WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXIX NUMBER 3 Section 1 10 pages
January 24, 2024 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Marty Williams
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 “An Eventful Evening” Sold Out Weekly
Article by Mark Hooker Show
Payton Riley Sells Out at The Table
Photos Courtesy of Debbie Pietsch
Gas Prices Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 2.5 cents per gallon in the last week, a v e r a g i n g $ 2 . 6 5 / g t o d a y, according to GasBuddy's survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 2.1 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 36.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 2.1 cents in the last week and stands at $3.87 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas was priced at $1.59/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.99/g, a difference of $2.40/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $1.59/g while the highest was $3.99/g, a difference of $2.40/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 0.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.03/g today. The national average is down 7.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 36.0 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: January 22, 2023: $3.01/g (U.S. Average: $3.39/g) January 22, 2022: $2.98/g (U.S. Average: $3.33/g) January 22, 2021: $2.09/g (U.S. Average: $2.39/g) January 22, 2020: $2.21/g (U.S. Average: $2.53/g) January 22, 2019: $1.97/g (U.S. Average: $2.27/g) January 22, 2018: $2.30/g (U.S. Average: $2.54/g) January 22, 2017: $2.11/g (U.S. Average: $2.30/g) January 22, 2016: $1.63/g (U.S. Average: $1.84/g) January 22, 2015: $1.83/g (U.S. Average: $2.03/g) January 22, 2014: $3.08/g (U.S. Average: $3.27/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $2.79/g, up 6.0 cents per gallon from last week's $2.73/g. San Antonio- $2.64/g, up 3.9 cents per gallon from last week's $2.60/g. Austin- $2.67/g, up 3.0 cents per gallon from last week's $2.64/g. "We continue to see gasoline prices bouncing off lows, only to re-test them again and again. While prices jumped in some places, it’s being offset by drops elsewhere, and that has kept alive the possibility of briefly seeing the national average fall to the lowest level since 2021," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "We remain just a nickel or so away from a $2.99 national average, and while the window of opportunity continues to slowly close, with refiners now starting the purge of winter gasoline on the West Coast, we still have a low level chance of getting there. But make no mistake- if we do see a national average of $2.99 per gallon, it won't last long as we start to turn the corner and get closer to the start of the transition to summer gasoline." SOURCE GasBuddy
by MCN contributing writer, Ruben Borjas Jr
This past Friday Evening, the MISD Fishing Team was heavily involved in the first fundraiser of the Montgomery Bass Booster Club (MBBC) held at the Lone Star Community Center. This event raised funds for the members of the Team to help reduce the costs of the Tournaments which they compete in, plus provide scholarships for Team Members wishing to attend College or Trade School. I know you’re saying to yourself, wait a minute, hasn’t the MISD Fishing Team been around for ten years? The answer is yes, but the newly formed MBBC under the direction o f J e r r y A r t h u r, S e a n Hoernke, Bobby Kay Hatzold, Annette Smith, and Amanda Gatewood, felt compelled to put together a booster club for the Team. The MBBC’s primary goal is to raise money for the students and captains of the Te a m t o o f f s e t t h e exorbitant costs of tournament fishing, plus
provide scholarship funds. There were many other helping hands with parents and others volunteering, taking on duties such as manning the fryers, to helping with set up and take down, which were instrumental in making this event so successful. Unfortunately, there were too many to be mentioned here, but just know that the Students of the MISD Fishing Team, along with the MBBC leadership know that this fundraiser would not have been as successful as it was, without the many parents and members of the community volunteering. There were many Montgomery dignitaries in attendance as well, such as School Board Members Dr. Matt Fuller, Trey Kirby, Eddie Winn, as well as the new Superintendent Dr. Mark Ruffin. When the doors opened at 6:00, we were greeted by Nashville Recording Artist Payton Howie. The reigning Texas Radio’s Vocalist of the Year set the tone with her unique
Business Directory...........10
dollars. That’s right, you read correctly, EIGHTY thousand towards his education to fish in college! Curtis will be joining former MISD Fishing Team member Cade Lipham at Drury University in
Luckily for the Team, the Fish & Shrimp was donated by the Hasara Family. After dinner, and right before the live auction, it was announced that one of the MISD Team members Curtis McCauley III, had verbally committed to attend Drury University on a Bass Fishing Scholarship worth eighty thousand
Springfield Missouri, where the pair hope to lead Drury to a National Title. After this announcement, things really got heated up when auctioneer Vince Ross got on the microphone to start the live auction. Bidding See Fishing, page 2
Love Heals Youth's Second Annual Gala
by MCN contributing for an enjoyable evening of catching up with friends, a writer, Ruben Borjas Jr great meal, a world It’s incredible that premiere video, and a night Montgomery County went of raising funds to make the so long without it, but one lives of kids in foster care strong woman took it upon better in our little neck of herself, and made it her the woods. mission to provide support Love Heals Youth, to older kids awaiting whose mission is “Through l o v i n g f o s t e r h o m e s . LOVE, we HEAL!” Offers Founder and CEO of ‘Love an in-depth counseling Heals Youth,’ Rebecca program for overlooked Smith-Nash, MA, LPC-S, kids in foster care to help was on hand this past them overcome their past Friday, to welcome the o r d e a l s , t o m a k e t h e W h o ’ s W h o o f necessary strides to go on to Montgomery County, to be successful adults. The LHY’s 2nd annual gala; to Conroe based non-profit, raise needed funds to keep besides counseling, offers the mission going. The tutoring, and clothing of event was held at the older kids in foster care, M o o n l i g h t Ve n u e i n amongst other things. Te x a s h a s Conroe. The room was adorned with beautiful approximately 50,000 kids Community......2, 3, 4, 9, 10 Montgomery County ladies in foster care, with about Commentary...............2, 3, 4, 5 i n t h e m o s t d a z z l i n g 350 of those kids being Church Directory..............5 evening gowns. Each one housed with agencies in was a princess in her own Montgomery County. And Legals.........................6, 7, 8 right. And it set the stage of those kids, the statistics
Index
style of Country Music, for what was going to be “An Eventful Evening.” Since we are the Fishing Team, what were we going to serve for dinner? You guessed it, Fried Catfish and Shrimp with all the fixings.
Rebecca Smith-Nash, with her parents, Jerry and Brenda Smith, after they were presented Love Heals Youth, 2024 Heart of Gold Award, for their selfless service in providing clothes to Montgomery County’s foster children do not bode well for once up in foster care. About they leave the foster care half develop a dependence system. Approximately See Youth, page 2 80% of prison inmates grew
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If you ever get a sense of p r o p h e c y, i t w a s f e l t Saturday night at The Table at Madeley in downtown Conroe, as owner Frank Jackson, hosted Payton Riley and her Band in the first ever Sold Out show at The Table. The Montgomery County singing sensation continues to bowl over crowds and turn heads with her range of catchy tunes; that continues to impress teens and adults alike. Riley, 15, is unapologetically Christian, and is not afraid to show her faith in The Almighty on stage, nor in public. She was named as 2023 Young Artist of the Year (18 and younger) by the Texas Country Music Association last November, in which she was the youngest singer ever to be nominated in the c a t e g o r y. P a y t o n h a s already recorded songs in Nashville, yet she still remains humble, such as in her charity work with ’Love Heals Youth,’ a Conroe based non-profit with its goal of counseling, tutoring, and clothing of older kids in foster care, amongst other things. With Love Heals Youth, it affords foster kids a greater chance at a successful life after they leave the system. Riley was especially drawn to LHY because her family fostered several kids when she was younger, and it has greatly impacted her life. Payton debuted her new song “Mascara Doesn’t Lie,” Saturday night at her concert, to a rousing applause and standing ovation. The new song joins an already impressive body of work that includes “Packin,” “Long Live Cowboys,” and “Boys Keep Up.” Payton started voice lessons at 7, and wrote her first song at 9, then began singing in The Woodlands. She initially concentrated on Christian songs, and with songs like “He Chose You for a Reason,” it’s no wonder she is being noticed in both music genres. Her branch out to Country music, playing songs with a bit of attitude has had fans respond positively. Riley is a big believer in her music touching people's hearts and giving them a better ability to deal with what life throws at them. She continues to travel to all points Texas, and attends retreats to promote writing original songs based on her life and the experiences of those closest to her. “Selling out my first band show was a dream come true,” said Riley, “And what better place to have sold out than The Table at Madeley.” Riley went on to praise Table owner, Frank Jackson, who was one of the first promoters to give her a chance to step up to his stage when he opened up shop in April 2022. “Thank you so much Frank and Conroe, for showing me and my band so much love,” said Payton.
See Payton, page 10