OREGON
A8 — THE OBSERVER
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022
Oregon gas prices remain elevated as national creep higher
Average price of
gas in Union
County is $4.64
By JAYATI
RAMAKRISHNAN
The Oregonian
PORTLAND — Gas
prices in around the
state of Oregon have
stayed stable this week,
but national prices
are starting to trend
back upward after sev-
eral weeks of slightly
lower costs.
Oregon’s average
price per gallon this
week is $4.66, the
same as last week.
Union County motor-
ists are paying an
average of $4.64 at the
pump. Wallowa County
is paying an average of
$4.72 and Baker Coun-
ty’s average gallon of
gas is $4.63.
National prices have
climbed 3 cents this
week and are sitting
at an average of $4.13
per gallon.
The Russian inva-
sion of Ukraine has
driven oil prices up
as the U.S. and other
nations imposed sanc-
tions on Russia, one
of the world’s largest
oil producers. But
according to AAA,
concerns about an eco-
nomic downturn in
China due to renewed
COVID-19 lockdowns
are pushing demand
down and keeping
crude oil prices to
around $100 per barrel.
Costs remain below
the record highs set
both nationally and
locally last month.
Oregon hit $4.74 per
gallon, and the national
price crested to $4.33,
both on March 11.
Portland reached its
record high of $4.79 on
March 27.
AAA spokesperson
Marie Dodds said in a
news release that prices
would stay high as long
as crude oil remains
elevated and that con-
sumers shouldn’t
expect any dramatic
declines this spring.
While prices in
most Oregon coun-
ties stayed somewhat
stable, they soared
in the southwest-
ern-most corner of the
state. Curry County’s
average gas price is
now $5.01 per gallon.
Josephine County is
averaging $4.90, and
Multnomah County,
around $4.81.
And Oregon’s prices
are now the fi fth-
highest in the nation,
behind only California,
Nevada, Hawaii and
Washington.
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer, File
A display board shows gas prices at the Safeway on Adams Avenue in La Grande on
Wednesday, April 20, 2022. National prices have climbed 3 cents this week and are sitting
at an average of $4.13 per gallon.
Oregon GOP wraps up summit as Democrats plan their own
Democrats to be in
Sunriver over the
weekend
By GARY A. WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
SALEM — There’s polit-
ical movement in the moun-
tains this week. Republi-
cans are heading out from
the shadow of Mount Hood,
while Democrats make the
trek east of the Cascades.
As Republicans con-
cluded the Dorchester
Conference in Welches in
Clackamas County last
weekend, Democrats are
heading to the Oregon
Summit in Sunriver Resort
Friday, April 29.
The meetings are meant
to rally the partisan troops
as the primary election
moves towards the fi nish
line on May 17 — now just
three weeks away.
GOP picks from full
fi eld of candidates
Informal straw polls
taken of GOP attendees at
the Dorchester Conference
showed they favor former
Happy Valley Mayor Lori
Chavez-DeRemer in the 5th
Congressional District that
runs from Portland to Bend.
Rep. Ron Noble, R-McMin-
nville, came out on top of a
large slate of Republicans in
the new 6th Congressional
District. Both candidates
put out the results on social
media over the weekend.
Less was released about
the straw poll to choose
among the 19 Republi-
cans running for governor.
Former Alsea school super-
intendent Marc Thielman
came out on top after mul-
tiple rounds, with Portland
consultant Bridget Barton
placing second.
The straw poll winners
were not included in two
high-profi le debates last
week and later this week.
The fi rst, held April 21, was
co-sponsored by the Bend
Bulletin and limited the
stage to four candidates who
had raised signifi cant funds
and also placed well in
larger public opinion polls:
former House Minority
Leader Christine Drazan,
R-Canby; 2016 GOP gov-
ernor nominee Bud Pierce
of Salem; former Oregon
GOP chair Bob Tiernan of
Lake Oswego; and Sandy
Mayor Stan Pulliam. The
same four are set for a
debate April 28, co-spon-
sored by Pamplin Media
and KOIN-TV.
Meanwhile, conserva-
tive radio personality Lars
Larson used the weekend
to weigh in with his own
endorsement of Barton for
governor. He also told lis-
teners they should support
Chavez-DeRemer in the 5th
district race, and Amy Ryan
Courser in the 6th district.
The Democratic fi eld is
just slightly smaller — 15
candidates. Treasurer Read
and former House Majority
Leader Tina Kotek, D-Port-
land, are the top fund-
Party governor nominee
Patrick Starnes of Browns-
ville — running in 2020 as
a Democrat — are calling
for equal footing in any
party-sponsored debates.
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1429 Adams Ave
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541-962-7557
Democrats maneuver
into spotlight
Now it’s the Democrats’
turn for strategizing and
intrigue at Sunriver Resort
south of Bend. The agenda
of the Democratic par-
ty’s Oregon Summit also
includes a reception for Gov.
Kate Brown, who will leave
offi ce in January. Attorney
General Ellen Rosenblum,
Secretary of State Shemia
Fagan and Treasurer Tobias
Read will speak.
Straw polls are also
expected following the gov-
ernor’s candidate forum on
May 1.
raisers so far in bids to
move into Mahonia Hall,
the governor’s mansion
in Salem.
But insurgent candidates
such as 2018 Independent
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