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Gas in Missouri near $2

By The Associated Press

Jefferson City drivers still paying $2.25, but prices elsewhere dip as low as $2.04 making state cheapest in nation

Published: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 1:45 PM CDT
Gasoline prices, on a wild ride over the past year-and-a-half, are back down again, inching toward $2 a gallon in Missouri, the state with the nation's cheapest prices at the pump.

The AAA Auto Club's daily online Fuel Gauge Report on Tuesday showed the average price nationally for a gallon of regular unleaded at $2.49.

Missourians were paying nowhere near that much. The Missouri average was $2.19 per gallon.

As usual, Jefferson City gasoline was considerably higher at $2.25. But that was lower that the Branson area, which topped the state at $2.33.

In the St. Louis area, $2.07 was a common price for regular unleaded. Kansas City was at about $2.17.

Prices were even lower in some smaller communities. One station in Peculiar was charging $2.04 for regular unleaded.

In the southwest Missouri town of Neosho, most stations were selling regular unleaded at $2.06 per gallon. Susan Gajdos, manager of the Murphy USA station there, said customers are used to low gas prices.

"When they go up they complain, but when they go down, they don't say anything," she said. "It's been in the $2 range for quite a while now. I have no idea why."

Experts expect the downward trend to continue.

"We're through the peak gasoline driving season in the summer," said Steven Schork, editor of the Villanova, Pa.-based industry newsletter The Schork Report. "Crude oil prices are now $10 per barrel lower than the peak over the summer.

"We could certainly see further weakness within the next one to two months and in some spots, see prices below $2, especially if we don't see the rebound in crude oil."

Gasoline prices spiked to a record $4.11 for the national average in July 2008, then dropped dramatically. By January, the national average was around $1.70, and the typical price in Missouri was nearly 30 cents below that.

The average price in Missouri dropped 5 cents over the past week and 18 cents over the past month. A year ago, the typical price in Missouri was $3.39 per gallon.

Mike Right of AAA Auto Club of Missouri said the Show-Me State is always among the least expensive states for gasoline for three reasons: low gas taxes, a strong system of pipelines making for easy delivery, and a strong competitive situation in most communities.

"I think in the near term at least (the decline) should last," Right said. "We should see a continuing decrease given the level of inventories we have both in terms of crude oil and gasoline."



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Thanks.

boscoe wrote on Oct 9, 2009 5:23 PM:

" Gas prices probably went up because the US declared war on the moon and started bombing it. "

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granny6 wrote on Oct 8, 2009 10:48 PM:

" Gas in KCMO was $2.07 Tuesday morning. By that evening it was $2.19 and today it jumped to $2.29. Now how can they justify that big of a jump? "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 8, 2009 9:21 PM:

" Nope. No answer for you! "

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HAPPY wrote on Oct 8, 2009 3:17 PM:

" Yeah, I didn't figure you had an answer for me!

And I find it funny you are now complaining about me complaining. lol. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 8, 2009 2:47 PM:

" Sorry, but Happy can just sit and stew. I do not owe him an answer to his question, especially since I don't understand what he hopes to accomplish by complaining about people who post comments in the comment section.

I think Happy may have strayed off topic and got a little too personal with his posting.

Hey, gas is $2.16 in Candenton and Rolla, but selling for $2.29 at the same brands in Jefferson City! "

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@da'lake wrote on Oct 8, 2009 1:21 PM:

" Careful boscoe or happy will start on you next. I mean seriously, what are you hoping to change by commenting....and in the "comment" secion no less. LOL!! "

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Boscoe wrote on Oct 7, 2009 4:13 PM:

" Gas is $2.02 in St Louis today, but still $2.26 in Jefferson City. Guess that special EPA formulation "clean gas" in St. Louis isn't as expensive as they say.

Glad they caught the dishonest employee at Gas Plus. I hope the company has improved its hiring and management practices so it never happens again. "

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jcgirl5 wrote on Oct 7, 2009 4:10 PM:

" Boscoe - Gas Plus did have a problem at their station a few years back. An employee was stealing gasoline and then dispensing water into the tank so it wouldn't be noticed. So in reality, yes there was a problem at the station, but it was a problem with an employee and not anything to do with a leak in lines or the tank. "

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NT webmaster wrote on Oct 7, 2009 3:55 PM:

" Yeah... let's stop the personal sniping. Thanks. "

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happy wrote on Oct 7, 2009 3:55 PM:

" I am not trying to make anything better, your the one who thinks you can do that. Just trying to understand how sitting on a news paper board making post about how unfair things are is going to change anything.

And you never answered my question, how is posting on here changing anything? I don't think I am the one that needs a clue. "

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@da'lake wrote on Oct 7, 2009 3:24 PM:

" Happy - How are YOU making anything better by telling us to quit complaining. Coming to a comment board and complaining about our comments is like going to a mud run and complaining your truck gets dirty. Seriously, get a clue...... "

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HAPPY wrote on Oct 7, 2009 2:36 PM:

" And Boscoe I never once said everything is wonderful and the best they could be because they are not by any means. And Boscoe how in the world are YOU working to make anything better, because all I have seen or heard you do is sit on the computer and complain and make fun of people who would rather live what life they have left rather then sit and complain about gas being .20 cents higher in one city then it is in another! "

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HAPPY wrote on Oct 7, 2009 2:31 PM:

" @da'lake how in the world is going to the news tribune website complaining "standing up for what you believe in", if you really want to do something about it then get off your computer and GO do something your not changing anything complaining in here, I just thank God that we are not paying $4 like we were a year or so ago that is all I am saying. Gas could get down to .50 cents a gallon but if it is .51 cents here in Jeff people will complain about it, it's just crazy! Life is to short to worry and complain about stuff like this, if you had a real "problem" to worry about then you would realize how silly everyone-sounds-in-here. "

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Boscoe wrote on Oct 7, 2009 12:51 PM:

" Baaaaaah! Baaaaaaaaaaaaah!

The Sheople are Happy!

Everything is wonderful and the best it can be!

Do not work to make it any better!

Instead of feeling angry over the wrongs, you should feel guilty for being such a dreamer!

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! "

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@da'lake wrote on Oct 7, 2009 12:33 PM:

" Deal with it and be happy. Is that anything like "if you don't like it move"?

Do you just "deal with it and be happy" every time you are faced with something you don't like because standing up for what you believe in is just too difficult? If so, talk to Mac, liberals are looking to recruit more people like you. "

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@da'lake wrote on Oct 7, 2009 12:30 PM:

" I agree bsnoltth, just trying to stir the pot a little! LOL!! "

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Mac1974 wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:52 AM:

" I am somewhat disappointed that gas prices have dropped so much. The increase in price was actually forcing some folks to conserve.

I still fully support a $5.00 tax added to each gallon of gasoline sold. Much like the new trash service in Jefferson City, some folks just will not learn; therefore, it is necessary to force them. "

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Bsnoltth wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:42 AM:

" That's true Boscoe at this time, it's hard to believe unemployment % has doubled in the last year. "

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Bsnoltth wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:41 AM:

" @da'lake wrote
"For the most part, we have right to free speech (althought it's not as free as it used to be). Does that mean we shouldn't complain about things our govt. does simply because we have it better than some other nations? ....scratching my head here......."

Oh no no, I'm not saying that at all. I fully believe in complaining about the government rather than just going with what they say or do. I'm no conspiracy nut, but they do have their agenda, and if we don't complain they certainly won't work for us.

I wasn't meaning be happy we don't have their prices, just pointing out that it's amazing our prices have stayed as low as they have. "

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happy wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:37 AM:

" You people act like this is the only place that this happen I was just in another state last week one town I went to the gas was $2.69 I went not even twenty miles and gas was $2.26 now that is a huge jump..it happens, no one can stop it so just deal with it and be happy our gas isn't $4 a gallon anymore. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:30 AM:

" Da-Lake, you are supposed to feel guilty and appologize for being an American now. "

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boomer wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:30 AM:

" Well If I was in charge of all of the state fleets based in JC, I'd order all vehicles to be refiled on the way back to JC at around 20 miles from here, and over all avoid buying gas here. I bet you'd be surprised how many gallons of fuel the State uses every day that is bought here. The everyday person is a drop in the bucket, so even if we boycotted the local stations for a few weeks, they wouldn't notice it. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:29 AM:

" Ha! A lot of folks wish they had 40-hour week jobs! Many regularly work 60-80 hours.

I"ve always thought this country could do a little better job of balancing the work to give everyone 40 hours a week and keep most everyone employed, instead of some having 60-80 hour a week jobs and others having no jobs or just a part-time job. However, I don"t know how to do it easily without getting the government involved and making us more socialistic. "

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@da'lake wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:21 AM:

" Bsnoltth wrote on Oct 6, 2009 4:55 PM:

" Our allied countries can pay upwards of $6+ a gallon. So we actually have it pretty good. "

For the most part, we have right to free speech (althought it's not as free as it used to be). Does that mean we shouldn't complain about things our govt. does simply because we have it better than some other nations? ....scratching my head here....... "

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@da'lake wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:20 AM:

" There is almost always a 5 - 10 cent per gallon difference between the Casey's in Tipton and those in California & Versailles....and they are ALL serviced by the exact same Casey's delivery route,. So all their BS about supply, demand, and delivery differences go right out the window. Their price is based simply on what they can get away with charging that people will pay. "

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kcjc03 wrote on Oct 7, 2009 11:06 AM:

" It's $2.05 in Warrensburg, MO. which is only 90 miles away. "

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Bsnoltth wrote on Oct 7, 2009 8:22 AM:

" boscoe wrote
"Yeah, and they get six weeks of paid vacation in the summer. So what?"

What good is that if it costs them three times as much to go anywhere? =)

They also don't typically work a 40 hour work week like we do, if I remember right. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 7, 2009 7:52 AM:

" " Our allied countries can pay upwards of $6+ a gallon. So we actually have it pretty good. "


Yeah, and they get six weeks of paid vacation in the summer. So what? "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 6, 2009 9:58 PM:

" Gasoline in Jefferson City is still 6 cents a gallon higher than Ashland.

No word from our "city leaders" on any plans to investigate. Guess they are probably getting some benefit from the rest of us paying more for our gas.

Ethanol is very hard on 2-cycle engines like chainsaws, weedeaters, etc.

More TRUTH on ethanol (great reading!):
http://tinyurl.com/y859vpy "

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Bsnoltth wrote on Oct 6, 2009 4:55 PM:

" Our allied countries can pay upwards of $6+ a gallon. So we actually have it pretty good. "

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happy wrote on Oct 6, 2009 1:30 PM:

" Really, people are complaining that gas is $2.25???? WOW. "

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2206 wrote on Oct 6, 2009 12:20 PM:

" I do not use ethanol if I can avoid it. Premium fuel at some stations does not contain ethanol and I seek those stations out and pay more for it. I have had mechanical problems with my boat motor and lawn equipt all related to the use of ethanol. I also get 3 to 5 miles per gallon better milage in my cars, not using ethanol. I have spoken to our local lawmakers who tell me they are planning to possibly get rid of the ethanol mandate in Missouri. and require stations to label their fuel as to whether it contaiins ethanol or not so the consumers know what they're buying. I encourage everyone to contact your representatives. "

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sandhouse wrote on Oct 6, 2009 12:00 PM:

" The price of paradise??

LOLOL "

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Deputydog wrote on Oct 6, 2009 11:45 AM:

" It has long been rumored that the three local major suppliers of petro in Jefferson City get together and fix the prices. The problem is were stuck with these littel rinky dink regional suppliers and our prices are higher due to that fact. I went to St. Louis for the baseball game last Sunday and the majority of St. Louis stations were 2.06-2.08. Looks like Jefferson City has a higher cost of living than St. Louis! "

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Travelin_Rose wrote on Oct 6, 2009 8:58 AM:

" Why is gas always 20 cents more a gallon in Jefferson City than Sedalia? Anytime I can buy a tank in Sedalia, I do it. Even California and Tipton are cheaper but Sedalia is the cheapest always. Don't the Kolbs have enough money already? "

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happyheart wrote on Oct 5, 2009 8:43 PM:

" Go to California....its usually doesn't go down until a day or 2 after JC, then drive on to Tipton and it is usually cheaper....and it all comes out of the same truck! "

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justaguy wrote on Oct 5, 2009 7:14 PM:

" They charge it because we pay it. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 3, 2009 9:53 PM:

" Didn't gas Plus get busted a while back for watering down the gas, which is very easy to do when the gas has ethanol in it?

I only put TopTier gas in my vehicles. We have several stations that sell it around here:
http://www.toptiergas.com/ "

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workingdad wrote on Oct 3, 2009 9:16 AM:

" I still think there is a connection with the pipeline and a local distributor that sets the wholesale price.

But then again, if we are used to paying more, why cut prices? I say we use Gas Plus on McCarty, so what if we have to pay cash, we save money. It comes from the same pipeline as Break Time, Casey's, BP. I live next to the darn thing, and see all the different company's buying gas, then delivering to the their stations. So you can't tell me they are charged less. Gas Plus may have less overhead, but so what, are you buying an experience or gas? "

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workingdad wrote on Oct 3, 2009 9:11 AM:

" I know that when the MODOT budget is approved, they are given a set dollar amount to spend on fuel, same with Patrol, when the gas spiked a while back, the Legislature approved a temporary funding for gas. I know that if the state is looking at budget cuts, it would definitely be in their best interest to buy fuel cheaper. What is good for the state in JC is good for JC residents, and vise versa, since the state is the primary employer. No one can logically say that gas stations would lose a lot of money by lowering their prices, look at the volume that goes through Columbia or Lake Ozark. JC could easily fit between them. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 2, 2009 11:41 AM:

" Yeah, three cheers to Eastland/McCarty Caseys and Breaktime! Those stations frequently "gas war" with each other. Sometimes Stadium/Jefferson Breaktime and BP get a little war going too. Guess there isn't enough competition around here since Shell, D-X, Clark, Texaco, Workingman's Friend, Mobile, Sinclair, KerrMagee etc. pulled out of the JC market over the years.

We have the pipeline terminal, crossroads of three US highways, river barge, rail transporation, and trucking all here. You'd think gas would be CHEAPER in JC than in other towns.

I still want to know why the city leaders do not get upset over the higher prices. "

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online_editor wrote on Oct 2, 2009 9:47 AM:

" boscoe: Sources usually offer an unsatisfying, incomplete explanation. Speaking of what you already know, obviously competition within a venue drives the prices down. Let me give an example from personal observation, involving Casey's vs. BreakTime on East McCarty. In the past, Casey's has sometimes lowered its price below the citywide average by a couple pennies, and BreakTime across the street followed. Sometimes, vice versa. (After all, they post their prices so no one has to collude to compare and follow the "leader.") During those times, both stations were a couple cents below all other BreakTimes here. If Casey's were a major distributor all over town, the same competition might have occurred elsewhere in town. "

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formerJC wrote on Oct 2, 2009 9:45 AM:

" As to why JC is always higher than every other town around?? Because they can get away with it, so they do! They need to bleed every little bit extra out of us that they can .

You can usually drive 8 miles outside of JC to Hartsburg and pay the same price that it is in Columbia. And look how much closer Hartsburg is to JC than to Columbia!! "

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formerJC wrote on Oct 2, 2009 9:39 AM:

" Last Saturday, Sept 26, at Osage Beach, I paid 2.11 at the station outside of WalMart on Hwy 54. I get back to JC and I beleive it was still 2.35, maybe 2.29. The previous Friday, Sept 18, I was in St Louis and most of the stations there were already down to 2.17 - 2.19, as were most of the small towns along Hwy 50 on the way to St Louis. Again, JC was 2.35, after raising it that week from 2.29. (Why did they raise it when everyone around was lowering??) I know Columbia has been 2.19 for at least the last week, maybe even longer. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 2, 2009 8:58 AM:

" Hasher, I did not suspect or even mention price-fixing of gasoline in Jefferson City. Do you have evidence of price-fixing here? If so, please contact the attorney generals office with your information. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 2, 2009 8:56 AM:

" It is interesting how Jefferson City residents and city officials don't think much about the years of higher gasoline prices in Jefferson City as compared to other nearby towns. It is not a big deal to anyone, and even poeple who question it are chastised by others. However, someone is getting very wealthy from the addtional 6-10 cents a gallon that goes on year after year, and undoubtably the higher fuel costs have a adverse effect on the local economy and for businesses and people who may want to locate here. "

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Byron W. wrote on Oct 2, 2009 8:46 AM:

" and with cap-and-tax will drive it up even more. "

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boscoe wrote on Oct 1, 2009 10:28 PM:

" More PEVs (Plug-In Electric Vehicles) will just increase rates for electricity, especially when Ameren UE was denied the expansion of the nuclear plant. "

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Byron W. wrote on Oct 1, 2009 8:51 AM:

" two_cents_worth wrote "I'll go electric when they get here. "

But does that accomplish anything? "

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two_cents_worth wrote on Oct 1, 2009 7:53 AM:

" I drive a bicycle to work. Oil companies can go stick it.
I'll go electric when they get here. At least for a while, it'll be cheaper. "

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misshoneybee wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:47 PM:

" I drive to Fulton to get my gasoline. "

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hasher28 wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:41 PM:

" Why don't you do the research and submit an article to the paper. Every time there is a story about gasoline you complain about the local prices, suggest price fixing, and expect someone else to do the work you want done. "

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boscoe wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:21 PM:

" Why is Conoco $2.09 in Warrensburg, but $2.25 in Jefferson City?

Why is Phillips66 $2.18 in Rolla, but $2.25 in Jefferson City?

Why is Caseys $2.16 in Steeleville, but $2.25 in Jefferson City? "

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boscoe wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:15 PM:

" Instead of telling us what we already know: "As usual, Jefferson City gasoline was considerably higher..", why doesn't NT do an investigative report and find out WHY gas prices are usually considerably higher in Jefferson City?


I'd really like to know why Breaktime at Lake Ozark sells regular for $2.15 while it is $2.25 in Jefferson City.

Why it is $2.19 in Columbia, but $2.25 in Jefferson City.

What makes Jefferson City gas so much more expensive? "

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