WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. home prices jumped in February by the largest amount in seven years, evidence that the housing recovery strengthened ahead of the all-important spring-buying season.

Home prices rose 10.2 percent in February compared with a year earlier, the biggest annual gain since March 2006.

Prices have now increased on an annual basis for 12 straight months, underscoring the recovery's steady momentum.

The gains were broad-based. Prices rose in 47 of 50 states and in all but four of the nation's 100 largest metro areas. Delaware, Alabama and Illinois were the only states to report price declines.

A measure of national prices also rose 0.5 percent in February from January. That's a solid increase during the winter months, when sales typically slow.

SACRAMENTO, CA - A woman was attack while jogging on a trail along the American River in the Arden-Arcade area Tuesday night.

The woman ran down a horse trail around Mile Maker 9, between Watt Avenue and Howe Avenue, around 11 p.m., passing a man on the trail, Sacramento County Park Ranger Sgt. Randy Lewis said.

As the woman continued down the trail, she heard a runner behind her. When she stepped off the trail to let the runner pass, the man she saw earlier on the trail tackled her. The woman then started screaming.

Lewis said a passerby on a nearby bike trail heard the screams and headed toward the woman.

Investigators believe the woman's screams and the passerby's approach scared the suspect off. The woman was uninjured in the attack.

The suspect is described as a white man in his 30s with blondish hair and a scruffy beard. He was wearing green camo pants, red baseball cap and black and white ski gloves.

SACRAMENTO, CA - The mayor of Sacramento is feeling confident the Sacramento Kings saga will have a happy ending for not only local fans but the community on the whole.

Mayor Kevin Johnson will be part of a contingent stating Sacramento's case for keeping the team and building a new arena to the NBA relocation committee in New York on April 3. 

The Sacramento proposal kicked into high gear when it was confirmed the Kings' majority owners, the Maloof family, had reached a deal with a Seattle group to sell and move the team to the Emerald City for $525 million. One component to the Sacramento counter-offer was to identify local investor/partners. Twenty pledged at least $1 million each - and more than a dozen local companies also committed support.