WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXIX NUMBER 19 Section 1 10 pages
May 15, 2024 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Russell Messecar
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Established 1995
Montgomery County News
Montgomery, Texas 77356
50 Weekly
PRE-SRT POSTAGE PD #80 MONTG. TX
PBOX Magnolia, TX 77353
Texas Books Collection Generously Vernon's Kuntry Weekly Donated to The Montgomery Katfish Gas Prices Average gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 12.3 cents per gallon in the last week, a v e r a g i n g $ 3 . 1 4 / g t o d a y, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 2.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 6.9 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 4.6 cents in the last week and stands at $3.90 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $2.39/g yesterday while the most expensive was $4.49/g, a difference of $2.10/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.39/g while the highest was $4.49/g, a difference of $2.10/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.58/g today. The national average is down 3.7 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 6.1 cents per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country. Historical gasoline prices in Texas and the national average going back ten years: May 13, 2023: $3.07/g (U.S. Average: $3.52/g) May 13, 2022: $4.11/g (U.S. Average: $4.44/g) May 13, 2021: $2.75/g (U.S. Average: $3.03/g) May 13, 2020: $1.54/g (U.S. Average: $1.86/g) May 13, 2019: $2.56/g (U.S. Average: $2.86/g) May 13, 2018: $2.64/g (U.S. Average: $2.86/g) May 13, 2017: $2.15/g (U.S. Average: $2.33/g) May 13, 2016: $1.98/g (U.S. Average: $2.22/g) May 13, 2015: $2.46/g (U.S. Average: $2.67/g) May 13, 2014: $3.42/g (U.S. Average: $3.64/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $3.07/g, down 13.8 cents per gallon from last week's $3.21/g. San Antonio- $3.12/g, down 16.8 cents per gallon from last week's $3.28/g. Austin- $3.13/g, down 16.3 cents per gallon from last week's $3.29/g. "While pump prices haven't exactly plummeted, we've seen the average price of gasoline drop in a majority of states over the last week as refineries finish maintenance and ramp up output of products like gasoline," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "With gas prices now nearing a 10-cent drop to the high we saw a few weeks ago, the future looks good as we get closer to Memorial Day; price drops could potentially accelerate after last week's jobs data shows the economy continues to cool off. While gas prices stand slightly above where they were last year, I expect most Americans will see prices fall before the holiday weekend, and I'm optimistic the trend could extend into June and beyond. I'm excited to say it does appear that for now, the worst is behind us." SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community......2, 3, 4, 9, 10 Commentary...................3, 4, 5 Church Directory..............5 Legals.........................6, 7, 8 Business Directory...........10
Bouncing Back
County Main Library
Montgomery County Historical Commission Chair Larry Foerster, by reviewing pictures of what
The recent flooding that affected Vernon’s Kuntry Katfish on SH 105, at first does not seem to be the setback that the restaurant experienced during Hurricane Harvey seven years ago. Volunteers and crews were already demoing the restaurant before the flood waters had completely receded from the parking l o t . L a rg e s w a t h s o f Montgomery County experienced devastating flooding with houses flooded up to the roof, as the forecasted rains overwhelmed the lake forcing the release of massive amounts of water from the Lake Conroe Dam. Blaze Benson, President of Cowl Spur Development, who oversaw the last rebuild of Vernon’s in 2017, is quite confident that at least the dining room will be open soon, in perhaps 10 days to two weeks. “It’s not near as bad as it was during Hurricane Harvey,” said Benson, the Bowers’ family contractor, and best friend of the late Buster Bowers. He was speaking of the dining area. “The dining room dried out much faster than the kitchen, which will take longer to get back up and running.” The flooding inside Vernon’s after Hurricane Harvey was 27”, but this time the flooding was 18”, and items like beadboard which covers the lower walls, were able to be pulled off the walls, and dried out. The insulation will have to be replaced, but the saved plywood is a big cost saver. The fans and dehumidifiers have been doing yeoman's work in drying out the dining area, and there is no lingering smell of the floodwaters in the restaurant. “Once we get the dining room reopened we do anticipate frying out in the parking lot, with customers dining inside with the air conditioning,” said restaurant General Manager D e b b i e B o w e r s . “ We anticipate having a portable frying trailer on-site near the entrance to serve customers, hopefully ready to go before the end of the month, frying up catfish, French fries, and hushpuppies.” Since the flooding happened on the early afternoon of May 2nd, Bowers and her staff were
See Mural, page 3
See Katfish, page 4
See Flood , page 2
Left to Right: Elaine Collings, Shelia Williamson, Jenny Lehr, Lyn Howard, and Dianne Kebodeaux. by Elaine Collings Boxes, Boxes, and Boxes,,,The Rebel Joan Of A r c O f f i c e r , LY N HOWARD, who is also the Chairman of the Southern Arts and Literature, donates her big books drive collection in the name of the Rebel Joan Of Arc 2721
Chapter, to the Montgomery County Main Library. Close to 300 books were collected and donated to this wonderful Conroe Library for their various needs. Sisters of the RJOA assembled to help unload this awesome books collection for delivery to Montgomery
County Main Library by Officer/Chairman LYN HOWARD. The Rebel Joan Of Arc Chapter just Keeps on “Giving & Giving” in Spirit and material goods to their community. Many Thanks to LYN HOWARD for her years of devotion, and her superior work as
Chairman of Southern Arts and Literature. Submitted by: RJOA Chairman of Public Relations: Elaine Collings, ehcollings@gmail.com And Photo committee: Shelia Williamson
Livery Stable Mural In The Works by MCN contributing writer, Ruben Borjas Jr Just weeks after a set of three livery stable tokens were presented to the Montgomery Historical Society by the owners of the Texas & Beyond Mini Plaza, Anthony and Rebecca Noreiga, a new mural project has been started on the north side of the building, located at 14259 Liberty Street in Historic Montgomery. The property on which the store currently sits, is where the original stable once stood, and when the N o r e i g a ’s c a m e i n t o possession of the old tokens, the idea of a mural became a thought, which has now come into fruition. The mural, which is a
Standing in front of the unfinished Livery Stable Mural from left to right are: Rebecca Noreiga, Amy McCain, Billy Ray Duncan, and Anthony Noreiga representation of what the livery stable may have looked like in the 1850s, is being painted on the north side of the purple building
by Montgomery artist Amy McCain, who has worked on projects in Conroe. The Noreiga’s consulted with