WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXVII NUMBER 7 Section 1 12 pages
February 23, 2022 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and
Cheryl Kipp
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Established 1995
Montgomery County News
Montgomery, Texas 77356
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Texas Farah O’Keefe Wins White Weekly Texas Girls’ Invitational Bass Gas Prices (February 21, 2022) - Texas gas prices have risen 4.0 cents per gallon in the past week, a v e r a g i n g $ 3 . 1 9 / g t o d a y, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Gas prices in Texas are 21.2 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 88.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas is priced at $2.39/g today while the most expensive is $3.89/g, a difference of $1.50/g. The lowest price in the state today is $2.39/g while the highest is $3.89/g, a difference of $1.50/g. The national average price of gasoline has risen 3.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.52/g today. The national average is up 20.7 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 88.9 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. Historical gasoline prices in Texas and the national average going back ten years: February 21, 2021: $2.31/g (U.S. Average: $2.63/g) February 21, 2020: $2.16/g (U.S. Average: $2.48/g) February 21, 2019: $2.12/g (U.S. Average: $2.40/g) February 21, 2018: $2.27/g (U.S. Average: $2.52/g) February 21, 2017: $2.07/g (U.S. Average: $2.28/g) February 21, 2016: $1.51/g (U.S. Average: $1.71/g) February 21, 2015: $2.11/g (U.S. Average: $2.28/g) February 21, 2014: $3.19/g (U.S. Average: $3.38/g) February 21, 2013: $3.64/g (U.S. Average: $3.78/g) February 21, 2012: $3.47/g (U.S. Average: $3.57/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Midland Odessa- $3.22/g, down 8.8 cents per gallon from last week's $3.31/g. San Antonio- $3.04/g, down 4.3 cents per gallon from last week's $3.09/g. Austin- $3.10/g, down 1.6 cents per gallon from last week's $3.11/g. "With tensions still very high that Russia may invade Ukraine, gasoline prices kept moving higher, tugged by the rising price of oil as the market concentrates on possible outcomes from the situation that could affect global oil production amidst recovering demand," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "However, with nuclear talks between Iran and global powers ongoing in Vienna, the possibility exists that a new deal could bring Iran's crude oil supply back to legitimate markets, helping to ease a slight portion of supply concerns. While the proposition remains in the air for the time being, we're also just a few weeks away from the traditional start of the spring surge in gasoline prices, brought on by the change to summer gasoline, seasonal maintenance at refineries and rising demand. The weeks ahead could be rather ugly with rising prices, especially if Russia pursues a strong-arm invasion of Ukraine." SOURCE GasBuddy
Run
Expectations High for 2022
MONTGOMERY – Farah O’Keefe fires a final round even par 72 at B e n t w a t e r Ya c h t & Country Club’s Weiskopf course on Monday to win t h e Te x a s G i r l s ’ Invitational at 2-under 214. Competing in her first Texas Girls’ Invitational, Austin-native posted rounds of 76-66-72. She started her final round with a birdie on No. 2 and remained 1-under until she dropped back to even-par with a bogey on the par 4 sixth hole. She finished off her front nine with a birdie
Business Directory...........12
LPGA debut last summer a t t h e Vo l u n t e e r s o f America Classic, most recently claimed first place at the Alamo Shootout this past December, the last event on the 2021 LJT schedule. Leaderboard: 1) Farah O’Keefe, Austin 76-66-72—214 2 ) A s h l e e n K a u r, Cypress 77-72-72—221 3) Maye Huang, Katy 75-75-73—223 4) Darrelyn Webster, Austin 79-74-71—224 5) Chaemin Kim, Austin 78-73-73—224
Full Leaderboard C y p r e s s ’s A s h l e e n Kaur tiptoed up to the leader group throughout Monday’s final round matching O’Keefe’s evenpar score of 72. Kaur made birdie on the 166-yard par 3 third hole followed by a bogey on No. 5 where she remained even par after nine holes. The high school junior finished the week with a total of eight birdies in 54 holes. Katy’s Maye Huang, class of 2025, finished
See O’Keefe, page 2
Maximum Effort
The MISD Fishing Team competed in the Texas High School Bass Association Houston Division Tournament on Toledo Bend this past Saturday February 19th. This was the 4th Conference Tournament out of 5 for the Regular Season, and confidence was high going into the event to come away with our 4th Victory in as many events. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e combined squad from both L a k e C r e e k & Montgomery High Schools came up a little short, f a l l i n g t o To m b a l l Memorial, and coming in 2nd out of 28 High Schools. Your Team represented us all extremely well, giving “Maximum Effort,” and leaving it all on the water. Our Top 3 Teams had a combined weight of 36.62 pounds, led by reigning Angler of the Year Cade Community........2, 3, 11, 12 Lipham. “Superfly” Commentary.......................3, 4 brought in a nice limit of Devotional..........................5 13.15 pounds, landing him in 5th place out of 143 Legals................6, 7, 8, 9, 10 I n d i v i d u a l Te a m s .
Index
and turned at 1-under overall. Her next birdie came on No. 11 followed by four straight pars that helped her remain ahead. She made two bogeys in her final nine holes to get to even-par after 18 holes, putting her seven strokes ahead of the field. O ’ K e e f e ’s w i n a t B e n t w a t e r Ya c h t & Country Club highlights what has been an amazing run lately on the links for the high school junior. She made history shooting a tournament low round of 6-under 66 on Sunday. O’Keefe, who made her
Article by Mark Hooker
Following closely behind in 8th place with 12.06 were Jack Haag and Jackson Wilkerson. Our third best Team was made up of Blake Gatewood and Hayden Janisch with 11.41 pounds, placing them in 11th overall. Many of the High Finishers reported a good bite on a myriad of Soft
Plastics. Whether it was on a Carolina Rig, Texas Rig, Wacky Style, Drop Shot, and the ultimate confidence bait, a shaky head, the Team did well on Soft Plastics. Green Pumpkin was a good choice, in either Creature styled baits like a Strike King Rage Craw or Rodent. Also scoring well for the Team were soft stick
baits such as 5 & 6 inch Ochos, as well as straight tail worms on the shaky heads. Chatterbaits also saw some good action as well. While disappointed, the Team has nothing to hang their heads about, as they earned 99 out of 100 points
See Maximum , page 2
AUSTIN – Anglers across the state look forward to hitting the water each spring for the annual white bass spawning run upstream from reservoirs into rivers and creeks. Whether it be fishing on the bank, motorized boat, or paddle craft, the white bass run can provide an exciting day on the water for new and seasoned anglers alike. “The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has received reports that some anglers have started catching white bass since the beginning of February, but the main spawning run does not really get going until water temperatures and flows are just right,” said John Botros, TPWD’s Inland Fisheries River Access Coordinator. “Some good rains this spring would trigger abundant white bass spawning runs. Anglers should make plans to target this species in rivers and creeks upstream of many of our reservoirs from now until early May.” White bass, also known as sand bass, are a popular freshwater species preferred by Texas anglers both for sport fishing and for the dinner table. While most riverside property is privately owned, public access to highquality white bass runs can be found at many Texas State Parks, Texas Paddling Trails, leased River Access and Conservation Area (RACA) sites and highway and bridge crossings. Here are a few locations to get started: C o l o r a d o River: Above Lake Buchanan, bank anglers can fish for white bass without a fishing license at Colorado Bend State Park. The park offers a boat ramp and bank access. San Gabriel River: Upstream of Granger Lake, anglers can find white bass fishing at a public access point called Dickerson’s Bottom, a.k.a. “The Steps” in the Granger Wildlife Management Area. This location can be found threequarters of a mile east of SH 95 on County Road 347 in Williamson County. N e c h e s River: Above Lake Palestine, anglers can find public access at Chandler River Park. This RACA site – also supported by the East Texas Woods and Waters Foundation – offers nearly 6,000 feet of river frontage for bank fishing and includes a boat ramp and kayak launch. Llano River: Access to the river is provided through the Kingsland Slab RV Camp with 750 feet of river frontage along the Llano River. This River Access and Conservation Area (RACA) site offers free public fishing access and is located at 7300 River Oaks Drive in Kingsland. S a b i n e River: Above Toledo Bend Reservoir, anglers can find public access for white bass fishing at the Grand Bluff Boat Ramp, which offers 275 feet of river frontage and a single trailer boat ramp. This
See Bass, page 3