Happy Thanksgiving: 10 things getting better in our region
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#10: Crime is plummeting
The good news: Through October of this year, violent crime in Sacramento has dropped 12 percent from the same period during 2008. And 2008 was down from 2007.
Source: Sacramento Police Department
Above: Sacramento Capt. Daniel Hahn drives through neighborhoods in the Natomas area. -
#8: Fewer people are suing each other
The good news: The number of new small claims cases filed in Sacramento Superior Court during fiscal 2008 dropped by 300 from 2007, a 4 percent decline.
Source: California Administrative Office of the Courts
Above: A hallway in the Sacramento courthouse on Feb. 25. -
#7: Gas prices are down
The good news: Remember last year when average gas prices were near $5 a gallon? Did you think at the time that they'd be down 40 percent within a year?
Source: Gasbuddy.com
Above: Gas prices at Cliff's Marina on the Sacramento River near Freeport hit $5.50 a gallon at one point. -
#6: More people are voting
The good news: About 80 percent of registered Sacramento County voters cast ballots during the 2008 presidential election, up from 74 percent in 2004.
Source: California Secretary of State
Above: Voters cast ballots in El Dorado County during a recent election. -
#3: You live in one of the wealthiest parts of the world
The good news: On average, Sacramentans earn about $300 for every dollar earned by the residents of Burundi, the world's poorest country. Despite the recession, Sacramento's GDP per capita is higher than the GDP per capita of 80 percent of the world's nations.
Source: International Monetary Fund; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Above: Jennifer Draa, right, and her son, Ryan, 10, of Citrus Heights, walk up the red carpet to her new home in Lincoln. Draa entered a national Taylor Morrison contest in October to win a free house. -
#2: Your Thanksgiving meal is cheaper
The good news: Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings dropped 4 percent in price this year.
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation
Above: A tough choice at a nearby grocery store. -
#1: And there's more turkey!
The good news: During 2007 and 2008, California farmers produced 885 million pounds of turkey, up 10 percent from the previous two years.
Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service
Above: A yummy, fat bird.
