Gas prices are on the rise again, locally, with prices ranging from $3.43 to more than $3.55 around Great Bend on Tuesday.
Those were up from $3.33 a week ago, and the change puts Great Bend in the middle of the state prices, according to an Internet site that tracks prices around Kansas.
That new pinch to the family budget in apparently being caused by decisions made on the other side of the globe, according to national news.
Locally, prices have risen a couple of times in the past few days.
Low price for gas around Kansas, Tuesday, was already higher than what Great Bend drivers were paying last week.
The low price in the state Tuesday was $3.34 at Pittsburg, followed by $3.37, Garden City; $3.38, Eudora; $3.39, Dodge City; $3.40, Liberal; $3.44, Topeka; $3.47, Salina; $3.48, Manhattan, Hays and Lawrence; $3.49, Salina, Lawrence and Liberal; $3.50, Manhattan and Newton; $3.54, Hays and El Dorado; $3.55, Manhattan and El Dorado; $3.58, Newton; $3.59, Fort Scott, Hutchinson, Liberal and Lawrence; $3.62, Junction City; $3.64, Junction City; $3.65, Hays and Kingman; $3.70, Junction City; $3.72, Topeka; $3.74, McPherson and Topeka; $3.77, Ulysses; $3.78, Colby; $3.79, Cherryvale and Oakley; $3.80, Sharon Springs and Ulysses; and $3.89, Ellsworth.
 The average price for fuel in Kansas on Tuesday was $3.57, compared to $3.42 a week ago and $3.63 a month ago. A year ago, Tuesday, the Kansas average price was $2.61.
The national average on Tuesday was $3.64, up from $2.72 last year.
The prices are reported on Kansas Gas Prices, which is operated by Gas Buddy Organization, that was developed as a way for the public to report changes in gas prices around the nation.
The Kansas prices are available at www.kansasgasprices.com.
Some communities are listed more than once in the prices, because there are a variety of gas prices available.
According to a report from the Associated Press, prices are rising at the hands of the producers.
“Oil rose Tuesday after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said global demand will be the highest ever this year, although the ‘unsteady’ global economy may slow demand more than previously thought.
“Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for August delivery rose 45 cents to $95.58 per barrel in morning trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, which is used to price many international oil varieties, fell 54 cents to $116.70 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
“Analysts and investors pay special attention to world demand forecasts. The expectation that China and other developing nations will keep using more crude has supported prices this year despite weak gasoline consumption in the U.S. and a festering credit crisis in Europe that has raised concerns about international demand for oil.
“While OPEC thinks global demand will continue to increase this year to the highest levels ever, the monthly report it released Tuesday said that demand won’t grow as much as it previously expected. The cartel said daily world consumption will increase this year by 1.36 million barrels — down from a previous estimate of 1.38 million barrels — to an average 88.18 million barrels.”