C.C.C

Fellows Camping

2009-06-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

By Gelmy Ruiz Over the weekend of May 16-19, a group of six Executive Fellows -- Nick Esquivel, Kathryn Kliff, Jessica Mar, Ashley Tucker, Heather Williams and Gelmy Ruiz -- ventured out to meet the Yosemite I Backcountry crew. Little did the six know what hard work meant. The fellows arrived on Saturday afternoon and were challenged by the first task of the backcountry, setting up their tents.

Coprsmember Spotlight

2009-03-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

When Melina Vasquez joined the CCC a few weeks ago, she probably didn’t imagine she’d be find herself on a trail in the San Bernardino National Forest, one of the first people in the nation hired with the federal stimulus bill dollars.March 16, her first regular work day after completing the COMET training, was anything but. It was a major news event, with Melina was interviewed by national and

Read All About It!

2009-03-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

From the New York Times to the San Diego Union-Tribune, from the Boston Globe, to the Hendersonville North Carolina Times-News, and to TV screens across the state, the CCC has captured tremendous media attention this week. The reason? We are the first “shovel-ready” beneficiary of federal recovery funding to actually start using those shovels!Thanks to U.S. Forest Service recovery money, a CCC

Corpsmember Spotlight

2009-03-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Monique Sanchez has been with the CCC for five months and in that time has gained a new perspective on life. Monique is from Stockton and prior to joining the CCC was, “running with gangs and on the streets.” A glimpse of a better life came from a corpsmember from Monique’s neighborhood who had been able to leave the streets. Monique remembers seeing her friend after a lapse of several months and

Green, the New Black

2009-03-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

As the stimulus money starts to trickle into California, green has become the new black. Anybody who is anybody is organizing around green collar jobs and the new green economy. Groups like SERJ (Stimulus Economic Recovery & Jobs Task Force) and Green Jobs Council are rapidly gearing up to bring green jobs and innovation to California. As early as 1978, the CCC was involved in energy conservation

Tool Talk

2009-03-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Pulaski - - A fire and grade tool combing an axe on one side and a grub hoe on the other.Credited with inventing the tool, Edward Pulaski was a hero from the 1910 Wallace, Idaho fires. During a very dry, windy August, Ranger Pulaski, a member of the US Forest Service since 1908, took a crew of 45 men to combat the fire. Facing a wall of fire with no means to escape Ranger Pulaski led his crew

A Look Back at 2008

2009-01-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

CCC- Flirting With Disaster Living up to its reputation as one of California’s premier emergency response forces, the California Conservation Corps devoted thousands of hours in 2008 to fires, floods, pest infestations and more.The year was a milestone for CCC fire response. With dozens of devastating wildfires, the Corps called out a record number of fire crews -- more crews than it had in its

CCC Takes a State Park off the Grid

2008-11-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

The California Conservation Corps is doing its share to help the state reduce its carbon footprint through a unique partnership with the California Department of Parks and Recreation.State Parks has agreed to identify solar photovoltaic projects for the CCC to complete over the next several years. Corpsmembers, young adults between 18 to 25, will be selected from within the Corps to form energy

Corpsmembers Return From Down Under

2008-11-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

“No worries” was the operative philosophy for nine lucky corpsmembers and CCC liaison Roxanne Strangfeld, participants in the 2008 work exchange with Conservation Volunteers Australia. This year marked the 20th anniversary of exchanges between the two programs. The crew, praised as one of the hardest-working CCC crews to date, tackled environmental work in Australia in August and September. The

Backcountry Trails Program Marks 30 Years of Trail Work

2008-11-07T05:27:00.000-08:00

On a beautiful September day in Yosemite National Park, Backcountry alumni, current participants, CCC staff, Park Service officials and friends of the Backcountry Trails Program gathered to commemorate its 30th anniversary. CCC Director David Muraki, who headed the program for its first 10 years, emceed the ceremony. There were remarks from representatives of the Backcountry Horsemen’s

Largest Dispatch of Fire Crews in CCC History

2008-11-07T04:55:00.000-08:00

The California Conservation Corps sent more than 800 corpsmembers, the largest number in the program's 32-year history, to wildfires throughout the state in 2008. At least one CCC was dispatched to a fire somewhere in California every single day from June 9 to October 26, when the last corpsmembers were demobilized. Most of the CCC crews assisted with logistical

Community College Partnership Initiated

2008-11-07T04:53:00.000-08:00

With the recent signing of a Master Interagency Agreement with the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, the CCC is looking forward to a strong collaboration that can open new doors of opportunity for both corpsmembers and community college students.Brad Duncan, the CCC’s chief of Program Development and Support, said two organizations (both “CCCs”) have agreed to develop

New Trails Partnership Underway

2008-11-07T04:37:00.000-08:00

Twenty-five CCC crew supervisors (C 1s) are in San Luis Obispo this week for five days of intensive trail-building training under the direction of California State Parks. It’s the first time State Parks has designed and delivered a course to the staff of a single agency.The crew supervisors will receive both classroom instruction and hands-on experience. They’ll hone their skills on a portion of

Corpsmembers speak at the Salmon Restoration Federation Conference.

2008-03-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

By C-1 John GriffithThe Salmon Restoration Federation has been holding an annual conference for the last 26 years. The conference is four days long and includes field tours of restoration sites, networking opportunities, an award ceremony for restorationists, and several workshops. This year, one of those workshops was titled, California Conservation Corps-California’s Future Restoration Workers.

Green Building = Green Jobs

2008-03-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

Basic changes in building design and construction could slash greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent in North America, said a joint Canada-US-Mexico report Thursday. The report, “Green Building in North America: Opportunities and Challenges,” was released by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation at an environmental trade fair in Canada. .Jonathon Westeinde, a

This Week's Poll Results- Who is the greatest NFL quarterback of all time?

2008-03-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Several of us here at HQ are Packer fans, including myself, so you can imagine how difficult it was to post these results. We did have one comment on this poll that Steve Young should have been included. Sorry, but when you only play a few healthy seasons, and I agree that they were exceptional seasons, but rank right around #20 in every major record category, then I don't think you belong In the

Crews Work to Protect Levees

2008-03-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

The CCC is known for its floodfighting work and sandbagging against rising waters, but the Corps also works on flood prevention efforts.Corpsmembers from Stockton and Sacramento have spent the past several weeks with chainsaws in hand, trimming trees and clearing brush on Tyler Island near Walnut Grove in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.Tyler Island borders on Georgiana Slough, and the CCC

The GIVE Act Falls Short by a Hair

2008-03-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, H.R. 5563, legislation to reauthorize the national service programs was defeated by a recorded vote of 277 - 140. Because the GIVE Act was considered under suspension, the legislation needed two-thirds of those present to vote in the affirmative for the bill to pass. The GIVE Act was one vote shy of meeting the required margin. Following is Rep. George Miller's compelling

Bruce Bonifas to Become Statewide Trails Coordinator

2008-03-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

Bruce Bonifas, a staff member for the California Conservation Corps’ Los Padres Center for nearly 28 years, has been named as the CCC’s first statewide trail coordinator.Bonifas will head up the CCC’s role in the new CCC-California State Parks Trail Program, overseeing the planning and implementation of specially funded trails projects by CCC crews throughout the state. CCC Director David

2008-03-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Listen to a great story from National Public Radio on the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The story compares the original C's to the California Conservation Corps. Click HERE to listen. You can read the full story here: KUOW Radio

This Week's Poll Comments

2008-03-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Please click "COMMENTS" below to let us no why you like the current uniforms and if you voted "no" then tell us what you think would be better.

Last Week's Poll Results:

2008-03-07T10:28:00.001-08:00

Who will be the next president of the United States of America? Scroll to the bottom of the page to see this week's poll....

The CCC, Proud Member of the Corps Network

2008-03-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

The California Conservation Corps is a member of The Corps Network, an umbrella organization serving as a voice for more than 100 conservation and service corps programs throughout the country. There are currently programs in 41 states and the District of Columbia.CCC Director David Muraki is a member of the Corps Network board, and he and several CCC staff members participated in the

Camera Magnet

2008-03-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday Governor Schwarzenegger signed an executive order to establish the first-in-the-nation cabinet position for service and volunteering. (see story links below) On hand to lend support and celebrate with the Governor, First Lady and new Cabinet Secretary Karen Baker, were over 60 corpsmembers representing the Pomona, Norwalk, LA and Camarillo centers, and represent they did.C-1

Join the Corps, See Siberia

2008-03-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

Tahoe corpsmember Savannah Kestral has been selected as a CCC participant in the annual Tahoe-Baikal Summer Environmental Exchange. It should be an experience she’ll never forget.The exchange takes five North American and six Northern European young people, along with two corpsmembers, for a summer of education, conservation awareness and hands-on watershed research at Lake Tahoe and Yosemite in

Fighting Fire with Fire

2008-03-01T09:03:00.000-08:00

Corpsmembers Deploy StatewideOne year ago Luke Duivenvoorden was bagging groceries at a local market, Anne Garn worked at a big box retailer stocking shelves, Jason Venske was flipping burgers and Kevin Oxley was making a career out of sitting on his dad’s couch.Today they’re fighting fires with the CCC’s “Shasta 21”fire crew.Battling forest fires has been a part of the California Conservation

The C's in Big Sky Country

2008-03-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Corpmembers Invade Montana It's not unusual for the Los Padres Center in San Luis Obispo to work in several nearby counties, but five corpsmembers found themselves spending two weeks tackling projects a bit farther away, in Montana.The corpsmembers and their crew supervisor, Ben Herbert, drove to "Big Sky" country for two weeks as part of the second exchange with the Montana Conservation Corps.

Into the Wild

2008-03-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

With the CCC Backcountry Trails ProgramJimmie Marquez and Kallie Mahon sit by the fire deep in the heart of Yosemite. It’s five in the morning, raining and the end of their fifth month in the Backcountry. Breakfast is at six. Seven means work, rain or shine. Work means busting rock, hauling logs, creating trails that will be available to their great-grandchildren should they ever find themselves

Living in a Land Down Under

2008-03-01T09:00:00.001-08:00

CCC in AustraliaCCC Crew Learns to Say "G'Day, Mate"It wasn't the traditional lions, tigers and bears, (oh my!) but the nine corpsmembers on the CCC's Australian work exchange this year had a chance to see some extraordinary wildlife -- kangaroos, koalas and wallabies -- during their stay Down Under.The CCC crew was part of the Corps' annual exchange with Conservation Volunteers Australia, a

Nature Deficit Disorder

2008-03-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

That's the headline of a recent story in the San Francisco Chronicle bemoaning the participation of California youth in outdoor activities.A September study by the Public Policy Institute of California came up with some startling statistics. Asking parents how often their children between the ages of 13 and 17 participated in nature activities such as camping, hiking or backpacking this summer, a