KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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On average, Americans will pay $1.48 more per gallon for gas this Memorial Day compared to 2025, according to GasBuddy's projections.
According to GasBuddy's nationwide study of 2,000 drivers — 33% of whom are from the Midwest — 67% of Americans say gas prices are impacting their travel plans this summer.
“I just try to drive less," said Smithville resident Callie Ballenger. "I really think about whether I really need to go places or not now.”
Ballenger said the spike in diesel prices — which AAA says is up about $2.11 from a year ago — pushed her husband to sell his diesel truck, which she added was a bit older.
Ballenger said she doesn't have any travel plans in the near future.
“We spend a lot of time on Smithville Lake, but living a mile from the lake is nice," Ballenger said.
Michael Meilink says he fishes at Smithville Lake about twice a week. He said he's paying about $4.50 a gallon to fill up his boat, and he only gets about 4 to 5 miles per gallon on the water. He's watched his hobby become more expensive over the years.
“I had a tournament down at the Lake of the Ozarks one time," Meilink said. "We ran 45 minutes and back, and that was in the mid-90s. That was 50 bucks. That 50 bucks now would probably be $150 to fill the tank up now.”
GasBuddy says that if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for the majority of the summer, national average gas prices could set all-time records above $5 per gallon.
"It’s just very much contingent on how long the Straight of Hormuz remains closed," Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis, said.
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