Gas prices at the QT on South Broadway hit a surprising new low on Labor Day, due in part to lower consumer demand and continued crude oil production from the Alaskan Prudhoe Bay oil field.
|
How Low Will Gas Prices Go?
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), September 4, 2006 - Consumers have long been accustomed to higher gas prices over the Labor Day Weekend. Contrary to local analysts predictions of gas prices reaching upwards of $5 for regular, many stations in the St. Louis area were selling regular gas below $2.50 per gallon.
On August 21, the average retail price for regular gasoline in Missouri was $2.77 per gallon. This is a decrease of nearly $0.20 cents within the last two weeks but still $0.27 cents higher than this time last year, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Energy Center's Energy Bulletin.
Demand for U.S. motor fuels remains near a four-week average of 9.6 million barrels per day, yet fell to 9.5 million barrels last week. U.S. gasoline stocks increased an unexpected 0.4 million barrels from the previous week. On August 8, the Energy Information Administration projected summer 2006 regular unleaded gasoline pump prices to average $2.92 per gallon or 55 cents higher than last summer.
Missouri's average retail price for regular gasoline of $2.77 per gallon on August 21 remains below the U.S. average price of $2.92 and the Midwest average retail price of $2.86 per gallon. The average retail diesel fuel price in Missouri was $3.07, an increase of over $0.16 per gallon since July 17 and nearly $0.58 cents higher than July 2005. Missouri's average retail diesel price is also higher than the U.S. average of $3.03 per gallon. Midwest supplies of diesel fuel are lower than normal as refineries and bulk terminals make production and supply changes to diesel fuel that contains lower amounts of sulfur.
U.S. crude prices have fallen since August 10 due to a combination of factors including: lower consumer demand, higher refinery output of petroleum products and continued crude oil production from the Alaskan Prudhoe Bay oil field -- following reports that the field was to be closed after the discovery of faulty pipelines. Prudhoe is the largest domestic oil field in the U.S.
New Work Zone Fines Now Effective
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), September 2, 2006 - Labor Day is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year, and this year motorists need to be extra cautious because this is also Missouri's busiest construction year ever. Eleven motorists did not make it home due to traffic crashes last Labor Day weekend. The Missouri Department of Transportation urges all motorists to be extra cautious while driving this holiday weekend so they don't become a statistic for next year.
With a new highway work zone law now in effect, this Labor Day weekend big penalties are in store for reckless drivers. Injuring or killing a highway worker could cost $10,000, as well as a lost license for a year. Although MoDOT generally limits the amount of work done on holidays, drivers will still encounter heavy traffic and some construction over the holiday.
Although motorists are more likely to be killed and injured in work zones than highway workers, several highway workers have already been killed this year in Missouri work zones. The latest was MoDOT Motorist Assist Operator Ken Hoierman who was struck and killed Aug. 15 by a motorist in a work zone on Interstate 55 near St. Louis.
"We're doing everything we can to make work zones as safe as they can be so motorists and our workers get home safely every day," said Don Hillis, director of System Management for MoDOT. "We need motorists to do their part by staying alert, following all posted signs and wearing their safety belts."
Over the 2005 Labor Day holiday in Missouri, 11 people died and 483 people were injured in 1,029 traffic crashes. Of those 11 fatalities, six were not using their safety belts.
Speeding, inattention, failing to yield and drinking were the most common causes of crashes during last year's holiday weekend, which runs from Friday at 6 p.m. to Monday at midnight.
"Even the most careful driver can't avoid all crashes, but it is a proven fact that safety belts save lives - so buckle up," said Hillis.
The Jones Company Receives New-Home Builder Certification
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), September 2, 2006 - The Jones Company, a division of Centex Homes located in St. Louis, Mo., is being recognized for providing customers with an outstanding home ownership experience, based on the J.D. Power and Associates Certified New-Home Builder Program.
More than 445 new owners of homes built by The Jones Company were surveyed after approximately nine months of ownership about their experience with the builder regarding customer service; home readiness; sales staff; quality of workmanship/materials; price/value; physical design elements; design center; recreational facilities and location. The division achieved or exceeded benchmark scores earned by the top 20 percent of new-home builders evaluated in the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study.
"The certification program is designed to help consumers make more informed decisions with regard to choosing a home builder that is committed to providing an outstanding customer satisfaction experience," said Jim Howland, director of the real estate industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "To have far exceeded the customer satisfaction scores required for certification demonstrates an ongoing commitment by The Jones Company to meet the wants and needs of their customers."
The program is an extension of the firm's annual New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study, which evaluates customer satisfaction among builders in a number of markets across the country. Certification is awarded to those builders that demonstrate the highest levels of customer satisfaction in areas of the country not covered by the study. In 2005, the study included new-home builders in 30 U.S. markets: Albuquerque, N.M.; Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Dallas/Ft. Worth; Denver/Colorado Springs; Detroit; Ft. Myers/Naples, Fla.; Houston; Inland Empire, Calif.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Las Vegas; Los Angeles/Ventura County; Minneapolis; Orange County, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Palm Beach, Fla.; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; Sacramento, Calif.; San Francisco Bay Area; San Diego; Seattle/Tacoma, Wash.; Tampa, Fla.; Tucson, Ariz.; and Washington, D.C.
|
How To Reach Us:
