All stories written by John or

Sarah Elliott unless otherwise noted

—See this week's FRONT PAGE (PDF)

Hiker missing

on Mount Whitney

  A search was continuing Thursday, Oct. 29, in the Mount Whitney area of Sequoia National Park for a 73-year-old male hiker who was reported missing by his wife on Monday, Oct. 26. Kenneth “Wade “ Brunette, who was reportedly last seen at Trail Crest, was wearing a royal blue jacket and tan pants when he failed to return from his solo day hike.
   Trail Crest, at 13,620 feet, is the popular resting place after hikers complete the infamous 100 switchbacks in their 1,700-foot ascent from Trail Camp. It is also a trail junction, where the John Muir Trail from the west joins the Whitney Portal Trail from the east for the final ascent to the summit of the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S.
   Search efforts earlier in the week were hampered by extremely windy conditions and blowing snow. Search-and-rescue teams from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Inyo County Search and Rescue, China Lake Mountain Rescue, Mono County Search and Rescue, and Kern County Search and Rescue were assisted by several interagency helicopters.
   Anyone who was in the backcountry last week in the vicinity of Mount Whitney is asked to contact Sequoia and Kings Canyon park rangers at (559) 565-3195. The search is continuing as weather conditions allow.

On the ballot:

Meet the Three Rivers Community

Services District candidates

  The Consolidated Districts Election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The local polling place is the Three Rivers Memorial Building. 

  About the CSD: The Three Rivers Community Services District was formed in 1970 as a local governmental body under the authority of the County of Tulare. A general manager, Randy Pares, serves at the discretion of an elected, volunteer five-member board.
   The main reason that the CSD exists in Three Rivers is to monitor the quality of septic systems, groundwater, surface water, and drinking water. The services the agency provides include monitoring river and well water, low-cost drinking water testing, septic system inspections, and overseeing compliance of federal, state, and county water-quality ordinances.
   The CSD is also the umbrella agency for the preschool playground that was constructed adjacent to the Three Rivers Library. Today known as “Our Place,” the playground was made possible by a grant from First 5, a social-service organization that supports children in their first five years.
   But it’s the CSD that provided the playground site and contributes the maintenance and insurance expenses.
   Board meetings are held at the CSD office in the Village Shopping Center on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. More information on the CSD and its services may be obtained at www.3riverscsd.com.
   The only issue on the Three Rivers ballot next week is the local CSD race. There are three candidates — two incumbents and one challenger — vying for two four-year seats on the board of directors.

  Meet the candidates: Here are the Three Rivers citizens (in alphabetical order) who are selflessly offering to provide their services for the next four years as CSD directors:

REX BLACK

INCUMBENT

    Age: 65
   Occupation: Retired construction engineer project manager.
   Experience / Community Involvement: Incumbent.
   What makes you the best candidate?
   There are three candidates for two positions. All are equally good candidates.
   Based on the CSD water-quality monitoring program, what if any trends have been apparent in the last couple of years?
   Since the mid-1980s, the CSD has been required to operate a Wastewater Management Program by the State Water Quality Control Board. The program consists of monitoring the river. The CSD routinely samples the river in approximately eight locations, tests for coliform, and investigates any possible problems.
   When a problem is identified, the CSD insists that the property owner make timely corrections. The great majority of homes and businesses in the Three Rivers area are served by individual septic tanks, and without this program, the State was intending to ban septic tanks in Three Rivers.
   The Kaweah River flows from and through Sequoia National Park where development is restrained. This helps to preserve it.
Further effort to protect its watershed in that regard is underway.  Unfortunately, to a large degree that work is dependent upon Propositions 50 and 85, and those sources of funding are held up because of the state budget woes.
   What is the biggest challenge to maintain current levels of water use/service in Three Rivers in the future?
   There are a dozen or so mutual water companies and/or property owner associations in the Three Rivers area that operate systems large enough to be considered public water companies under both state and federal regulations for drinking water. For the most part, these systems are managed and operated by volunteers.
   A water supply is a basic need for homes and businesses, yet the demands of compliance are becoming so difficult that it may not be best to continue to rely on volunteers. With an agreement from all their users to fund it, those systems could be operated and managed by the CSD.
   Building on the success of the Three Rivers Playground partnership, what other program(s) would you advocate for CSD involvement?
   The playground was built with a First 5 grant. The concept and the grant application work was all from local residents. They are the ones who had the idea and the energy. The CSD is grateful to have been the public entity that was needed to conform to the grant requirements. I think it was wonderful, and I am ready to do that again (and again).
   The CSD often donates to local causes as well. We helped the Redbud Garden Club with the landscaping project at Three Rivers Post Office, the Three Rivers Cemetery with its recent rehabilitation, and the Earth Day presentation at the Three Rivers Memorial Building. I see this as a good way to have a significant impact too.
   Should the CSD boundaries be enlarged to include more (all) Three Rivers property owners?
   Yes. As a matter of fairness. Within the CSD boundaries, each property owner pays through his annual property tax bill $40 to the CSD. Outside the boundary, property owners don’t pay this. But they receive the same benefits from the CSD works.
   In that vein, the CSD board has asked the County of Tulare to require, as a condition of approval, that all new subdivisions in the Three Rivers area be annexed into the CSD.

MICHAEL CANNAROZZI

INCUMBENT

  Age: Not provided.
  Occupation: General contractor.
   Experience / Community Involvement: As a 33-year resident of Three Rivers, I have learned the value of a close-knit, yet diverse community. It has been easy for me to give my time at various school functions, cemetery improvements, and playground construction. I have served the last six years as a director on the Community Services District board, helping to protect the river that has brought us together.
   What makes you the best candidate?
   First and foremost, I am committed to serving my community as an active and responsive board member. I understand the mission of the Community Services District, listen to the voices of our community, then make informed decisions.
   The success of this current board is evidenced by what we have accomplished. During my tenure, the board has: mitigated water-use conflict along the South Fork; established monitoring wells for the septic system at Comfort Inn & Suites; increased river testing along all forks of the Kaweah; increased potable water testing for surface-water users and hard-rock wells; offered free septic tank inspections for all residents; procured a $2 million-plus grant/loan to replace the Alta Acres water system; created the first Three Rivers Community Services District website; built “Our Place,” the preschool playground; funded the eradication of arundo along the lower Kaweah; helped to purchase a mower for thistle control; supported the Redbud Garden Club in multiple planting projects throughout Three Rivers; and provided bottled water during the recent school-water emergency.
We have done this without raising local taxes one cent. Your vote will assure that I can continue to serve your needs.
   Based on the CSD water-quality monitoring program, what if any trends have been apparent in the last couple of years?
   Three Rivers residents should be proud to know that all forks of the Kaweah are generally safe for recreational use year-round. There are, though, regular seasonal trends worth noting.
   The fecal coliform count spikes for one day immediately after the first few rain events every fall. This is most probably due to animal waste being flushed into the river by surface runoff.
   Also, the bacteriological count rises each year as river flows decline in both the North and South forks. The public can check monthly river quality reports on the CSD website.
   What is the biggest challenge to maintain current levels of water use/service in Three Rivers in the future?
   Other than infrastructure collapse in some of the older water districts, our biggest challenge is keeping up the ever-changing water quality regulations coming from both Washington, D.C., and Sacramento. The cost to individual water districts to comply with some of the propsoed regulations will put a financial burden on all of us.
   The CSD is currently taking additional water samples for testing at Fruit Growers Labs in Fresno to try to obtain a variance from a new state law governing surface-water users.
   Building on the success of the Three Rivers Playground partnership, what other program(s) would you advocate for CSD involvement?
   The success of the Our Place playground is a perfect example of how Three Rivers residents can use their CSD to funnel available grant monies to worthy community improvements. As to the future, for the last two months, we have been working with Tulare County Fire Department officials to find funding to replace their aging Light Engine No. 14.
   Our goal is to have a new truck in place for the 2010 fire season. An ongoing project has been the quest for a public restroom installed along Highway 198.
   Should the CSD boundaries be enlarged to include more (all) Three Rivers property owners?
   The proposed County of Tulare general management plan identifies an area slightly larger than the current CSD boundaries called the Three Rivers Urban Development Zone. Those lands contain areas that have the potential for population densities approaching those found in Cherokee Oaks.
   It is imperative that the CSD boundaries encompass the entire zone to ensure the river quality that we as residents have a right to expect.

GREG MEIS

CHALLENGER

   Age: Not provided.
   Occupation: Retired regional manager for Susan Bates, Inc.
   Experience / Community Involvement: Vice mayor, city councilman, school board president, and governor’s representative in Southern California. Current board member, North Kaweah Mutual Water Company, Three Rivers.
   What makes you the best candidate?

  All three candidates are qualified; I would add a different perspective to the board.
   Based on the CSD water-quality monitoring program, what if any trends have been apparent in the last couple of years?
   At this point, I do not have enough information from the last two years to make a judgment.
   What is the biggest challenge to maintain current levels of water use/service in Three Rivers in the future?
   The county and state will most likely bring more input into our community, so future decisions will be based on what works best for all of us.
   Building on the success of the Three Rivers Playground partnership, what other program(s) would you advocate for CSD involvement?
I feel the residents should have a say in what they would like to have happen, and we would base our decisions on their thoughts, if it’s possible, and how much the CSD could be involved.
   Should the CSD boundaries be enlarged to include more (all) Three Rivers property owners?
   That would be subject I would have to study.

Community Presbyterian Church

commemorates 70th anniversary

by Brian Rothhammer 

  In the heart of Three Rivers, on a knoll that rises along Sierra Drive above the Three Rivers Memorial Building, stands a modest building with a lot of soul. More than seven decades ago, the land was donated, as was most of the labor and much of the material used to build this simple, yet substantial structure.
   On November 2, 1941, it became the new home of the Community Presbyterian Church of Three Rivers.
   The church celebrates its 70th anniversary this week with services on Sunday, Nov. 1, as it was officially chartered by the Presbytery of San Joaquin on November 5, 1939.
   The roots of this local church, however, go back to the 1890s and a woman of deep faith and conviction known affectionately as “Grandma” Alles.
   Born in Germany in 1842, one of Christine “Grandma” Alles’s early recollections was of the ocean voyage to Canada that her family embarked on when she was 11 years old. When they encountered a storm that threatened to engulf and sink the ship, the sailors gathered together to sing religious songs. The seas were calmed.
   Having married Conrad Alles in 1864, the family, which eventually included 10 children, moved to Michigan before becoming a pioneer family of the South Fork in 1887. Soon after Conrad died in 1891, the Alles family moved into the community of Three Rivers.
   It was there that the deeply religious Mrs. Alles began teaching Sunday school classes in her home and at times in the old schoolhouse. She showed great strength and courage as she went it alone in those early years. She shared her faith and conviction freely with the community, some of whom were not entirely appreciative. Many others were supportive.
   On April 11, 1909, a meeting was held at the Cove School, which resulted in the formation of the Union Christian Church of Three Rivers and of the Union Christian Church Society to “encourage the organization and promote the interests of this church…”
   Articles of association were adopted that laid a foundation in shared faith along democratic lines. Familiar names such as Britten, Ogilvie, Blossom, and others are found among the 16 original signatures affixed.
   Over the next three decades, some neighboring ministers assisted by holding occasional services at various locations. Reverend Scott of Woodlake, evangelist Rev. Wilson, Rev. W.M. Sutherland of Lemon Cove, and Rev. Fred Hoffman of the Presbyterian Church of Lemon Cove all contributed. On January 1, 1928, a circuit-riding missionary named Reverend E.M. Keeler gave his first Three Rivers sermon at the old schoolhouse near Grandma Alles’s home.
   Rev. Keeler, as Sunday School Missionary of the Board of National Missions of the Presbyterian Church, would become instrumental in further efforts to mold the Sunday school into a permanent, formally established church. On October 1, 1934, after a Communion service by Rev. Keeler, 39 community members signed a petition to the Presbytery of the San Joaquin “for the express purpose of the organization of a Community Church in the Three Rivers District.”
   Finally, on October 27, 1939, the Presbytery met in Woodlake and authorized the church. Rev. Keeler was placed in charge temporarily until a resident pastor could be found.
   Five visiting clergymen conducted the Organization Service held at the Three Rivers schoolhouse on Sunday, Nov. 5, 1939. Over 100 people attended what was remembered as an impressive service, and 45 communicant members founded the new congregation.
   Plans began immediately for the funding and construction of a permanent church building. The land itself was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Dan Alles and Mr. and Mrs. Dolph Beam. Mr. W.T. Wells donated lumber, which was sawed on his land at Silver City. Wells also paid for all of the hardware.
   Harold Fowler, Sequoia National Park landscape architect, drew up plans for the proposed building, and an interest-free, 10-year loan was obtained. With the outpouring of community support and labor, the project came in at under $6,000.
   Even then, that was a feat of economy. The artistic window above the altar was donated by Dr. and Mrs. A.B. Keeler. The altar, pulpit, and lectern of native redwood were made by Maurice Macy and Hugh Parks, the redwood cross above the altar by Gerald Ray and Howard Kunkel. The communion table, also of redwood, was made and donated by Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Macy and a piano was donated by Mrs. Mabel Smith.
   On November 2, 1941, the day that Grandma Alles and others had long dreamed of at long last arrived. A lighted picture of Christ in Gethsemane, a gift from the Alles family in memory of Grandma Alles, was visible to all who attended the first service to be held in the permanent home of the Community Presbyterian Church of Three Rivers.
   Grandma Alles had passed on January 19, 1938.
   Of the Articles of Association penned on April 11, 1909, Article 4 reads, “On this Christian basis we desire to promote the union of all the followers of Christ in the community, knit together in love, keeping the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace.”
   The vitality and sense of purpose embodied by today’s congregation a century later tells of the success of Christine Alles’s vision and of those who have worked so diligently over the years to see it through.

Town meeting to

examine water issues

  The monthly town meeting sponsored by the Three Rivers Village Foundation returns this Monday, Nov. 2. Scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Three Rivers Memorial Building, the agenda features several speakers who will discuss water issues that will affect the future of water cooperatives and anyone who uses well water.
   Mark Larsen, project administrative manager with the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District (KDWCD), will speak on water rights for users of the Kaweah River watershed. Larsen’s district is charged with the storage and distribution of all the water that flows into Lake Kaweah.
   Three local water associations — the Cherokee Oaks Water District, the Alta Acres Water District, and the North Kaweah Mutual Water Company — will have representatives in attendance to speak on the challenges that face local water companies and what restrictions their users might expect in the future. Everyone in attendance will be given an opportunity to ask questions of each of the participating speakers.
   Recently, several downstream users challenged the right of the Alta Acres water association to drill new wells to divert Kaweah River water. The KDWCD was party to that legal action and will explain their interpretation of the law and when it is legal for Three Rivers property owners to divert river water.
   Dennis Keller, a consulting civil engineer and member of the Tulare County Water Commission, said recently in a presentation to the Tulare County Planning Commission that if local farmers lose Friant water the county will be exposed to more severe conditions than what the west side of the Valley is currently experiencing. The problem, he said, is compounded by the fact that the water table in the Tulare Lake basin is currently dropping an average of eight feet annually.

  “We’re living beyond the means of what we can pump out of the groundwater,” Keller said.
   The annual deficit, he said, is 630,000 acre feet and is critically affecting the ability of the basin to sustain adequate supplies.  Currently, 5.2 million acre feet are being pumped annually.
   The gap between what we use and what we need will become even greater, Keller said, if Tulare County loses access to San Joaquin River water. That’s why the San Joaquin settlement is crucial to the future of the 14 stakeholders that depend on that water.
   The constant overdraft has caused a disconnect in the amount of water needed to replenish existing recharge basins. The water table is too far down to receive any benefit from most runoff events, Keller said. Most water that does enter the basins is lost before it can reach the current water table.
   Keller cited three long-term impacts posed as questions that will affect the region’s ability to sustain its projected water use.

  (1) The outcome of San Joaquin River restoration and, in turn, will the Congress allocate $1.6 billion to develop more storage facilities?

  (2) How will the conversion of agricultural land in the development process affect the demand for more water use?

  (3) How will the confinement of agriculture, i.e., double and quadruple cropping, affect water supply.
   But Keller says there is a silver lining for foothill users in places like Three Rivers and Springville. If they can secure an adequate, dependable supply for their needs they will see property values skyrocket.
   Also on Monday’s agenda is a presentation by Dale Dotson, Central California Emergency Medical Service Area (CCEMSA Tulare County) coordinator. For more information about Monday’s meeting, or to become a member of the Village Foundation, contact Marge Ewen, 561-0123.

Trout vs. frogs:

Parks seek public input

  In a project that began in 2007, officials at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are asking for input on the potential environmental impacts of the removal of trout from at least 84 high country lakes. Park researchers have targeted at least 15 percent of the area’s 560 lakes for the non-native species removal program to help restore populations of native mountain yellow-legged frogs.
   To furnish the public with more information on the trout removal, local parks officials have scheduled a planning meeting at the Three Rivers Arts Center on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. Danny Boiano, aquatic ecologist, will be available to explain how the removal works and what the local parks hope to accomplish by the eradication of trout from some of the fishing public’s favorite spots.
   The project is needed according to its proponents to preserve and restore aquatic ecosystems and populations of native species including mountain yellow-legged frogs in high elevation lakes and streams.    This will create new opportunities for visitors to experience native wildlife while also maintaining recreational fishing.
   As a part of the Sequoia Speaks series presented earlier this year, Danny said the yellow-legged frog is important as an indicator species to let scientists know what’s going on in local ecosystems. By studying the frogs, researchers can learn about the effects of climate change, pesticides, air quality and an array of subjects that help the NPS to make management decisions.
   Boiano has already removed trout from several area lakes and said among the effects are a spike in the local frog population. Initially, when public scoping was conducted in 2007, park planners received comments from more than 30 sources so they knew there was considerable interest in the removal efforts.
   The scoping information also indicated that there was potential for significant impact on the human environment and that there was a level of controversy associated with the fish removals.
   One point that has been raised repeatedly is the appropriateness of trout populations being poisoned in a national park. To deal with issues like these the former superintendent Craig Axtell determined that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a more comprehensive document, should be completed to assess any unforeseeable impacts.
   All comments received to date are included in the official administrative record of the project and are available on-line at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/seki. Those wishing to submit additional comments may do so until Saturday, Nov. 21, via email at:

SEKI_Planning@nps.gov

or by writing:

Superintendent
Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration
Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks
40750 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271

THREE RIVERS ART REVIEW

TRUS students prepare

for 1st Saturday art show

by Eddie McArthur

  If I could reminisce for a moment, my experience with art classes as a grammar school student was less than wonderful. I attended a small school in a farming community that had very little funding for any of the extras that go into the learning environment. Art mostly consisted of being told to stay within the lines, something that’s never been my nature.
   The past four weeks I’ve been privileged to work with Three Rivers School students on an art project and, of course, I chose something as far from staying within the lines as possible. Each child from kindergarten to seventh grade (eighth grade has their own project) was asked to create a painting representing their idea of winter.
   Ideas included snowmen, Christmas trees, snowball fights, and more, even a hibernating bear. Each student set about creating a watercolor with little but their imagination to guide them. They had a few reference photos, but little else, and they were told that their second week would include embellishing their painting.
   From there things took on a hectic pace as dedicated artists put brush to paper and helper-moms scurried to keep clean water ready. After each group, those dedicated moms would clean tabletops, spread out supplies, and get ready for the next onslaught.
   When each group began their own week two, they were offered chalk, more paint, oil pastels, cotton, ribbon, glue, and on and on. The hectic pace reached a near-crazy level as all these things got applied to the paintings – glitter was the big favorite. Adult helpers were now asked to speak with each student and gather a short description of their painting.
   And then… Oh, I don’t want to give away the ending of this fabulous story. Suffice to say that on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 1 to 5 p.m., if you show up for the Student Art Show at the TRUS McDowall Auditorium, you’ll be in for a treat.
   The older students will help to hang the exhibit that morning, and many will be on hand during the afternoon to serve as docents for their exhibit. Those artists in the 1st Saturday consortium have generously agreed to allow TRUS to participate free of charge in the November 7 event.
   Next up for the school art program will be the glazing of bowls made by Nancy and Jerry Jonnum and a crew of volunteers. The bowls will reappear for the “Empty Bowls” project after the first of the year.
   Empty Bowls is a nationwide program to fund food services for needy families, and this project will allow our students not just another art project but a lesson in giving to their community. Both the mixed-media art project and the Empty Bowls project are being organized by members of the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers as part of the organization’s commitment to student-artists. The community’s support and participation is always welcome.

THREE RIVERS

HALLOWEEN HAUNTS

Candy, food, movies, and a local neighborhood that goes absolutely insane during this one spooky night is what makes Three Rivers the place to be on Halloween...

Creepiest spider

  Tarantulas are a common sight in Three Rivers during fall, and nothing says Halloween like a huge spider. They look scary, but they are quite docile. And, remember, we brake for tarantulas so drive alert.

Grossest food

(and that's a compliment)

 Drop in if you dare to Sierra Subs & Salad for a bewitching meal. Hot from the cauldron this week is Bloody Pumpkin Soup. If you still have an appetite, then order Charlie’s Nightmare, a haunting combination of “terrifying tuna salad, kill-amata olive tapenade, artichoke, and provolone, served grilled on sourdough bread." And vegetarians aren’t getting out alive... they can have their sandwich with “smashed garbanzo brain salad.” Sounds healthy, doesn’t it?

Best candy

(hint: it's made right here)

It’s a long way from candy corn, for sure, but it’s Three Rivers’s version of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. It’s just that fun. In fact, Reimer’s Candies belongs in its own class as far as candy is concerned, and chocolate in particular. But for that special trick-or-treater, this is the shop that has the absolute best treats, and we’re not tricking.

Ghosts from the past

  There is evidence throughout Three Rivers of the people who used to call these foothills and mountains home. Sit silently at these spots and you can feel the spirits that still linger. These are friendly ghosts, that is, unless you decide to treat the land unkindly that these native people so revered.

Best Halloween Happening

(and it's been around for decades)

  If you ever pull into Three Rivers some October weekend and wonder where everyone is, look to Three Rivers School. Each year since the 1940s it seems as though the entire community gathers to celebrate the season with TRUS students at the Halloween Carnival.
It always kicks off with the crowning of an eighth-grade queen and king followed by the costume parade. There are games to keep all ages of children occupied, but there is plenty for the adults to do as well.
Great food has always been a staple, including a complete dinner, always prepared by the current eighth-grade class and their parents.
Popular with all ages is the Pick-A-Prize. Started in the early 1990s, this event is now a huge draw and a major money-maker. Donated items from gift certificates to original artwork can be bought for just a ticket (but the more tickets, the better the odds of winning).
All proceeds from the Carnival benefit Three Rivers School.

Scary screenings: Chump’s Videos & DVDs
   David Lowe at the local movie-rental store recommends the following films for a true fright night, no matter who’s in the audience. So turn off the lights and prepare to scream...

Dave’s Picks
30 Days of Night, The Descent, 100 Feet, Splinter, Wizard of Gore, After Dark Horrorfest movies, Midnight Meat Train, Mirrors, Lord of Illusions, Zombie Diaries.

New releases
Orphan, Drag Me to Hell, Trick-r-Treat, The Unborn, Quarantine, A Haunting in Connecticut, Last House on the Left, Coraline, Race to Witch Mountain, The Uninvited, It’s Alive.

Family Friendly
Hocus Pocus, Nanny McPhee, Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Harry Potter series, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror, Wallace and Grommit: Curse of the Ware Rabbit, Ghostbusters, Goosebumps, The Witches.

Classic Horror
And for the bravest of movie fans: Saw, Halloween, Feast, The Exorcist, 28 Days Later, Night of the Living Dead, Poltergeist, The Omen, The Shining, Seven, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Hills Have Eyes, Wrong Turn, Silence of the Lambs.

OBITUARY

Marvin Hodge

1949 ~ 2009

  Marvin Robert Hodge of Three Rivers died unexpectedly Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, at Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia. He was 60.
   A private graveside service is planned. A memorial service will be held Thursday, Nov. 5, at 3 p.m, at the River View Restaurant.
   Marvin was born July 10, 1949, in San Diego to Margaret and Harold Hodge. He was raised in San Diego and Lindsay, where he graduated from Lindsay High School with the Class of 1967.
   He served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1972 and fought in the Vietnam War. He settled in Three Rivers about seven years ago after his friend, Dan Mitchell, told him about Three Rivers.
   He met his future wife, Sandy, here. They were married in 2006.
Marvin was well known for his wit and sense of humor. He always kept Sandy on her toes as he was full of surprises.
   He attended Faith Mountain Fellowship Church. He loved talking about the Lord and playing guitar with his close friend, Forrest.
   Marvin will be loved and missed by his son, Matthew Hodge; his wife Sandy Hodge and her four children; his mother Margaret Hodge; brother Larry Hodge; sister Sonja Sinclair; niece Michelle Phillips; his previous wife, Margiene; four grandchildren; five nieces; and his faithful pug Hope.