Ike behind gas price hike, new storms in Michigan

By DAVID N. GOODMAN, Associated Press Writer

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Sep 14, 2008 at 7:50 PM EST

Story Updated: Sep 14, 2008 at 9:17 PM EST

DETROIT (AP) — Michigan already had plenty of weather trouble of its own before Hurricane Ike made its mark, causing a sharp rise in gasoline prices and delivering more rain on top of storms that caused flooding and two tornadoes.

Michigan gasoline prices jumped 10 cents a gallon between Saturday and Sunday to a statewide average of $4.04, AAA Michigan said.

By Sunday, the remnants of Ike were sending heavy rains in a northeastern path across Michigan.

The National Weather Service warned of new rainfall totals topping 3 inches from Sunday through Wednesday in some parts of central Lower Michigan. It issued flood warnings for most of the southern half of the Lower Peninsula.

Michigan could have done without more severe weather, after weekend storms brought widespread flooding.

Benton Harbor got 7.24 inches of rain from Saturday through 4 p.m. Sunday, the weather service said, while Battle Creek got 5.8 inches. Police in Kalamazoo, which got 5.3 inches, barricaded about one square mile of the city Sunday because of flooded streets.

Amtrak canceled or terminated two of its Chicago-to-Pontiac trains, two others from Grand Rapids to Chicago and two more from Port Huron to Chicago on Sunday. Some of the trains were terminated en route and alternate transportation was provided for passengers.

Officials at the Manor of Farmington Hills planned to temporarily relocate about 80 residents of the senior citizens' complex Sunday night because of flooding, police in the Detroit suburb said. Telephone messages were left at the facility and with the Fire Department, which was coordinating the evacuation.

Two funnel clouds touched down Saturday at opposite ends of the Lower Peninsula, causing property damage but no reported injuries.

In Wayne County, a tornado with winds reaching 120 miles per hour followed a 2.6-mile path between Plymouth and Livonia, said weather service meteorologist Rich Pollman.

"Most of the damage along the path was to trees," Pollman said from the agency's office in Oakland County's White Lake Township. "There was a very short stretch of the path where there was significant damage to two apartment buildings in Plymouth Township."

In Van Buren County, a tornado touched down briefly inside the village of Paw Paw. The sheriff's department said in a news release that the tornado took down trees and hit a car dealership and some homes before lifting off.

Well before Ike's rains hit Michigan, the state's gas prices were rising fears of damage to oil production and refining facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.

Prices for self-serve regular gas rose 30 cents per gallon in the six days ending Sunday, said AAA Michigan spokeswoman Nancy Cain. The club surveys 2,800 Michigan stations a day.

Nationally, the average gas price rose 7 cents Sunday to $3.80 a gallon.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Attorney General Mike Cox have promised to monitor and swiftly deal with any gas gouging in the state.

___

On the Net:

AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report: http://www.fuelgaugereport.com

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