'You do what you have to do' to when it comes to gas prices
Reader poll
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Maria Nelis of Janesville fills up her VW Beetle at Lions Quick Mart on Milton Ave. in Janesville.
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After filling the tank on her VW Beetle Maria Nelis of Janesville was surprised to see the total of over $50 to gas up her vehicle.
JANESVILLE — It looks like a drunken statistician has been working on AAA’s “Daily Fuel Gauge Report.”
Either that or the creator/compiler of the “12-month Average for Regular” graph fell asleep in the middle of the job, causing his or her pen to veer violently upward.
On Sunday, the average cost for a gallon of gasoline in Wisconsin was $3.88, according to AAA.
That’s up almost a dollar from a year ago and close to the highest average in state history: $4.14 recorded July 17, 2008.
Local residents and travelers say the price of gas is changing their habits, but they also say there is not much they can do. Work, school and family obligations won’t lessen because gas prices go up.
Fuel prices started their steady climb in August 2010, when the state average was $2.72 a gallon. By Jan. 1, 2011, the price was $3.12. From there, prices took off, rocketing rapidly upward.
On Sunday, Rosemauri Katz stopped at the Lions Quick Mart on Milton Avenue to fill up. Katz was traveling from her home in Duluth, Minn., to visit family in Indianapolis.
“It does have an impact on your day-to-day life, but you do what you have to do,” Katz said.
It usually costs her about $65 in gas to make the trip to Indianapolis. She expects this trip to cost about $150.
“I know politicians are dealing with a lot of economic issues,” Katz said. “But this affects the economy, too.”
Katz said she and her husband hope to sell their home in Duluth and move to be closer to her family, eliminating the expense and time involved in such trips.
Angela Werle said her family members are changing their driving habits.
“My husband works in Milwaukee,” she said as she filled up. “He’s been driving our kids’ car. It’s an old Toyota and gets better gas mileage than his truck.”
He is also tuning up his motorcycle—an even more fuel-efficient vehicle—so he can ride that to work when it’s warmer.
Werle wishes she could ride her bike to work. She lives near Craig High School and works in Milton.
“Highway 26 is just too busy; it’s too dangerous,” Werle said as she finished putting $51.50 worth of gas into her car.
While rising gas prices are causing middle class pain, some low-income people have been immobilized by them.
Susana Hernandez is a math teacher and coordinator for Project AHEAD at UW-Rock County.
Hernandez works with students from high-risk populations. Some have criminal histories, have limited educations or only GEDs and face other struggles.
“It’s funny you should ask about gas prices,” Hernandez said. “I’ve given out $354 worth of bus tickets to students.”
The tickets are for the Beloit-Janesville Express.
Last year, her bus tickets “stash” carried her through the whole year and then some.
Riding the bus takes additional planning by the students, many of whom already struggle with time constraints related to outside jobs and child care.
She and other professors have heard from students who are struggling to get to school, and the idea of a “carpooling bulletin board” has resurfaced.
“I had a student from Madison who said to me, ‘I won’t be in class tomorrow. I don’t have the gas money,’” she said.
Apr 22, 2011 at 5:44 p.m.
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kid"'Highway 26 is just too busy; it’s too dangerous'"
I agree on your comments.Other roads but don't all roads have cars on them filled with dangerous idiots. I did it for over 10 years father than Milton and yes I saw some nasty,dumb,idiot drivers. You watch for THEM and react.
Deer run down Parker Drive as well as 26!
Apr 22, 2011 at 5:40 p.m.
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I took some bloggers advice on here. Work in town now- yeah!! I am/was not excited about paying over $300 a month to GET to work again.
Apr 20, 2011 at 1:21 a.m.
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Joan- Your post is EXACTLY correct! Clarity- you should really put down the partisan pipe and step away from the table. Gas hit record highs(pun intended) during the BUsh presidency, when we were told the oil riches from Iraq would flow like a river. That is the reason we went there anyways.
Facts remain this is another example of corporations hosing us and getting into it over partisan politics. Paul Ryan's "path to Insanity" DESTROYS medicare yet leaves in place 58 billion in subsidies for the most profitable corporations on Earth? How does that work? I thought you righties cared about where you tax dollars went? Only when Fox Noise tells you that the teachers are stealing them I guess! No wonder you guys went to a marijuana discussion, because the only ones supporting Ryan's plan to leave subsidies in place for Exxon Mobil, must be cooked.
Near record high prices when we are refining at 81% capacity? Say goodbye to any kind of economic recovery! Try to blame Obama, it just makes you look uneducated. You must blame them all, partisan hackery is EXACTLY what they are hoping for. Maybe we need some kind of Socialism to reign in the terrible greed that has destroyed our country due to unfettered capitalism.
Apr 20, 2011 at 1:05 a.m.
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We can start riding horses again!
Apr 19, 2011 at 7:17 p.m.
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I was very dissappointed in what little "teeth" there was to the Financial Reform bill just passed. Obama wussed out with that one. Nothing was done to control dirivatives or speculation. It didn't correct the problem of Investment banking, Insurance and Commercial banking not being seperate anymore. This is exactly what caused the crash of 1929 and the crash in 2008 and nothing was done to fix it.
Apr 19, 2011 at 6:34 p.m.
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Callitasiseeit, lies. Go ahead with your doobie, I've never had one.
Apr 19, 2011 at 6:21 p.m.
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Clarity... don't be so naive. Who did you blame for gas prices being $4.50 when George W. was president... Obama? We need a CFTC board that will cap the amount of speculation that is possible on the commodities exchange... Like it was under Clinton... when we had $1.50 gas. Your boy, G.W., eliminated regulation of the commodities exchange... Obama is just perpetuating that policy.
Apr 19, 2011 at 5:41 p.m.
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i wonder how that ounce compared to todays weed?? 50 bux gets you an 1/8 of some good pot, no seeds or and little stem. 60-75 bux and yer talkin primo stuff. fyi...you can use 'surgel'...the stuff used for canning...and pass that test tomorrow;)
Apr 19, 2011 at 5:09 p.m.
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Hall and Oates still together! Take that justmy414! I'll bring the beer, you bring the doobies. I may have to take a couple weeks off after that so I can pass any drug test here at work.
$50 for a bag? I think that's what I paid in 1978 for an ounce but I suppose weed is like potato chips and the bags have gotten less full over the years.
Mmmmmmmm....potato chips.....
LOL, I hit spellcheck and it didn't like "doobies" but offered "boobies" and "derbies" as an option!
Apr 19, 2011 at 5:01 p.m.
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FYI: Locking gas caps should be considered. I live in a pretty good neighborhood and have already had a vehicle sucked dry by someone. My girlfriend who lives off Skyview also had her tank siphoned...and she across the street from a police officer.
Apr 19, 2011 at 4:59 p.m.
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Callit, you are right, we did veer off topic, didn't we? I mean, a tank of gas these days is $50...that's the same as a whole bag of weed!
Hall & Oates did not break up, by the way. They're playing opening night of Summerfest! Come on up and we'll all party!
If everyone can afford the gas, that is. See what I did there?
Apr 19, 2011 at 4:50 p.m.
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How about those gas prices!?!
Apr 19, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.
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right on displacedworker. there would be no war if the world leaders just got together and burnt one. peace and love
Apr 19, 2011 at 4:28 p.m.
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you might wanna call larry craig on that one grandy;)
Apr 19, 2011 at 4:22 p.m.
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grandy, only if there's also a beer and a big fatty joint in there! let's all party!
Apr 19, 2011 at 4:01 p.m.
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grandy and the kid get a room lol
Apr 19, 2011 at 3:36 p.m.
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ha. never really thought it was. danged ole defense mechanism;) my apologies to you young (wo)man!!
Apr 19, 2011 at 2:58 p.m.
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apology accepted and thank you. please make a note...we all know my beliefs on the ignorance and hypcocrisy that is marijuana prohibition but outside of the computer...it is hardly at the forefront of my life.
Apr 19, 2011 at 2:51 p.m.
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Wow Grandy, you should work for the CIA. I mean, all I had to tell you was that I planned on grabbing a 6 pack after work, and you have already determined my entire lifestyle!
What's that old expression, when you assume, you make an...oh what is it...help me out here, Grandy.
Apr 19, 2011 at 2:29 p.m.
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lifestyle based on a 6 pack...so be it...but its not right if its a plant. got ya. for the record i hardcore believe adults should have the choice. we could thin the prison population. cut DEA expenses. collect sales and income tax. less government anyone?? but outside of the internets its just a small fraction of what im about in life. i know its easier to judge me and continue to believe what you believe...
vato...if you read the convo between grandy and i you will see that i posted that to make a point about him assuming i was high all the time.
Apr 19, 2011 at 2:13 p.m.
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I would absolutely love to ride my bicycle to work. Anyone know of a safe, not busy between 7:00 and 8:00 am way from Janesville to Beloit? I work right off of Prairie as you get into Beloit and have taken a couple different ways, but honestly none of them are safe for a bicycle.
Apr 19, 2011 at 2:12 p.m.
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Meanwhile, BP's profit is $5.4 billion....
Apr 19, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.
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justmy414 - You are blaming Walker for higher gas prices on a worldwide level. That is just plain funny.
Apr 19, 2011 at 1:31 p.m.
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"if that is your lifestyle, so be it, go for it." Ahh, enlightenment is possible! My heart is warm with optimism.
Apr 19, 2011 at 12:15 p.m.
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Janesvillean for your bike, walk, train theory to work most of the USA would have to move back into the cities. Not going to happen anytime soon. Most already know that after WWII people started moving away from the cities to the suburbs. If it was that easy to just park the car and walk to work most people would anymore. Trains would take trillions to build the network to connect most of the cities and towns. The next issue is how to get from train hubs to work, grocery, etc. Trains only work if you live and work close enough to walk from A (house) to B (train) to C (work/etc). USA will always be a car culture society. I’m all in for a more cost effective way to commute now use 24gal a week now getting to and from work.
Apr 19, 2011 at 12:08 p.m.
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LOL-Nice math skills Sigma40!
Apr 19, 2011 at 12:07 p.m.
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Justmy414 has blamed Walker for the following events:
Earthquake in Japan
Butler's Loss in the NCAA Tourney
Brewer's being swept by the Nationals
Suburban sinking in Kiwanis Pond
The break up of Hall and Oates
Kirstie Alley falling on DWTS
Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance
Cuban Missile Crisis
Apr 19, 2011 at 11:21 a.m.
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I did enjoy the old days of filling the car up for $4.00, buying my first pickup truck, a GMC from the dealer a seven year old truck that was bought with only five paychecks. I miss those days.
Apr 19, 2011 at 11:20 a.m.
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"I just do not think anyone should base their lifestyle on the use of this specific plant."
All hail Lord Grandy!
Good sir, I was thinking about picking up a 6 pack of my favorite beer after work today. May I ask, sir, how many of those 6 I may drink?
I thank you for allowing me the use of said product and will continue to inquire as to how I may use it.
Where do you get off thinking you have any right whatsoever in dictating how someone "bases their lifestyle"? Get off your high horse, pal.
Apr 19, 2011 at 11:06 a.m.
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Unfortunately, grandy's not too far off. The "democrats" role under corporate rule is to socialize everyone so that there aren't starving people roaming the streets - too unsightly. Instead of offering them living wages, instead the middle class is subsidizing corporate underpayments of wages and insurance (like Walmart).
Tea partiers - we are on the same side! Corporate rule is our problem. Divide and conquer - the oldest trick in the book - and you all are falling for it because you won't admit you have been deceived by the powerful rich of this country. They get the tax breaks and you get to massage your value system and we all suffer.
What's needed is to reject corporate rule and join together as workers.
Apr 19, 2011 at 10:47 a.m.
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It is time for an new fuel! With a vehicle that runs it that costs less than $40,000. It would be nice to go to more fuel effiecient cars, but honestly who can afford the price tag? I won't go into my opinion about this, I have posted it on other articles about this same thing, but the government needs to work on finding a way that we are not so dependant on oil from foreign lands. About 20 years ago the government was financing a way to produce "clean" coal and other "clean" energy and when they got THIS CLOSE (with fingers pinched together) they pulled the financing and shut down the programs. If only they would have figures it out back then?!?!?!?
Apr 19, 2011 at 9:57 a.m.
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i dont care about your position grandys. i care about your ignorant untrue comments directed at me. if you want to assume things about me that arent true then i prefer you stay on the hypocrites side of the fence.
Apr 19, 2011 at 9:43 a.m.
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this is why the gazette needs to add a 'like' tab...or a thumbs up/down tab. anyways...thumbs up mr primer:)
Apr 19, 2011 at 9:38 a.m.
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It is just so obvious that there is no need.
The old man must have watched Half Baked and thought that it was a documentary.
Apr 19, 2011 at 9:21 a.m.
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you can assume things about me but i cant do the same??
Apr 19, 2011 at 9:09 a.m.
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wow. is that what you think?? im high all the time?? i went from laughing with you to laughing at you. pathetic old man.
Apr 19, 2011 at 8:16 a.m.
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you crack me up grandys
nice post youkillme accept i just tasted a little bit of my chocolate milk again...
Apr 19, 2011 at 12:44 a.m.
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The most important things we can do are to move away from a car-based culture and build sustainable communities where people walk, bike, or bus/train to work. This takes time, but it is an achievable goal. The worst thing we can do is politically pressure our governments to keep oil cheap, because that encourages us to continue as we have with a gas-hungry culture where people drive high-MPG vehicles short distances to haul just a few people or small amounts of groceries. Keeping oil cheap, as a policy, also extends our involvement with unsavory governments such as Libya and Egypt and encourages military actions in unstable regions of the world to protect the economic interests of oil companies. It's a very bad way to run a country, and we have to stop it, all of us, both parties.
Apr 18, 2011 at 11:16 p.m.
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Sigma, your E85 would be equivalent to $4.28/gallon for regular gas using the numbers you gave.
Apr 18, 2011 at 10:45 p.m.
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March 1, 2011 -- "With Big Oil raking in record profits, House Democrats offered a Motion to Recommit to the House Republican short-term spending bill this afternoon making a responsible cut to the budget: putting an end to taxpayer-funded subsidies to large oil companies. Repealing these subsidies would save taxpayers tens of billions over the next decade and even ex-Shell CEO John Hofmeister agrees saying “with high oil prices, such subsidies are not necessary.” ... Republicans voted unanimously against the motion, defeating it by a vote of 176-249. The price at the pump isn't high enough to satisfy their greed.
Apr 18, 2011 at 9:52 p.m.
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And the oil companies can make more record profits!
Apr 18, 2011 at 9:25 p.m.
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I so need to get my bicycle tires pumped up and/or buy a scooter. Maybe I'll be able to save enough by Fall to afford gas during the winter. Yeah, I WISH I was joking! Sacrifice due to speculation.
Apr 18, 2011 at 8:30 p.m.
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The Koch brothers didn't just buy government in Wisconsin. And yes, before this election I had heard of the Koch brothers. I agree, oil speculation is driving up the prices, and who do you think is doing the speculating? And who is protecting the speculators from regulation? It sure isn't public workers.
Apr 18, 2011 at 8:12 p.m.
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E85 is $3.29 a gallon. Even though you use like 30% more, it equates out to still costing less than running gasoline if you have to run premium. Its pretty easy to switch over from gasoline.
Apr 18, 2011 at 8:10 p.m.
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justmy414, I have to tip my hat to you that you predicted the world price of crude to go up based on your Walker/Koch conspiracy. Myself, I greatly underestimated Walker's reach across the globe! I just checked the TMZ web site and sure enough, Walker was spotted at the last OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria.
Apr 18, 2011 at 7:22 p.m.
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To Mrs. Werle - instead of worrying about biking Hwy 26, take the bike trail to Rotamer Rd then go east to Milton-Shopiere road and take that to Milton. Taking 26 would be about 10 miles, while the alternative route is only about 11 miles.
Apr 18, 2011 at 7:15 p.m.
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I drive quite a distance to work and back each day....since the price of fuel has increased so drastically, half my check is going into my tank. Pretty difficult to survive when our raises have been frozen for the past 3-4 years, but yet the COL is continuing to rise drastically. Not that our company can't afford raises, they've just gotten extremely GREEDY, just like other corporations. To them, everyone is replaceable.
Apr 18, 2011 at 6:49 p.m.
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Neither Obama or Walker have anything to do with the price of gas at the pump...Geeze people. A significant portion of the price of a barrel of oil is inflation due to speculation. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law passed last year actually calls for regulators in the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to crack down on speculation, but conservative commissioners have been blocking the implementation of the law. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress have tried to defund and decrease the authority of the CFTC, which will allow the markets to be further manipulated by speculators. AAHH unfettered capitalism at work, we don't need no stinkin regulations.
Apr 18, 2011 at 6:40 p.m.
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Is Walker sitting in on OPEC meetings now? Geez.... that guy is everywhere!!!
Apr 18, 2011 at 6:15 p.m.
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Get real 414. Wake up and read the newspapers. Do you think Walker caused the gas prices to rise in all 50 states?
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:56 p.m.
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That is correct thekid...I used to ride that stretch several times per week for recreation. There is a wonderful trail along Kennedy road or for that matter, Kennedy road makes a great trip.
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:51 p.m.
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Ryan will here as long as wants because there are still more sane, rational people still living in the 1st district.
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:49 p.m.
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Wow That Walker is really something if he's the reason gasoline is up all over whole country. And I'll bet you you never heard of the Koch bros. before Walker was elected, did ya?
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:46 p.m.
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Hopefully, we can elect a new congressman who won't protect $58 billion in subsidies to Big Oil while they rape us at the pump. When Walker and the rest of the tea party governors get done destroying their states, we'll be begging for Big Government to step in and stop the madness.
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:44 p.m.
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'Highway 26 is just too busy; it’s too dangerous'
i wonder if shes aware there are other roads into milton?? no offense to this gal...but 'its too dangerous' is just the mentality of someone who REALLY doesnt wanna ride to milton from the ville.
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:38 p.m.
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Interesting, when Walker was elected I posted the gas price of the day, $2.73 and said watch the rate rise. People laughed at me, guess who's laughing now. Walker+republican takeover+ Koch brothers money=higher fuel costs, those Koch brothers have the make back the millions they spent buying the government they wanted.
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:29 p.m.
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Since I am not working right now, we make it a point to keep one of our vehicles gassed up and that is the one that we use the most.
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:24 p.m.
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You are right -- he doesnt care what the gas prices are. In fact he wants them to rise another $2-$5 a gallon. He wants us to become like the EU at about $10/gal. The reality is his idealistic society will not be complete until the wealth has shifted in the world to change the balance globally. The problem is, he will create a society totally dependent upon the government and our children will look back at the great years when the free market allowed for anyone to amass wealth with hard work and innovation and they will be amazed at what we accomplished years ago. Yet they will never have those opportunities.
Apr 18, 2011 at 5:02 p.m.
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Hopefully now that a new President is coming into office, one that is not in bed with the oil companies, our gas prices will stay low.
Post from the Gazette Nov. of 08.
How's that Hope and Change working for you? When Obama gets done we'll be begging for $4 a gallon gas.
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