WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXX NUMBER 51 Section 1 8 pages
December 24, 2025 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Cary Miles
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Established 1995
Montgomery County News
Montgomery, Texas 77356
50 Weekly PBOX Magnolia, TX 77353
Texas City of Conroe Parks and Weekly Recreation Collects Five Gas Prices
Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 0.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.41/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 22.9 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 20.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has decreased 4.3 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.575 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $1.90/g yesterday while the most expensive was $4.55/g, a difference of $2.65/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $1.90/g while the highest was $4.55/g, a difference of $2.65/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 5.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.79/g today. The national average is down 26.4 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 21.4 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 five years: December 22, 2024: $ 2 . 6 2 / g ( U . S . Av e r a g e : $3.01/g) December 22, 2023: $ 2 . 6 7 / g ( U . S . Av e r a g e : $3.11/g) December 22, 2022: $ 2 . 5 7 / g ( U . S . Av e r a g e : $3.07/g) December 22, 2021: $ 2 . 8 4 / g ( U . S . Av e r a g e : $3.30/g) December 22, 2020: $ 1 . 9 2 / g ( U . S . Av e r a g e : $2.26/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.44/g, up 7.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.37/g. San Antonio- $2.35/g, down 25.5 cents per gallon from last week's $2.60/g. Austin- $2.40/g, down 19.1 cents per gallon from last week's $2.59/g. “For a fourth straight week, the national average price of gasoline has declined, as conditions remain ripe for some of the lowest seasonal gas prices in five years,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at G a s B u d d y. “ O i l p r i c e s continue to struggle amid rising U.S., Canadian, and OPEC+ oil production, while refinery output remains near some of the highest seasonal levels in years— factors that are likely to keep gas prices under pressure over the weeks ahead. We’re continuing to see some gas prices below $2 per gallon in the nation’s cheapest states, now at more than 125 gas stations. Diesel prices have also seen some relief, though inventories remain tight, keeping the national average higher than a year ago.” SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community................2, 5, 8 Commentary...................3, 4, 5 Church Directory..............5 Legals.............................6, 7 Business Directory.............8
Prestigious TRAPS Awards
Conroe, Texas— The City of Conroe Parks and Recreation team collected five prestigious awards at the 2025 Texas Recreation and Parks Society (TRAPS) East Region Winter Social & Awards Banquet held on
December 11th. The TRAPS East Region recognizes and honors individuals and organizations that have rendered significant services to the Society and have made outstanding contributions to the field of
parks and recreation. T h i s y e a r ' s distinguished winners from the City of Conroe are: Braden Macurdy Rookie of the Year This award recognizes an outstanding
PRE-SRT POSTAGE PD #80 MONTG. TX
contribution by an individual with less than 2 years’ work experience to the recreation field. Braden Macurdy serves as the Recreation See Parks , page 2
Christmas Belles At Montgomery Parade and Cookie Walk
Empowering the Next Generation: Essay Contest for High School Juniors Montgomery County, Texas – The League of W o m e n Vo t e r s o f Montgomery County, a non-partisan group which empowers voters, has sponsored an essay contest for public high school juniors with the theme “We the People: The Power is in Your Hands.” This contest invites students to explore the profound impact their voices can have in shaping our democracy. Students will compete for cash prizes, with a grand prize of $500 awarded to the first-place winner and an added $100 for their teacher. The second-place winner will receive $250 while the third-place winner will take home $100. Essays, limited to 500 words and formatted as d o u b l e - s p a c e d Wo r d documents, should address the prompt and highlight the students' unique perspectives. To ensure an impartial judging process, participants must include their name and school in the email subject line but should not include identifying information in the essay itself. Judges will evaluate essays using four criteria worth 25 points each. 1. Clarity of Message 2. Impact 3. Creativity and Originality 4. Craftsmanship and Organization Students can email e s s a y s t o essays@lmvmoco.org. The deadline for entries is January 19, 2026. On February 8, 2026, the League will notify winners. Reading of the winning essays and distribution of prizes will take place at “Together 2026” on March 28, 2026, at the Woodlands Center of Sam Houston State University, 3380 College Park Drive. The League encourages all public high school juniors to participate and share their voices.
contributions to this exciting Annual “Montgomery Parade and Cookie Walk” Event. Delightful weather and a spirited group of ladies had a vast array of items for the public to peruse, and not all their contributions are seen here. They even had their Veterans table to Honor Ve t e r a n s w i t h t h e i r “RJOA VETERANS A P P R E C I AT I O N CERTIFICATES” and Ceremony preformed by Left to Rt: Anita Stevens, Charlotte Belin, Cynthia Connor, Evelyn Miller, Jenny Lehr, Key Details: Officer of Military Darla Sharer, Mary Lee Malek, Elaine Collings. Not pictured but Contributing: Lyn Deadline for Entries: Howard, and Doug Collings. S e r v i c e Aw a r d s a n d January 19, 2026 Ve t e r a n s C h a i r m a n : Submission Email: by Elaine Collings Arc Christmas Belles D r e s s e s a n d R J O A essays@lmvmoco.org were adorned in their C h a p t e r R E D L o g o See Belles , page 4 Winners Announced: The Rebel Joan Of Christmas Old Fashioned Aprons, to add their February 8, 2026 Awards Ceremony: March 28, 2026 Location: Woodlands Center Sam Houston State University 3380 College Park Dr The Woodlands, TX 77382 We e n c o u r a g e a l l eligible students to take part and share their voices!
E m a i l essays@lmvmoco.org
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