Life at Williams, ca (San Jose, Sacramento: renting, health insurance, hotel)

[helen]

Hello,

I am planning to move to Williams California. My main concern is about school since I have kids.
Please can you tell me about whatever you know about Williams ca. I visited this palce couple months ago anof found that there are so many new house shows up.

Please reply
Helen

[DeserTBoB]

Originally Posted by helen

Hello,

I am planning to move to Williams California. My main concern is about school since I have kids.
Please can you tell me about whatever you know about Williams ca. I visited this palce couple months ago anof found that there are so many new house shows up.

<snip>

Small, dead North San Joaquin Valley town on old US 99W. No jobs other than agricultural, no growth, very low median income. Hottest spots in the area are the truck stops now that Bill & Kathy's in Dunnigan is gone. Bigger than Dunnigan (which is just about gone now), but nothing there worth seeing. Can't report about schools, other than there are very few, and they are poor. Better to move south toward Sac, toward somewhere like Woodland.

[Jaybee]

Actually, Williams is in the Sacramento (not San Joaquin) Valley-about an hour north of Sacramento. I don't know firsthand, but I've heard some "not- so-good" things about the schools there. My advice is to visit and do some research before commiting to move there.

Summers are real hot. Winters are mild. There is no appreciable spring and a brief fall.

[DeserTBoB]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Actually, Williams is in the Sacramento (not San Joaquin) Valley-about an hour north of Sacramento.

True. Once you get past Woodland, there's not a helluva lot of "there" there. Pretty desolate unless you raise alfalfa or rice.

[Jaybee]

The small towns from Sacramento north to about Red Bluff are more "midwestern" than "California" since these communities owe their existence to agriculture, and they're spaced similar to the towns on the plains fo Kansas or Nebraska-in about 10 mile increments. Not everyone's cup of tea, that's for sure...

Most recently there's been a more permanent insurgence of hispanics into these communities. There's also been an incremental change in the southern reach, as Sacramento commuters buy new homes in Arbuckle and Williams.

[digdug]

Williams isn't a real attractive town. It's a definate agricultural town and is highly influenced by the farming community if that's what you are looking for.

Due to it's location there isn't a lot to do there in terms of recreation. Most job opportunities are in the realm of McDonald's and other fast food joints which cater to the traffic Interstate 5.

I used to drive through Williams on my way to college up in Chico. I'd stop and eat or get money at the ATM. Nothing in the town ever really caught my eye as attractive.

A few months back we passed through there on our way north on vacation. We stopped at a mom & pop run gas station/quick stop type of store. It had to be the filthiest place I've seen in terms of bathrooms and overflowing garbage out front. I realize that any place can be this nasty and it doesn't reflect on Williams on the grand scale, but it only served to bolster my already negative opinion of the place.

[SallySue]

I have worked in Williams for about 4 months now, and it seems like a great place to live. We are central to just about everything, and its affordable to live here. There are some new homes in Valley Ranch by Bennit and Corinthian Homes they are priced in the high 200's off of I5.

There are an unlimited amount of activities, fishing, hiking, biking, camping, boating, lakes, wineries, casinos...I could go on and on. It's a rural living and slow paced life style. There is a new shopping center that is going to get started this year and will include a superwalmart. We are minuets from Colusa, and Yuba City. Not far from Woodland and Natomas.

As far as the schools, in my opinion this is all about parent involvement. Yes the schools aren't the greatest but I would suggest calling the schools and interviewing the principle. Another option is to use a private school.

Hope this helps!

[Randbo]

Only one poster here gave an accurate description of Williams AND SHE LIVES HERE.
OK, i was born in San Jose and lived all over, courtesy of the Marines. I spent 25 years in San Jose from 1980 to 2005. In 2005 i moved to Colusa, 9 miles east of Williams and I LOVE IT HERE!

Williams has DOUBLED in population since 2000. It has 6000 residents now and has a wide variety of restaurants since it is on I-5. Downtown has a sprawl look which cant be helped due to the fast growth, but there are MANY CHARMING buildings in Williams. Granzellas is a wonderful italian restaurant/deli/monster bar. Its in a very large building with alot of stuff to see, like about every wild animal you could hunt in the very big bar.

Colusa county is a rice growing farming community with many small towns that have alot of BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER. Colusa in particular is a classic square shaped small town with growth in outer areas.

All big city facilities are there in Colusa, which is the county seat, including an excellent hospital. Both Williams and Colusa have very very nice BRAND NEW homes priced in the 200's and 300's on nice lots. Homes you would pay 800k and 900k in San Jose.

Colusa Casino Resort is 12 miles from Williams on hwy 20 going thru Colusa and is open 24 hours with 3 restaurants and a very nice hotel on site. The Casino has live bands every friday and saturday nite FREE and fun karaoke on thursdays.

Everybody is involved with the schools here. The community is very nice here and the air is CLEAR! The nearest cities are Yuba City, 33 miles due east on hwy 20 and Woodland, 40 miles southeast on I-5.

I would say to Helen COME ON UP! You would be welcome here!

[billville]

I have lived in Williams all my life as did my parents. We are college educated and chose to stay here. We graduated from the local schools and they are great. We have a very involved teaching staff, dedicated administration and a supportive school board. Unless you have kids in the schools here you really aren't qualified to judge. Our kids test very high and have taken many academic awards. The key is the parenting. If you aren't a parent that gets involved with your childs education than don't expect the teachers to do it all.
We love our small town and anybody who thinks that a super walmart is a plus is an idiot. What makes you think that another low paying corporation that doesn't give a rip about their employees is a plus. Are you aware that the state of California (that's you and me) subsidize 23 percent of Wal mart's health care because they don't pay enough or give their employees enough hours to even get health insurance. Besides that I'd like to know what fast track you're working on,cuz the idiots that are pushing it, don't even have the guts to talk about it publicly. ITs all hush hush and the okies that are for it are keeping a low profile. It cracks up the locals (the ones that have lived here and made a living here, and raised their children here and buried their parents here), that everyone moves here to get out of the city and then try to bring their big city ways here because they are unhappy. We like our town, we are proud to be a farming community, and if you have a problem with the way we are-don't complain with your mouth full!

[TheShoeboxDiaries541]

Originally Posted by DeserTBoB

<snip>

Small, dead North San Joaquin Valley town on old US 99W. No jobs other than agricultural, no growth, very low median income. Hottest spots in the area are the truck stops now that Bill & Kathy's in Dunnigan is gone. Bigger than Dunnigan (which is just about gone now), but nothing there worth seeing. Can't report about schools, other than there are very few, and they are poor. Better to move south toward Sac, toward somewhere like Woodland.

Bill and Kathy's is gone?! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!