gets an opportunity to interact with friends. His favorite subject is Math, as he is very good at it.
For a career, Cesar’s current plan is to attend barber school, becoming a licensed barber, and open his own business.
Cesar is an animal lover, and he holds a special place in his heart for dogs. So a family with a dog or two, with be ideal.
If you think you could be a forever family or Cesar or another Texas child, please call 1-800-233-3405 for more information or visit www.adoptchildren.org where you can find a schedule of online public information meetings, and learn about the foster/adoption program.
You can also view the www.heartgallerystx.org website, where South Texas children have their portraits along with individual personal stories they wish to share, with their future forever family.

Basic Adoption Requirements
The prospective foster/adoptive parents may be single or married and must:
be at least 21 years of age, financially stable, and responsible mature adults
complete an application (staff will assist you if you prefer)
share information regarding their background and lifestyle
provide relative and non-relative references
show proof of marriage and/or divorce (if applicable)
agree to a home study which includes visits with all household members
allow staff to complete a criminal history background check and an abuse/neglect check on all adults in the household
attend free training to learn about issues of abused and neglected children.

Seasons Wealth Open House April 25th

You are invited to come meet the local team including Todd Summers, Jenn Saunders, Lauren Summers, as well as Kris Summers and her team. Seasons Wealth recently opened their Devine branch.
Join them for the Open House this Friday, April 25th from 4 to 7 pm at 203 E College Ave., Suite B in Devine. Light refreshments will be served.

UNDERWAY…Early Voting ongoing, May May 3rd Devine ISD election day

Devine ISD elections
Davis, Frieda, Esparza and Hildt vie for 2 seats

Devine ISD is hosting their annual trustee election on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Early voting started on Tuesday, April 22 at central office.
There are four candidates seeking the two At-Large positions. The two candidates who get the most votes will win the positions which are for a three year term.
Candidates include Chris Davis (incumbent) and Renee Frieda (incumbent), Candace Esparza, and Robert Travis Hildt. Frieda (incumbent), Candace Esparza, and Robert Travis Hildt.
Carl Brown, District 2 is unopposed.
All registered voters living in the Devine ISD school district boundaries may vote for the 2 positions from the 4 candidates.
Early Voting dates and hours are: April 22-25 plus April 28-29, all at the DISD Central Office from 8 am to 5 pm daily.
Election day voting is from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sat. May 3 at the central office as well, 605 W Hondo Ave, Devine.

Security State Bank celebrates 100 years!

Security State Bank will celebrate serving South Texas for a century as of this April.
They invite customers to stop by and help celebrate this milestone on April 29 as refereshments will be served at all locations.
Security State Bank, headquartered out of Pearsall, was established in 1925 and acquired Medina Valley State Bank  in 2010, becoming a branch of Security State Bank at that time.

County commissioners hear concerns about old mines as they approve replat of ‘Project Cinco’ hyperscaler site

Medina County Auditor Eduardo Lopez is stepping down effective May 3 to pursue other career interests. Former assistant auditor Rubi Gaucin, currently serving as county human resources director, is taking Lopez’ place. The county is recruiting a new HR director.

By Anton Riecher
Medina County commissioners approved an application by Rowan Digital Infrastructure to consolidate the 440-acre site for a proposed hyperscaler data center near Lytle into a single parcel as the basis for future subdivision.
On a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler, the commissioners voted 4-0 to create Rowan Cinco subdivision on Texas 132 and County Road 6712.
Also on a motion by Lynch, seconded by Lawler, the court voted 4-0 to approve a preliminary commercial development site plan creating Rowan Project Cinco.
According to Rowan representative Dave Trevor, the lot consolidation is the first step in the preliminary development plan needed to move forward with the project. Subsequent subdivision of the property included an eight-acre parcel deeded to Texas AEP as the site of an electrical substation.
The site development plan includes preliminary drawings for the data center structure and an accompanying office building.
Trevor made reference to a recent open house conducted at Lytle High School to familiarize the community with the project.
“One of the reasons we wanted to do that is to show that, one, we are listening to the community and that we want to take in feedback and incorporate that into our development but also demonstrate that we have the pulse of what is important to the community. Our design incorporates that feedback.”
During the public comments portion that opened the Monday agenda, Lytle resident Cliff Garrison posed a question about Project Cinco.
“My visit today is to simply ask whether or not Rowan is aware of the lignite coal mining operations that occurred during the late 1880s through 1920s?” Garrision said. “If so, can Rowan produce or share its certified geotechnical survey?”
Garrison said he was concerned that vibration from the hyperscaler project might collapse the long abandoned underground tunnels from mining. He made reference to recent problems in New Jersey from similar projects.
“Unfortunately, maps of the area are almost impossible to find,” he said. “However, a 1913 Medina Valley irrigation map filed in Hondo in 1914 does show the general areas where Coal Mine of Lytle conducted operations for a number of companies.”
Commissioner Lynch passed a printed copy of Garrison’s presentation to the Rowan representatives…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

Local kids Statebound!

800M Regional Champion, Warhorse “Devo” Dixon will lead Devine to State for the second time this year as he also qualified in cross country earlier this year. Kourtni Geyer of Devine who advanced in pole vaulting, also setting school records along the way.

3200 m runner Diego Reyna, of Lytle who claimed 2nd place at Regionals, trailing the champion by only a couple of seconds. Good luck to all at State!

Consumers confront Devine council on 48.2 percent rate hike

Public response to a 48.2 percent hike in water and sewer rates partially implemented beginning in January ranged from challenging the Devine City Council for past management errors to congratulating it for its current transparency.
Without appropriate water/sewer rate increases the city could find itself struggling with growing debt, said City Administrator David Jordan during an April 15 public hearing. He presented an in-depth analysis of service rates over the last two decades cited as the foundation for the proposed rate increases.
“Without appropriate water/sewer rate increases, the city of Devine could find itself nearly…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!