Gas prices are surging throughout the Magnolia State

Gas prices are climbing to new levels here in Mississippi

CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Gas prices are climbing to new levels here in Mississippi, and it’s impacting some people differently than others.

One local sheriff’s department talks about some of the troubles they’re facing with the increased prices. Gas prices are pushing some folks to change their traveling plans.

Sheriff James Meyers said those prices could be closer to that four and a half dollar mark in a matter of weeks.

You see a gas station at nearly every corner; unfortunately now folks are seeing that surging gas price alongside it.

And it doesn’t seem to be slowing down

“Here locally our gas is right at four dollars and twenty cents a gallon. It seems like everyday it’s going up and just talking to folks in that business you know they’re estimating by June it could be $4.50 or better,” said Meyers.

Meyers knows gas prices fluctuate up and down year round, but this year has been a bit more excessive than usual. In 2022 gas prices are not fitting in their budget.

“Right now we’re going into over the halfway point into our budget and if we could have looked into the future and knew how gas prices were going to be surging we could have padded that a little bit, but right now it’s getting pretty serious about working into our budget as far as gas,” said Meyers.

Meyers said he and his deputies try to fill up when their vehicles get to half a tank rather than letting them get on E, because that fill up can be near $90.

While deputies get to use a gas card to fill their work vehicles, volunteer firefighters are stuck using their own money.

EMA director Linda Griffin said that doesn’t stop them from filling the need to the community.

“I’m sure it’s a burden on them, but a lot of them look at it as they’re taking care of the community and the people in the community and a lot of people don’t realize what a volunteer gives aside from their time,” said Griffin.

Meyers said folks are limiting their travel from near and far.

“People that I know usually take a vacation every summer and now they’re looking at staying home and they have teenagers that are driving and it’s cut down on a lot of that. Our weekend traffic we’re starting to see it kind of slow down a little bit because people just don’t have the money to buy a lot of gas,” said Meyers.

The average gas price in Mississippi according to triple A gas prices is $4.12 for one gallon of unleaded gas.