COMEBACK TRAIL; CCC JOBS PROVIDE LIFELINE TO FUTURE FOR CREWS.Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer It's 8:51 a.m. on what is already turning into a hot and muggy mug·gy adj. mug·gi·er, mug·gi·est Warm and extremely humid. [Probably from Middle English mugen, to drizzle; akin to Old Norse mugga, a drizzle. day. A crew of 16 California Conservation Corps The California Conservation Corps (CCC) is a state agency modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and was initiated as a pet project in 1976 by then Governor Jerry Brown. members pulls tools from the bed of a pickup truck and falls out for morning exercises at the end of a dirt road dirt road n (US) → camino sin firme dirt road n → chemin non macadamisé or non revêtu dirt road dirt n at Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park. After spraying each other with insect repellent insect repellent, substance applied to the skin in order to provide protection against biting insects, primarily mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, fleas, and certain flies. , they head off deeper into the canyon to repair hiking trails. For 30-year-old Phillip Bolanos, a former gang member and father of two, this is his first full-time job. But more than a job, it's a lifeline to the future for Bolanos and 52 other, mostly older CCC CCC A very speculative grade assigned to a debt obligation by a rating agency. Such a rating indicates default or considerable doubt that interest will be paid or principal repaid. Also called Caa. members in Ventura County who are finding their way into the mainstream of society by the sweat of their brow. ``For somebody who's been on the streets, this is a big change,'' said Bolanos, whose forehead, upper lip The upper lip covers the anterior surface of the body of the maxilla. It is referred to as the vermillion. It is raised by the Levator labii superioris. , neck and arms are covered with tattoos. ``I was usually going to sleep at 3 or 4 in the morning and would wake up at 12. ``I had nothing to do. I was just bumming around. But now I have responsibilities. Now they're depending on me to get the truck and the tools ready.'' He loves his work and the pride that comes from earning a living, something that once seemed impossible for Bolanos, who has spent time in prison for dealing drugs. Now his life is centered on work and his two young sons. For his labor, he earns $8.50 an hour, enough to treat his boys to a hamburger or an afternoon at the carnival  At The Carnival is a 1989 computer puzzle game by Cliff Johnson. . This Christmas, he says
with a touch of pride, will be special.
``It's raised self-esteem for a lot of them,'' said Robert McCarty, a conservationist supervisor. ``A lot of them were really down in their trenches, and this has given them a purpose. They're becoming self-sufficient, and they're contributing something to society, rather than being a liability.'' Unlike the regular CCC program aimed at adults 23 and under, the El Nino Recovery Program targets the long-term unemployed and those who lost jobs due to last winter's storms. In addition to repairing hiking trails around the county, these temporary CCC crews also have cleaned up local beaches strewn strew tr.v. strewed, strewn or strewed, strew·ing, strews 1. To spread here and there; scatter: strewing flowers down the aisle. 2. with debris from winter storms. A few are temporarily assigned to area cities and parks departments. Lori Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, city, United States Santa Cruz (săn`tə kr  z), city (1990 pop. 49,040), seat of Santa Cruz co., W Calif., on the north shore of Monterey Bay; inc. 1866. was living in a homeless shelter Homeless shelters are temporary residences for homeless people. Usually located in urban neighborhoods, they are similar to emergency shelters. The primary difference is that homeless shelters are usually open to anyone, without regard to the reason for need. in Camarillo with
her two children when she learned about the program.
``Being in the shelter, a lot of people look down on you. People are reluctant to hire you because you're homeless,'' said Santa Cruz, who spent eight months in a shelter. ``A lot of good has come out of this. I'm not homeless anymore. That's a great accomplishment for me. I was afraid I was going to be stuck there. . . . Before, I used to think I couldn't handle a job and couldn't rely on myself. Now I'm confident I can do things myself.'' Mike Metcalf spent 35 years working as a landscape gardener and supervisor before he was laid off. Metcalf, 58, picked up odd jobs but had no luck in finding steady work. His age undoubtedly was a factor, he said. ``They're not going to hire me because I can't converse with the (Spanish-speaking) workers, even though I have lots of landscape experience,'' Metcalf said. ``Most employers I talk to about work are young enough to be my grandson or at least my son. ``They think I'm not physically able to do the work. But they're wrong. . . . When this (program) ends, I'll have a better chance.'' As the six-month program begins to wind down, the corps members will get help preparing resumes and honing their interview skills. Many plan to look for similar work with local cities and parks departments. Asked what kind of work he hopes to find, Bolanos, an imposing man with a gentle demeanor, thought for a moment. ``You've got to be thankful for what you can get,'' he said. ``To wish and to want, that's something different.'' CAPTION(S): 3 Photos PHOTO (1--Color) A 16-member California Conservation Corps crew marches off to work on the trails it is building or repairing at Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park, north of Moorpark. (2--Color in Simi Edition only) Carmen Carmen throws over lover for another. [Fr. Lit.: Carmen; Fr. Opera: Bizet, Carmen, Westerman, 189–190] See : Faithlessness Carmen the cards repeatedly spell her death. [Fr. Sandoval clips branches hanging over a trail she and her CCC co-workers are creating. (3--Color in Simi Edition only) Jesus Madrigal madrigal, name for two different forms of Italian music, one related to the poetic madrigal in the 14th cent., the other the most common form of secular vocal music in the 16th cent. wipes away sweat as he takes a break from building trails. Evan Yee/Daily News |
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