Every time you turn on the radio -- if you listen to NPR, at least -- there's some other pundit trying to explain why gas prices keep going up, some president saying we should be drilling in Alaska or some candidate saying the U.S. should quit hoarding oil. But none of that pays to fill the tank.

My Wrangler petrol indicator was close to the red the other morning. The clerk in the general store sighed and said, "$54! It shouldn't cost $54 to fill up a little Jeep." Truer words were never spoken.

You know how you sit in a scary movie and that cello music starts playing -- like the DA da DA da DA da theme in "Jaws" -- and you figure something icky or frightening is coming? You cover up your eyes, but you just have to look. And as the music hits its crescendo, you peek through your fingers and there it is on screen, all bloody and gory and slimy but not quite as bad as you thought it would be. That's because the anticipation was worse than the actual event.

You know $4 is coming. It is probably here as you read this. Are you going to stop driving? Trade in your F350 pickup for an electric car that may or may not have enough oomph to get up the driveway? Unlikely.

Signs of spring in the Mountain Area:

Leaves are sprouting on the oaks.

Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce dynamo Kathy McCorry has been chosen as one of Business Street's "Influential Women 100." McCorry is the chamber's executive director and handles managerial tasks as well as things as diverse as speaking before the Madera County Supervisors and serving hot drinks at the annual Christmas tree lighting celebration.

Business Street is a monthly publication for Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Madera counties. Its list for the award started with more than 300 women. "These 100 women have exemplified leadership qualities in their businesses and have contributed to the community at large," stated the publication.

Even the people who answer the phones at the gas stations we call every Wednesday are displeased by the amount they are charging for a gallon of unleaded regular. One fellow, laughing, said he has a stack of loan applications next to the pump.

There are ways to get better mileage from your vehicle, but there's really nothing most of us can do about how expensive fuel has become -- nor can anyone without an advanced degree in petroleum economics (if there is such a thing) understand how prices are set up.

Members of the Oakhurst Petanque Club will leave Two Rivers Stadium behind next month for a tournament beside the cruise terminal in San Pedro.

Jan Claire, past president of the club, said this is a big event in the petanque year and the club is sending 10 couples to compete April 13.

Oakhurst Cruise and Travel has some nifty travel ops coming up.

On Tuesday (which is April 1, no jokes, please) Barbara Starkey and friends will host a slide show about the tour at 5:30 p.m. at the office. (It's in the Vons shopping center on the lower level, below Roundtable Pizza).

OK folks, it's time to show how much you love having a community park in Oakhurst. The park land was donated and volunteers built it and maintain it. That takes money. Plenty of it. It comes from the Elegant Auction.

The 23rd annual Elegant Auction will be April 26 at the Pines Resort at Bass Lake. That means the committee needs things to auction off in the live or silent bidding wars.

OK folks, it's time to show how much you love having a community park in Oakhurst. The park land was donated and volunteers built it and maintain it. That takes money. Plenty of it. It comes from the Elegant Auction.

The 23rd annual Elegant Auction will be April 26 at the Pines Resort at Bass Lake. That means the committee needs things to auction off in the live or silent bidding wars.