Montgomery County News, February 24, 2021

WEDNESDAY VOLUME XXVI NUMBER 8 Section 1 10 pages

February 24, 2021 Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and

Denise Boyles

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

Get Texas Interfaith Of The Woodlands Don’t Scammed: Weekly Launches Recovery Response Protect Yourself Gas Prices To Winter Storm Disaster from (February 22, 2021) Texas gas prices have risen 11.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.31/g t o d a y, a c c o r d i n g t o GasBuddy's daily survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Gas prices in Texas are 21.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 13.9 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Texas is priced at $1.99/g today while the most expensive is $3.06/g, a difference of $1.07/g. The lowest price in the state today is $1.99/g while the highest is $3.06/g, a difference of $1.07/g.

The national average price of gasoline has risen 10.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.63/g today. The national average is up 24.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 15.1 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

Midland Odessa- $2.38/g, up 6.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.32/g.

San Antonio- $2.23/g, up 13.7 cents per gallon from last week's $2.09/g.

Austin- $2.25/g, up 13.2 cents per gallon from last week's $2.12/g.

"With last week's extreme cold shutting down millions of barrels per day in refinery capacity, gas prices have seen their largest weekly climb in quite some time," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "The jump in price was the result of a dozen or so refineries, primarily in Texas, that were forced to shut down as the frigid temperatures threatened to wreak havoc on their exposed equipment. With the cold weather behind us, price increases show begin to slow later this week or next week, and so long as these refineries get back online in short order, we may see gas prices start to move back down in the next couple of weeks. However, as we near spring weather, we'll likely see another longer term rise in prices begin as refineries start to transition to summer gasoline, so motorists shouldn't jump for joy just yet."

GasBuddy is the authoritative voice for gas prices and the only source for station-level data spanning nearly two decades. Unlike AAA's once daily survey covering credit card transactions at 100,000 stations and the Lundberg Survey, updated once every two weeks based on 7,000 gas stations, GasBuddy's survey updates 288 times every day from the most diverse list of sources covering nearly 150,000 stations nationwide, the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the country.

GasBuddy data is accessible at http://FuelInsights.GasBuddy. com.

SOURCE GasBuddy

Index Community......2, 3, 8, 9, 10 Commentary............................4 Devotional..........................5 Legals.........................6, 7, 8 Business Directory...........10

Contractor Fraud

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Interfaith of The Wo o d l a n d s , T h e Woodlands Hometown nonprofit, launched its disaster response to assist neighbors affected by the record-breaking winter storm that polarized Montgomery County this past week.

Interfaith opened its doors yesterday to assist neighbors with food, grocery gift cards and gas cards. Families will continue to be served Monday - Friday, 9am to 4pm by curbside and by drive through Food Distribution Wednesdays

from 9am - 1pm at 4242 Interfaith Way. Families and individuals suffering loss through the storm may apply for crisis assistance, including rent/mortgage and utility assistance, gas cards, clothing vouchers and prescription assistance b y emailing fs@woodlandsin terfaith.org or by calling 281-3671230 during office hours, Monday - Friday 9am 4pm.

Missy Herndon, President & CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands, shared, "As

we approach the end of the month, we anticipate a high volume of residents that will seek assistance not only for basic needs, but for rent, mortgage and utilities as they face the mounting insurance deductibles and replacing items lost to water or fire damage. For the past 47 years, our goal has been to help neighbors in crisis, and we will continue our efforts to meet the needs of those experiencing difficulties during this challenging time.”

Interfaith’s Senior Services team continues to make wellness calls to

check on senior neighbors affected by power outages.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, S e n i o r Grocery Delivery is ongoing as needed for vulnerable neighbors.

Interfaith is in need of non-perishable food and monetary donations. Food donations can be delivered to Interfaith at 4242 Interfaith Way beginning Monday, February 22, during regular office hours. Monetary donations can be made online: Woodlandsinterfaith.org.

Herndon shared, “I am

See Storm, page 2

SJRA Efforts During Winter Storm Texans Helping Texans The winter storm has impacted all of us and devastated large parts of the state of Texas.

Despite the misery that this storm has caused, Montgomery County has come together to serve not only our county, but surrounding areas and the state of Texas.

Providing Water to Those in Need SJRA’s surface water treatment plant at Lake Conroe is one of the few utility systems in the Greater Houston region n o t o n a B o i l Wa t e r Notice.

As a result, SJRA was able to send potable water from Lake Conroe to partners regionally and across the state, including hospitals, airports, and animal shelters.

Our staff has coordinated with local emergency management officials to fill tanker trucks headed as far away

as Arlington, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.

Many thanks to those truck drivers hauling water four-plus hours across Texas to customers who desperately needed it!

Thank you to our

staff—and especially our operators who were on duty 24/7 serving our customers—for successfully navigating this incident. Their successful operations are due to years of planning, top-notch maintenance,

investments in our infrastructure, and their professionalism in gathering fuel, supplies, and winterizing pipes before the event.

See SJRA, page 2

State and federal recovery officials urge disaster survivors to watch for and report any suspicious activity or potential fraud.

Disasters often bring communities together but con artists, identity thieves and other criminals may target survivors. The most common types of postdisaster fraud include phony housing inspectors, fraudulent building contractors, bogus pleas for disaster donations, fake offers of municipal or federal aid and charging for free services.

Scam attempts can be made over the phone, by mail or email, through the internet, or in person. It is important to remain alert, ask questions and always ask for identification when someone claims to represent FEMA or another government agency. Con artists are creative and resourceful. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it should be questioned.

Here are some tips to protect yourself: * Don’t wire money or pay with reloadable debit cards or gift cards. There is no legitimate reason to request those forms of payment. * Don’t offer personal financial information over the phone. Know who you are dealing with and always ask for identification. * Take your time to decide. In Texas, contractors are required to provide a Notice of Cancelation — which gives you the right to change your mind within three business days — if the transaction occurs in your home. Even if the transaction does not occur in your home, you can still request three days; there is no legitimate reason to refuse this request. * Get the agreement in writing. Read the contract carefully, and if you don’t understand every word, take it to an expert. Never sign a contract with blank spaces to be filled in. o Make sure the contract details all work to be performed, the costs, a projected completion date and how to negotiate changes and settle disputes. * Do your research.

Scam artists will usually come to you to offer their services — either at your d o o r, o n t h e p h o n e o r through email — so be especially wary of solicitors. o Get estimates from multiple contractors and your insurance company.

Reject any offer that seems too good to be true. o Ask for references from past customers. o Use the Better Business Bureau, www.bbb.org, and internet search engines.

Fraudulent firms change names frequently, so search the web for their address and phone number, and include terms like “review,” “scam” and “complaint.” o FEMA does not certify contractors. * Ve r i f y i n s u r a n c e .

See Fraud, page 2

www.montgomerycountynews.net

Page 2, Montgomery County News, Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Suggestions for Mindful Eating: Food for Thought Diana Anderson

DianaCAnderson@ gmail.com

Yes, it forms the base of many of the easiest dishes a cook can put on the table.

Yes, it’s incredible comfort food and in high demand from home cooks. Yes, the varieties and arrangements are almost limitless.

But…no, it is not a foolproof, error free, can’t muck it up given.

There are some basic do’s and don’ts which are imperative to follow to achieve the best result your pasta recipe can give. Here are 10 mistakes not to make.

1. Adding oil to the pasta water There is a myth going around that this will stop the pasta from sticking. It will not. What's the big deal with oil? Mostly it's just pointless, a waste of oil that could be used to sauce the pasta which, you know, would then actually end up on your plate where you can taste it. Don't want pasta to stick? Stir it. More on that below.

2. Boiling in too much water.

The pot you use to boil the pasta should be just big enough to contain your pasta, but not by much.

This will maximize the starchy water which you will want to incorporate into your sauce. Be sure to save about a cupful to have on hand then add a bit to your sauce (whatever it is).

3. Straining and Rinsing Look, the pasta is

cooked. The pasta is ready.

All that's left to do is put it in the sauce and finish it, free and clear. And yet a few misguided folks dump the pasta in a colander in the sink and run tap water all over it. Here's why this is a big mistake: First off, all that good starchy pasta water, which we know is valuable stuff, goes down the drain. On top of that, it washes the lovely, sticky starch off the pasta, too!

That is the stuff that actually helps the sauce to stick to the pasta. There are a couple of ways to get your pasta from the pan to the sauce. The easiest is to grab a set of tongs for long, skinny pasta, or a metal spider to fish out short pasta shapes and transfer them directly to the pan with the warm sauce.

Alternatively, you can drain your pasta through a colander or fine-mesh strainer again, making sure to save some of the pasta water.

4. Saucing Plain Pasta Pasta and sauce should be as one and the blending should happen in the kitchen. Nothing is gained by plopping wet pasta on serving plates and then spooning sauce on top, except maybe a small puddle of sauce-tinted pasta water that collects on the bottom of each plate.

Not exactly appetizing.

The sauce should be heating in a separate pan and when the pasta is done it should be transferred to that pan along with some of the cooking water. You don't want your cooked pasta to heat up in a cold pan of sauce, slowly absorbing more water and becoming mushy. Pasta is

compensation insurance. If they don’t, you may be liable for accidents on your property. from page 1 * Make sure contractors Contractors should have have the proper licensing and disability and workers' are bonded.

Fraud

How to Cook Pasta

at its best when each piece and strand is glazed in sauce. You can purposely undercook the pasta by a few minutes before adding it to the sauce to let it finish.

Cooking pasta in the sauce instead of in boiling water will increase the amount of time it takes to cook through. It's a good technique to use if you want to delay serving your pasta for a few minutes.

Make sure to keep the sauce thinned out with pasta water as the pasta finishes cooking if you use this method.

Finally, whatever you do, don't toss cooked pasta with oil before it goes in the sauce, it makes it much more difficult to get sauce to cling to it down the line.

After you have added the pasta to the sauce and if you have a very low-fat sauce (like a tomato sauce, for instance), now is the time to add extra fat. A small amount of fat—extra-virgin olive oil or butter—is essential to good pasta sauce texture.

With extra fat, you can get an emulsion that leaves the sauce creamy, but still loose. Fat also brings flavor of its own, as well as helping fat-soluble flavor compounds in the sauce reach your tongue. I add a little glug of really good extra-virgin olive oil or a pat of butter.

high-quality package of dried.

Even though dried pasta deserves just as much respect and admiration as the good fresh stuff. That doesn't mean we shouldn't make and enjoy fresh pasta because we should. It's fun and can be delicious. But it doesn't elevate our pasta cooking beyond what is possible with dry pasta.

5. Choosing Fresh over Dry Fresh pasta isn't better than dried just because it's fresh. It's just different. It goes with different sauces; it fulfills a different role.

So, if you’re tempted to pay the extravagant prices for the fresh stuff feel equally good picking a

7. Not Finishing For years I added the sauce to a large semi-flat serving bowl and put the hot pasta on top and incorporated it right before serving. This was not right. I learned it was best to incorporate the pasta and sauce on the heat. In fact, they make pans specifically for this step,

* Ensure the contractors obtain the necessary permits to do the job. * Demand satisfaction.

D o n ’t s i g n c o m p l e t i o n papers or make final payment until the work is

done correctly. * Take a picture of your contractor, their vehicle and license plate. * Take a picture of your contractor’s business card and driver’s license. * Report your concerns.

Potential fraud should be reported to your local law enforcement agency. You can also contact the Texas O ff i c e o f t h e A t t o r n e y General by calling 800-6210508 or call the free FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 available 24hours a day.

As a reminder, Texas homeowners and renters in the 77 counties designated for individual assistance who sustained damage may now apply for disaster assistance with FEMA.

6. Overcooking and Undercooking If pasta looks like it's been floating in a bog for two weeks—pale, swollen, and falling to pieces at the gentlest touch—then we have a problem. This is a pasta crime that is less common in the United States these days, but we know it still happens. And when it does, it's one of the worst offenses. If I had to blame someone, it'd be those cans of Chef "B," who has countless unsuspecting victims hooked on soft and squishy pasta squiggles. This is not right and to stop it you must taste test your pasta a minute or two before it should be done. Is there such a thing as too al dente pasta? I'm old school and I say yes—if I have to pick hard bits of noodle from my mouth that starch should have spent more time in the water.

SJRA from page 1 All of our utility systems have been up and running through the entire event without outages and without boil water notices.

called pasta finishing pans.

They also double as woks to give you an idea of their shape. Whatever you use once everything is in the pan together—cooked pasta, hot sauce, pasta water, and extra fat—it's time to simmer it.

Simmering not only reduces liquid (and thereby thickens the sauce), but also contributes to mechanical stirring, helping that starchy pasta water do its job of emulsifying the sauce with the fat and getting it to coat the pasta. The hotter your pan, the more vigorously the sauce will bubble, and the better the emulsion you'll form. I crank my burner up to maximum heat and cook, stirring and tossing the pasta constantly (to ensure that it doesn't stick to the bottom), adding more pasta water as necessary until it gets that perfectly saucy texture.

Finishing pasta, you'll notice, is a game of constant adjustments.

Pasta water gets added throughout the process in order to adjust consistency.

Don't be afraid of it!

filler like cellulose (yup, basically sawdust) to keep the powdered cheese from clumping.

9. Oversaucing If you're eating pasta with sauce, don't make the mistake of adding so much of the wet stuff that what you end up serving is a big old helping of an identity crisis. There should be just enough sauce to coat all the pasta—generously even—but not much more than that. Pasta should be dressed, not drowned, in sauce. That's why the Italians call basic pasta w i t h sauce pastasciutta: dry past a. Because it's fundamentally different from pasta in brodo (brothy pasta) and pasta al forno (baked pasta).

8. Adding Pre-Grated Cheese Pre-grated cheese is one of two things: old and flavorless, or old, flavorless, and full of sawdust. No, seriously, I'm not kidding. Like black pepper, hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano lose much of their flavor if they're grated too far in advance. Little is gained in exchange for the convenience of not having to grate one's own.

Even worse are those shelf-stable brands, which not only lack flavor but add

10. Not Stirring Do you know one of these types? The kind of miscreant who drops their pasta in the pot and then walks away. This is the reason some pasta sticks.

Get some tongs or a long fork and give some attention to your pasta while boiling by stirring and unsticking any clumps which may form.

Well done! Now go serve it immediately. Pasta don't wait around for nobody. Once the pasta is in the sauce, there's a countdown timer that's automatically started and cannot be paused. Pasta will continue to cook and soften as it sits. The sauce will start to cool down and thicken.

The only solution is to serve it immediately and to eat it with gusto. If you've done everything right, that shouldn't be a problem.

The fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov.

There is no wait to register online and it is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If it is not possible to register online, call 800-6213362 (TTY: 800-462-7585).

The toll-free telephone lines operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT, seven days a week. Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, Innocaption or CapTel should update FEMA with their specific number assigned to that service Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to businesses, homeowners and renters.

Call the SBA at 1-800-6592955 (TTY: 800-877-8339) or visit www.sba.gov/services/disas terassistance.

F E M A’s m i s s i o n i s helping people before, during, and after disasters.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800462-7585). Multilingual operators are available.

(Press 2 for Spanish).

Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/FEMAR egion6.

Watch our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds for additional information about our efforts to help our community.

We a p p r e c i a t e t h e opportunity to serve our community.

One of the major river a u t h o r i t i e s i n Te x a s , SJRA's mission is to develop, conserve, and protect the water resources of the San Jacinto River basin. Covering all or part of seven counties, the organization’s jurisdiction includes the entire San

Jacinto River watershed, excluding Harris County. SJRA does not levy taxes, nor does it receive funding from the Texas Legislature. For additional information on SJRA visit our website at www.sjra.net, like SJRA o n Facebook @SanJacintoRi verAuthority, follow us on Twitter @SJRA_1937, fin d u s o n Instagram @sanjacintoriv erauthoritysjra, or connect with us on LinkedIn @San Jacinto River Authority.

Storm

About Interfaith of The Woodlands: Interfaith of The Woodlands is a non-profit social service agency providing numerous programs and services to meet the needs of The Woodlands and surrounding area. For more information on Interfaith’s programs and services, or to become a volunteer, please visit: https://woodlandsinterfait h.org or call 281-3671230.

from page 1 always amazed by our c o m m u n i t y. F r o m hurricanes, floods, fires, the COVID-19 pandemic and now a historic Arctic storm; we come together to help fellow neighbors and help Interfaith continue our very worthy mission of building a more loving and caring community through service.”

www.montgomerycountynews.net

Montgomery County News, Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Page 3

Comments According to Doc

In Texas The Question Is “Why Aren’t We On Nuclear Energy?????”

Walden Happenings

By Doc Fennessy The opinions expressed in this editorial do not necessarily reflect those of MCN.

……BBBUUUURRRR RRR!!!!!!! It is cold, it is freezing here in Texas!

This Southern California Beach Boy didn’t move to Texas for this kind of living.

Who was the stupid governor 15-years ago who let the early “Green New Deal”.

Hucksters blow windmill air up their tooley about cheap, new, and powerful reliable energy of the future???? These are the kind of things that make people wanting to move on to tropical Florida. United AIRLINES SAYS “It’s only a hop away!”

want to see some really pretty and wellconstructed windmills, go to Southern California. In many towns you will see the blue and white Sails of the Van de Camp Dutch Bakery & Restaurants structure Very authentic.

As for “Winterizing N u c l e a r- r e a c t o r s ” - = Texans need to learn something.

When I lived in Southern California, before the illegals took over, we had nuclear reactors for energy and heat. On the beach 40miles south of Long Beach City down the ‘ole Pacific Coast Highway-101 lies San Onofre Beach Town.

It has a nuclear-reactor that puts out a hell-of-a-lot of energy and heat, that goes for a mile north – south and way out in the ocean. The fish, Abalone, shellfish and all marine life move to another place as the hot water takes over. It never freezes over like in Texas.

If you are in Mexifornia sometime and traveling down The Pacific Coast Highway- and come into San Onofre you will see this huge and gigantic chimney, the beautiful pristine golden sand beach and out on the water a mob of year-around championship surfers.

In this week’s article to review; Leah Barkoukis writes a very comprehensive view of the frozen Texas Tragedy.

The article is titled, “Texas's 'Nightmare' Energy Situation Is a Warning to the Rest of America.” The article appeared in the February 17th edition of The Heritage Foundations Townhall news service.

BBBUUUUURRRRRRR R =- It’s Saturday afterand I am this ‘California Beach Boy still freezing!’

Only a hot-buttered-rum in front of your fireplace will help.

Windmills are for grinding nuts, grain and that kind of stuff. “Why don’t we have nuclear energy for heat?

Some knowledgeable person told me we do, but the generators are frozen up!

WHAT? This is Texas – we don’t have to put up with this!

I have been to Holland a few times, – in fact, I have been in all the Baltic Sea countries and none of them have windmills for energy and heat.

They all run on nuclear reactors, gas, oil, gasoline or coal. Folks, Leah Barkoukis is an the Dutch- windmills are just historic items just for Online Features Editor for Townhall politics. Leah the tourist trade visitors!

Folks, if you really starts off the article by saying that; “Millions of

Texans have lost power in the middle of a cold snap that brought belowfreezing temperatures across the state. Struggling to keep warm in homes that are poorly insulated, some are turning to unsafe methods that will likely get them killed. One resident told The Washington Post that after only eight hours without power in Houston it was like an “apocalypse,” and she feared they’d “see a nightmare situation in the next few days.”

Commenting on the blackout in his home state, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry pointed out how important it is to have a diverse energy landscape.

In recent years, however, reliance on coal has declined while renewable energy sources have been increasing.

How’s that working out? We’re seeing it play out now, Fox News's Tu c k e r C a r l s o n s a i d Monday during his monologue.

“The windmills froze, so the power grid failed.

Millions of Texans woke up Monday morning having to boil their water because with no electricity, it couldn't be purified,” he commented, noting the Green New Deal has arrived.

“The ironically named Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees the grid, had no solution to any of this.

They simply told people to stop using so much power to keep warm," Carlson continued. "So in Houston, hundreds of shivering Texans headed to the convention center like refugees to keep from freezing to death. Some Texans almost certainly did freeze to death. Later this week, we'll likely learn just

Leah Barkoukis is an Online Features Editor for Townhall politics. how many more were killed as they tried to keep warm with jury-rigged heaters and barbecues and car exhaust.”

In a news release, ERCOT said the extreme weather led to "many generating units - across fuel types - to trip offline."

Natural-gas-fired power plants generated 40% of Texas’s electricity in 2020, according to Ercot," WSJ reports, while "wind turbines were second at 23%, followed by coal at 18% and nuclear at 11%." While blackouts have become commonplace in states like California, it’s surprising in Texas, the host said.

If there's one thing you would think Texas would be able to do, it's keep the lights on. Most electricity comes from

natural gas and Texas produces more of that than any place on the continent.

There are huge natural gas deposits all over the state.

Running out of energy in Texas is like starving to death at the grocery store: You can only do it on purpose, and Texas did.

Rather than celebrate and benefit from their state's vast natural resources, politicians took the fashionable route and became recklessly reliant on so-called alternative energy, meaning windmills. Fifteen years ago, there were virtually no wind farms in Texas. Last year, roughly a quarter of all electricity generated in the state came from wind.

Local politicians were pleased by this. They bragged about it like there was something virtuous

about destroying the landscape and degrading the power grid. Just last week, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott proudly accepted something called the Wind Leadership Aw a r d , g i v e n w i t h gratitude by Tri Global Energy, a company getting rich from green energy.

So it was all working great until the day it got cold outside. The windmills failed like the silly fashion accessories they are, and people in Texas died. (Fox News) And this is one of the renewable energy sources the Biden administration and his climate allies are so eagerly pushing on the rest of America, despite the fact that they’re less reliable, inefficient, more expensive, and kill a ton of birds.

Warmth In The Cold: Texans Helping Texans An Editorial by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller February 19, 2021 If 2020 was the year from hell, it looks like 2021 is the year hell froze over.

This last week has been very tough on Texans as multiple winter storms swept across the Lone Star State, dropping over 29 million Texans in the deep freeze. Millions endured a "white out", with historic, blistering cold, record snowfall, dangerous ice, closed schools, shuttered businesses and even closed churches. Over 4 million Texans lost power, many had no water, no natural gas and dwindling food supplies. All in the midst of a pandemic. Remember COVID-19?

It’s been a tough week.

But I have never been prouder to be a Texan.

Here in Texas, when a neighbor is in need, Texans step up to help. We’re here for our neighbors, to offer a hand up or at least a shoulder they can lean on.

Whether it’s a hurricane, a wildfire, a global pandemic, or a record-busting winter storm, Texans pull together and help each other out. How many images of looting have you seen from Texas this week?

H e r e a t t h e Te x a s Department of Agriculture, our folks have been doing our part, even as they struggled themselves.

This week, my staff has been working relentlessly to help producers locate

feed and hay for their livestock, find ways to get their products to market and locate agriculture processors that are open to try to keep the food chain moving. TDA field staff have been working directly with rural and urban food banks to help locate food for distribution, and with our rural hospitals making sure they have resources, equipment, and services open. Our school nutrition s t a ff h a v e w o r k e d t o provide guidance to schools across the state serving as emergency warming centers or shelters.

Additionally, we’ve fired up the State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund or S TA R F u n d t o a s s i s t farmers and ranchers with agricultural disaster relief efforts. I encourage everyone to visit the TDA w e b s i t e (www.texasagriculture.go v) if you’d like to make a donation.

And make no mistake, Te x a s f a r m e r s a n d ranchers are struggling right now, and they need our help.

Dairy farmers are dumping millions of dollars’ worth of milk every day due to lack of power and natural gas at processing plants. Trucks needed to move produce are stuck. Feed mills have been forced to shut down to c o n s e r v e e n e r g y, s o producers are desperate to

find feed for their livestock. Poultry producers are facing a massive loss due to lack of energy needed to heat incubators and facilities. Without access to power, water and feed producers are fearful their livestock will die from exposure and lack of n u t r i t i o n . T h a t ’s n o t mentioning the damage Texas citrus has encountered with the deep freeze.

Citrus producers in the Rio G r a n d e Va l l e y h a v e already seen a 60% loss in grapefruit and with temperatures below freezing ice buildup in the fruit is sure to cause continued crop loss. It has been over 30 years since the valley has seen a destructive freeze like this.

As a rancher myself, I’ve struggled to keep my herd watered and fed in this icy weather.

C o n s e q u e n t l y, t h i s week I issued a red alert about the state of our food supply chain here in Texas. Because of this unprecedented storm, consumers will see empty shelves once they return to the grocery store. If milk, butter or other agriculture products are available, they will likely be more expensive. Consumers will pay more, but farmers and ranchers will earn less.

When supply chains back up, farmers and ranchers receive record low prices and consumers

pay record prices- when they can least afford it.

But right now, as so many Texans struggle to help others in need, the help we need the most is from our own Governor.

Where I come from, we have a saying for Governor Abbot’s efforts during this crisis: he’s been "a day late and a dollar short".

I have called repeatedly on Governor Abbott to step up to the plate and designate agriculture as a critical infrastructure and make it a priority for

electrical power and gas.

R i g h t n o w, h o s p i t a l workers, first responders, fire and police are the priority for power and that’s as it should be. But they all need to eat. And without Texas agriculture, food becomes as scarce as any other commodity.

I am calling on the Governor and all other state officials to join me in providing resources that will assist producers and communities across the state navigate this difficult time. They must immedi-

ately address the energy crisis in rural Texas and prepare to help get producers back on their feet after this devastating disaster.

Rural Texas is the heart of this great state, and the food they provide feeds us all.

Texans are tough. We’ll make it through this, just like every other challenge we have faced. But we’ll only do so if we work together, and we take care of what matters most -each other.

Page 4, Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Montgomery County News

www.montgomerycountynews.net

Texas State Senator

My Five Cents...

Robert Nichols

A monthly column from Sen. Robert Nichols

by Sen. Robert Nichols, Senate District 3

This week has been historic in terms of the severity of the weather across the state. I am praying for the safety of our community and our state.

Here are five things happening around your state: 1. Winter weather cripples Texas A large winter system blew through Texas this week dropping 6-8 inches

of snow and ice in parts of the state and leaving millions without power for days at a time. Freezing temperatures coupled with water and snow on the roads lead to iced out conditions, impassable roads, and multiple, lasting road closures. These conditions led to a shutdown of most businesses, including the state legislature which cancelled all of the scheduled hearings this week. Those hearings will

Weather for the Lake Conroe area Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.

Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.

Thursday A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 64. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday Night Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday A chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Saturday A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67.

Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of showers.

Cloudy, with a low around 59.

Sunday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 73.

Montgomery County News Phone (936) 449-6397 Fax (936)597-6395 E-mail: news@montgomerycountynews.net web; http://www.montgomerycountynews.net Publisher: M. Ryan West Editor: Monte West Account Executive: Camilla Blum, M. Ryan West Photography: Monte West, Wade Stultz, Bobby Strader, Lance Bridges R e p o r t e r s / C o n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r s : D o c Fennessey, Carol Fennessey, Gail Box, Margie Barlow, Kim West, Sharon Faison, Dortha Ruthstrom, Megan West Stultz, Narcissa Martin Boulware, Gary Curran, Students and Staff of MISD, and friends of Montgomery County News. ©Copyrights, Montgomery County News, Montgomery, Texas 2017-2018 Montgomery County News is a weekly, locally owned and operated newspaper and is published by Montgomery County News at 14375 Liberty St. PO Box 1, Montgomery, TX 77356.

Telephone number 936-449-6397, Fax 936-597-6395.

MCN welcomes any comments or suggestions, submitted in writing to the paper. Any editorials or opinions used in this publication are those of the writers and in no way reflect the views and opinions of the Montgomery County News.

MCN is currently circulating 6,220 copies throughout the Montgomery County area by retail, subscriptions and occasional random distribution. Subscription rates are $40 per year in county and $45 outside Montgomery County. Bulk Rate Permit is held by the Postmaster at Montgomery, TX 77356, Montgomery County News is an official publication of the County of Montgomery, Texas.

MCN expects honest advertising standards from its patrons, and does not in any way take responsibility for false or misleading advertisements. MCN reserves to right to refuse advertisement.

All contents of Montgomery County News are reserved, and we prohibit reproduction of the items without permission.

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POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Montgomery County News, PO Box 1 Montgomery, TX 77356

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Mail, Fax or E-mail: Montgomery County News, 14375 Liberty St, P.O. Box 1, Montgomery, Texas 77356-0001, Fax 936-597-6395, E-mail: news@montgomerycountynews.net Web page: http://www.montgomerycountynews.net

be rescheduled at a later date. Local officials and power suppliers have been working hard to get Te x a n s ’ p o w e r b a c k online.

The governor announced at a press conference this week that he ordered natural gas producers not to export any natural gas outside of the state until after this crisis is over to allow power generators to continue working. Additionally, he encouraged Texans to start reaching out to plumbers to plan repairs if pipes burst in your home. He encouraged the Board of Plumbing Examiners to grant provisional licenses to outof-state plumbers and those who have let their license lapse in the past two years.

2. ERCOT and why Texas has its own electric grid The Electric Reliability C o u n c i l o f Te x a s (ERCOT) runs Texas’ electric grid. ERCOT was formed in 1970 and was tasked with managing grid reliability in accordance with national standards.

Importantly, ERCOT is an entity that is unique to Texas as our electric grid is entirely within our

borders, so it is not regulated by the federal government. Most of Texas is covered by ERCOT, except for El Paso, northern parts of the panhandle, and parts of S o u t h e a s t Te x a s – including the majority of Senate District 3. The ERCOT grid remains beyond federal regulation because it is not under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s jurisdiction as FERC can only regulate interstate electric transmission. Though Texas’ grid remains independent, it does have ties to other grids including Mexico’s power grid and a few connections to the Eastern Interconnection through Oklahoma. Texas’ grid has its roots in the way electric utilities developed in the early 20th century. Small plants sprouted up throughout Texas as a way to supply power to the cities. They began linking to each other and furthered these connections during WWII to move power from dams along rivers to power factories that were helping with the war effort. These combined efforts formed the Texas Interconnected System, which eventually became ERCOT.

3. Texas ranked #1 exporter for 19th year in a row Texas was ranked the number one exporter of all goods and products in the United States for the 19th year in a row. Texas ended 2020 with $279 billion in export trade, which is more exports than the next three highest ranked states combined, including California, New York, and Louisiana. Texas also ranked number one in exporting technology products for the eighth year in a row. Those exports totaled $44.8 billion. This is just another reason Texas is the number one state for business.

4. Senate Business and Commerce Committee to host hearing on ERCOT, power outages Due to the failures of the ERCOT system and power outages across the state, Business and Commerce committee chair Senator Kelly Hancock has called a hearing of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee to investigate extreme weather preparedness and circumstances that led to the widespread power outages as directed

by ERCOT. The committee will also examine

generator preparedness and performance, natural gas supply, the reliability of renewables during this crisis, and overall ERCOT resilience. The committee will meet on February 25th at 9am in the Capitol building. To tune into this hearing, please visit https://senate.texas.gov/ev ents.php.

5. Best practices during winter storm During this extreme w e a t h e r e v e n t , i t ’s important to keep in mind some best practices to ensure the health and safety of you and your community. Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower if possible to conserve energy. Draw your curtains to preserve heat. Try and reduce your electric footprint by unplugging devices not in use. If you lose power, do not bring in any grills or outdoor cooking devices to heat your home or run your car in your garage. That can cause carbon monoxide poisoning which is a silent killer. Wear loose layers of clothing. Go to a warming shelter if possible. Find those at https://tdem.texas.gov/war m/.

PUC Launches Investigation Of Grid Event And Adjusts POLR Rules To Protect Retail Electricity Consumers Extends deadline for POLR registration in exchange for lower customer rates Austin, TX – In an emergency open meeting, the Public Utility Commission of Texas launched an investigation into the factors that combined with the devastating winter weather to disrupt the flow of power to millions of Texas homes. The Commission also unanimously approved a series of steps designed to protect retail electric customers feeling the financial effects of the ERCOT grid event.

“The immediate impact

of this terrible weather was the loss of power for millions of Texas households and the financial aftershocks could be devastating,” said Chairman DeAnn Walker. “We must act swiftly to discover not only how this crisis came together, but also take meaningful steps to protect electricity customers.”

Chief among the Commission’s customerfocused actions was the decision to waive deadlines surrounding the Provider of Last Resort program in which retail electric providers volunteer to accept the customers of

other REPs exiting the market. These “volunteer” REPs are required to charge a competitive rate, rather than the higher so-called “POLR rate.” The changes include: * Extending the registration deadline for REPs willing to serve as a volunteer providers in order to expand the pool of available providers. * Delaying customer transitions to volunteer providers until Wednesday, February 24, 2021 to allow the new POLR REPs time to register and prepare for the influx of new customers.

Commissioners

delegated authority to the a g e n c y ’s E x e c u t i v e Director to execute the plan.

“This week’s weather and associated grid crisis were a nightmare for millions of Texas,” said Thomas Gleeson, PUC Executive Director. “While the financial implications may drive some retail electric providers from the marketplace, we will work to ensure their customers can easily transition to a new provider. Customers transitioned to a volunteer provider should contact the new provider to ensure they are on a plan that suits their budget.”

The League of Women Voters of Texas Calls on Texas Legislature to Plan for Future Extreme Weather Conditions Austin - As millions of Texans are without power and water due to continuing severe weather conditions, the League of Women Voters of Texas calls on the Texas Legislature, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) network to take responsibility for this failure of our independent power grid and develop plans and systems to prevent future disasters like this one.

These power failures demonstrate the need for accountability and evaluation on the part of our elected leaders and the ERCOT network. Instead

of providing the public with accurate, straightforward information, some elected leaders are pointing fingers and alleging that renewable clean energy resources are to blame. The League of Women Voters of Texas calls on our State leaders to provide assistance and answers.

"It is time for our leaders to develop sound policies that will explain how the Texas power grid will be sustained in the increasingly extreme weather. Texans need a resilient infrastructure that includes energy conservation, air pollution controls, along with the promotion of renewable energy

resources," said Grace Chimene, president of the League of Women Voters of Texas.

Chimene continued, "We are thankful that House Speaker Dade Phelan called on two committees, Energy Resources, and State Affairs to hold hearings on Feb. 25, 'for the express purpose of helping Texans understand what went wrong and how we can prevent these conditions from happening again."

The League of Women Voters of Texas With over 100 years of experience, the League of Women Voters is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit

organizations. The League of Women Voters of Texas has been "educating and agitating" since 1919. The Texas League represents over 13,000 grassroots advocates and 34 local Leagues across the State of Texas.

The League of Women Vo t e r s e n c o u r a g e s informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to people 16 and older.

Submit your opinions and editorials to News@MontgomeryCountyNews.net

Montgomery County News, Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Page 5

www.montgomerycountynews.net

Devotional

He Brought Us Wonder, Praise, and Quietness of Spirit Spreading the Word

By Gail J. Box Gailbox@consolidated.net

Who can list the miracles of our God? Who has ever placed a beautiful Conch shell at our ear and heard the song of the ocean?

Have you heard how the Aspen tree leaves have a soft tinkling sound as the wind blows their leaves? Have you heard the buzzing-hum of a Hummingbird’s wings?

And the last one…have you heard (or beheld) the absolute quietness of snowflakes as they

fall so silently and softly?

The true beauty of God comes through our gentle spirit as we look to Him and praise His greatness of love falling all around us. As He creates snowflakes in making each one differently, so He does the sane for each of us.

And all are beautiful.

David gives us these directions as some ways we can give to the Lord in our quiet time of praise or as we watch the snow fall: “Oh give thanks to the LORD, Call upon His name; make known His deeds

Area Churches This Devotional and Directory page is made possible by these businesses

gomery, 936-597-4230 Honea Baptist Church, FM 2854, Montgomery, 936-588-1260 Jones Chapel Baptist, FM 2854, 936-7562505 Mt. Calvary Baptist, Old Hwy 105, 936588-2330 Mt. Sinai Baptist, Bethel Road, MontBAPTIST Church of the Good gomery, 936-597-4668 Union Grove Baptist Soldier (Baptist AffiliaChurch of Richards, tion), 1501 North Texas Frazier (McKenzie's About 11 mi N of BBQ), Conroe, Texas, Montgomery on FM Phone: 936-494-5775, 149 www.churchofthegoods Sunday School all oldier.org. Worship: ages 9:45 am, Church Sunday at 10:30am, Service 11:00 am, Sunday School: 9:30 am Wednesday Bible Study Heritage Baptist and Youth Group 6 pm Church 19087 Lake Mt. Pleasant Rd, CATHOLIC Montgomery 77356 Sacred Heart Phone: Pastor Bear Catholic, 936 448-4027 109 N. Frazier, Gary Chapel Baptist Conroe, Church 936-756-8186 PO Box 125, Montgomery, Texas 77356, St. Mary’s 5525 Spring Branch Catholic, Road, Montgomery.

FM 1774, 713-478-1256, Sunday Plantersville, Bible Class 10:00 am, 936-894-2223 Worship Service at 7:45 Service 11:00 am.

St. Joseph’s CathoFaith Baptist lic, Church CR 213, Stoneham, Meets at 464 936-894-2223 McCaleb Rd. Sunday Morning JEWISH Bible Study 9:30 a.m.

Congregation Beth Worship Service 10:45 Shalom, 5125 a.m.

Shadowbend Place, The Sunday Evening Woodlands, Worship 6:00 p.m.

281-362-1100 St. Beulah Baptist Church, located in LUTHERAN Dobbin, P.O. Box 112, Grace Lutheran Montgomery, 77356 (ELCA), Benui Baptist Highway 105 W., Church, Lake Conroe, 936-588Scott Ridge and FM 1944 1097, Montgomery Living Savior Antioch Baptist, Lutheran ChurchDobbin, 936-597LCMS 309 Pond St. 5560 Montgomery 77356 China Grove Baptist Church phone: 936-597Church, Willis, 9368013 Web : 767-4744 www.livingsaviortexas.

Dacus Baptist, Dacus, org Pastor David R. 407-735-6403, Bailes. dacusbaptist@consolida ted.net METHODIST www.dacusbaptist.org Montgomery United First Baptist Methodist Church Church, 22548 Highway 105 Hwy 105 W., MontASSEMBLY OF GOD Cornerstone Christian Assembly of God of Conroe, located at 100 Mosswood Dr., Conroe, Texas in front of River Plantation.

936-273-1755 New Life Assembly of God, Rabon Chapel Road, Montgomery, 936-588-3399

among the peoples.

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.” Psalm 105: 1 – 4.

We can seek God in many ways and at many different times in our prayers, but I believe I find Him most in quietness. He is the GOD of quietness and of the storm. It is good for us to pull away from the noise of the day, to ponder in our spirit on His goodness to us, and find relief from our

problems.

When Moses led all the Lord’s people out of Egypt, and the Egyptians, plus their horses and chariots were all drowned, Moses and all the people sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and it’s rider He has hurled into the sea.

The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. This is my God and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him.” Exodus 15: 1b, -2.

It is important to

find time and a place to be with our Maker.

And…include the children. Their prayers are sweet to God. And as they hear our prayers, theirs will b e c o m e s t r o n g e r.

Praying isn’t hard. We just talk to God from our heart and maybe have a corresponding scripture to offer Him. He may remind us of a scripture for that specific time. We know He loves to hear His people read His beautiful words spoken back to Him. He’s a Good, Good Father.

I hate to see the snow melt, but it brings moisture to our grass,

West Montgomery, TX 77356 Phone: 936-5976162 Sunday Worship: 8:30 a.m., 9:45 am., 11:00 a.m. Praise & Worship Sunday School: 9:45 a.m.

Www.mumctex.org Richards United Methodist Church 6639 FM 1696 Richards Worship Service 11 AM Sunday School 10AM Porter Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, 1308 S. Hwy 1486, Dobbin, 936-597-5331 or 936449-5983 Living Way Church, 2080 Longmire Rd, Conroe 936-441-8875 Hope Tabernacle Pastor David Whitaker Meets at 18961 Freeport Dr Montgomery 936.582.7722 Thursday 7:30pm Sunday School at 10:00am Sunday Worship at 6:00pm Community And Interdenominational Lone Star Cowboy Church 21627 Eva St. Montgomery, TX 77356 (936) 597-5742 Pastors Randy & Darla Weaver Service Times: Sundays 8:30; 10:00 and 11:30am Mondays 7:00pm Livestream: Watch us live Sundays & Mondays @ live.lonestar.tv or go to the Lone Star Cowboy Church Facebook page and click on the Livestream link.

Website: www.lonestar.tv Abundant Life Ministries Corner of FM 149 & FM 1097 W. Montgomery TX 77356 Prayer /Sunday School 9:30 am Sunday Service 11:30 am Wednesday Pray/Bible Study 6:30 pm RiverStone Community Church 19380 Hwy 105 Ste. 500

Montgomery, TX 77356 Sun: 9:00 Kingdom Life, 10:30 Worship Wed: 6:30 p.m.

RiverStoneCC.org April Sound Church, 67 ½ April Wind S., April Sound, 936588-2832 Lighthouse Fellowship Church, Montgomery, 936582-7700 Living Branch Church, Highway 105 W., Lake Conroe, 936-5883400 New Beginning Bible Church, 19087 Mt. Pleasant Cemetary Rd, 936-5978921 Father’s House, Family Worship Center, Highway 105 W, Lake Conroe, 936-5884660 Walden Community Church, 12400 Walden Rd, Walden, 936-582-6696 Services 9:30 and 11 a.m.

WaldenChurch.com River of Life Church, 17156 FM 1097, Montgomery, 936-4494414 Cornerstone Church, 1011 W. Lewis, Conroe, 936-756-7792 Lakeside Bible Church, 18940 Freeport Drive Montgomery, 936582-1977 Church of St. John, retreat and wildlife center, 2615 St. Beulah Chapel Rd., Montgomery, 936-597-5757 Fellowship of Montgomery 12681 FM 149 Montgomery, TX 77356 (936) 597-3949 Senior Pastor Dale Talbert Service Times: Sundays at 9:30am & 11am / Wednesdays at 6:30pm for Children & Student Ministries Watch us live Sundays @fellowshipofmontgom ery.online.church or follow us on Facebook @thefmchurch! www.thefmchurch.co

m

plants, and trees that will be growing after winter. It also gives us some extra time to ponder our blessings and then rest.

Here in South Texas, we had to frantically pull out all our heavy winter jackets to handle the blasts of cold winter winds as well as power outages. But Texans are hearty people, as well as very neighborly and giving people. If we don’t hear of a need, we go looking for one.

That’s just who we are.

And we’ll be ready if another cold snap happens to come for a visit! Stay warm! www.cfmlife.org Celebration Service 10am Sundays Youth Explosing 7pm Wednesdays Pastors Sean & Lori Jo Cook

EPISCOPAL St. James the Apostle Episcopal, 1803 Highland Hollow, Conroe, 936756-8831 The Grace Christian PRESBYTERIN Outreach Center First Presbyterian 25293 Tisdale Road, Church of Conroe Dobbin, Texas 2727 N. Loop 336 936-689-3141 West Mt. Pleasent Baptist Conroe, Texas 936Church 756-8884 FM 149 N., MontSun. 9:00 & 11:00 gomery, 936-449-6807 Sun Sch 10:00 The Church @ Lake Nursery provided Conroe Church of Christ in 1701 McCaleb Rd Montgomery Montgomery, TX 301 Pond Street, 77316 Montgomery, TX. 936-588-4975 Sunday Bible Class www.lakechurch.com 9:30 am Sunday worship @ Worship - 10:30 am 10:00 a.m. Wed. and 6:00 pm activites 6:30-8pm Wednesday - 7:00 North Shore Church pm Phone: 936-58210 am Worship 4855 Service 18501 Fm1097 West Email: @ the Bentwater West cofcmontgomery@cons olidated.net Gate Entrance Web: Pastor Cary Smith Covenant Felloship www.cofcmontgomery.o rg 302 N. Danville, Paul Praschnik, Willis, Tx. 77378 Minister 936/890-8034

Page 6, Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Montgomery County News

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NOTICE OF SALE STATE OF TEXAS MONTGOMERY COUNTY

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BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER OF SALE

and issued pursuant to judgment decree(s) of the District Court of Montgomery County, Texas, by the Clerk of said Court on said date, in the hereinafter numbered and styled suit(s) and to me directed and delivered as Sheriff or Constable of said County, I have on January 15, 2021, seized, levied upon, and will, on the first Tuesday in March, 2021, the same being the 2nd day of said month, at 501 N. Thompson, 4th Floor, Suite 402, Conroe, Texas, 77301, between the hours of 10 o'clock (1.m. and 4 o'clock p.m. on said day, beginning at I 0:00 AM, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder all the right, title, and interest of the defendants in such suit(s) in and to the following described real estate levied upon as the property of said defendants, the same lying and being situated in the County of Montgomery and the State of Texas, to-wit:

www.montgomerycountynews.net

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TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR. TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE, PLEASE CONTACT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR'S OFFICE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE SALE. Dated at Conroe, Texas, January 15, 2021 /s/ Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayden Constable Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayen Montgomery County, Texas By /s/ RANDY CROWDER Randy Crowder, Deputy Notes: The Minimum Bid is the lesser of the amount awarded in the judgment plus interest and costs or the adjudged value. However, the Minimum Bid for a person owning an interest in the property or for a person who is a party to the suit ( other than a taxing unit), is the aggregate amount of the judgments against the property plus all costs of suit and sale. ALL SALES SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL TAXES DUE ON THE PROPERTY WHICH HAVE BEEN ASSESSED SINCE THE DATE OF THE JUDGMENT. For more information, contact your attorney or LINEBARGER GOGGAN BLAIR & SAMPSON, LLP., attorney for plaintiffs, at (936) 760-1410 Published Dates: February 10, 17, 24, 2021 NOTICE OF SALE STATE OF TEXAS MONTGOMERY COUNTY

§ § §

BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER OF SALE

and issued pursuant to judgment decree(s) of the District Court of Montgomery County, Texas, by the Clerk of said Court on said date, in the hereinafter numbered and styled suit(s) and to me directed and delivered as Sheriff or Constable of said County, I have on January 25, 2021, seized, levied upon, and will, on the first Tuesday in March, 2021, the same being the 2nd day of said month, at 501 N. Thompson, 4th Floor, Suite 402, Conroe, Texas, 77301, between the hours of 10 o'clock a.m. and 4 o'clock p.m. on said day, beginning at 10:00 AM, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder all the right, title, and interest of the defendants in such suit(s) in and to the following described real estate levied upon as the property of said defendants, the same lying and being situated in the County of Montgomery and the State of Texas, to-wit:

(any volume and page references, unless otherwise indicated, being to the Deed Records, Montgomery County, Texas, to which instruments reference may be made for a more complete description of each respective tract.) or, upon the written request of said defendants or their attorney, a sufficient portion of the property described above shall be sold to satisfy said judgment(s), interest, penalties, and cost; and any property sold shall be subject to the right of redemption of the defendants or any person having an interest therein, to redeem the said property, or their interest therein, within the time and in the manner provided by law, and shall be subject to any other and further rights to which the defendants or anyone interested therein may be entitled, under the provisions of law. Said sale to be made by me to satisfy the judgment(s) rendered in the above styled and numbered cause(s), together with interest, penalties, and costs of suit, and the proceeds of said sales to be applied to the satisfaction thereof, and the remainder, if any, to be applied as the law directs.

PURCHASERS OF TAX SALE PROPERTY MUST PRESENT TO THE CONSTABLE CONDUCTING THE SALE A WRITTEN STATEMENT ISSUED TO THE PURCHASER BY THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR STATING THAT THE PURCHASER OWES NO DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES TO THE COUNTY AND THAT THERE ARE NO KNOWN OR REPORTED DELINQUENT TAXES OWED BY THE PURCHASER TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CITY WITHIN THE COUNTY. STATE LAW FURTHER PROHIBITS THE CONSTABLE FROM DELIVERING A TAX DEED TO ANY PURCHASER WHO FAILS TO PRESENT TO THE OFFICER THE REQUIRED WRITTEN STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSORCOLLECTOR. TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE, PLEASE CONTACT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR'S OFFICE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE SALE. Dated at Conroe, Texas, January 25, 2021 Constable Philip Cash Montgomery County, Texas /s/ Stephen Closson Stephen Closson, Deputy Published Dates: February 10, 17, 24, 2021 Notes: The Minimum Bid is the lesser of the amount awarded in the judgment plus interest and costs or the adjudged value. However, the Minimum Bid for a person owning an interest in the property or for a person who is a party to the suit (other than a taxing unit), is the aggregate amount of the judgments against the property plus all costs of suit and sale. ALL SALES SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL TAXES DUE ON THE PROPERTY WHICH HAVE BEEN ASSESSED SINCE THE DATE OF THE JUDGMENT. For more information, contact your attorney or LINEBARGER GOGGAN BLAIR & SAMPSON, LLP., attorney for plaintiffs, at (936) 760-1410 Published dates; February 10, 17, 24, 2021

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

(any volume and page references, unless otherwise indicated, being to the Deed Records, Montgomery County, Texas, to which instruments reference may be made for a more complete description of each respective tract.) or, upon the written request of said defendants or their attorney, a sufficient portion of the property described above shall be sold to satisfy said judgment(s), interest, penalties, and cost; and any property sold shall be subject to the right of redemption of the defendants or any person having an interest therein, to redeem the said property, or their interest therein, within the time and in the manner provided by law, and shall be subject to any other and further rights to which the defendants or anyone interested therein may be entitled, under the provisions of law. Said sale to be made by me to satisfy the judgment(s) rendered in the above styled and numbered cause(s), together with interest, penalties, and costs of suit, and the proceeds of said sales to be applied to the satisfaction thereof, and the remainder, if any, to be applied as the law directs.

PURCHASERS OF TAX SALE PROPERTY MUST PRESENT TO THE CONSTABLE CONDUCTING THE SALE A WRITTEN STATEMENT ISSUED TO THE PURCHASER BY THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR STATING THAT THE PURCHASER OWES NO DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES TO THE COUNTY AND THAT THERE ARE NO KNOWN OR REPORTED DELINQUENT TAXES OWED BY THE PURCHASER TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CITY WITHIN THE COUNTY. STATE LAW FURTHER PROHIBITS THE CONSTABLE FROM DELIVERING A TAX DEED TO ANY PURCHASER WHO FAILS TO PRESENT TO THE OFFICER THE REQUIRED WRITTEN STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE COUNTY

Notice is hereby given that letters of guardianship for the estate of Gianna Madison Malone, an incapacitated person, were issued on January 7, 2021, in Cause No. 20-39807-G, pending in the County Court at Law #2 of Montgomery County, Texas, to Santina Daily, Guardian, as guardian of the estate. The residence of Guardian is in Montgomery County, Texas, and the mailing address is: Santina Guardian of the Estate of Gianna Madison Malone: c/o: Santina Daily 31302 Riley Woods Court Spring, Texas 77386 All persons having claims against this estate are required to present them within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.

DATED the 16th day of February, 2021. /s/ F. Matthew Flores F. Matthew Flores Law Office of Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams, & Aughtry Tel.: (210) 278-5815; Fax: (210) 253-8384 Email: matt.flores@chamberlainlaw.com Published Date: February 24, 2021

Contact Montgomery County News to Publish Legal Notices 936-449-6397

Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 2021, Montgomery County New, Page 7

www.montgomerycountynews.net

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STATE OF TEXAS MONTGOMERY COUNTY

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NOTICE OF SALE §

BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER OF SALE §

and issued pursuant to judgment decree(s) of the District Court ofMontgome1y County, Texas, by the Clerk of said Court on aid date, in the hereinafter numbered and styled suit(s) and to me directed and delivered as Sheriff or Constable of said County, I have on January 21, 2021, seized, levied upon, and will, on the first Tuesday in March, 2021, the same being the 2nd day of said month, at 501 N. Thompson, 4th Floor, Suite 402, Conroe, Texas, 77301, between the hours of 10 o'clock a.m. and 4 o'clock p.m. on said day, beginning at 10:00 AM, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder all the right, title, and interest of the defendants in such suit(s) in and to the following described real estate levied upon as the property of said defendants, the same lying and being situated in the County of Montgomery and the State of Texas, to-wit:

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE The following vehicles will be auctioned by the Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable Kenneth "Rowdy" Hayden at Zone 3 Impound located at 19600 Old Sandpit Rd New Caney TX 77357, 281-689-7705 on THURSDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2021. In accordance with the Texas Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act, Article #4477-9A.

NOTICE TO IMPLEMENT REVISED FIXED FUEL FACTOR Entergy Texas, Inc. hereby publishes NOTICE that, pursuant to Section 36.203 of the Public Utility Regulatory Act (codified in TEX. UTIL. CODE) and 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 25.235(b), it filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (the “Commission”) on February 19, 2021, a tariff to implement a revised fixed fuel factor. All of Entergy Texas' retail customers whose fuel charges are calculated under the Texas fixed fuel factor tariff – including but not limited to Residential, Small General Service, Large General Service, Large Industrial Power Service, and Street and Outdoor Lighting Service – will be affected by the Commission's approval of the revised fixed fuel factor. The revised fixed fuel factor, if approved, will affect only the fuel portion of the rates charged by Entergy Texas and will have no effect on non-fuel base rates.

Entergy Texas seeks Commission approval to revise the fixed fuel factor effective with the first billing cycle of the March 2021 billing month. Entergy Texas proposed that the fixed fuel factor be changed pursuant to a semi-annual filing to be made each February and August, with revised fuel factors to be effective with the first billing cycle of the March and September billing months, pursuant to a methodology that changes the fuel factor based upon changes in the published price of natural gas. This methodology was authorized for use in Docket No. 32915.

The revised fixed fuel factor, differentiated by voltage level, is as follows: (any volume and page references, unless otherwise indicated, being to the Deed Records, Montgome1y County, Texas, to which instruments reference may be made for a more complete description of each respective tract.) or, upon the written request of said defendants or their attorney, a sufficient portion of the property described above shall be sold to satisfy said judgment(s), interest, penalties, and cost; and any property sold shall be subject to the right of redemption of the defendants or any person having an interest therein, to redeem the said property, or their interest therein, within the time and in the manner provided by law, and shall be subject to any other and further rights to which the defendants or anyone interested therein may be entitled, under the provisions of law. Said sale to be The revised fuel factor would result in a decrease in Entergy Texas' made by me to satisfy the judgment(s) rendered in the above styled and numbered cause(s), annual Texas retail fuel and purchased power revenues by approximately $7.7 together with interest, penalties, and costs of suit, and the proceeds of said sales to be million, or 1.6% on an annual basis. Compared to the fixed fuel factor approved applied to the satisfaction thereof, and the remainder, if any, to be applied as the law directs. by the Commission effective August 2020, a residential customer using 1000 PURCHASERS OF TAX SALE PROPERTY MUST PRESENT TO THE CONSTABLE kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per month would see an approximate CONDUCTING THE SALE A WRITTEN STATEMENT ISSUED TO THE decrease of 1.38% annually, or $0.41 on average per month, on his/her electric PURCHASER BY THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR STATING THAT bill. The fixed fuel factor rate is designed to pass through to customers the THE PURCHASER OWES NO DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES TO THE COUNTY actual fuel costs incurred by Entergy Texas to serve customers. Entergy Texas AND THAT THERE ARE NO KNOWN OR REPORTED DELINQUENT TAXES is not allowed to make a profit on fuel costs. Amounts collected from affected OWED BY THE PURCHASER TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CITY WITHIN THE customers pursuant to the revised fixed fuel factor will be subject to final review COUNTY. STATE LAW FURTHER PROHIBITS THE CONST ABLE FROM by the Commission in Entergy Texas' next applicable fuel reconciliation DELIVERING A TAX DEED TO ANY PURCHASER WHO FAILS TO PRESENT TO proceeding before the Commission. Entergy Texas expects the revised fixed THE OFFICER THE REQUIRED WRITTEN STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE COUNTY fuel factor to be in effect for the billing period of March 2021 through August 2021.

TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR. Persons with questions or who want more information on this petition may TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE, PLEASE CONTACT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY contact Entergy Texas at Attn: Customer Service – Fuel Factor, 350 Pine Street, TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR'S OFFICE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE Beaumont, Texas 77701, or call [1-800-368-3749 (once you hear: “Welcome to SALE. Entergy” select option 1, then press 5, then press 7)] during normal business hours.

A complete copy of this petition is available for inspection at the address listed Dated at Conroe, Texas, January 21, 2021 above.

R. Gable The Commission has assigned Docket No. 51815 to this proceeding.

Constable Ryan Gable Persons who wish to formally participate in this proceeding, or who wish to express Montgomery County, Texas their comments concerning this petition should contact the Public Utility

By Bill Lang Commission of Texas, Office of Customer Protection, P.O. Box 13326, Austin, Deputy Texas 78711-3326, or call (512) 936-7120 or toll-free at (888) 782-8477. Hearing The Minimum Bid is the lesser of the amount awarded in the judgment plus interest and and speech-impaired individuals with text telephones (TTY) may call (512) 9367136 or use Relay Texas (toll-free) 1-800-735-2989. costs or the adjudged value.

However, the Minimum Bid for a person owning an interest in the property or for a person who is a party to the suit (other than a taxing unit), is the aggregate amount of the judgments ENTERGY TEXAS, INC. Published date: February 24, 2021 against the property plus all costs of suit and sale. ALL SALES SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL TAXES DUE ON THE PROPERTY WHICH HAVE BEEN ASSESSED SINCE THE TEXAS DATE OF THE JUDGMENT. For more information, contact your attorney or LINEBARGER GOGGAN BLAIR & SAMPSON, LLP., attorney for plaintiffs, at (936) Notice of Public Sale 760-1410 Published Dates: February 10, 17, 24, 2021 Notice is hereby given that Sentry Self Storage at 30690 Aldine Westfield Rd, Spring, Tx THE STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF MONTGOMERY

§ §

NOTICE OF EXECUTION SALE

77386 will sell the contents of the storage units listed below at a public auction to satisfy a landlord's lien (pursuant to Chapter 59 of the Texas Statutes – Property Code). The sale will take place at the website StorageTreasures.com on 3/17/2021 at 12:30 pm. The sale will be conducted under the guidance of Christopher Rosa (#16850) on behalf of the facility's management. Units may be available for viewing prior to the sale at StorageTreasures.com.

Contents will be sold for cash only to the highest bidder. A 10% buyer's premium will be charged as well as a $50 cleaning deposit per unit. All sales are final. Seller reserves the right to withdraw the property at any time before the sale or to refuse any bids. The property to be sold is described as “general household items” unless otherwise noted. Property includes the storage unit contents belonging to the following tenants: Francisco Ramirez – Household Goods/Tools.

Published Dates; February 24, and March 3, 2021

By virtue of a Order Of Sale issued out of the Honorable 410th Judicial District Court, Montgomery County, Texas, on a Judgment rendered on the 3 day of October, 2018, ,in the case of Amerihome Mortgage Company LLC., Plaintiff, vs. Ayana Robinson And John F. Paul In His Capacity Only As Sole Trustee Of The Betty Whitlock Trust Uta October 14, 1997 For The Benefit Of Derrick Whitlock And In His Capacity As Personal Representative Of The Estate Of Betty Whitlock For (1) $201,407.81 As Of March 26, 2018 Principal Sum (2) $0.00 Attorney Fees (3) Interest At The Rate Of 4.6250 % Per Annum From March 26, 2018, Until The Date Of NOTICE TO CREDITORS The Judgment, Together With Interest From The Date Of This Judgment Interest At the Rate Of 4.6250 % Per Annum (4) $410.00 Court Cost (5) $0.00 Judgment Credit, Defendant, Cause No. Notice is hereby given that original Letters Testamentary for the Estate of Lessie Brown 17-08-09645-CV in said court, judgment being in favor of Amerihome Mortgage Company LLC., Plaintiff as against Defendant, I did on the 4 day of January 2021, at 10:55 o'clock a.m., Carter, Deceased, were issued on January 28, 2021, under Docket No. 20-40417-P, pending in the County Court at Law 2 of Montgomery County, Texas, to: levy upon the following-described property of Defendant: Karen Yvonne Carlyle Lot 45, Gleneagles, Section 3, An Addition In Montgomery County, Texas, According To The Claims may be presented in care of the attorney for the estate, addressed as follows: Representative, Map Or Plat Recorded In Cabinet "B", Sheet 89A, Map Records Of Montgomery County, Texas, Estate of Lessie Brown Carter, Deceased And Being The Property Commonly Known As 17247 Glen Oaks Dr., Conroe, TX. 77385 ; and c/o: PATRICK M. DOOLEY on 2 day of March, 2021, between the hours of 10:00 o'clock a.m. and 4:00 o'clock p.m., at the The Dooley Firm Montgomery County Courthouse located at 501 N. Thompson Suite 402, Conroe, Texas 77301, I 414 W. Main St. will offer for sale and will sell at public auction, for cash, all the rights, title and interest of Ayana Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 Robinson And John F. Paul In His Capacity Only As Sole Trustee Of The Betty Whitlock Trust All persons having claims against this estate, which is currently being administered, are Uta October 14, 1997 For The Benefit Of Derrick Whitlock And In His Capacity As Personal required to present them within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.

Representative Of The Estate Of Betty Whitlock, Defendant in and to said property.

DATED the 19th day of February, 2021.

DATED at 1520 Lake Front Circle Suite 200, The Woodlands, Texas, this the 4 day of January, /s/ Patrick M. Dooley 2021.

PATRICK M. DOOLEY, Attorney Published Date: February 24, 2021. /s/ Bill Lang Deputy William Lang CLASSIFIED ADS Ryan Gable – Constable Pct. 3 1520 Lake Front Circle, Suite 200 $10 PER WEEK: The Woodlands, TX 77380 CALL 936-449-6397 281-364-4211 OR ONLINE Published Dates: February 10, 17, 24, 2021 www.montgomerycountynews.net

Page 8, Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Montgomery County New

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Notice is hereby given that original Letters Testamentary for the Estate of Verda Mae Caldwell Deceased, were issued on January 28th, 2021, in Cause No. 20-40376-P, pending in the County Court at Law No. TWO, Montgomery County, Texas, to: James Caldwell.

All persons having claims against this Estate which is currently being administered are required to present them to the undersigned within the time and in the manner prescribed by law. c/o: Kevin A. Forsberg Attorney at Law 15899 Highway 105 West Montgomery, TX 77356 DATED the 21st of February 2021 /s/ KEVIN A FORSBERG Attorney for James Caldwell State Bar No.: 24009204 15899 Highway 105 West Montgomery, TX 77356 Telephone: (936) 588-6226 Facsimile: (936) 588-6229 E-mail: kevin@forsberglaw.net Published Date: February 24, 2021

Notice is hereby given that original Letters of Testamentary for the Estate of Gail Howell, Deceased, were issued on January 28, 2021, in Cause No. 20-40200-P, pending in the County Court at Law No. Two, Montgomery County, Texas, to: Cathy J. Nielsen.

All persons having claims against this Estate which is currently being administered are required to present them to the undersigned within the time and in the manner prescribed by law. c/o: Sherry D. Tavel Attorney at Law 316 E. Main Humble, Texas 77338

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Notice is hereby given that original Letters of Testamentary for the Estate of Raelyn Keith Renfro, Deceased, were issued on February 12, 2021, in Cause No. 21-40560-P, pending in the County Court at Law No. Two, Montgomery County, Texas, to: Chrysanthi L. Haugen.

All persons having claims against this Estate which is currently being administered are required to present them to the undersigned within the time and in the manner prescribed by law. c/o: Sherry D. Tavel Attorney at Law 316 E. Main Humble, Texas 77338 DATED the 13th day of February, 2021 /s/ Sherry D. Tavel Sherry D. Tavel Attorney for Chrysanthi L. Haugen State Bar No.: 19681250 316 E. Main Humble, Texas 77338 Tel: (346) 831-7020 Fax: (866) 454-7124 E-mail: tavellaw@yahoo.com Published Date: February 24, 2021

DATED the 13th day of February, 2021. /s/ Sherry D. Tavel Sherry D. Tavel Attorney for Cathy Nielsen State Bar No.: 19681250 316 E. Main Humble, Texas 77338 Tel: (346) 831-7020 Fax: (866) 454-7124 E-mail: tavellaw@yahoo.com Published Date: February 24, 2021

Legal advertisers please allow 7 days for the Publisher’s Affidavit to be E-Filed or returned to your office.

Thank you, Montgomery County News

Governor Abbott Gives Update On State Efforts To Provide Water, Resources Across Texas AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott today held a press conference in San Antonio where he provided an update on the state's efforts to provide water and other resources to Texans across the state. The Governor's press conference was held at Port San Antonio, where members of the National Guard are currently unloading water and other resources to distribute to communities in Texas.

The Governor noted that power and water are continuing to be restored throughout Texas and that multiple state agencies are working together to ensure communities have access to water, food, and other resources as communities begin to recover from the severe winter storm.

"We are making great progress in our recovery efforts from this winter storm, but many Texans are still without water, food, and other supplies — which is why the state is stepping up make sure Texans have the resources they need to provide for their families," said Governor Abbott. "I thank our local, state, and federal

partners for working together to address the needs of Texans and expedite our recovery process. I also want to thank our utility workers for providing crucial services to Texans who have experienced power outages and burst pipes.

Together, we will continue to overcome this challenge."

The state has deployed trucks and aircraft to deliver water to communities, including 162 truck delivers that have delivered a total of 2 million bottles of water and 1.4 million bottles of water that have been delivered by plane and helicopter. State agencies are working with local officials to set up staging sites for distribution. The state has also suspended size, weight, hours-of-service requirements, and more to get more commercial trucks on the road to deliver supplies across the state. Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), blankets, and generators have been provided to communities in need. In addition, the Governor has waived regulations to allow the use of unlicensed

kitchens to prepare meals to donate to Texans so long as they abide by guidance issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Governor Abbott also mentioned that he is

working with members of the legislature to address skyrocketing energy bills that resulted from a temporary spike in the energy market. He said that they are working quickly to calculate the total cost of

these bills and find ways that the state can help reduce this burden. The Governor stated that the Public Utility Commission has issued a moratorium on customer disconnections for non-payment and will

temporarily restrict providers from issuing invoices. This pause will ensure that the state has time to address these bills and develop a solution for Texans.

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Montgomery County News, Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Page 9

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Community Winter Storm Leaves Empty Texas Grocery Shelves – Again!

Texas A&M AgriLife economist: It’s different this time, stores begin restocking FEBRUARY 22, 2021 Written by Kay L e d b e t t e r, 8 0 6 - 5 4 7 0002, skledbetter@ag.tam u.edu The shelves of Texas grocery stores are seriously picked over, if not empty, for the second time in less than a year, said a T e x a s A & M AgriLife expert. But winter storm-related supply chain shortages are different than those consumers experienced during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s a matter of supply and demand, said David Anderson, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Service economist, BryanCollege Station.

“This is not another COVID situation from last March,” Anderson said.

“This is a really harsh winter storm. Of course, the effects have been exacerbated by the electric grid and water problems.”

He explained that snow and ice storms, as well as other weather events, can and do cause food production problems, some shortand some long-term.

Many AgriLife Extension agents and specialists as well as other government officials are assessing damages this week and turning those

Dairy supplies were not able to make it from the processing plants to the stores, in spite of steady milk production every day during the storm. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Sam Craft)

reports in for a state assessment of expected losses and economic impacts. Some impacts can be seen immediately, while others, especially on crops subjected to freezing temperatures for extended periods, need some time to materialize once the snow and ice have melted away.

“If a cattle packing plant is shut down, then beef production will be lower one week but back up the next,” he said.

“A ls o, thes e w eather events may destroy crops like vegetables or fruit. If they do, then we’ll have tighter supplies and higher prices until the next production can occur either from another region of the world or part of the U.S. If the storm killed a lot of chickens, then we might have lower production for a few months and higher prices.”

So, while this is a transportation and supply chain issue again, it is one that will be mostly short in nature. What occurred last week and through the weekend in the stores is the result of pretty understandable occurrences, Anderson said.

“We aren’t used to seeing the shelves empty

because almost all the time the trucks run normally and restocking gets done,” he said. “So, it’s a surprise when it happens.”

But, he said, with a little time to resupply shelves, things will be back to normal.

Overall food production not the problem “It is not a food production problem. We produce plenty of food. But it’s not stored at the grocery store,” Anderson said.

“In extreme events like this people go to the store and buy a lot of stuff to get through the event,” he said. “Then, during the event, the trucks to resupply the shelves can’t get through, so there is nothing there. And all the folks working to refill the shelves were also affected by the storm — their homes faced the same problem, they have trouble getting to work, and the trucks can’t move until the storm passes.”

Anderson said, however, this situation was a consumer issue as well – one learned during the COVID-19 pandemic early stages. In addition to overcoming the urge to overbuy on some items, consumers had to learn to

Long grocery story shelves were bare after the winter storm halted much transportation. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Sam Craft)

be flexible in their choices until things returned to normal.

“I can’t help but think there is some demand side to this too,” he said. “All of us consumers rush out to buy stuff, overwhelming the system. That’s fine.

You need to get stocked up for not being able to go out.

But I think also we could probably all use some flexibility. We expect the shelves to be full no matter what. We expect to be able to get whatever we want, whenever we want it, regardless of season. I think some flexibility, planning and patience would help us all.”

Anderson said he

knows that is often easier said than done for those who are in need. This terrible winter storm hit when there are still those in need due to the economic effects of COVID-19 – those who are out of work and this hardship has made it even worse.

“So, I am not saying that we, as consumers, need to stop buying,” he said. “We need to get what we need to get, but some understanding of how our food system gets from the farm to your house helps a lot. I think it’s another reminder of how this all works.”

Lone Star College-houston North Helps Feed Community During Pandemic HOUSTON (Feb. 23, 2 0 2 1 ) – M a n y Houstonians continue to face food insecurity. Lone Star College-Houston North is hosting a series of food drives to help families put food and promise on the table this spring and help address this urgent need.

“Lone Star CollegeHouston North is committed to assisting this underserved area of Houston,” said Quentin Wright, Ed.D., LSCHouston North president.

“This effort is part of our mission to provide hope and support to our community.”

The food drives will be held in partnership with the Houston Foodbank and Aldine-Greenspoint YWCA Feb. 25, March 11, March 25, April 8, April 22, May 13, May 22, July 10 and July 24 beginning at 11 a.m. at LSC-Houston North Greenspoint.

The Houston Food Bank reports more than 1 million people in southe a s t Te x a s a r e f o o d insecure, meaning they cannot afford enough

nutritious food to fuel a regularly healthy lifestyle.

“Lone Star CollegeHouston North has already helped more than 500 families earlier this month to support them through these difficult times,” said Wright. “We feel blessed to be in a position to assist our neighbors.”

This spring, LSCHouston North, Lone Star College’s newest college, welcomed more than 2,626 students including 100 first time in college students and 659 dual credit students. Visit LoneStar.edu/Houston North to learn how LSC can help you succeed.

Lone Star College offers high-quality, lowcost academic transfer and career training education to 93,000+ students each semester.

LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of

LSC-Houston North 2021 Food Drive. Lone Star College-Houston North will be conducting a series of food drives this spring to help families struggling with the pandemic. LSC-Houston North assisted more than 500 families at a similar event earlier this month.

higher education in the of nearly $3 billion. Lone centers, eight Workforce College and LSC-Online.

Houston area with an Star College consists of Centers of Excellence, To l e a r n m o r e , v i s i t annual economic impact seven colleges, eight Lone Star Corporate LoneStar.edu.

9th Annual Virtual Job Fair Looking for quality employers? Join us for the 9th Annual Job Fair March 30. This year the event is going virtual, but will be the same quality event! * This year the cost for the virtual booth is $100. * Once you have registered, a link as well as directions on how to set up your booth will be

sent. * We will have an orientation the week of on how to set up your booth as well.

To purchase a booth, click HERE or download the form.

The event is FREE for Job Seekers, but you MUST register this year.

Click HERE to register.

This event is hosted by the Conroe/Lake

Conroe Chamber, Conroe Economic Development Council, Lone Star College and Workforce Solutions.

Money raised goes to scholarships.

If you have questions, please contact Courtney Galle, director of special e v e n t s , a t courtneyg@conroe.org or 936-538-7111.

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Page 10, Montgomery County News, Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Community 8 Year Old Gifts Montgomery County Animal Shelter Animals Ahead of the Winter Storm In Lieu of Gifts a Boy Requests Donations for MCAS T h e Wo o d l a n d s , Texas— February 22, 2021 — On Saturday, February 13th, Blaze Burke celebrated his 8th birthday and instead of handing his parents a list of gifts, he requested donations for the Montgomery County Animal Shelter. His love for animals started at a young age being raised with dogs all around him and being able to vacation up to North Texas to visit his grandparents on their ranch. From cows, to goats to chickens and even a donkey, his love for animals became apparent

through the years. Now on his birthday, he never realized how much his request for donations would impact these animals at the shelter.

Upon drop off on February 14th, the winter storm was at Texas’ heels and no one knew the impact it would have on let alone the state, or Montgomery County.

For this little boy, it was just a sweet gesture but for the animals & staff at MCAS… it would be just the help they needed to pull through the winter storm.

“His birthday falls a little after Christmas so

each year it’s a struggle to get a list together when he’s already gotten most of everything,” says Leana, Blaze’s mom, “so when he wanted to do donations in lieu of gifts, it was such a proud parent moment.

Then he chose the animal shelter and didn’t even shock us, his love for animals has always been big… plus both of our dogs are rescues.” As far as the timing for his donations, “You know we didn’t know how bad the winter storm would be and honestly, we all thought it wouldn’t even snow. But when we

dropped off the donations, the temperatures had already fallen so we knew it was going to be a little worse than we thought.

We’re just happy that we were able to drop it all off ahead of the storm so they had food to supply them at least for a couple of days while we were all snowed in. We prayed heavily that night over the animals, the volunteers and our community.” “We’re both very proud of our Blaze, thankful to all his loved ones who helped us exceed his goal and hope his gesture helps motivate

others to extend a helping hand to the animal shelter.”

MCAS Assistant Director, Mark Wysocki commented “Blaze’s kindness warmed our hearts during this oncein-a-lifetime (hopefully) cold weather”. MCAS Volunteer Coordinator, Jill Becker also applauded B l a z e ’s g e s t u r e a n d thanked him in a kind post

to MCASaves Facebook page.

For more information on how to help or donate: V i s i t www.mcaspets.org/ Or Contact: Jill Becker M C A S Vo l u n t e e r Coordinator jill.becker@mctx.org 281-364-4845

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