Gas prices drop significantly in area

Love it while it lasts.
Amid concern about a gloomy economy, beleaguered area residents were brightened by a dramatic drop in fuel prices Tuesday.
The cost in Hannibal for a gallon of regular unleaded went from $3.09 to $2.99, the first drop below $3 since January.
Prices were similar in other area communities, and no one was complaining.
“It’s nice to get a break,” said Elizabeth Golian of Hannibal. “That gas eats you up.”
“It changes the fill-up by $10 to $15 a tank,” said Zeb Smeltser of Hannibal.
“It will put more money in my pocket,” said Darryl Herren of Hannibal.
Allison Givens works at Hannibal Regional Hospital and has a 60-mile round-trip commute daily from Bowling Green.
“I filled up my tank as soon as I saw it,” Givens said of the price drop.
Vonda Berti also commutes daily from Shelbina to her job at Hannibal Regional Medical Group.
“It’ll make my paycheck go farther,” Berti said. “It’s better all the way around.”
Other drivers were planning what to do with the savings.
“It will help me go places and keep money to spend on Christmas presents,” said Bobby Waters of Hannibal.
“I can afford it now,” said Elizabeth Fugate of Hannibal. “I was borrowing money from my mom to get to work.”
Brandy Godert’s husband is a contractor who drives a lot in his job. “It’s good for everybody,” Godert said.
The price of diesel fuel also has dropped a bit, which is good news for business owners such as Kenny Silvey of Silvey’s Trucking Service in Hannibal.
“Every little bit helps,” Silvey said. “You’re not looking at that much money yet. If it drops another 50 cents or so, it means more profit and you can cut your prices back so that the people you’re hauling for don’t pay as much.”
Prices for unleaded ranged from $2.93 at Casey’s in LaGrange to $3.29 at the Trading Center in Eolia, but a spokeswoman there said the price was expected to drop Tuesday night.
On Monday, many Hannibal stations were charging $3.29 a gallon. By noon Tuesday, the price was at $3.09 and within a few hours had reached $2.99.
Hannibal first experienced $3 per gallon gas in May 2007. The price had dropped a bit by January 2008, but jumped dramatically between May and July.
The $2.99 price also was reported Tuesday at Ayerco in Shelbina, Abel’s in Bowling Green, and Buckman’s Convenience Store in Monroe City.
Costs are higher in Illinois because of different tax rates. The Jiffi Stop on State Street in Quincy had a per-gallon price Tuesday of $3.29 and the Tee Pee Mini Mart in Pittsfield was selling a gallon for $3.42.
The average price nationally was $3.45, a drop of 11 percent since July. The reason is shrinking demand due to fears about the economy, analysts said.
Oil prices Tuesday were near $89 a barrel, a slight rebound from earlier. However, analysts said the price at the pump could drop a little bit more, which is fine with Golian.
“If it just stays down, everybody will be happy,” she said.