News Summary

Heidi McLean rolled into Speedway, 2996 Derr Road, ready to fill up her tank.

Then she saw the $3.16 display on the pump and opted to spend just $20.

"I'm mad," she said. "It's ridiculous."

Prices jumped to as high as $3.19 in the area Thursday.

Nationwide, prices climbed to $2.97 a gallon April 30, 10 cents higher than this time last year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

And the cause of the spike? Good old-fashioned supply and demand, said Fred Tiffany, associate professor of economics at Wittenberg University.

Gasoline storage is low, he said, and the pleasant weather is cause for travel.

"In springtime it's not unusual for gas prices to go up because people drive more," he said.

And where there is decreasing supply and increasing demand there is increasing price, Tiffany said.

He added that political instability in Nigeria played a part. Nigeria is a crude oil supplier, and the recent unrest there threatens to disrupt supply, said Tiffany.

Josh McKenzie of Urbana said he didn't think the increase was so circumstantial.

"It was down throughout the winter," McKenzie said. "It just proves that gas can cost less."

McKenzie said he'll have to drive less as prices increase.

Tiffany couldn't say if prices will rise throughout the summer, but "it wouldn't surprise me if gas prices go a little higher."

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0360 or vlough@coxohio.com