Comment on the August 14 posting: CORRECT, as gas prices slid slowly, falling below $4 in selected spots in Kent County and beyond.
Sunday, August 23, 2026, 5 PM: I have a reminder that comes up in the second half of August each year — “Either my wholesale gas calculation is inflated each September, or retailers are more willing to tolerate losing money at the pump when summer ends. Winter blend kicks in on September 15.” Given that the EPA announced a few days ago that it was waiving a rule so that the sale of the (cheaper) winter blend can start on September 1 this year, I think my reminder is active now. How else to explain that in the past week, oil prices rose to nearly $87 a barrel, wholesale prices are the same they were more than a week ago when we hiked to $4.39, yet there was no hike on Thursday or Friday back to $4.39?
I am not complaining, but in past years at this time, I would predict a hike, and I would be WRONG. So this year, my advice is to fill up if you see gas under $4, and a fresh hike to $4.39 is always in the cards. But I won’t make a prediction this week. -EA
