Just when you thought it was safe to go on a late vacation ...
Now that the summer driving season is past, gasoline prices are on the rise again.
Locally, during the business day Monday, drivers could still find “old” prices around town if they looked, but the hand-writing was on the marquis — prices were hiking by a dime a gallon.
All around town, stations were going from $2.66 to $2.76 per gallon during the day.
Low prices around the state had dropped lower than Great Bend was at before this newest increase.
The low in Kansas Monday, reported by a state gasoline price Internet site, was $2.61, at Liberal.
That was followed by $2.63 at Winfield and Topeka; $2.65 at Salina and in Wichita; followed by the stations that were still at $2.66 here, as well as at Larned, Lawrence and Wichita; and $2.69 at Emporia.
There were also a number of communities with higher gas than what it has reached here, so far.
Higher prices included $2.79 at Pittsburg and Park City; $2.83, Liberal; $2.84, Beloit; $2.85, Independence and Iola; $2.87, Parsons; and the high of $2.89 at Cherryvale.
The average price in Kansas Monday was $2.73, compared to $2.68 a week ago and $2.65 a month ago.
A year ago, the Kansas average price was $2.33.
The national average Monday was $2.82, compared to $2.48 a year ago.
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