OIL PRICES UP MORE THAN 2 PERCENT THIS MORNING OVER CONTINUESD TENSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST WAR, PRESIDENT TRUMP REJECTING THE LATEST PEACE DEAL FROM IRAN. EVEN SO, THE PRICE OF GAS AND DIESEL IN SOUTHERN OREGON HAS ACTUALLY GONE DOWN A COUPLE OF CENTS OVER THE LAST WEEK. TRIPLE A OREGON REPORTS A GALLON OF REGULAR IS 5.34 IN GRANTS PASS AND 5.33 IN MEDFORD. DIESEL IN GRANTS PASS IS 6.19 PER GALLON AND A PENNY MORE IN MEDFORD. A YEAR AGO AT THIS TIME BOTH GAS AND DIESEL WERE JUST A LITTLE ABOVE 4 BUCKS A GALLON.
MEANWHILE A RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT, OREGON’S FIRST FLOATING SOLAR POWER PROJECT, WAS UNVEILED FRIDAY. THE DAILY COURIER REPORTSG THE MEDFORD IRRIGATION DISTRICT HAS MORE THAN 1700 FLOATING SOLAR PANELS ON ONE OF THEIR RESERVOIRS JUST OUTSIDE OF JACKSONVILLE. THE PANELS GENERATE SOLAR POWER FOR THE DISTRICTS PUMPS AND SURPLUS POWER CAN BE SOLD INTO THE GRID, SOME WILL GO TO OUR AREA SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT. ALSO,, THE PANELS HELP REDUCE EVAPORATION, A PLUS IN THIS DROUGHT YEAR. THE PROJECT COST 3.8 MILLION DOLLARS AND THE PANELS ARE ESTIMATED TO GENERATE SOME 2 MILLION KILOWATT HOURS OF ENERGY PER YEAR.
AND A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN SOUTHERN OREGON ARE DESIGNED AROUND GETTING MORE TOURISM DOLLARS FLOWING TO SOUTHERN OREGON. HOWEVER A REPORT IN OREGON LIVE INDICATES THE MONEY COMING IN FROM TOURISM WHILE STILL GOING UP, ISN’T KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION. an annual study DONE FOR TRAVEL OREGON SAYS TRAVEL TO OREGON WENT UP A LITTLE MORE THAN ONE PERCENT LAST YEAR, INDICATING SLUGGISH GROWTH AT BEST. VISITS FROM CANADA AND INTERNATIONAL TOURISM IS DOWN SHARPLY SINCE 2019, THE STUDY PREDICTS A BOUNCE BACK BY THE END OF THIS DECADE.