BRIEFLY

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 13, 2003 | by THE GAZETTE

Gas prices climb to 9-month high

Gasoline prices in Colorado Springs and statewide resumed their climb toward record levels this week after two weeks of edging lower, AAA Colorado reported Wednesday.

The average price of regular gasoline in the Springs jumped 3.7 cents from a week ago to $1.64 Wednesday. That erased the 2 cent decline from the previous two weeks and put Springs prices at the highest point since June 2001.

The statewide average rose 2.6 cents a gallon from a week earlier to $1.686 as prices increased in all nine cities surveyed by the group.

Qwest service improves in Oregon

SALEM, Ore. State regulators say Qwest Communications International improved customer service last year in Oregon after repeated complaints.

The Oregon Public Utility Commission took the first step Tuesday in ordering the company to pay $95,000 in penalties to make network improvements, an amount determined by guidelines in a 1999 state law that deregulated Qwest's profits.

Regulators said they remain concerned about the Denver-based company's shaky financial condition.