Santa Barbara County had the highest gas prices in the nation yesterday, according to online gas price monitor www.gasbuddy.com.

Regular unleaded gas topped off to $3.69 at two local stations, the Chevron at Hollister Ave. and Storke Rd. and the Mobil at Glen Annie Rd. and Calle Real. Moreover, the lowest prices in the county — $3.29 a gallon at Educated Car Wash on State St. and Hitchcock Way — still remain above the national average of $3.114.

The average price of regular unleaded gas is $3.385 per gallon in California.

Despite their current notoriety, Santa Barbara gas stations have long been infamous for selling gas at prices well above the national average.

In 2008, the same Chevron and Mobil stations’ regular unleaded gas went for $4.39 per gallon of regular gasoline and the average price per gallon of gas in Goleta was $4.09.

— Staff Report