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WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – The price at the pump has dropped by double digits in most metro areas across Northern California, according to the latest report from AAA Northern California, which tracks gas prices as a service to consumers.
According to AAA, all but five Northern California metro areas tracked by the organization saw those big drops over the past month.
The Golden State’s average for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.81, down 14 cents since last month’s AAA report on September 13.
For perspective, that’s 72 cents higher than California’s average price on this date last year.
Among all 50 states, California has the third highest state average price for regular, unleaded gasoline. Hawaii is first and Alaska is second.
Northern California gas prices are now averaging $3.80, down 13 cents from last month.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, motorists can expect to pay an average price of $3.90, which is a 10-cent decrease.
The national average price of $3.40 is down by 24 cents, which is 59 cents more than the national price on this date last year, when it was $2.81.
“Increased demand for gasoline and oil has helped to stall out recent price drops at the pump,” explained AAA Northern California spokesperson Matt Skryja. “In addition to demand, positive jobs numbers in the U.S., optimism about correcting debt issues in Europe, and a weaker U.S. dollar have all helped to bring a slow halt to dropping prices. As economies do better, or appear to do better, that typically drives up oil and gas prices as investors buy more of these commodities in anticipation of increasing demand.”
Commodities are priced and traded in U.S. dollars. So, as the dollar value weakens relative to currencies abroad, the effective price of these products (including crude oil) becomes cheaper. Oil futures become a more attractive investment and prices are pressured upward.
The recent decline in prices was driven by global economic malaise, including continued euro zone debt concerns and relative recent strength in the U.S. Dollar.
Those forces are now in reverse, or appear to be in reverse. Even the appearance of a reversal is sometimes enough to influence investor buying behavior. This is important, because in recent years investors’ buying behavior has largely driven where pump prices have gone.
The least expensive average price in Northern California can be found in Ukiah where regular is $3.71.
Of all the metro areas in Northern California where gas prices are tracked by AAA, South Lake Tahoe has an average price of $4.00, the highest in Northern California. This is also the highest price in the lower 48 states.
The least expensive gasoline in the country is found in both the Springfield, Missouri, and the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina, metro areas.
The average price of gas in both areas is $3.10. Wailuku, Hawaii, holds the dubious crown for the highest average price in the nation, at $4.44 per gallon.
AAA now offers text alerts via mobile phone for low gas prices in your area. Sign up at www.aaa.com/gas.
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The tasting room will showcase her Bell Hill Wines.
While the Bell Hill label is relatively young, Martelli has long farmed wine grapes in Lake County. She has farmed south of Kelseyville since 1985.
However, in 2004 the opportunity presented itself to take advantage of excess wine for the season. Thus was created the first vintage of her label, a 2004 Merlot. Since the first vintage she has continued to make and bottle wine each year. The vineyard produces exclusively Bordeaux red wines.
Prior to the tasting room, Bell Hill was available locally only at markets or direct from the grower.
Over the past year Martelli has expanded the business by introducing in home wine tasting events as a way to promote Bell Hill and Lake County.
The prospect of opening a tasting room at Library Park presented itself and Julia capitalized on the opportunity to develop a space for people to visit and enjoy Bell Hill wine.
Martelli is excited to welcome people to Lake County. “I want people to have the opportunity to taste our wine and promote Lake County. The tasting room is the perfect space for both locals and visitors to come and partake in the rich wines that we are producing here,” she said.
As the first tasting room to open its doors in Lakeport, Martelli hopes that the endeavor proves to be successful.
The first step in that effort is this weekend as she invites the locals out to celebrate the grand opening.
Come and join Martelli in celebration of the Bell Hill tasting room this Saturday and Sunday. For a minimal tasting fee, attendees will enjoy appetizers and wine in celebration of another addition to the Lake County wine scene.
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“For better or worse, the potential for revenue shortfalls is precisely why the Governor and Legislature included trigger cuts in this year's State spending plan,” said State Controller John Chiang. “September's revenues alone do not guarantee that triggers will be pulled. But as the largest revenue month before December, these numbers do not paint a hopeful picture.”
After accounting for September revenues, total year-to-date general fund revenues are now behind the budget's estimates by $705.5 million.
The state ended last fiscal year with a cash deficit of $8.2 billion.
The combined current year cash deficit stands at $17.6 billion.
Those deficits are being covered with $12.2 billion of internal borrowing (temporary loans from special funds) and $5.4 billion of external borrowing.
For more details, read September 2011's financial statement and summary analysis.
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Online training from www.lynda.com is offered every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon, as well as a GED prep workshop at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
On Thursday, Oct. 13, at 9 a.m. is a basic computers workshop for jobseekers who need hands-on help with an introduction to computers.
On Thursday, Oct. 20, at 9 a.m. come learn resume building and formatting techniques at the jobseeker resume workshop.
On Thursday, Oct. 27, at 9 a.m. a job search workshop will focus on job readiness tips and tricks.
Space is limited; to sign up for any workshop please call 707-263-0630.
The Lake One-Stop is part of America’s One-Stop Career Center System that establishes partnerships between business and job seeker programs.
Lake One-Stop is located in Lakeport at 55 First St., telephone 707-263-0630; and in Clearlake at 4477 Moss Ave, telephone 707-994-0633.
Information also is available at www.lakeonestop.org.