Local bank mourns executive’s death

University National Bank will close its lobby for the afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, as employees mourn the death of Edie Dreiling, the bank’s senior vice president.

Dreiling, 55, died Sunday.

The lobby at the bank, 1400 Kasold Drive, will be closed so that employees can attend Dreiling’s funeral at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church. The bank’s drive-through will remain open to serve customers.

Dreiling had been the bank’s senior vice president since 1998, serving as lending officer for commercial, consumer and mortgage loans. She spent 30 years working at banks in Lawrence.

Read obit here.

Energy

Fuel prices climb

Gasoline prices have surged more than 10 percent in the past month to $2.11 a gallon nationwide, the government said Monday — and the latest run-up in oil futures may lead to even higher pump prices soon.

Still, motorists don’t seem deterred so far: Energy Department figures show that demand for gasoline has risen about 2 percent from a year ago.

The average retail price of unleaded regular gasoline rose 5.3 cents last week and is up 21 percent from a year ago, the Energy Department said Monday.

Diesel now averages $2.24 per gallon, or roughly 36 percent more than a year ago, and at the current pace the entire U.S. trucking industry will spend nearly $15 billion more in 2005, according to the American Trucking Associations.

Jet fuel prices are up 65 percent from a year ago at $1.59 a gallon.

Light, sweet crude for April delivery slipped 10 cents from its all-time settlement high, set Friday, to close Monday at $56.62 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Agriculture

Wheat looking good, state service says

The wheat crop in Kansas is looking far better this spring than it did a year ago, the Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service said Monday.

In its weekly crop weather update, the agency reported that 14 percent of the 2005 crop rates excellent, while another 53 percent was good. About 27 percent rated fair, and 6 percent poor or very poor.

The ratings are improved from a year earlier, when 28 percent of the crop was considered poor or very poor.

Also feeding this season’s brighter prospects, according to the latest report: Only 2 percent of the crop has been lost to winter kill; 88 percent of wheat has suffered no freeze damage; 84 percent has no wind damage; 85 percent shows no insect infestation; and 77 percent shows no indication of disease problems.

Dry conditions and warm temperatures last week gave producers a chance to work in their fields before widespread rainstorms hit Monday.