Rising gas prices elicit mixed reaction in Blue Hill

Local drivers range from frustrated to indifferent

May 6, 2026

By John Epstein

At Blue Hill’s Citgo gas station, the price of regular gasoline on May 1 was just under $4.30/gallon for a credit card purchase. That’s forty cents more than it was a week before and approximately $1.40 more than it was two months ago—before the commencement of the war with Iran and the subsequent closing of the Strait of Hormuz. 

How are drivers in our area feeling about the sudden rise in gas prices? Decidedly mixed.

Here’s what local drivers say about rising gas prices:

Matt Freedman, Brooksville

It’s unfortunate that people are paying more. It’s hard for many of them. But it’s too soon to say it’s affected me. I blame the President.  Before he started the war, gas prices were stable for quite a long time. Since he’s started the war gas prices have gone up and it was really obvious to know that ahead of time.

Willie Bolton, Stonington

You gotta have gas and pay for it no matter what the prices. Prices are not really affecting me because I always try to keep my tank filled to three quarters. That way it only costs me about a $20 to go like to Walmart, go shopping and to my doctors’ appointments and stuff. So it don’t matter to me so much. That’s the only time I go out on the road.

Stephanie Swiler, Blue Hill

Well luckily, right now I’m living only about a mile and half from where I work. So I haven’t had to get gas in three weeks. So that’s probably the only reason why I can really afford it because it’s a little ridiculous actually. It was $4 a gallon three weeks ago, now it’ 30 cents more a gallon. I definitely blame several people for this. I didn’t vote for this Administration. That’s all I really need to say about that.

Carol Carter, Sedgwick

If it wasn’t for that war that Trump got going, gas wouldn’t be up so high.

Tim Horton, Blue Hill

I’d like to see the prices come down again. I wouldn’t be against that, but I don’t worry about it very much.

Gary Hewitt, Blue Hill

The gas prices are unnecessarily rising. If we weren’t in this war, that wouldn’t be happening. And I don’t’ think we’ve seen the worst of it yet. I think it’s going much higher. We’ve seen $120 for a barrel of crude over the last few days. I think we might see $200 a barrel by the end of the summer.

Kristin Hale, Brooksville

I think the gas prices are terrible. I wonder what we can do about it. I work full-time. I work at Parker Ridge, a ten-mile drive. Sometimes there’s very little leftover. I can’t do as much as I could before. I have seven grandchildren. I have three daughters. It’s hard to celebrate birthdays.

Danielle Gray, Sedgwick

I think the gas prices are outrageous. It’s ridiculous where we are right now, and it should end. There’s no reason for it, honestly. Donald Trump wanted to do what Donald Trump wanted to do, and he didn’t consider people like us who couldn’t afford gas at the price it was before, let alone now.

Robin Taylor, Stonington

I don’t drive much because of the gas prices. To have to buy nine and a half gallons of gas and pay $40 for it is ridiculous. We need to have a new government, a whole new everything in the government. We need to wash the house really good, and come up with lower gas prices, less inflation, and smarter people.

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