WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXIX NUMBER 50 Section 1 10 pages
December 18, 2024 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Ashley Simmons
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 Honoring and Remembering Santa Brings Weekly our Veterans at Christmas Gas Prices Average gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 5.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.49/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 11.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 2.0 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has declined 1.8 cents in the last week and stands at $3.472 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $2.10/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.91/g, a difference of $1.81/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.10/g while the highest was $3.91/g, a difference of $1.81/g. The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.98/g today. The national average is down 7.5 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 7.1 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: December 16, 2023: $2.47/g (U.S. Average: $3.05/g) December 16, 2022: $2.59/g (U.S. Average: $3.13/g) December 16, 2021: $2.87/g (U.S. Average: $3.32/g) December 16, 2020: $1.88/g (U.S. Average: $2.20/g) December 16, 2019: $2.21/g (U.S. Average: $2.56/g) December 16, 2018: $2.05/g (U.S. Average: $2.36/g) December 16, 2017: $2.18/g (U.S. Average: $2.43/g) December 16, 2016: $2.04/g (U.S. Average: $2.23/g) December 16, 2015: $1.80/g (U.S. Average: $2.01/g) December 16, 2014: $2.29/g (U.S. Average: $2.51/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.51/g, down 12.8 cents per gallon from last week's $2.64/g. San Antonio- $2.42/g, down 13.6 cents per gallon from last week's $2.55/g. Austin- $2.43/g, down 11.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.54/g. “As we edge closer to the end o f t h e y e a r, w e ' r e s e e i n g momentum for falling gas prices weaken, which is typical as the national average generally bottoms out between Thanksgiving and Christmas," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "With oil prices rising back above $70 last week, gas prices may have less potential to drop much further, though there may be a second window of lower prices in January or February in some areas, but even that won't last long. While several states saw gas prices cycle last week, marked by a big jump in prices after a large decline, those that did see hefty jumps should see prices drift a bit lower, potentially making a second run at the season's lowest prices. The West Coast, including California, should continue to see prices drift lower, but with just a few weeks left in 2024, all attention turns to 2025. GasBuddy's 2025 Fuel Outlook, among the nation's most accurate fuel price forecasts, will be released in the coming weeks, offering motorists a glimpse into gas prices for the coming year." SOURCE GasBuddy
by David Hamaker The Freedom Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, held their Wreaths Across America, wreath laying ceremony, Saturday December 14th at the Montgomery New Cemetery. We were there to celebrate our mission to Remember the fallen, and Honor those that have served our country, and to help teach the next generation the values of our freedom. We had a great turnout even with a little intermittent rain. We would like to thank everyone that came out to help us celebrate and to lay wreaths for our veterans that s erved our great nation. The freedoms we
the members of several chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Members of the Texas Society of the
Metcalf, Lake Creek High War of 1812, Sons and School Basketball team, Daughters of the Republic Loins Heart Volunteers, o f T e x a s , S o n s a n d H o p e C h u r c h , See Veterans, page 2 Montgomery Lions Club,
The Golden Needles Quilt Guild in Willis presents Quilts to Veterans each November as a way to Thank Them for the Service to Our Nation
There are so many Veteran observances for that special day in November that they all Community......2, 3, 5, 9, 10 can’t be reported in the Commentary...................2, 3, 4 actual month, but here at Church Directory..............5 WOL we strive to get as Legals.........................6, 7, 8 much Veteran news to our readers as possible. Business Directory...........10
you to the Montgomery High School JROTC Color Guard unit for presenting the colors. State R e p r e s e n t a t i v e , Wi l l
Several Organizations Honor Veterans Present and Past
by Ruben Borjas, Jr
Index
have today have not come without a price. This country was founded on the ideals of Freedom, Justice and Equality. Our nation stands as a shining beacon of liberty and freedom to the world. Quoting our 40th United States President, Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction, we didn't pass this on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will be telling our children and their children what it was once like where men were free.” Several organizations help with this event. Thank
Montgomery County is one of the most Veteran friendly counties in The Country, and it shows. Many organizations here naturally want to honor those who have served Our Country, whether they be in the present or the past. Whether it is by making quilts, or feeding Veterans,
or by bringing honor to their graves, these groups are an essential part to our community, and are in constant need of help and replenishment with younger members to keep the traditions going. The Golden Needles Quilt Guild held their annual quilt ceremony to
honor Veterans with a donated quilt, handmade by guild members over the course of the past year in commemoration of Veterans Day. The event was held this past Veterans week at the Willis Community Center, and See Honor, page 2
Christmas Cheer; Lowest Christmas Gas Prices Since 2020 For those hitting the road ahead of Christmas or getting last minute gifts, Santa has delivered. Motorists will likely see a national average price of gas of $2.95 per gallon on Christmas, the lowest we’ve seen on Christmas Day since 2020, according to GasBuddy, the leading fuel savings platform saving North American drivers the most money on gas. After waiting years for the national average to fall back to levels more consistent with norms, gasoline prices are finally there, thanks to the Federal Reserve slowing the economy down with higher interest rates, a weak economy in China, the world’s second largest oil consumer, and the ultimate healer: time. It has now been several years since the economy was growing at blistering pace, sending prices, including fuel, soaring across the globe, causing governments to increase borrowing costs, slowing the global economy, easing demand, which slowed inflation. “This holiday season is shaping up to be a gift for American drivers, with gas prices presenting a stark contrast to the budgetbreaking levels we've seen in recent years and a return to what feels like normal for many Americans filling their tanks," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum a n a l y s i s a t G a s B u d d y. "After waiting an exhausting two years for imbalances brought on by Covid and Russia’s war on Ukraine to settle down, we’re finally getting back to normal. Whether you're driving over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house or embarking on a longer holiday road trip, your wallet will feel a bit heavier, especially when utilizing the free GasBuddy app to find cheap gas." States with the Most/Least Expensive Holiday Gas Prices in 2024 1. Oklahoma ($2.46/gal) | Hawaii ($4.58/gal) 2. Texas ($2.53/gal) | California ($4.31/gal) 3. Mississippi ($2.55/gal) | Washington ($3.93/gal) 4. Arkansas ($2.54/gal) | Nevada ($3.60/gal) 5. Tennessee ($2.62/gal) | Oregon ($3.47/gal) GasBuddy recommends holiday road trippers always check fuel prices before filling up, especially when crossing state lines where gas taxes can cause prices to fluctuate. GasBuddy will also be releasing its 2025 Fuel Outlook later this month, forecasting gas prices for the year ahead to inform both consumers and fuel retailers of the top trends to watch for to save money. SOURCE GasBuddy