By BOB BENNETT
PLATTSBURGH — Carl Katchun had planned to go to a hockey game but decided to stay home and catch it on the radio instead.
A recent spike in gas prices has the 63-year-old, who drives back and forth between Plattsburgh and Wilmington every day, cutting back on some of his recreational activities.
"When the price goes up, that's money out of my pocket," he said while fueling up at Highway Oil on Bridge Street in Plattsburgh, where regular unleaded gas was going for $2.95 per gallon.
Average prices in New York have risen 4.5 cents per gallon since the beginning of the month, according to the Web site NewYorkStateGasPrices.com. The average price statewide as of March 1 was $2.89.
The national average for gas prices increased 4.7 cents per gallon to $2.74.
Including the change in gas prices in New York since the beginning of the month, prices are 82.5 cents per gallon higher than last year at this time and are 3.9 cents higher than a month ago.
The national average has increased 9.7 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 80.8 cents per gallon higher than last year.
As is usually the case, people in the North Country were paying more than the state and national average for gasoline.
