Locals feeling recent spike in gas prices

Local News

AROUND THE NORTH COUNTRY

The Press-Republican conducts an occasional gas-price survey. Here is a sampling of the price of regular unleaded gas around the area as of April 19. The second number is from Feb. 27.

Betty Beaver Truck Stop, Lewis $3.99 $3.65.

Cadyville Gulf, Cadyville $4.04 $3.57.

Chase's Service Station, Lyon Mountain $4.03 $3.63.

Dubrey's Service Station, Plattsburgh $4.05 $3.69.

Nice N Easy, Tupper Lake $4.09 $3.65.

Kanienkehaka Fuels, Hogansburg $3.89 $3.57.

Mountain Mart, Malone $4.07 $3.67.

Port Henry Mobil, Port Henry $4.05 $3.61.

Westport Mobil, Westport $4.19 $3.79.

WW Carwash Inc., Plattsburgh $4.07/$4.02 $3.65.

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April 24, 2011

BOB BENNETT Press-Republican The Press Republican Sun Apr 24, 2011, 03:28 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — When Bethany Blair returned from a vacation in South Carolina recently, she was shocked to see that gasoline had topped $4 a gallon here.

Now the Morrisonville woman is filling her tank less frequently and trying to drive less, but there is little else she can do, she said as she filled her tank at station on Route 3 in Plattsburgh.

"You kind of have to have gas. I can't walk to work from where I live."

People all over the North Country are feeling her pain as they struggle to cut back on other expenses to offset the cost.

On Tuesday, a survey of prices at several stations in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties showed that gas prices had shot up 11 percent since February.

The price for regular gasoline at 10 gas stations surveyed around the area averaged $4.04, compared with the average price of $3.65 in February.

PRICES COMPARED

According to NewYorkStateGasPrices.com, a gasoline price-tracking web site, statewide prices have risen 6.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $4 a gallon Sunday.

That compares with a national average that has increased 3.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.80 per gallon, according to the web site.

Including the change in gas prices in New York during the past week, prices Sunday were $1.03 a gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 27.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.

The national average has increased 27.4 cents per gallon during the last month and, as of Tuesday, stood 93.5 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

Other prices as of Tuesday included $3.99 at County Store Inc. in Willsboro and Jay's Sunoco and Ti Mobile Mart in Ticonderoga and $4.09 at Route 11 Truck Stop in Champlain.

COMBINED TRIPS

Richard Lazorchak, 64, of Plattsburgh described the effects in one word: "significant."

He has been forced to cut back on entertainment and visits to restaurants, he said as he filled up his car at Buck's on Route 22 in Plattsburgh.

Phyllis Ezero, 59, of Plattsburgh is just trying to make all her trips count. She tries to go to the post office right after the grocery store, rather than going back out later in the day.

"I also find it easier to not let the tank get low," she said, pumping gas at the Sunoco on Margaret Street in Plattsburgh. "I get smaller amounts more often."

Ezero said she can't wait until the farmers markets open so she can save money by buying locally grown foods.

WANT TO KNOW WHY

But most of those surveyed simply wanted to know the reasons for the steady spike in gas prices and what could be done about it.

Many of them said they have listened to a range of disagreement from commentators over the years, and they want to know where the truth lies.

"Is it a deal with Saudi Arabia?" Lazorchak wondered aloud. "Or would offshore drilling drive prices down?"

If that's true, and environmental concerns are all that stand in the way, Lazorchak thinks safety issues can be solved.

He mentioned the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded a year ago Wednesday and killed 11 workers, leaking millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

A cheap valve caused that tragedy, he said, but most of the drilling rigs don't leak.

"If these companies do the right things, that can be overcome."