Many local residents are wondering why gas prices went up when oil prices fell yesterday.

Gas prices at many stations throughout Logan County and the southern West Virginia coalfields increased to $3.85, despite news that oil had fallen to under $104 a barrel.

"Why is gas going up when oil keeps falling," one caller said yesterday. "These stations are gouging us. There's no reason for the gas prices to increase. It should be going down instead of up."

Others lodged complaints about the high gas prices when many believed gas prices should be falling alongside oil prices.

At one Chapmanville station, a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.69 on Monday, then, yesterday morning, just as news came that oil prices were falling, the station hiked its price 16 cents to $3.85.

Others in West Logan, Aracoma, Stollings and Logan soon followed suit and their price for a gallon of regular unleaded was at $3.85 today at 7:15 a.m.

This morning, a gallon of gas at the Exxon station in downtown Logan is $3.85.

But, in Chapmanville, two stations have lowered their prices.

The Town N' Country Foodland gas station this morning had decreased its gas prices to $3.69 again, as did the Speedway across the street.

But, the Little General Exxon at Airport Road had hiked its price of a gallon of regular unleaded to $3.85.

An employee at one of the stations said the gas company supplier raised its price on gasoline and that, in turn, caused area stations to raise their gas prices.

In Charleston, last night, gas was averaging $3.85 for a gallon of regular unleaded, but it was still at $3.75 at the Lincoln County line station on U.S. Route 119.

Oil prices did rise slightly this morning to $104 a barrel, but it was nearly 24 hours after stations locally had raised their prices several cents on the gallon.