WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXIX NUMBER 45 Section 1 8 pages
November 13, 2024 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Sam & Nancy Conner
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Established 1995
Montgomery County News
Montgomery, Texas 77356
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PBOX Magnolia, TX 77353
The Annual Food For Library Fines: Texas C. B. Stewart Library Weekly Montgomery County Christmas Tree Silent Gas Prices Library/MC Food Bank Auction Team Up for The Holidays
Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 3.0 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.59/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 15.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 16.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has declined 0.4 cents in the last week and stands at $3.52 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $1.79/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.73/g, a difference of $1.94/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $1.79/g while the highest was $3.73/g, a difference of $1.94/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 2.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.03/g today. The national average is down 16.7 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 32.3 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: November 11, 2023: $2.76/g (U.S. Average: $3.35/g) November 11, 2022: $3.08/g (U.S. Average: $3.79/g) November 11, 2021: $3.04/g (U.S. Average: $3.41/g) November 11, 2020: $1.80/g (U.S. Average: $2.11/g) November 11, 2019: $2.26/g (U.S. Average: $2.62/g) November 11, 2018: $2.41/g (U.S. Average: $2.67/g) November 11, 2017: $2.30/g (U.S. Average: $2.56/g) November 11, 2016: $1.98/g (U.S. Average: $2.17/g) November 11, 2015: $1.97/g (U.S. Average: $2.20/g) November 11, 2014: $2.71/g (U.S. Average: $2.91/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.77/g, up 27.3 cents per gallon from last week's $2.49/g. San Antonio- $2.67/g, up 26.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.40/g. Austin- $2.69/g, up 25.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.43/g. "While the election has come and gone, gas prices have stayed the course, with the national average price of gasoline declining for a fourth consecutive week as seasonal demand weakens and Americans begin to take refuge from falling temperatures," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "While some may be surprised by the declines—some 28 states have average gas prices below $3 per gallon—this was anticipated in our annual Fuel Outlook from last December. Looking back at our outlook provides insight into the current drop and what we expect next. With the median U.S. gas price now at $2.95 per gallon, the lowest since 2021, it appears to be just a matter of time before the national average falls below $3 per gallon for the first time since May 2021, something we've already seen for diesel prices, which many Americans will be thankful for as we get closer to Thanksgiving." SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community........2, 3, 5, 7, 8 Commentary...................2, 3, 4 Church Directory..............5 Legals.................................6 Business Directory.............8
by Ruben Borjas, Jr Do you have a book you haven’t returned to the library? Let’s say you checked out a book, forgot about it, and the book got accidentally slid under a couch. So you check your library account online, and it shows a whopping $17 or $18 dollars in fines accrued. Well, does the The Montgomery County Memorial Library System have a deal for you. From now until November 30th, the library will be accepting food items in exchange for any overdue fines accrued on a patron’s library account. The collected items will be d o n a t e d t o t h e Montgomery County Food Bank in time for the holidays. “We are running a special campaign in partnership with the Montgomery Food Bank this November,” said Anne Neidinger, Public Relations & Program Coordinator For those that have library fines, here is how the Food for Library Fines program works: A $2 credit for each item of nonperishable food, canned and packaged goods will be given in lieu of dollars.
The items must be taken to the Circulation Desk in order to be credited to library accounts. If the book is lost or damaged, then donations cannot be used for replacement. “Food for fines gives patrons an opportunity during the month of November to reduce or zero out their overdue fines,” said Library Director Rhea Young. Library fines have an interesting history. The largest library fine ever paid was $345.14 for an overdue book at the Kewanee Public Library in Illinois in 1955. The fine was for the book ‘Days and Deeds,’ which was charged at two cents per day. President George Washington, even had a library fine accrued, for two books he borrowed at the beginning of his time in office, but never returned. One New York student received a $12,000 fine for library infringements. And for the most overdue library book in history, a German text borrowed in 1667 from the Sidney Sussex College at University of Cambridge's was returned in 1956, almost 300 years after it went missing. In an episode of
‘Married with Children,’ in 1988, Al Bundy was slapped with a $2,163 fine for a copy of the ‘Little Engine That Could,’ that was 31 years overdue. While in a ‘Seinfeld’ episode in 1991, Jerry was hounded by a library cop for a book that was 20 years overdue. T h e M C M L S celebrates literacy all year long through fun, educational programs for
children, teens, and adults, and by the more than 2.5 million items circulated. The MCMLS was founded and began serving local readers in 1948. Since then, it has grown to serve nearly 400,000 Library patrons and cardholders in seven branches Countywide.
Market Street Hosts Holiday For more information, Photos with go to countylibrary.org. Santa Claus
Texas Flag Lady: Pat Spackey Passes Away Texas Flag Lady’ to many, in her sleep on Friday Pat Spackey, 82, of The night, her husband Ted Known simply as ‘The Woodlands, passed away reported over the weekend o n M r s . S p a c k e y ’s Facebook account. Pat was very active in the Montgomery County c o m m u n i t y, a l w a y s speaking on the “History of t h e Te x a s F l a g ” a n d promoting Texas history to students and adults alike. Pat was a member of the Montgomery Historical Society, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Pat was best known for being the great, great, great granddaughter of the designer of the Lone Star Flag of Texas and the first State Seal, Dr. Charles B. Stewart. He was born in South Carolina, and moved to Texas in 1830, and married Julia Shepperd of Montgomery. Dr. Stewart served as the first Secretary of State for the Provisional Government. He also by Ruben Borjas, Jr
s i g n e d t h e Te x a s Declaration of Independence; and served in three Texas Legislatures. Dr. Stewart was a Doctor and Pharmacist who served in numerous State and local offices. Mrs. Spackey had the honor to write the script about the monument to her ancestor Dr. Charles B. Stewart, at the unveiling of his Bust during the Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park dedication ceremony on April 21, 2011. She constantly attended events at the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park in Conroe, and Montgomery, and was a constant photographer wherever she went, taking pictures many times, leaving her husband Ted to carry her purse, of which the task has now shifted to Angels. “I lost my wonderful, See Spackey, page 2
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Presented by Friends of the Charles B. Stewart Library(FOL) 2024 Chairman, Virginia Hill mvdhill@icloud.com 832 545 0200 This yearly event celebrates the holidays while raising funds to support the Summer Reading Program, Book Clubs and Youth/Adults Programs. Businesses and community organizations volunteer to decorate tabletop trees provided by the Friends of the Library (FOL) and a generous grant from Walmart for a Silent Auction. The decorated trees provide the library a wonderful holiday display while the general public take part in the Silent Auction from November 19 through Dec 12. This year we also have a free drawing for children to win a special decorated Children’s Tree. Both events end at the Annual Library Holiday Open House, Thursday, December 12, 4-6 pm. Everyone is welcome! The winners of the 21 silent auction trees and the 1 Children’s Tree free drawing winners will be announced. There will be lots of fun, food and even SANTA CLAUS will be there, a not-to-miss event! Friends of the Library (FOL) Charles B. Stewart/West Branch Library 202 Bessie Price Owen Drive Montgomery, TX
November 22 – December 24, 2024 Children may have their photo taken and give jolly ol’ St. Nick their wish list Friday, November 22 through Christmas Eve on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. Santa Claus will greet children and their families in space 1200, next to Kendra Scott and YETI. Reservations MUST be made in advance by visiting the following site: https://amusemattebooksa nta.com/market-street-thewoodlands/ Santa Claus will be greeting guests during the following times: November 22– December 7 (Closed Thanksgiving Day) Monday - Thursday 11:00 am - 7:00 pm (Break 2:00pm 3:00pm) Friday - Saturday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm (Break 2:00pm 3:00pm) Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Break 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm) December 8 - December 23 Monday - Thursday 11:00 am - 8:00 pm (Break 2:00 pm 3:00 pm) Friday - Saturday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm (Break 2:00 pm 2:30 pm; 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm) Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Break 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm) December 24th – Christmas Eve 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (Break 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm) Don’t forget Fluffy and Fido! On Tuesday, December 3 and December 10, four-legged friends are welcome to visit Santa Claus from 3:00 pm until close for Pet Photos with Santa. After visiting with Santa, grab a patio seat at one of Market Street’s restaurants for a synchronized light show performing every hour on the half hour from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Watch as Market Street’s 70-foot Christmas tree and surrounding twinkle lights perform to holiday favorites.