Modesto research group hopes to guide growth throughout Central Valley

The Central Valley has always been known for one thing: Its ability to feed the world.

It has not traditionally been a technology hub, nor has it housed big universities or research centers. And the rich and famous don't necessarily call the Central Valley home.

But the times, they are a-changing. A fast-paced, wired world has taken over. Trendlines for jobs, income and poverty show the Central Valley is destined -- or doomed -- to get left in its own agricultural dust if it doesn't catch up.

One Central Valley group is taking steps to bring the region up to speed with the Bay Area and Southern California, not to mention cleaning up Highway 99, while preserving the agricultural industry.

	Links Great Valley Center: www.greatvalley.org

It's a nettlesome task, but it's one that the Great Valley Center, of Modesto, is willing to take on.

The nonprofit group doesn't lobby the political halls of Washington, D.C., or Sacramento. Instead, it provides socio-economic studies to politicians, business and community leaders and citizens through studies and conferences. It acts as a consortium for the disjointed rural towns and mid-size cities that otherwise would not be able to compete against the densely populated Bay Area and Southern California.

The group is the only research center of its kind focusing on the Central Valley.

"The smaller towns like Lodi or Tracy can't necessarily handle it on their own," said Richard Cummings, Great Valley Center director. "They will need some sort of collaboration, and the Great Valley Center is providing that need."

The Central Valley is 450 miles long, from Bakersfield to Redding, and is 50 miles wide at any given point, Cummings said.

The Great Valley Center was born with foundation grants in 1997 when it became obvious to regional leaders that the Central Valley was the final frontier in California's development, with inevitable enormous growth.

How to manage the growth, diversity and economy were some questions that needed answers. Transportation, jobs, affordable housing and disjointed bedroom communities were others.

"Historically, the Central Valley has been the bedroom community to the Bay Area," said Carol Whiteside, president of center, and former mayor of Modesto.

"Instead of providing bedroom communities to the Bay Area, why not build strong communities here?"

To bring awareness to the trends, the Great Valley Center has various programs, which are funded by a $4 million budget made possible from private donations. The programs deal with the diverse yet intersecting issues that face the region, including agriculture preservation; technology infrastructure, which includes high-speed Internet access and public accessibility to computers, and Connexions, a group that oversees the transportation, electronic commerce and business component of the Great Valley Center.

Connexions, through the Great Valley Center, sponsors forums that keep the issues discussed in a public setting among business and community leaders and state politicians.

The San Joaquin Valley Forum on Industry Initiatives, held last week in Fresno, attracted the attention of leaders throughout the Central Valley, as well as the Davis administration. State treasurer Phil Angelides discussed the Central Valley's critical role in California's economy.

Angelides acknowledged the area is growing extremely fast, with changing demographics and ever-growing significant issues such as clean air, water and the changing face of agriculture.

The state can't just focus on the large population centers; it needs to focus on the Central Valley as well, Angelides said.

Highway 99 plays an integral role in the region's development.

"To attract people we need to improve the valley -- it begins with Highway 99," said Sheila Hurst, Connexions community projects coordinator.

The group is doing a variety of things to meet its goal, Hurst said.

First, it has photographed the scenic sites along the portion of the Highway 99 corridor that runs from Kern County and San Joaquin County. The next step is to develop a map that shows the locations of the scenic sites.

The map will become a tool for local leaders, businesses, organizations and individuals to develop policies to preserve and enhance the scenic sites.

"We need to make Highway 99 more attractive. We treat it like a back alley and it needs to be a main street."

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