WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXX NUMBER 25 Section 1 10 pages
June 25, 2025 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Billy Sandefer
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 Montgomery Veteran Wins MCTX Weekly Case against Heritage Gas Prices
Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 14.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.84/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 9.0 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 18.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 16.1 cents in the last week and stands at $3.649 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $2.35/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.79/g, a difference of $1.44/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.35/g while the highest was $3.79/g, a difference of $1.44/g. The national average price of gasoline has risen 9.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.18/g today. The national average is unchanged from a month ago and stands 23.3 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: June 23, 2024: $3.03/g (U.S. Average: $3.41/g) June 23, 2023: $3.22/g (U.S. Average: $3.57/g) June 23, 2022: $4.58/g (U.S. Average: $4.94/g) June 23, 2021: $2.76/g (U.S. Average: $3.08/g) June 23, 2020: $1.86/g (U.S. Average: $2.15/g) June 23, 2019: $2.36/g (U.S. Average: $2.65/g) June 23, 2018: $2.66/g (U.S. Average: $2.84/g) June 23, 2017: $2.07/g (U.S. Average: $2.27/g) June 23, 2016: $2.12/g (U.S. Average: $2.31/g) June 23, 2015: $2.59/g (U.S. Average: $2.79/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.89/g, up 23.2 cents per gallon from last week's $2.66/g. San Antonio- $2.91/g, up 12.8 cents per gallon from last week's $2.78/g. Austin- $2.92/g, up 12.9 cents per gallon from last week's $2.79/g. “With Israel and Iran trading attacks over the past week, oil prices have continued to climb—and gasoline prices are following suit, rising at a pace we haven’t seen since last summer," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "Few pumps have been immune, with nearly all states seeing gas prices rise over the last week. Additionally, average diesel prices recorded their largest weekly jump since August 2023. Now, with the U.S. launching attacks on Iran, oil prices are likely to continue trending higher. That said, I do not expect the apocalyptic spikes being circulated by some so-called influencers on social media— many of which are wildly inaccurate. For now, motorists should anticipate a continued steady climb in prices, with the national average likely to increase another 7 to 15 cents this week, while diesel could rise by 10 to 20 cents. These forecasts remain fluid and could shift quickly depending on global developments, so we encourage motorists to stay tuned to GasBuddy for the latest updates and insights." SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community..........2, 3, 9, 10
Commentary...............2, 3, 4, 5 Church Directory..............5 Legals.........................6, 7, 8 Business Directory...........10
Seniors; Appeal Filed by Ruben Borjas, Jr It was a tense June 17th early morning in Magnolia for embattled Vi e t n a m E r a Ve t e r a n helicopter pilot, Larry Bates, as he faced a court hearing in his ordeal with the management of his Montgomery apartment complex, Heritage Seniors. The suit has been brewing since late February when Mr Bates was first threatened with eviction by apartment manager, Rosie Perez, based on infestation. Bates resides in the complex on Flagship B o u l e v a r d i n M o n t g o m e r y, l o c a t e d behind The Montgomery Trace Shopping Center, where he has been a model tenant at The Heritage Seniors for nearly six years. The veteran is mild mannered and did not intend to fight his predicament, until several Veterans organizations
were called by friends on February 26th. Veterans and Patriots United (VPU), headed by Amos Savell, located in Huntsville, and VFW 12223 Service Officer Harvey Yaw, from Montgomery, responded to Mr Bates' need for help, and soon found that the infestation claim was baseless with no tell-tale signs of any type of bug activity in the apartment. When the infestation angle didn’t pan out, apartment management switched tactics to refusing accepting of Mr Bates monthly rent checks based on non-payment of a dishwasher replacement fee, which Bates’ pro-bono lawyer Wendi Hunter, from the Hopkins Law Firm in Conroe, called ‘suspicious.’ The initial hearing date in the courtroom of Justice of the Peace, Pct.5, Judge Matt Masden, to challenge Mr Bates’ residency at Heritage
Judge Masden, Justice of the Peace, Pct 5, in Magnolia
Seniors was April 23rd, but the case was dismissed because Heritage Seniors failed to properly fill out the filing documentation. Heritage then refiled, and in the meantime waived the fee to replace the dishwasher, and had a new
one installed. Bates continued to make payment attempts on his rent, with his brother as witness, and even MCN witnessed one refusal to See Case , page 2
The Rebel Joan of ARC Chapter Makes Donations to “H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum Of Texas” by Elaine Collings The beautiful Belles of the Rebel Joan Of Arc 2721 Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, traveled to Huntsville with fully loaded cars of Gifts and Donations for the wonderful “H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum of Texas”, in Huntsville, Texas. The RJOA Veterans Chairman: CYNTHIA CONNOR organized this annual trip, and RJOA once again rose to the occasion for our Veterans of ALL Wars! RJOA President JENNY RATLIFF LEHR presented the large chapter check donation to the Executive Director of the Museum,
TARA BURNETTE, who is always so Welcoming and Gracious to all who enter this fabulous history museum for our Veterans and our public to visit. If you look closely at the Hands of the Executive Director TATA, you will see she is also holding a small gold coin that RJOA ELAINE COLLINGS got permission from “Gold Star Mother: Margie Taylor”, that ELAINE presented to the Museum Director in Honor of US Army Specialist Joey M. Lenz. The Reverse side of the coin states: “Save Our Active Military”. The Joey Lenz Military Medical Accountability-.
*Truth, Transparency, and Accountability. There are 2 Bills in progress for Joey’s Honor, and RJOA was proud to present this to the H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum of Texas. Mrs. BURNETTE was very appreciative to receive this, and also very aware of these Bills in progress. ELAINE COLLINGS was also honored to do this in front of her Chapter for such an important cause. Then The Presentations continues, one to another! JENNY LEHR also donated “a stack” of SCV Magazines with their history articles to the Veteran’s library, as well as the newly framed photo of her Confederate Ancestor:
William Riley Ratliff, Company H, 22nd Regiment, of the Texas Infantry, for the Museum’s Civil War Section. This Framed picture standing on the table, is shown as the portrait in black and white photography of the older man in the Frame. He was JENNY’S 3rd Great Grandfather that served honorably in the C o n f e d e r a c y. R J O A President LEHR also serves on the UDC General Committee of Pioneers in Space Awards, TX Division Chairman of Public Relations, President of the TX Div. Great-Great-Great See Museum, page 2
Sheriff Investigates Shooting in Willis
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit, in collaboration with the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, C r i m e S c e n e Investigators, and the Willis Police Department, are currently investigating the shooting that took place yesterday evening on Laurie Lane in Willis. The decedent in this incident has been identified as 39-year-old Artis Antonio Mathis. The other individual involved is 54-year-old Derrick Lamont Bradford. As of now, no charges have been filed against Bradford, and the District Attorney's Office is expected to present the case to a grand jury for further review. If you have any information about this incident or wish to speak with a detective, please contact the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office at 936-760-5876 and reference case #25A188514. To remain anonymous, call MultiCounty Crime Stoppers at 1-800-392-STOP (7867). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for tips that lead to the arrest of suspects in felony cases. June 22, 2025 MCTXSheriff Investigates Shooting in Willis On June 22, 2025, at approximately 6:15 PM, the Willis Police Department responded to a shooting in 100 block of L a u r i e L a n e . Wi l l i s officers arrived on scene and discovered one male with a gunshot wound. Officers administered life saving measures, and MCHD Medics quickly responded and took over. Despite their efforts, the individual was pronounced deceased on s c e n e . Wi l l i s P o l i c e Department Detectives c o n t a c t e d t h e Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and requested assistance with this case. Detectives from MCSO along with Crime Scene Investigators, and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office are actively conducting an investigation. No names of the individuals involved will be released at this time as this is an active crime scene. Further updates will be released as information becomes available. The suspect is currently cooperating with detectives and there is no threat to the public at this time.