AM1600 KUBA News Briefs

by Chris Gilbert – KUBA News Director

PARKWAY MOVING FORWARD – Plans for the second and final construction phase for Yuba City’s Feather River Parkway are moving forward. It’ll about double the current size, to about 170 acres, north of the Tenth Street Bridge. There’ll be another two and a half miles of trails, especially along the river. Also picnic areas, an overlook on the river, improved access to a pond, restoration of two acres of wetlands, and preservation of ten acres of riparian woodlands. Construction is scheduled to begin in about a year and take about four months to complete.

MARCH UNEMPLOYMENT UP SLIGHTLY – The March unemployment rate for the Yuba Sutter area was unchanged from February at 16.1 percent. That’s about half a point better than a year ago. But its still about twice the state rate. There were only 800 jobs added to payrolls, about 300 each in the government and seasonal farming sectors. The only other two sectors with notable growth, or 100 jobs each, were in Services and Leisure and Hospitality. Only two counties had a higher jobless rate than Sutter County, which ranked 56th. Yuba County ranked 50th.


HOUSING MEDIAN PRICE UP – March home sales are down from a year ago but prices are way up, according to the latest figures from DataQuik information. In Sutter County, sales dropped 39 percent, at 67 units, the worst in the eight county Sacramento region. But the median price had the second biggest increase, at 195,000 dollars, compared to $159,000 in March of 2013. In Yuba County, sales dropped a much more modest 6 percent. But, at 84 units, that’s up 28 from the month before. Meanwhile, the median price had the biggest annual increase, at $199,500 compared to $155,000.


MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL – As we get closer to the graduation season ... the latest statewide survey shows that 18 percent of Yuba City High School juniors admit that they’ve gotten behind the wheel at least once after drinking alcohol. 33 percent say they’ve had at least one drink in the last month. At River Valley High ... 16 percent say they’ve driven after consuming alcohol, with 22 percent having at least one drink in the last month. Forty two percent of all Marysville District juniors say they’ve imbibed in the last 30 days. But the coordinator of attendance and discipline of the Yuba City District says they’re even more concerned about marijuana. He says it’s even easier to obtain and a lot more potent than it used to be. It’s also harder to smell on students, with the advent of e-cigarettes.

WHEATLAND GOOD ON WATER – The drought is not expected to mean any water shortages for Wheatland. Engineer Dane Schilling says the town is in good shape because it’s completely reliant on ground water, which is a more stable source than surface water. And, unlike Yuba City, which does rely on surface water, voluntary rationing to match the state’s reduction goal of 20 percent is not expected to be requested. But Schilling says residents are still being urged to conserve as much as possible.

AIR QUALITY GETTING BETTER – Air quality continues to show significant improvement in the Yuba-Sutter area over the last decade or so. A new report from the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association shows that ozone levels were nine percent above the national standard, from 2000 to 2002. But from 2011 to 2013, it was 15 percent below the standard. Local air pollution control officer, Chris Brown, says it’s mainly due to much cleaner-burning vehicles. Meanwhile, fine particulate matter, from smoke and dust, was 20 percent greater than the standard, and is now 17 percent below it.