AAA: Gas prices, outlook and tips

There’s a lot of discussion around gas prices, especially as we near another holiday. But, there could be some slightly good news.

AAA is expecting gas prices to dip slightly ahead of the July 4th travel weekend. But, the company states price fluctuations are still possible as the busy Independence Day weekend gets closer.

“Drivers are seeing minor relief at the gas pump with prices dropping an average of nine cents a gallon compared to last week,” said AAA Spokesperson Nick Chabarria. “Prices could fluctuate as the busy Independence Day holiday approaches. Despite unusually high gas prices, automobile travel is expected to set a new record with 42 million Americans driving to their holiday destination. The record travel could put more pressure on demand at a time when supplies are very tight.”

AAA states crude oil prices recently declined slightly, but they’re still above $105 per barrel.

4-State Gas Price Averages (AAA) (June 23)

Missouri Average Regular Gas Prices

  • Current Avg. $4.641
  • Yesterday Avg. $4.651
  • Week Ago Avg. $4.683
  • Month Ago Avg. $4.157
  • Year Ago Avg. $2.750

Kansas Average Regular Gas Prices

  • Current Avg. $4.629
  • Yesterday Avg. $4.639
  • Week Ago Avg. $4.671
  • Month Ago Avg. $4.046
  • Year Ago Avg. $2.836

Oklahoma Average Regular Gas Prices

  • Current Avg. $4.615
  • Yesterday Avg. $4.622
  • Week Ago Avg. $4.665
  • Month Ago Avg. $4.037
  • Year Ago Avg. $2.775

Arkansas Average Regular Gas Prices

  • Current Avg. $4.489
  • Yesterday Avg. $4.500
  • Week Ago Avg. $4.536
  • Month Ago Avg. $4.115
  • Year Ago Avg. $2.768

The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $4.94, which is seven cents less compared to this day last week and $1.87 more than the price per gallon at this same time last year, according to AAA Gas Prices.

Gas Tax Holiday Proposal

The Biden administration has been discussing a possible gas tax holiday.

> Read More about the Proposal: EXPLAINER: How Biden’s proposed gas tax holiday would work

As a result, the impact of gas tax holiday proposals, whether at a state or federal level, may be limited because any price reduction from the lack of taxes can be quickly offset by a steady increase in oil prices. According to AAA, in addition, if a gas tax holiday is implemented, it is unclear to what extent any savings would be passed along to the consumer or if there would be an impact to funds that are usually allocated for much needed infrastructure improvement, maintenance, and safety.

AAA Tips to save money on fuel

Bad driving isn’t just unsafe. It’s expensive. Studies have repeatedly shown that personal driving habits are the single biggest factor that affects vehicle fuel consumption. Adopting new and improved driving behaviors can contribute to significant savings at the gas pump. Here are some simple ways drivers can improve fuel efficiency:

  • Slow down and drive the speed limit. Higher speeds result in more aerodynamic drag.
  • Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard accelerations. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption.
  • Use cruise control on the highway to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel. However, never use cruise control on slippery roads because a loss of vehicle control could result.
  • Minimize your use of air conditioning.
  • Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine, even in colder temperatures. It’s unnecessary and wastes fuel.
  • Maintain your car according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Regular service will ensure optimum fuel economy.
  • Make sure your tires are properly maintained and inflated to the correct level.
  • When driving in town, adjust your speed to “time” the traffic lights. This reduces repeated braking and acceleration that consume additional fuel.
  • When approaching a red light or stop sign, take your foot off the gas early and allow your car to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.
  • Download the AAA App to find the cheapest gas prices near you.

Information about AAA Approved repair shops can be located at AAA.com/repair or by calling your local AAA branch.

Improve the health of your home with summer cooling tips

MISSOURI DNR TIPS – It’s that time of year when health officials tell you to watch for heat-related illnesses. But it’s not just you impacted by the heat.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources sent out some tips today for your home. You can find more information about the DNR’s statewide weatherization assistance here.

Here are some summertime cooling tips from the DNR to help gain energy efficiency benefits:

Use Air Conditioning Wisely

  • Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.
  • Use a programmable thermostat with your air conditioner to adjust the setting at night or when no one is home.
  • Use a fan with your window air conditioner to spread cool air effectively through your home without greatly increasing power use.
  • Don’t set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you first turn on your air conditioner. It won’t cool your home any faster, and could result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.
  • Don’t place lamps or TVs near your air conditioner’s thermostat. The heat from these appliances will cause the air conditioner to run longer.

Shade Your Windows

Sunny windows make air conditioners work two to three times harder.

  • Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day.
  • Install white window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.
  • Apply sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows.

Weatherize

Air leaks waste energy dollars year round.

  • Caulking and weather-stripping will keep cool air in during the summer.
  • Add insulation around air conditioning ducts when they are located in unconditioned spaces, such as attics, crawl spaces and garages.
  • If you see holes or separated joints in your air ducts, hire a professional to repair them.
  • Check to see that your fireplace damper is tightly closed.

For Long-term Savings

  • If your air conditioner is old, consider new energy-efficient models, which can save you up to 50% on your cooling bills. Look for the ENERGY STAR®.
  • Adding insulation and sealing air leaks help your energy performance in the summertime by keeping cool air inside.

Everyday Tips to Save Energy

These no-cost or low-cost tips are easy ways to save energy and money year-round.

  • Replace incandescent bulbs with LED lights.
  • Air-dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
  • Use a microwave oven instead of a conventional electric range or oven.
  • Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
  • Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVRs, into power strips and turn power strips off when equipment is not in use.
  • Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater; 115° is comfortable for most uses.
  • Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.

Many of these same tips are also applicable to savings on winter heating costs.

$53 million in bonuses given to Kansas child care providers

TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas divides $53 million in bonuses for eligible child care staff at licensed facilities.

Governor Laura Kelly made the announcement today. Her administration is giving the money as a reward for their “incredibly essential, hard work.” The federal Child Care Development Funds is providing the money for these bonuses.

The state will divide the funds among about 22,650 early childhood care staff members across Kansas. Individual bonus amounts will range from $750 to $2,500 per person, according to the Kansas Office of Governor Kelly.

“Early childhood development is the smartest investment a community can make. Early childhood education programs benefit our kids in the long-term, both in and out of the classroom, and they make it possible for parents to enter and participate in the workforce,” Governor Laura Kelly said. ”That’s exactly why we’re making a total of $53 million available to nearly 23,000 child care providers throughout Kansas: We want to show our gratitude for all they do every single day.”

The Appreciation Bonus is a one-time payment. It will start in mid-to-late July. Continue reading for more information about eligibility and the program.

Eligibility

The Governor’s Office states, “Eligible child care providers must be regularly working in a paid position at a licensed facility and have a minimum of six months continuous employment at their current employer or six months of combined continuous employment with a licensed provider. Home-based and relative providers may also qualify for the bonus program.”

Those who have worked less than six months at a licensed facility could also have an opportunity to receive a bonus.

Licensed Facilities:

  • Child Care Centers
    • all Head Start programs and preschools
    • school age programs
    • day care homes
    • DCF relative providers

How the Bonus Program Works

Child Care Aware of Kansas (CCAKS) will implement the program on behalf of the Kansas Department for Children and Families and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

All eligible child care workers will receive a letter in July outlining the process to accept the bonus and will have until Nov. 18 to act.

CCAKS will offer educational webinars about the process as well.

You can learn more at ks.childcareaware.org.

“Child care professionals are essential to a thriving Kansas economy, providing high-quality early care and education to young children while ensuring parents are able to work,” said Kelly Davydov, Executive Director of Child Care Aware of Kansas. “We’re grateful for their service to young children and families.”

“Working in child care is a calling, one that inspires and educates the minds of young Kansans, and plays an important role in strengthening Kansas families,” said Laura Howard, Secretary of Kansas Department for Children and Families. “We cannot say it enough — Thank you child care workers for everything you do for Kansas children!”

Sam’s Club offers limited-time $8 membership

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Sam’s Club now offers new customers an $8 membership for a limited time.

From June 17 to June 26, shoppers can sign up in person according to the press release from Sam’s.

A typical annual membership usually costs $45 according to the Sam’s Club Website.

“Our members love a cause for celebration, and they’ve told us they plan on getting together with family and friends this Fourth of July,” said Ciara Anfield, CMO of Sam’s Club. “That insight has inspired our merchants to curate and develop unique items to meet their needs. Just like our members, we also have a ‘more the merrier attitude’, so we’re excited to be able to bring back our $8 membership offer and let more people discover the quality, convenience, and value that Sam’s Club offers.

According to Anfield, this decision gives consumers considering a warehouse club membership the nudge they needed to join.

City of Miami online surplus sale items now listed

MIAMI, Okla. – You can find a variety of items at the City of Miami’s upcoming surplus sale.

The City is selling surplus property through an online auction. The Miami City Council declares items surplus and lists them on the govdeals.com website. These items will be listed starting today, June 10, 2022. The auction closes at 8:00 am on June 20.

Items proposed for surplus include

  • printers,
  • office furniture,
  • filing cabinets,
  • a functioning Gradall XL3300,
  • tire changer and balancing equipment,
  • E-readers,
  • and more.

You can find a full list of items on the City of Miami website, according to the City. Officials invite the public to participate.

For the auction, you can go to govdeals.com and search “Miami, OK.”

“All sales are final and winning bidders must pick up items at City Hall located at 129 5th Ave. NW in Miami, OK. Within 10 days after the auction closes. Questions may be directed to Purchasing Agent Krista Duhon at 918-541-2224 or by email at kduhon@miamiokla.net.”

Bills will go down for Kansas Empire customers

CHEROKEE CO./LABETTE CO., Kan. – Empire Electric customers in Kansas will soon see their monthly bills go down.

The Kansas Corporation Commission approved a settlement agreement today. It calls for a 3.8% rate decrease starting July 1, 2022. This amounts to a bill reduction of $2.95 per month for residential customers with average usage.

(Bills go up for Missouri Liberty (Empire) customers)

Why the decrease?

Empire filed an application for a rate increase last May to recover costs related to building three new wind farms, retiring the Asbury coal plant and updating accumulated depreciation and deferred costs. The application called for an increase in rates totaling about $5.00 per month for residential customers.

While looking into the request, the KCC and CURB (Citizens Utility Rate Payer Board) looked at the financial situation around the retirement of the Asbury plant, wind farms, and the non-growth plant.

The KCC and CURB determined Empire did not need as much revenue as projected in the filing. Therefore, KCC and CURB determined there should be a decrease in the rate for customers.

The order can be viewed here.

A recording of today’s Business Meeting featuring comments by Commissioners on this order is available on the KCC YouTube channel.

Bills go up for Missouri Liberty customers

JOPLIN, Mo. – Liberty customers in Missouri will see an increase in their electric bills soon.

On May 17, the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved the updated base rates for Empire District Electric Company (doing business as Liberty).

(On the Kansas side… Empire customers see a rate decrease)

New Base Rates

There are two rate changes that will go into effect on June 1, 2022.

The first increase is the base rate the MPSC approved. A Liberty Missouri residential electric customer using about 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per month will see an increase of $9.93 per month, or a 7.53% increase.

The second increase is in the fuel adjustment clause (FAC).

  • This increase is the result of a required semi-annual filing, which represents the charge for the difference between the amount of fuel and purchased power costs established in base rates and the amount of actual fuel and purchased power costs incurred by Liberty. If costs are less, customers see a credit on the Fuel Charge line, and if costs are more, customers see a charge. The charge includes no mark-up profit for the Company.” – Liberty

For this change, a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy a month will see a FAC increase of about $5.85 per month.

Liberty states in their release that starting June 1, fuel cost savings related to its wind farms will be factored into the updated rate structure and future FAC updates.

Other Approved Items, Time of Use Rates

In addition, the MPSC approved Liberty to implement time-of-use rates beginning October 15, 2022.

According to Liberty, “These rates plans are designed to show customers the correlation between when they use energy – during costlier peak-use times or during less expensive off-peak times – and the respective potential impact on their electric bill.”

Liberty states once these rates go into effect in October, “customers will pay a lower rate for energy used daily during the off-peak hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.”

“Additional optional time-of-use rate structures will be available to residential and small commercial customers. These rate structures are designed to give customers more control over their monthly electric bill.” – Liberty

The MPSC also approved Liberty to expand its financial assistance and home weatherization programs.

Liberty notes that things can change. You can read the full Liberty release here.

Liberty’s Reason for Increase

Liberty’s last rate update was in 2020. The company states that since then, it’s invested more than $860 million in “critical infrastructure for improved reliability and grid security, technology to enhance customer service, and cost-effective renewable energy generation.”

“Liberty’s investments included in this approved rate update allow us to continue to deliver the safe, reliable energy we know our customers count on for their daily lives. These investments also enable Liberty to reduce operational costs and improve efficiency to help keep energy cost effective over the long-term,” said Tim Wilson, Liberty Vice President, Electric Operations. “Upgrades to our infrastructure make it more secure and more resilient during extreme weather, which means fewer and shorter outages. Clean, renewable energy helps us to protect our environment while reducing energy generation costs; savings that we pass on to customers. And, updated technology allows us to better serve our customers through convenient billing and payment platforms and to offer options, such as new rate plans and access to near-real-time energy usage information, that encourage energy savings and help customers lower their bill. With this approval, we can also do more to help customers who may be struggling with their bills through expanded assistance programs.”

The utility company laid out the following in its media release:

Key investments and improvements included in the rate update

  • Providing customers safe, dependable energy through Liberty’s infrastructure upgrades. These investments bolster reliability and strengthen Liberty’s system and the grid against the impacts of extreme weather events and security threats. Examples include:
    • Minimizing the impact of outages for customers by expanding substations and adding automated switching to help speed power restoration and limit the number of customers who experience an outage
    • Improving safety and reliability by replacing more than 1,500 deteriorating poles
    • Reducing outages caused by wildlife, one of the leading causes of outages, by installing approximately 3,000 wildlife guards. These guards protect our system and protect the curious birds and animals that try to come in contact with our equipment.
    • Providing customers with options to help manage and lower their monthly bill through the installation of smart meters. The automated meter technology helps lower operational costs and supports new, convenient customer service platforms along with time-of-use rate plans that put customers in control of the most cost-effective time to use energy.
  • Transitioning to clean, renewable energy that is expected to save customers money over the long term compared to other energy generation. This included:
    • The construction of Liberty’s 600-megawatt wind energy project consisting of 277 wind turbines on three wind farms in southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas
    • The construction of Liberty’s first regulated Community Solar project near Joplin, Missouri, consisting of approximately 5,700 solar panels placed on an Environmental Protection Agency superfund site, making use of land not suitable for other types of development
  • Expanding financial assistance to customers by continuing Liberty’s low-income pilot program and increasing the available discount to two times the customer charge during the peak heating months of December through February and peak cooling months of June through August. Liberty will also establish a critical needs program and more than double the funding for the low-income weatherization program, from $250,000 to $550,000 annually. This program, funded by Liberty and supported by area assistance agencies, helps to improve energy efficiency at qualifying customer homes to help reduce energy bills.

Kansas Supreme Court sides with Gene Bicknell in tax dispute

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Kansas Supreme Court rules in favor of Pittsburg native and philanthropist Gene Bicknell.

Bicknell’s tax battle with the state centered on whether he lived in Kansas or Florida when he sold his company, NPC International, in 2006.

> Previous KOAM Article: Overturned again: Bicknell reacts to latest in 14-year Kansas court battle

Bicknell was fined $48 million in taxes, interests and penalties. In 2019, the District Court of Crawford County ordered the state to return the money to Bicknell. But that was appealed and reversed in 2021 by the Kansas Court of Appeals.

Today, the state’s highest court sided with Bicknell, saying he lived in Florida at the time.

You can read the other rulings of the Kansas Supreme Court in the case below.

Full Kansas Supreme Court Decision

You can read the full decision in the PDF below, or click here.

Gene Bicknell wins case – Kansas Supreme Court decision May 20, 2020

Southwest City Elementary receives grant to improve library selection

SOUTHWEST CITY, Mo. – The Laura Bush Foundation today donated $5,000 to Southwest City Elementary to improve the school’s library selection.

Officials say 300 schools across the U.S received their share of $1.5 million from the foundation.

“I am thrilled that children will soon have access to an updated library collection,” Mrs. Laura Bush said. “Students across the country turn to books to discover the world around them, and we know that opening a new book opens the door to new opportunities and learning.”

Officials say The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries has awarded more than $19.5 million to more than 3,300 schools across the country since its inception in 2002.

To find out more, click here.

Pittsburg discusses fund allocation and Section 8 payment standards

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Pittsburg City Commissioners met today to discuss the allocation of Revolving Loan Funds and Section 8 payment standards.

Primarily, the commissioners discussed allocating $30,000 from the RLF to support infrastructure improvements to Blue Spoon Properties.

Commissioners also voted to raise the Section 8 payment standard as rent prices rise in the area.

Quentin Holmes, Director of Community Development and Housing stated:

“It’ll really open up opportunities for those who need the program and the landlords in town who had to increase their rent.”

The payment standard increase for section 8 housing will come into effect on June 1 in Pittsburg.