NC Gasoline Prices Going Up and Up, Due to Ike

Yesterday, the Pantry posted the signs at its Kangaroo Express and Petro gas stations across the state. Hurricane Ike is passing over Texas, where refineries have been shut down- stopping the flow of 30-percent of the county's oil. Pantry V-P of Business Development Steve Ferreira says the company wanted to take a pro-active measure. "But even if the storm does no damage at all to those refineries it still takes about a week to get them up and running and getting their through-port up to speed," he says. Ferreira expects gas prices to spike as the supply goes down. Officials have been advising consumers to refrain from topping off their gas tanks.