Gas under $3 can be found

A number of area gas stations are still offering gas at below $3 a gallon, but just barely.

Stations such as a Sunoco in Boardman, a Shell in Austintown and Pilot in North Lima still had regular gas at $2.999 a gallon, according to the MSN Autos Web site Thursday.

One of the lowest prices around the area, however, was at the Country Fair at 1841 Niles-Cortland Road, Niles. Its price was 2.959.

MSN Autos collects prices daily from 90,000 stations nationwide, but warns that its data can become outdated quickly as prices change.

Despite the presence of some stations with prices under $3, averages throughout the region were pushed up because other stations are charging as much as $3.09.

Here are some averages for area communities: Weathersfield, $3.04; Niles, $3.05; Boardman, $3.06; Austintown, $3.06; Columbiana, $3.06; New Castle, Pa., $3.07; and Hermitage, Pa. $3.09.