Drivers across Mendocino County are paying noticeably more at the pump this week. While the national average is around $3.20 a gallon, prices locally are running roughly a dollar and a half higher. Gas in Ukiah has been spotted near $4.69, with stations in Willits and Hopland close to $4.79 and coastal Gualala nearing five dollars a gallon. Experts say rising oil prices tied to tensions in the Middle East, along with California’s seasonal fuel blend change, are pushing prices higher.