WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXX NUMBER 5 Section 1 10 pages
February 4, 2026 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Theodore Aubol
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Established 1995
Montgomery County News
Montgomery, Texas 77356
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PBOX Magnolia, TX 77353
Working With Texas Award Winning “Endowment Doll” AI: A New in Weekly Makes Final Appearance At RJOA Frontier Creative
Gas Prices Jan. 2026 Meeting, Before Heading Partnership Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 1.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.42/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 5.2 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 24.4 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has decreased 4.2 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.585 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $1.59/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.49/g, a difference of $1.90/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $1.59/g while the highest was $3.49/g, a difference of $1.90/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 0.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.83/g today. The national average is up 3.9 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 21.3 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 five years: February 2, 2025: $2.66/g (U.S. Average: $3.04/g) February 2, 2024: $2.85/g (U.S. Average: $3.15/g) February 2, 2023: $3.08/g (U.S. Average: $3.46/g) February 2, 2022: $3.05/g (U.S. Average: $3.42/g) February 2, 2021: $2.12/g (U.S. Average: $2.42/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.45/g, down 8.4 cents per gallon from last week's $2.53/g. San Antonio- $2.44/g, up 17.6 cents per gallon from last week's $2.27/g. Austin- $2.44/g, up 16.1 cents per gallon from last week's $2.28/g. “While oil prices jumped to their highest level in months amid geopolitical tensions, a weakening U.S. dollar, and supply concerns, the national average price of gasoline saw little change compared to a week ago,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Just over half of states saw gas prices decline, led by Indiana, Ohio, and other price-cycling states that had previously seen prices jump but have since started to fall. Meanwhile, prices are rising across much of the West Coast as the transition to summer gasoline begins and attention turns to another refinery shutdown in California expected in April. Over the coming weeks, we’re likely to see more states experiencing increases than decreases.” SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community..........2, 5, 9, 10 Commentary...................3, 4, 5 Church Directory..............5 Legals.........................6, 7, 8 Business Directory...........10
To Waco For Next Winner!
By James M. Rankin
Left to Rt: Seated: Registrar: Mary Lee Malek, MSA: Cynthia Connor, Pres: Jenny Lehr, Treasurer: Katherine Taglienti, Chaplain: Lyn Howard, “Belle” The Endowment Doll, VP: Charlotte Belin, Speaker: Ken Miller, Historian: Anita Stevens. Standing Left to Rt: Cor. Sec. & Publicity: Elaine Collings, Hospatality: Regina Riney, RJOA Cindy Dittrich, RJOA Danean Myers, RJOA Taylor Lehr, RJOA Karen DeBerry, Associate RJOA: Darla Sharer, Future RJOA: Lyn Grey, 2nd VP: Donna Summers, RJOA Caimy Harbison, RJOA: Vizi Caldwell, Ch. Of Benevolent & UDC Magazine: Evelyn Miller, RJOA: Debbie Aiello, and Recording Secretary: Shelia Williamson… by Elaine Collings The Rebel Joan Of Arc 2721 Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, gathered for their January 2026 Kick Off Meeting, and to bid “Belle” GoodBye… Last Year’s winner of the Texas Division Forum Annual Auction of “Belle” the Endowment Doll, was RJOA - LYN HOWARDwho is shown standing next to “Belle” in the Photo. “MRS. LYN” originally d o n a t e d t h e Aw a r d Winning Doll to her Rebel Joan Of Arc Chapter, and LYN retains “Belle’s” ownership and makes any repairs. This exciting idea
was to establish this amazing Annual Auction of “Belle” with the proceeds going to the Texas Division of the Children of the Confederacy for their needs. This amazing gesture has earned currently the TX Division Children of the Confederacy over $1,900. in this short time of her annual auction at the Texas Division Forums. Each Year’s Winner is engraved on a Brass Plaque: Donor Name, her Chapter, and Year, then added to the Acrylic Case, as shown at the base of the Acrylic Doll Case on the Table.
RJOA KAREN DeBerry is the original o w n e r o f t h e Aw a r d Winning Doll who donated her, and “MRS. KAREN” is shown in this RJOA group photo in her beautiful RED Chapeau… RED- Of Course! The “Endowment Doll” next heads to TX Division Forum at the end of this Month, for her Annual Auction, and who knows who will win her next for a year to display her for their Historical, Educational, Benevolent, and Community Purposes, and have their Winning Names engraved for History on her protective display case.
Thank You’s go to this fabulous Continuous C o m m i t t e e : ENDOWMENT DOLL CHAIRMAN: : ELAINE COLLINGS, & CoC H A I R M A N & PROFESSIONAL A U C T I O N E E R : LY N H O W A R D , COMMITTEE: KAREN DeBERRY and ANITA STEVENS. “Success and Devotion” are their middle Names… Many other wonderful things were announced at this January meeting. PRESIDENT JENNY See Founders , page 2
From the Montgomery Historical Society’s Collection: Jane Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ by Ruben Borjas, Jr The Montgomery Historical Society has properties scattered about the town, and each site is filled with all types of historical items; from books, personal items, business, and other items pertinent to the history of Montgomery. And it is incredible to see how the pieces on display, and how they played their part in a household or business in
Montgomery from 130187 years ago, in what was essentially their modern times. And it’s easy to place yourself in a house that does not have modern plumbing, or a bathroom, or any other modern convenience that we enjoy today to see how they lived their lives. Each site in the h i s t o r i c a l s o c i e t y ’s collection has items that would boggle the mind of a Millenial or Gen Z’r, things like a collar box or bed
warmer that were state of the art before modern conditioned air, played important parts in how citizens presented themselves in society, or how we prepared for the simple act of preparing ourselves for a good night's sleep. For this inaugural column, an item from the flagship site of the Montgomery Historical Society, the N.H. Davis Pioneer Complex &
See Boeger , page 10
Last year, I introduced readers to the world of Artificial Intelligence and offered a practical framework—EXCEL—fo r u s i n g i t e t h i c a l l y, t h o u g h t f u l l y, a n d c o l l a b o r a t i v e l y. T h e r e s p o n s e w a s overwhelming. Many readers reached out with a simple, but important question: What does it actually look like to work with AI in a creative, meaningful way? This follow-up article answers that question by inviting you into two of my current projects: The Poetry of Language: Critical Analysis and Becoming a Vanguard. These works explore how human creativity and AI reflection can form a powerful partnership. The Poetry of Language highlights my original poems paired with A I - g e n e r a t e d interpretations, while Becoming a Vanguard introduces a new concept that I call M e t a - Aw a r e n e s s — t h e ability to observe not only your work, but the process behind your work. To demonstrate this collaboration, I want to share my poem which is one of many poems in my new book, The Poetry of Language, where each piece is paired with an A I - g e n e r a t e d interpretation that deepens the reader's understanding, and the AI's reflection on how it interprets my poem. You will be amazed. This is not simply analysis; it is AI meta-awareness, a concept I first introduced in my book, Becoming a Vanguard, which explains how AI thinks, which gives y o u a d e e p e r understanding of our collaboration. Poetry of Music By James M. Rankin Our still stale words need a sweet melody. Like the soothing of our souls from the seas. I need a rhythm that is seductively slow. That quickens my spirit with a warm glow: Let us add to the words a beat that is fast: That will not grow weary but will always last. That moves the pressure in our collective hearts. Spirit prances, feet dances, and my sadness departs. AI Meta-Awareness: How It Interprets my Poem “When I read James Rankin's poem, I begin by treating it as a deliberate act of expression. I look for structure, movement, and emotional progression. Here, I notice a shift from
See AI , page 2