10
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Opening
on City’s
parks
board
Gas prices slide toward $2/gallon
Drivers in the U.S. are
paying the lowest average gas
prices in nearly six years, and
the national average is likely
to slide below $2 per gallon
before the end of the month,
the Automobile Association
of America (AAA) reports.
Last week, the national
average slipped six cents to
$2.05 per gallon. The Oregon
average fell nine cents to
$2.23 a gallon.
“Both averages are at their
lowest prices since April
2009,” says AAA Oregon/
Idaho Public Affairs Director
Marie Dodds. “AAA expects
the national average to remain
below $3 per gallon in 2015,
barring any major fluctuations
in the global price of crude
oil.”
Pump prices are directly
connected to the global price
of crude oil, with crude costs
accounting for more than half
of the price of gasoline. Like
pump prices, crude-oil prices
have also posted multi-year
lows due to global supply
outpacing demand, which has
kept downward pressure on
the price of crude and ulti-
mately meant hefty discounts
in retail gasoline for U.S.
drivers. Since June 2014,
West Texas Intermediate
crude has lost more than half
of its value, falling from $107
to below $50 per barrel.
The national average has
dropped a record 117 con-
secutive days, for a total a
savings of $1.29 per gallon
during this stretch. Oregon’s
average has declined for 56
days in a row, falling 82 cents
during this time.
Drivers in 25 states are
paying averages below $2
per gallon; up 18 from one
week ago. For the second
week in a row the midcon-
tinent region features the
nation’s least expensive
states for retail gasoline, led
by: Missouri ($1.76) and
Oklahoma ($1.80). Hawaii
($3.31) remains the only state
with an average above $3
per gallon, and is joined by
Alaska ($2.82) and New York
($2.50) as the nation’s only
states posting averages at or
above $2.50 per gallon.
Drivers in 48 states, includ-
ing Oregon, and Washington,
D.C. are saving more than $1
per gallon compared to a year
ago, while only the nation’s
most expensive markets
Hawaii (-69 cents) and Alaska
(-83 cents) are outside of this
trend. The steepest declines
are in Illinois (-$1.37) and
Michigan (-$1.36).
While increased seasonal
demand and maintenance
at refineries may result in a
Dr. Thomas R. Rheuben
General, Cosmetic, Implant
and Family Dentistry
~ Celebrating 20 years Serving Sisters ~
541-549-0109
|
304 W. Adams Ave.
|
Sisters
photo by Jim coRnelius
Sisters drivers are taking advantage of low prices at the pump.
typical 30- to 50-cent increase
in pump prices this spring, a
major global price recovery
is unlikely to be the horizon,
absent any major market
disruptions or geopolitical
events. These sustained lower
prices would be a result of
projected shifts in the balance
between global oil supply and
demand.
This shift has been keyed
by increased crude oil produc-
tion in the United States and
Canada and was accelerated
by OPEC’s decision this fall
to sustain production levels
despite declines in the price of
crude by electing to allow the
market to self-regulate. By
not continuing its traditional
role as a market stabilizer and
adjusting production to sus-
tain higher prices, OPEC has
put pressure on high-cost oil-
production countries such as
the United States and Canada.
Both countries are reportedly
starting to respond by easing
domestic production forecasts
and trimming operations and
administrative costs.
Crude prices are less than
half of what they were six
months ago, and sustained
low prices will also con-
tinue to test the resiliency
of countries that rely on oil
revenue to fund government
services.
The City of Sisters is
accepting applications for one
“out-of-city-limits” volunteer
to serve on the Sisters City
Parks Advisory Board to fill a
recently vacated position for a
term ending on August 1.
The board advises the
Sisters City Council on mat-
ters pertaining to the acqui-
sition, development, main-
tenance and preservation
of public parks, trails and
open-space areas. The City
Parks Advisory Board typi-
cally meets once a month and
consists of seven members
appointed by the mayor, with
the consent of the Council.
Applications can be found
on the City website at www.
ci.sisters.or.us or at Sisters
City Hall, 520 E. Cascade
Ave. Applications will be
accepted until 5 p.m. on
Friday, February 20. For more
information contact the com-
munity development director,
Pauline Hardie, at 541-323-
5208 or at phardie@ci.sisters.
or.us.
Experts estimate that
1 in 10 children will
be sexually abused
before their
18th birthday.
DARKNESS TO LIGHT
“Stewards of Children”
Help Prevent Child Abuse in Sisters
FREE Interactive training program provides participants with
5 steps to better protect children from sexual abuse, gives
tools for recognizing the signs of sexual abuse, responding
to suspicions, and gives simple ways to minimize
opportunities for abuse in our community.
CRAB
FEED
Sat., Feb. 7
All-you-can-eat buffet... crab, oysters, spaghetti &
meatballs, pasta Alfredo, g garlic bread & red p potatoes.
Begins at 5 p.m.,
call for reservations...
541-549-3663
Thursday, February 12, 2015 • 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Sisters High School
1700 McKinney Butte Rd., Sisters
Free through a generous grant provided to KIDS Center.
Food and childcare are also provided!
RSVP by Monday, February 2 for this training and
for childcare. Call Kim Bohme at 541-306-6062.