Local gas stations still under $2 per gal.

VW independent/submitted information

While Van Wert gasoline prices rose, all local stations remain under $2 a gallon — and at least a nickel under the state average.

Three Van Wert stations have the low price of $1.96 per gallon. They include Murphy USA in the Towne Center shopping center, Lassus Handy Dandy on North Washington Street, and the Pak-A-Sak Marathon station at the intersection of Ervin Road and Shannon Street.

The One Stop Shop station in the 200 block of North Washington is selling gasoline at $1.97 per gallon, while the Short Stop on East Main Street has gasoline for $1.98 a gallon on Monday morning.

The Pak-A-Sak north Marathon station in the 800 block of North Washington, the Brookside Marathon station in the 1300 block of West Main, and the Shell station on South Washington Street are all at $1.99 per gallon.

Gasoline prices in Ohio have risen 9.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.04 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 stations in Ohio. This compares with the national average, which has increased a half-cent per gallon versus last week to $2.24 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

Including the change locally during the past week, prices Sunday were 43.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago and are 5.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has dropped 14.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 28.4 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

“With oil prices back over $50 per barrel, it looks like gas prices in more areas may soon bottom out and start to tick higher,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “While it doesn’t seem that prices will rise very far, it looks more and more like the lowest price of the year may now be behind us. 

“The national average briefly hit $2.22 per gallon last week, but will likely move up slightly or stabilize this week,” DeHaan added. “Gas prices in the Great Lakes saw a noticeable jump last week and tend to see among the earliest trend changes in the country, which may be a harbinger of what’s to come for the rest of us.”