I don't know about the rest of the state, but I do know that there are enough people in Putnam County that commute to neighboring towns and counties every day for work, shopping, doctors appointments, family visits, etc., that they can fill up their gas tanks where it is cheaper. I am all for "home town loyalty" when it makes sense, but it doesn't make sense to support a market that charges a higher price just because it can. I also realize there are many folks (mainly older) who can't drive out of town and are thereby forced to pay the local inflated prices. That, too, is unfair. What can we do about it? Use less gas. Plan a route when doing errands and don't backtrack. When possible, do all errands in a block of time in one day, instead of doing one a day. Keep tires properly inflated. Don't let the engine run on idle when waiting in long lines. Drive the speed limit. Don't drive gas-guzzling vehicles in the first place. (Hummer owners, this is for you. Unless you are wearing a military uniform and driving a military vehicle, you look pretty stupid in these oversized machines, anyway.) Try to buy more gas when the price is down a bit, to avoid buying it later when the price has risen. Carpool. Bicycle, or better yet, walk. (Just be sure to use the right lane if you're riding a bike, and the left lane if you're walking. Remember the rules of the road and wear light reflective clothing so you can be seen and be safe.) In other words, use some common sense. And let others know that gas in Cloverdale is always about 20-25-30 cents cheaper 1/2 - 1 mile south of the interstate than it is at the I-70 exit. Finally, to be fair, here lately, gas in Greencastle has been roughly the same price as Brazil, Terre Haute, and Plainfield. Lafayette was cheaper than Crawfordsville this past Monday and Tuesday.

How can the oil companies post record NET profits never seen by any company in history yet still try to convince eveyone they are not the villians? They try to blame the lack of refineries or OPEC. Do they think that we are really buying that crap? Of course many of us feel so helpless esp. when we have 2 men in the White House that are "oil" men. In the past I have been a staunch Republican however not any more. The Bush/Cheney admin took care of that. Why are not the Dems bringing the gas price issue into the campaign? Could it be that all of Congress is in big oil's pocket? Say it isn't so!! Oh well. Why should Dubya Bush worry about the price of gas? The Secret Service will be escorting him everywhere for the rest of his life. On Us!!!!!