By By Fredie Carmichael/The Meridian Star
Oct. 24, 2001
Gasoline plummeted in the past week in Meridian and Lauderdale County to less than $1.10 a gallon a change attributed to lack of demand after the September terrorist attacks.
And at least one official with a local self-service gas station chain, Express Lane operations manager Richard Dolan, said he believes that unleaded gas could fall below $1 a gallon.
Express Lane, Super Stop and other gas stations in Meridian and Lauderdale County were charging $1.09 a gallon for unleaded gas on Tuesday. Other stores in the city and county were charging as low as $1.07 a gallon.
The trend is similar across the state and the nation. The American Automobile Association, which has an office in Jackson, said that gasoline prices are at their lowest point nationally since January 2000.
AAA said the most recent national average for unleaded gas was $1.30 a gallon, down from $1.53 in September. AAA said that the most recent figures for Mississippi show the average price for unleaded gas is $1.21 a gallon, down from $1.41 last month.
In Jackson, where gas prices fell at least 10 cents last week, AAA spokesperson Kathy McGraw said that motorists are buying gas there for as low as 98 cents a gallon.
Dolan said he believes that the oil industry is trying to stimulate demand with lower prices. Unleaded gas sold for an average $1.21 a gallon Thursday; prices dropped to $1.09 by early Saturday.
Fredie Carmichael is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3228, or e-mail him at fcarmichael@themeridianstar.com.