Somewhere under the snow is Monongah

Monongah and Marion County still are trying to plow away Snowstorm Jonah that dumped more than  2 feet on my favorite hometown.

Classes have been canceled again for Tuesday thoroughout Marion County.

Monday’s Monongah Town Council meeting was cancelled. Nex meeting, Feb. 8.

Monongah garbage service is running at least a day late.

Mayor Greg Vandetta requested patience:

“I hope all of our residents are weathering Jonas well. We are doing the best that we can to keep the roads passable. They are out again this morning. They have put in a lot of overtime. Art said that they are wearing down.

“Please understand that a deep snow like this creates problems that we normally don't have with an average snow.

“Number one, that our equipment is limited in ability to move this amount of snow. Number two, where to put it. They are doing the best they can to keep everyone happy.

Please remember that we are not allowed on private property. Also, there are streets in town that the state plows and we also try and clean up behind them.

“Thank you,
“Greg"

Later Monday afternoon, Paula Kerns Fazio, Class of 1979, married to Joe Fazio, Class of 1974, and daughter of Dorothy Stevenski Kerns, Class of 1942, wrote:
“I-79 is clear North & South bound lanes. U.S. 19 from Monongah into Fairmont is clear. East Fairmont is clear. Monongah to Mannington is all clear, including Farmington hill.

I remember after the great snowstorm of 1950, long before they were given names (for me, the 45.5 inches in 1950 would have been named What The Hell?).

I was a Fairmont State student, before transferring to WVU, and we missed a week of classes because of the avalanche snowfall.

Then it warmed up and we missed a second week because of the flooding. The West Fork River at White Rock was on the streetcar tracks above U.S. 19.

So, as I posted earlier, we went sledriding down Swisher Hill (really FAST!) because there was no auto traffic.

Silver lining to the 1950 snowstorm.

Fortunately, this time no one in West Virginia is among the 27 dead because of the snowstorm.

Another silver lining.