Gas prices drop
Published 12:00 am Friday, October 10, 2008
With crude down to $90 a barrel, gas prices have fallen, and people in Selma are thankful for a little extra change in their pockets.
Shaundra Griffin, a cashier at the Parkway Chevron on Citizens Parkway, said customers are not complaining as much as they used to.
“Yesterday it was $3.69, and today it’s $3.39,” Griffin said.
The Raceway on Highland Avenue is one of the gas stations in town with the cheapest gas.
Patrick Hisel, the manager at the Raceway, said the 35-cent drop in prices had customers stopped in their tracks. Once the customers heard the prices were going down, they stopped pumping, waited for the price to change and then finished filling their tanks.
“People waiting did not get upset,” Hisel said. “Customers are saving $3.59 per 10 gallons of gas.”
Dianne McCats, a resident of Selma said, “I was driving by and I said ‘My God, let me stop by.'”
Sandy Simmons of Selma is the chaplain for Wiregrass Hospice and travels to five or six counties in the Black Belt.
“It’s a great help.” Simmons said. “Its gone down significantly and is the lowest its been in a while.”
Don and Brenda Elam drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and they only put about $20 in the tank unless they are going out of town.
“A price like what we’ve got today makes everyone feel a little better,” Brenda Elam said.
Steve Buxton, the 49-year-old owner of N&S Construction, is building a house in Faunsdale and has to haul wood back and forth everyday.
“I’ve spent $160 this week in gas alone,” Buxton said. “Its 32 miles one way.”
But Raceway owner Gene Hisel does not think gas prices will get much lower.
“I personally don’t expect it to get below $3 despite how low the crude goes,” Hisel said. “But if it does, it will be alright with us.”
A week ago gas was $3.88 in Selma and $3.66 a month ago. But gas was just $2.74 a year ago, according to AAA.