Gas Prices Drop Before fourth of July

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Everybody doubled-down on their bets that local gas prices would hit $3 by the Fourth of July weekend.

Instead, local gas prices have dropped from an average of $2.79 to $2.81 a gallon to $2.68 to $2.71 in the last 48 hours. Market analysts said many motorists curtailed driving as soon as prices rose in May.