A Chevron gas station in Arcadia is charging $5.15 for premium gas. Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., has directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to take emergency steps to increase the state's gasoline supply by selling the "winter blend" early, to bring down fuel prices. Gas prices have skyrocketed over the past week due to a shortage caused by shutdowns at Tesoro and Exxon refineries.
Gas prices in America are reaching record highs. A Gallup poll this month found 85% of U.S. adults believe President Obama and Congress "should take immediate actions to try to control the rising price of gas." Mike Siroub, who has operated Union Oil Station in Arcadia for 25 years, said customers who used to fill up just put in $10 or $20 at a time, telling him they can't afford to fill up and that they are driving less or using more fuel-efficient cars. Photo of Rosalyn Buchanan filling her gas tank in Arcadia.