By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — If you're making a last trip for the summer this weekend, filling up at the pump should not get in your way.
"We're looking at the cheapest gas prices at Labor Day weekend since 2016," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "In terms of the impact from Hurricane Laura, some of the refineries and oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico that had shut down have started operations again. The exceptions are refineries in the Lake Charles, Louisiana area. Overall, though, there's been no major threat to supply or gasoline stocks."
Steward noted that there was plenty of fuel in the system ahead of the storm.
"We've seen some lower demand leading up to the holiday weekend," Steward said. "It's really kept prices stable. We could see a little bit of an uptick for the holiday weekend as people head to the lake or other road trips for the three-day weekend, but we don't see any major jumps in prices at the pump."
In Reno County and Hutchinson, prices are lower than last year, but higher than some points this summer.
"Reno County and Hutchinson are right at about $1.99 a gallon," Steward said Friday. "Overall, if you're traveling in this region, just in our general vicinity, in addition to Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas are all cheaper than we are here in the Sunflower State."
The national average as of Friday night was just under $2.23 a gallon.