WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXX NUMBER 20 Section 1 8 pages
May 21, 2025 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Maria Piotrowska
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 Confederate History Month Pet Heat Weekly Observed At Willis Cemetery Safety Gas Prices Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 8.0 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.77/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 11.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 31.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 2.9 cents in the last week and stands at $3.502 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $2.00/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.79/g, a difference of $1.79/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.00/g while the highest was $3.79/g, a difference of $1.79/g. The national average price of gasoline has risen 6.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.14/g today. The national average is up 1.9 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 41.0 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: May 19, 2024: $3.09/g (U.S. Average: $3.55/g) May 19, 2023: $3.04/g (U.S. Average: $3.52/g) May 19, 2022: $4.29/g (U.S. Average: $4.60/g) May 19, 2021: $2.76/g (U.S. Average: $3.04/g) May 19, 2020: $1.59/g (U.S. Average: $1.90/g) May 19, 2019: $2.56/g (U.S. Average: $2.84/g) May 19, 2018: $2.70/g (U.S. Average: $2.92/g) May 19, 2017: $2.16/g (U.S. Average: $2.35/g) May 19, 2016: $2.05/g (U.S. Average: $2.27/g) May 19, 2015: $2.49/g (U.S. Average: $2.71/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.64/g, down 11.3 cents per gallon from last week's $2.75/g. San Antonio- $2.83/g, up 11.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.72/g. Austin- $2.82/g, up 8.1 cents per gallon from last week's $2.74/g. “Gasoline prices jumped in over three-quarters of U.S. states over the last week, as oil prices surged following former President Trump’s decision to reduce tariffs and strike new trade deals—moves that inspired optimism that a major tariffinduced economic slowdown might be avoided," 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. " I n addition to gains in price-cycling markets, rising oil prices—fueled by economic optimism and tightening gasoline inventories—contributed to broader upward pressure on prices. While Americans are still seeing significant savings compared to a year ago, that gap has narrowed as oil prices have rebounded. As we approach Memorial Day, GasBuddy is preparing to release its summer travel survey results and issue a gas price forecast for the season. For now, motorists can expect one of the most affordable summers for hitting the road since the pandemic, with gas prices tracking at some of the lowest inflation-adjusted levels in years." SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community................2, 3, 8
Commentary...............2, 3, 4, 5 Church Directory..............5 Legals.............................6, 7 Business Directory.............8
As preparations began for the event scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at the Willis Cemetery there was little evidence of the rain that fell the day before. The event, organized by 1st Lt., Adjutant Buddy Gurganus, Maj. Gen. Nathanial Cleburne Camp 2182, Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), was the inaugural of what will become an annual observance to honor Confederate veterans with the placement of Confederate flags marking the graves of those brave souls interred at the cemetery. The ceremony began with an entry by the color guard equipped with the full complement of flags, a bugler and a drummer marching through the cemetery gates. The flags Left to Rt: SCV Riflemen and RJOA/UDC: were posted in their bases Commander: Dave Underdown of the Maj. Gen. and pledges to all flags Patrick Cleburne SCV Camp, SCV: Brett Mike of were recited. Dave Grimes County Grays Camp 924, UDC: Rebel Joan Underdown, Commander, Of Arc 2721 Historian: Anita Stevens, SCV: led the invocation. Guests Johnathan Grimm of Grimes County Grays Camp from other SCV Camps, 924, and Brad Hadley, 4th Field Battery of Tomball UDC members and visitors 2358. were acknowledged including Mr. William B y A n i t a S t e v e n s , Historian Brown, 5-year Willis City
Councilman and Mayoral candidate. 1st Lt. Adj. Gurganus spoke of the importance of locating the Confederate g r a v e s a t t h e Wi l l i s Cemetery. “Time takes a toll on the integrity of the aged headstones,” stated Gurganus, noting that a few of the graves were difficult to locate as dirt and vegetation overgrowth had hidden them from view. Other grave markers were hardly legible. “When the War was over, the soldiers had a job to do,” Gurganus continued, “they had to rebuild their lives.” One significant mausoleum, located in a remote corner, marked the gravesite of Capt. Thomas Wesley Smith. Capt. Smith served in Co C, Terry's Regiment, TX Cavalry. He was an important businessman as the owner of the largest tobacco farm in Willis after the War's end. Gurganus encouraged attendees to educate young See History , page 2
Local Volunteers Create Heartwood Monarch Waystation at W. G. Jones State Forest Conroe, TX – A new garden called the Heartwood Monarch Wa y s t a t i o n h a s b e e n created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the local Heartwood Chapter o f t h e Te x a s M a s t e r Naturalist™ program. Designed with native plants to attract monarch butterflies and pollinators, the aim is to “Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas”. The garden is located at the W. G. Jones State Forest on FM 1488 where the chapter began and still holds a variety of events. The garden is supported by grants from the Native Plant Society of Texas, The
Woodlands GREEN and Nature's Way Resources. The garden was initiated, planned, created and will be maintained by volunteers of the Heartwood chapter and the Woodlands GREEN. It is adjacent to a covered gazebo which is used for outdoor classes, demonstrations and events. The garden design included drainage improvements, adding new soil and stones, planting native plants and installing signage. Native plants benefit native pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, bats and birds. These native pollinators play a critical
photo source: https://txmn.org/heartwood/ r o l e i n s u s t a i n i n g in conservation of native ecosystems and provide pollinators has grown e s s e n t i a l s e r v i c e s t o rapidly over the last few American agriculture (estimated (estimated at as much as $9 See Heartwood, page 2 billion annually). Interest
As temperatures begin to increase this summer, we would like to share some heat tips to keep your pets happy and healthy. Pets are part of our family so let’s make sure to keep them safe and look out for any signs of heart stroke. If you suspect your pet is having a heat stroke: 1. Get your dog out of direct heat. 2. Check for shock. Signs include, collapse, body temperature 104° F+, bloody diarrhea or vomit, depression stupor, seizures or coma, excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, salivation. 3. Take your dog’s temperature. 4. Spray your dog with cool water then retake temperature. 5. Place watersoaked towels on the dog’s head, neck feet, chest and abdomen, turn on a fan and point it in your dog’s direction, rub Isopropyl alcohol (70%) on the dog’s foot pads to help cool him but don’t use large quantities. 6. Take your dog to the nearest veterinary hospital. During a heat crisis, the goal is always to decrease the dog’s body temperature to 103° F in the first 10-15 minutes. Once 103° F is reached, you must stop the cooling process because the body temperature will continue to decrease and can plummet dangerously low if you continue to cool the dog for too long. E v e n i f y o u successfully cool your pet down to 103° F in the first 10-15 minutes, you must take the dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible because consequences of heat stroke will not show up for hours or even days. Potential problems include abnormal heart rhythms, kidney failure, neurological problems, and respiratory arrest. It is important to know if your pet is predisposed to dog heat stroke, which is true of dogs with short snouts such as bulldogs, p u g s an d man y o th er breeds. Other common causes of heat stroke include: a previous episode of heat stroke, leaving a d o g i n a p a r k e d c a r, excessive exercise in hot, humid weather (this may be exercise that your dog can usually handle but not in warmer weather), lack of appropriate shelter outdoors, thicker-coated dogs in warm weather and underlying disease such as upper airway, heart of lung disease. Never leave your pet in the car In nice weather you may be tempted to take your pet with you in the car while you travel or do errands. But during warm weather, the inside of your car can reach 120 degrees in a matter of minutes, even if you're parked in the shade. This can mean real See Pet, page 2