Hess Wants Out of Retail Gas Business: Report

Hess Corporation is planning to get out of the retail gas business, according to a published report.

The Hess Express gas station and convenience store at Route 378 and Black River Road in Lower Saucon Township was a port in the storm for many local residents during the blackout caused by Superstorm Sandy last year, when most businesses in the area were closed and gasoline was hard to find. That could change, however, if parent company Hess Corporation follows through on a plan to divest itself of retail gas operations; a plan that was reported on Tuesday by Bloomberg News and the Morning Call, among others. Hess spokesman Dennis Moynihan denied Tuesday that Hess is planning to close any of its stores and called it "business as usual" at the company's retail level. "Our commitment to competitive prices and customer services—it will not …

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Police Reports

Elderly Man's Pocket Picked at Gas Station, Police Say

Lower Saucon Township Police are seeking the public's help in identifying the two men who allegedly approached the victim at the Hess Express, 3622 Rt. 378, on Jan. 29.

An elderly man had his wallet stolen Jan. 29, after two men approached him after making a purchase inside the convenience store at the Hess Express gas station, 3622 Rt. 378, Lower Saucon Township, according to police. In a press release issued Tuesday, Lower Saucon Township Police Investigator Christopher B. Leidy said police are seeking the public's help in identifying the two men, one of whom allegedly removed the elderly victim's wallet from his pocket while his back was turned to them. Police--who released surveillance photos of the alleged pickpockets--said the men they hope to identify are black or Hispanic and in their mid 20s to 30s. Both men are about six feet tall with stocky builds, authorities added. The incident reportedly …

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With Prices 'Crashing,' Where's the Cheapest Gas?

U.S. gas prices have dropped an average of 46 cents per gallon over the past two months.

Gas prices in the United States have dropped by 10 cents in the last three weeks, according to the Lunberg Survey of fuel prices, which was released Sunday. The Associated Press reports that the average cost for a gallon of regular gasoline was recently $3.38.  According to user-generated information posted at AllentownGasPrices.com, the cheapest local stations to fill up your tank as of Monday were Top Star Exxon, 1570 Main St., Hellertown ($3.43 a gallon for regular unleaded) and Hess at Black River Road and Route 378 in Lower Saucon Township ($3.44 per gallon for regular unleaded). Across the river in New Jersey, prices for regular unleaded gasoline were as low as $3.23 per gallon were reported Monday. Trilby Lunberg, publisher of the …

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Gas Prices Are Up...Way Up

The average price of a gallon of gasoline is almost a dollar higher than it was at this time last year.

If you've done any driving in the past week or so, you've probably noticed a substantial increase in gas prices, on the heels of significant increases earlier this year. Turmoil in the Middle East and speculation on oil prices are both considered culprits, but for consumers, the bottom line is that it's costing more to drive down the street--a lot more than it did just a year ago. According to the gas price tracking website AllentownGasPrices.com, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in the Lehigh Valley is currently $3.77, which is almost a dollar more than the average price was a year ago and two cents less per gallon than the current national average. In April 2010, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded was $2.…

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