WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXVIII NUMBER 35 Section 1 10 pages
August 30, 2023 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Randy & Melissa Swearingen
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Established 1995
Montgomery County News
Montgomery, Texas 77356
50 Weekly PBOX Magnolia, TX 77353
Texas A New Season For The
Weekly Conroe Symphony Orchestra Gas Prices
Average gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 9.0 cents per gallon in the last week, a v e r a g i n g $ 3 . 3 6 / g t o d a y, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 5.0 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 2.4 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 3.3 cents in the last week and stands at $4.333 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $2.99/g yesterday while the most expensive was $4.29/g, a difference of $1.30/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.99/g while the highest was $4.29/g, a difference of $1.30/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4.0 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.78/g today. The national average is up 5.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 3.5 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: August 28, 2022: $3.34/g (U.S. Average: $3.81/g) August 28, 2021: $2.80/g (U.S. Average: $3.14/g) August 28, 2020: $1.92/g (U.S. Average: $2.24/g) August 28, 2019: $2.29/g (U.S. Average: $2.57/g) August 28, 2018: $2.60/g (U.S. Average: $2.83/g) August 28, 2017: $2.18/g (U.S. Average: $2.37/g) August 28, 2016: $2.01/g (U.S. Average: $2.21/g) August 28, 2015: $2.26/g (U.S. Average: $2.51/g) August 28, 2014: $3.24/g (U.S. Average: $3.43/g) August 28, 2013: $3.40/g (U.S. Average: $3.53/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $3.38/g, down 1.5 cents per gallon from last week's $3.40/g. San Antonio- $3.31/g, down 11.9 cents per gallon from last week's $3.42/g. Austin- $3.38/g, down 8.4 cents per gallon from last week's $3.46/g. "For the first time in weeks, the national average price of gasoline has fallen over the last week as the wholesale price of gasoline had been under seasonal pressure as we near the end of the summer driving season. However, the drop may be short-lived, as one of the nation's largest refineries partially shut last week after a fire at a storage tank, and as we see more tropical activity that could lead to further disruption," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "While GasBuddy is closely monitoring Florida for challenges related to Idalia and is prepared to activate the fuel availability tracker, the rest of the nation could see gas price declines reversing pending the outcome of refinery issues that continue to put upward pressure on wholesale gasoline prices." SOURCE GasBuddy
Ragtime Salon Series
Left to Right: RJOA & FOS Charlotte Belin, RJOA & FOS Karen DeBerry, RJOA & FOS Danean Myers, Artistic Director & Conductor Gary Liebst, RJOA & FOS Myra Liston, RJOA & FOS Anita Stevens, and RJOA & CSO & FOS Elaine Collings. Rebel Joan Of Arc Chapter members continue supporting and promoting our community arts at the Conroe Symphony Orchestra with its Ragtime Salon Series. This Salon Series was organized for CSO patrons by Ragtime enthusiast Bill Thompson. Many of the Rebel Joan Of Arc supporters gathered for an afternoon of fun Ragtime music. This Ragtime Salon Event was presented by 12 performers that traveled from across the state to preform this lighthearted “toe-tapping” music in all its various styles. A brief history was given about each piece of
music and its composer, and the performers even dressed in Ragtime period clothes to add to the gaiety of the music. Although this music is lighthearted and fun to listen to, it is difficult to preform explained Mr Thompson and several performers of the San Antonio Ragtime Society. What a delightful gift to CSO Supporters to enjoy. The 3 hour presentation was a “Come & Go” afternoon, but it was hard to leave that great music as witnessed by the end. Music lovers will be interested to know that Ragtime pieces were preformed such as a Flute
Rhapsody by Stephanie Harris, Kim Bellini, Sara Ryherd, Karen Paganis, Carolyn Evans, John Allgood, and Emily Hodge. Composers: Scott Joplin, and Ann Cameron Pearce. Abby Jo & Mandi Jo Jackson preformed on xylophone a piece by Galen Wilkes. Brandon Mathieson preformed the Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin. Brooks Christensen preformed works by Adaline Shepherd, Trebor Jay Tichenor, Zez Confrey, and Mark Janza. Monty Suffern preformed for George Botsford, Felix Arndt, Jospeh Lamb, and Galen Wilkes. Jack Love
entertained us with more Scott Joplin, and Joseph Lamb. Steuart Dewar and Belinda Huber preformed duets and solos to James Scott, Euday Bowman, Larisa Migachyov, and Grace Bolen. Stephanie Harris was accompanied by Bill Thompson in the Rose Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin. Alecia Russell and P a m Yo u n g b l o o d preformed The Entertainer by Scott Joplin. Lastly, Alicia Russell and Bill Thompson entertained the audience with The Queen Rag (The Queen was a
See Music, page 2
Local VFW/Montgomery Historical Society Member Receives Berlin Wall Painting
numerous trips to the divided city of Berlin via the Helmstedt-West Berlin Corridor in the mid-to-late 1980s. He escorted American civilians through the Soviet Union controlled checkpoints in East Germany. Ruben presented the required documentation to Russian soldiers; who processed the paperwork before allowing his party to continue onto Berlin. Mickie Thompson used an old photo of Borjas hammering on the Berlin Wall at the Brandenburg Gate, to complete her painting titled, “Freedom at Last.” Ruben later stood on top of the Wall, an act which would have been impossible by the former Ruben Borjas, Jr. (center) receives a double painting from Montgomery artist soldier prior to the Fall of the Wall, just a few days Mickie Thompson (right). Local Veterans Charity owner, Ed Ponikvar (left), holds Ms Thompson's interpretation of the Berlin Wall, just days after it fell in November before November 9th, 1989. The day the wall 1989. fell. Community......2, 3, 4, 9, 10 Ruben Borjas Jr, 57, a S o c i e t y. R e c e i v e d a Farmers Market in Historic “When crossing the Commentary.......................3, 4 veteran and member of painting completed by local Montgomery. border into East Germany, Borjas, who served two Devotional..........................5 Montgomery’s new VFW artist Mickie Thompson of P o s t 1 2 2 2 3 a n d t h e Borjas’ Berlin time, this tours in West Germany See VFW, page 2 Legals.........................6, 7, 8 Montgomery Historical past 1st Saturday, at the during The Cold War, made
Index Business Directory...........10
PRE-SRT POSTAGE PD #80 MONTG. TX
Grants Available To East Texas Landowners To Help Restore Longleaf Pine Forests COLLEGE STATION, TX — Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas L o n g l e a f Te a m h a v e funding available through t h e Te x a s L o n g l e a f Conservation Assistance Program for landowners interested in restoring and enhancing longleaf pine ecosystems on their property. Funding is available to assist landowners with the cost of site preparation and tree planting, as well as longleaf maintenance practices like prescribed burning and other activities that promote forest stand improvement. "Longleaf pine ecosystems are a natural and important part of the East Texas ecosystem, and once had a range of over 92 million acres across the southern U.S.,” said Hughes Simpson, Texas A&M Forest Service Chief Operating Officer. “But by the early 2000s, that number had fallen to 3.2 million acres.” Due to longleaf pine restoration programs, there are now 4.7 million acres of longleaf pine ecosystem. However, with only 5% of the original area, there is still work to do. Longleaf pine ecosystems provide critical habitat for the most diverse plant and wildlife ecosystems on the continent. More than 40 plant species have been identified within a single square meter of longleaf pine forests, with up to 140 different species per quarter-acre, all inside of a prairie-style understory that houses few shrubs or woody plants. This environment is ideal for game species such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey and quail as well as more at-risk and endangered species like the pocket gopher, Louisiana pine snake, Bachman’s sparrow and red-cockaded woodpecker. Funding for the Texas Longleaf Conservation Assistance Program is made available by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and International Paper (NYSE: IP) through the Forestland Stewards Partnership. “The contributions made by IP and NFWF will go a long way to restoring one of the most critical and diverse forest ecosystems within the state of Texas,” said Simpson. Longleaf is harvested for its high-quality fiber, huge diameter and tall, straight boles, which in turn produce superior l u m b e r. T h e Te x a s Longleaf Team hopes these qualities also produce an economic incentive for landowners to plant and sustainably harvest longleaf pine.
See Forest, page 2