In mid-February, indoor mask restrictions were lifted across the state and on the Central Coast. This Presidents Day holiday weekend was the first time many people decided to travel with mask mandates lifted.A visitor from Nevada said, “It’s liberating! So, nice to actually breathe the fresh air.”With indoor mask mandates lifted visitors have returned to take advantage of the sunny weather destinations here on the Central Coast.Christina Glynn, Communications Director and Film Commissioner with Visit Santa Cruz said, “Americans and Californians have money that is banked still from the pandemic, right. There’s still accidental savings from the pandemic people weren’t dining out, people weren’t traveling that is starting to open up again.”So are their pocketbooks. AAA reports gasoline prices in Santa Cruz County are up to $1.25 per gallon from a year ago, with the average price for a gallon of gasoline at $4.75 a gallon.”It’s slightly below the all tie record high of $4.78 cents, which is slightly below the all-time record of $4.75 set last November,” said, David Shupe, Spokesperson for AAA. “This is a very difficult time for drivers and it can be frustrating because people remember what they paid at the pump the last time they filled up and to see these prices increasing week after week does raise a lot of eyebrows.””California’s crazy! It’s killing me trying to get gas. We got gas in Sacramento, hopefully, we can get back before we have to buy gas here,” said Lori Coburn of Sacramento. AAA says there are three reasons behind the hike at the pump.The geopolitical tension between Russia and UkraineMore people are taking road tripsSummer blend fuels have entered the marketplace.”This summer-blend fuel is an expensive to produce because it’s less likely to evaporate in warmer temperatures,” Shupe said.Russia is a big exporter of oil and the current climate is driving prices up.OPEC is taking advantage of this situation as well.”Now the U.S. is one of the largest manufacturers of oil producers and we haven’t quite caught up with overall demand. It’s really surged since the depths of the COVID recession,” said UC Santa Cruz Professor of Economics, Michael Hutchison.As all this is happening, health officials continue to urge caution with the possibility of more variants being detected.”I think the big question is, will that next variant be something that escapes our current immunity either through our vaccination or through natural infection,” said Dr. David Ghilarducci, Santa Cruz County Deputy Health Director.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. —
In mid-February, indoor mask restrictions were lifted across the state and on the Central Coast. This Presidents Day holiday weekend was the first time many people decided to travel with mask mandates lifted.
A visitor from Nevada said, “It’s liberating! So, nice to actually breathe the fresh air.”
With indoor mask mandates lifted visitors have returned to take advantage of the sunny weather destinations here on the Central Coast.
Christina Glynn, Communications Director and Film Commissioner with Visit Santa Cruz said, “Americans and Californians have money that is banked still from the pandemic, right. There’s still accidental savings from the pandemic people weren’t dining out, people weren’t traveling that is starting to open up again.”
So are their pocketbooks. AAA reports gasoline prices in Santa Cruz County are up to $1.25 per gallon from a year ago, with the average price for a gallon of gasoline at $4.75 a gallon.
“It’s slightly below the all tie record high of $4.78 cents, which is slightly below the all-time record of $4.75 set last November,” said, David Shupe, Spokesperson for AAA. “This is a very difficult time for drivers and it can be frustrating because people remember what they paid at the pump the last time they filled up and to see these prices increasing week after week does raise a lot of eyebrows.”
“California’s crazy! It’s killing me trying to get gas. We got gas in Sacramento, hopefully, we can get back before we have to buy gas here,” said Lori Coburn of Sacramento.
AAA says there are three reasons behind the hike at the pump.
- The geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine
- More people are taking road trips
- Summer blend fuels have entered the marketplace.
“This summer-blend fuel is an expensive to produce because it’s less likely to evaporate in warmer temperatures,” Shupe said.
Russia is a big exporter of oil and the current climate is driving prices up.
OPEC is taking advantage of this situation as well.
“Now the U.S. is one of the largest manufacturers of oil producers and we haven’t quite caught up with overall demand. It’s really surged since the depths of the COVID recession,” said UC Santa Cruz Professor of Economics, Michael Hutchison.
As all this is happening, health officials continue to urge caution with the possibility of more variants being detected.
“I think the big question is, will that next variant be something that escapes our current immunity either through our vaccination or through natural infection,” said Dr. David Ghilarducci, Santa Cruz County Deputy Health Director.
