WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXIX NUMBER 2 Section 1 10 pages
January 17, 2024 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Mike C. Smith
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Established 1995
Montgomery County News
Montgomery, Texas 77356
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Texas Henry's Home Coffee Weekly and Donuts Gas Prices Average gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 0.4 cents per gallon in the last week, a v e r a g i n g $ 2 . 6 3 / g t o d a y, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 13.6 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 27.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 2.0 cents in the last week and stands at $3.89 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $1.79/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.79/g, a difference of $2.00/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $1.79/g while the highest was $3.79/g, a difference of $2.00/g. The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.04/g today. The national average is down 1.4 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 23.9 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: January 15, 2023: $2.90/g (U.S. Average: $3.28/g) January 15, 2022: $2.91/g (U.S. Average: $3.30/g) January 15, 2021: $2.09/g (U.S. Average: $2.39/g) January 15, 2020: $2.24/g (U.S. Average: $2.56/g) January 15, 2019: $1.92/g (U.S. Average: $2.24/g) January 15, 2018: $2.28/g (U.S. Average: $2.53/g) January 15, 2017: $2.14/g (U.S. Average: $2.34/g) January 15, 2016: $1.70/g (U.S. Average: $1.92/g) January 15, 2015: $1.85/g (U.S. Average: $2.07/g) January 15, 2014: $3.10/g (U.S. Average: $3.30/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.73/g, down 0.5 cents per gallon from last week's $2.74/g. San Antonio- $2.60/g, up 8.1 cents per gallon from last week's $2.52/g. Austin- $2.64/g, up 6.2 cents per gallon from last week's $2.58/g. "Last week was a bit of a mixed bag for gasoline prices, with prices increasing early on but falling again in recent days as the situation in the Red Sea continues to drive market volatility," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "While last week saw the U.S. attacking Houthi militants engaged in attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, oil prices jumped, but then promptly fell as economic concerns with weak demand sapped the upward move after the U.S. and allies attacked Houthi rebels. Gasoline inventories also saw another large rise, putting some downward pressure on gas prices, and leaving an opportunity for the national average to potentially briefly fall below $3 per gallon. We'll have to see if the stars finally align for such a move." SOURCE GasBuddy
Index Community............2, 3, 4, 9
Commentary...............2, 3, 4, 5 Church Directory..............5 Legals.........................6, 7, 8 Business Directory...........10
PRE-SRT POSTAGE PD #80 MONTG. TX
Consolidated Connects Educational Grant Program now accepting applications
‘Henry's Home, Horse and Human Sanctuary’ Educational grant by MCN contributing writer, Ruben Borjas Jr Located in a quiet part of Southeast Conroe, ’Henry's Home, Horse and Human Sanctuary’, is a place where Veterans, First Responders, and their families can go to find some solace and peace, and meld with an animal that truly understands where they are coming from in relation to their hurt. For these horses have been there. Each one has been hurt before, for they are all rescues. So they know what pain is like, and now they are there to help their human companions with mental or physical pain, or a combination of both; in beginning their journey of recovery on the long road to healing. Henry, the horse, and namesake for the nonprofit, was the worst case of abandonment and starvation that the Houston SPCA had ever seen. And although he is retired from riding, he is still on active duty when it comes to giving comfort to Veterans and First Responders suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Henry’s rescuer, and the sanctuary’s founder, Donna Stedman, who with her faith, took up the challenge several decades ago to save abandoned horses, has never looked back. Everything to make the sanctuary roll-on has been given to her like Manna from Heaven. When the developers of Grand Central Park were beginning construction, where she previously
program helps schools fund innovative programs
Volunteers Cathy Cummins, left, and Traci Stahl, right, flank Admiral. A retired HPD Mounted Patrol Horse housed her horses, land for the current sanctuary was donated. And Stedman insists, through her faith, that there will be another location, and just looking at her, you know she’s gonna make it happen. “Every horse out here has a story, and they are great therapists for the Veterans,” said Stedman, who has a West Point Grad son who was deployed twice as an Apache helicopter pilot, “Both the Veterans and the horses are hypersensitive to their environment, and the horses mirror the Vets
emotions and energy.” H e n r y ’s H o m e h a s evolved to pair horses with PTSD Veterans and First Responders. Many of whom are stoic and hesitant to share their experiences at first, but will gladly open up to their horses whom they groom, ride, and bond with each week. Some veterans have had experiences so traumatic that it still consumes them 10, 20, 30, or even 50 years later. The same goes for First Responders who visit having seen a careers worth of broken bodies, of which
many were never put back together. “I found out about Henry’s Home from a colleague, and fell in love with it,” said Jose Salazar, a field artillery Veteran, “I hope to be able to contribute my talent in IT to help with community outreach, and grow the facility more.” The Veterans and First Responders time with the horses is special. Some C o m b a t Ve t e r a n s completely break down when visiting their chosen See Henry’s, page 2
Coushatti Trace Chapter, NSDAR – 2023 Year of Service A Chapter Record, Over 12,000 Service Hours Contributed activities that contributed to over 12,000 service hours, a Chapter record. The total service hours, over triple the goal for the year, included donations of books and reading to children in support of literacy initiatives in community schools and libraries, donations of goods and gift cards to veterans and active duty Coushatti Trace Chapter Holiday Luncheon – Coushatti m i l i t a r y, c l e a n i n g Trace Chapter Holiday Luncheon headstones and cemetery By Jan Cook Coushatti Trace Chapter p r e s e r v a t i o n , D u r i n g 2 0 2 3 , t h e participated in service conservation projects,
flag distribution at patriotic events, readings and presentations about the constitution and colonial life, scholarship funding and many other projects. If you are interested in joining a lineage organization that has a mission to serve in the areas of Patriotism, Historical Preservation and Education, please c o n t a c t u s a t CoushattiTraceDAR@g mail.com .
This Ad Space Available 4 column x 1.5 inch 936-449-NEWS
Conroe, Texas – Jan. 16, 2024 – Consolidated Communications (NASDAQ: CNSL) a leading broadband and business communications provider, today announced that the Consolidated Connects Educational Grant Program is now accepting accept funding applications. Consolidated Connects provides grants to schools serving K-12 students in the company’s service area. Since launching in 2021, Consolidated Connects has p r o v i d e d $ 11 2 , 5 0 0 t o schools for a variety of technology-centered projects, including the creation of a maker space, virtual and augmented reality curriculum integration, a podcast enhancing student literacy, and a technology services summer work internship program for students. “The innovative projects we have funded through the Consolidated Connects Educational Grant Program are helping thousands of students gain hands-on skills and realw o r l d l e a r n i n g experiences,” said Jennifer Spaude, senior vice p r e s i d e n t f o r communications at C o n s o l i d a t e d . “Consolidated is proud to support our schools and the innovative projects and programs educators are developing to support their students today and in the future.” Schools and educational programs across Consolidated’s service area are encouraged to apply now through March 1. Full program guidelines and the funding application are a v a i l a b l e a t consolidated.com/cciconne cts. Consolidated Connects provides grants to programs that emphasize creative student learning; develop 21st century skills; promote critical thinking, reasoning and communication; and utilize innovative technologies to advance learning.
Recovering Californians Call Montgomery County Home A new Stanford University white paper, ‘California's population drain’, released in October, has new numbers that show most citizens leaving California are making their way to Texas, Arizona, and Florida. Texas leads the way of course with the 202122 numbers, showing 130,000 new arrivals from The Golden State, as
See California, page 9