WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXIX NUMBER 30 Section 1 10 pages
July 31, 2024 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Cary McKown
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 MISD's Busy Off-Season Montgomery County Weekly Approves 2024-2025 Budget, New Hospital District EMS Gas Prices MHS Prinicpal Named, and More nationally recognized
Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 7.1 cents per gallon in the last week, a v e r a g i n g $ 3 . 1 0 / g t o d a y, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 0.4 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 31.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 1.2 cents in the last week and stands at $3.78 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $2.66/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.99/g, a difference of $1.33/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.66/g while the highest was $3.99/g, a difference of $1.33/g. The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.47/g today. The national average is down 0.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 25.2 cents per gallon lower 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: July 29, 2023: $3.42/g (U.S. Average: $3.73/g) July 29, 2022: $3.71/g (U.S. Average: $4.21/g) July 29, 2021: $2.84/g (U.S. Average: $3.16/g) July 29, 2020: $1.88/g (U.S. Average: $2.19/g) July 29, 2019: $2.47/g (U.S. Average: $2.72/g) July 29, 2018: $2.64/g (U.S. Average: $2.84/g) July 29, 2017: $2.10/g (U.S. Average: $2.31/g) July 29, 2016: $1.97/g (U.S. Average: $2.13/g) July 29, 2015: $2.48/g (U.S. Average: $2.68/g) July 29, 2014: $3.37/g (U.S. Average: $3.51/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.89/g, down 4.5 cents per gallon from last week's $2.94/g. San Antonio- $3.05/g, up 12.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.92/g. Austin- $3.08/g, up 9.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.98/g. "We continue to see a mixed bag when it comes to gas prices across the country: states in the Great Lakes region are still being jolted by the Joliet, IL refinery outage, which has also impacted gas prices in some areas of Canada, while areas like the West Coast continue to see notable declines," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "With the summer winding down and GasBuddy data showing disappointing gasoline demand and struggling oil prices, we could eventually see the national average falling a bit more, especially once the refinery in Illinois restarts operations. While hurricane season hasn't been a factor yet, it's also just starting to get into its prime, and that does remain a quiet wildcard for now." SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community......2, 3, 4, 9, 10 Commentary...................3, 4, 5 Church Directory..............5 Legals.........................6, 7, 8 Business Directory...........10
MISD Officials at the Groundbreaking of the new CTE a day Center in Montgomery by Ruben Borjas Jr. The Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees has been busy over the summer making preparations for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. From budgets to adjustments to strategic planning, to new personnel being announced, MISD is preparing for the start of the new school year with a new determination as Superintendent Dr. Mark Ruffin begins his first full year at the head of the independent school
district. Faced with shortages in state and local revenue, MISD will be challenged this year to maintain its performance as one of the top school districts in the county. In their June school board meeting, the Trustees approved a $93 million budget for the 2024-2025 school year, and after the numbers have been crunched, the board anticipates a $4.3 million budget shortfall. Although the district will be able to handle the predicted
shortfall, dipping into rainy day funds causes a certain amount of risk over time. “Amidst this budget deficit, we have remained committed to protecting the people, programs, and services that make up the premier educational experience for our students,” said Superintendent Ruffin. “MISD has been negatively impacted by factors outside our control such as inflation, decreases in federal funding through Medicaid reimbursements,
a stagnant level of funding provided by the State, and recapture payments we have been forced to send back to the State. At some point, something has to give.” The state's basic allotment, the amount of money the State provides per student, has remained unchanged since just before the pandemic, while inflation has risen substantially over the same period. Ruffin noted that See MISD , page 2
Collings Family Makes Civil War Artifact Donation To Heritage Museum
Left to Rt: RJOA Kathy Williams, Barbara Eddleman, Shelia Williamson, Museum Board President: Gloria White, RJOA Donors: Doug and Elaine Collings, Museum Director: Suann Hereford, Danean Myers, Mary Lee Malek. by Elaine Collings
T O H E R I TA G E MUSEUM, ON 100th COLLINGS FAMILY B I R T H D A Y O F MAKES CIVIL WAR GROGAN-COCHRAN ARTIFACT DONATION HOUSE!
Rebel Joan Of Arc A s s o c i a t e M e m b e r , F o u n d e r a n d C h a r t e r DOUG COLLINGS, make P r e s i d e n t , E L A I N E a special Presentation and COLLINGS, and Rebel Joan Of Arc Honorary See Artifact, page 2
Montgomery County Hospital District EMS nationally recognized for its commitment to quality care for heart attacks and strokes The American Heart Association presents the Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement award for proven dedication to ensuring access to best practices and life-saving care. CONROE — Montgomery County Hospital District EMS has received the American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold achievement award for its commitment to offering rapid and research-based care to people experiencing the most severe form of heart attacks and strokes, ultimately saving lives. Emergency medical s e r v i c e s s t a ff c a n b e g i n treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone goes to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to provide resuscitation efforts to someone whose heart has stopped. People who arrive by ambulance may also receive faster treatment at the hospital. Mission: Lifeline EMS® is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks and strokes. The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment — starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack and stroke patients takes coordination between the individual prehospital providers and healthcare systems. “Arguably the most important link in the chains of survival for acute stroke and cardiovascular emergencies is emergency medical services and prehospital professionals,” said Edward Jauch, M.D., MS, MBA, chair of the department of research at the University of North Carolina Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Center. “Early condition identification, stabilization and prehospital interventions, and initiation of actions within the regional systems of care provide patients with the best chance for receiving expedient definitive therapies leading to optimal outcomes and maximized quality of life. The Mission: Lifeline EMS achievement award focuses on agencies' on-scene care, bringing to the forefront the collaboration and contributions to patient care for prehospital providers. “MCHD is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing optimal care for heart attack and stroke patients,” said James Campbell, MCHD Chief of EMS. “The Mission: Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis so patients have the best possible chance of survival.”