State’s gasoline prices at new high

Retail gasoline prices in California jumped a dime to a new high of $3.461 a gallon during the last week as the national average came close to a new record, the Energy Department said Monday.

There appeared to be no relief in sight with the start of the traditional summer driving season less than a month away and refineries struggling to regain normal production levels.

“Demand has been unrelenting and refineries continue to be offline,” said Phil Flynn, vice president and senior market analyst for Alaron Trading Corp. in Chicago. Production problems “are getting as regular as the sun coming up in the morning.”

LATimes