Fairmont facility activated for Hurricane Florence

Monongah High alumni in possible path, too

Just in case National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland, and Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station in Wallops, Virginia get whacked by Hurricane Florence, for the first time NOAA has activated its date back-up site at its 54,0000 square-foot Robert H. Mollohan Research Facility in Fairmont.

T.J. Saverno

The Fairmont facility included three 16.4-meter satellite arrays at the I-79 Technology Park.

The activation ensures that the NOAA weather satellite data will be available to the National Hurricane Center, even if the primary operations sites are impacted by the storm.

Much of the Florence imagery and animation the Fairmont facility is collecting is coming from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, part of a fleet that monitors the entire Western Hemisphere.  

Fairmont was chosen due to its proximity to the Washington, D.C. area 8 hours away.

T.J. Savereno, Class of 1979, reports “the track is looking worse and worse for us.” T.J. is a senior associate agent for Clemson Cooperative Extension in South Carolina. He lives in Florence, South Carolina with wife Lynette Savereno.

“We are getting ready and staying put,” Anthony James wrote. “We are a good ways from the coast, so storm surge is not a threat. Wind is biggest worry.”

Phil Colanero

 

T.J.’s parents are Harriet Hattie Savereno and Tony Savereno, Class of 1941, Monongah's mail carrier for many years. His siblings are Linda Savereno Moorehead, Class of 1968, and Mark Savereno, Class of 1970.

Philip J Colaneri, Class of 1963, who lives in Morgantown with Betty Hanlin, wrote:

“I am leaving Knoxville after delivering first aid supplies to the football team, then going to Nashville and then on to Memphis to visit my brother, Tom. We may go to the Mississippi/Alabama game and relax a few days.”

#1 Alabama, coached by Nick “Brother” Saban, Class of 1969, will travel to Oxford, Mississippi to play the University of Mississippi, commonly referred to as “Ole Miss,” at 7 p.m. Saturday. ESPN will carry the battle of Southeast Conference unbeatens.

Phil’s siblings are Paulette Colanero O’Connor, Class of 1966, and Tom Colanero, Class of 1968, who married Julie Khuri Colanero.

North Marion and Fairmont State grad Joeline Swann, who lives in Rivesville and worked at the WVU Extension Service, reports that “my brother is riding it out in Conway, South Carolina.”

It’s not safe from Mother Nature, even in Marion County, Eva Jarvis, Class of 1975, has more than three feet of floodwater in her Grant Town basement and “lost all my stuff.” Eva grew up in Everson.

Eva and Dewayne Jarvis, her husband for 28 years, had to deal with the mess. They’ve had trouble with that house from top to bottom. In 2015 they had re-roofing done.

Eva is a former Wal-Mart sales assistant.

Her mother is Marie B. Huey. Eva' a Georgia peach whose children include Eva Huey Jarvis, Class of 1975.

 

Jay Holman

Marie lives in Worthington. She is a graduate of Ringgold, Georgia High School in Catoosa County.

 

Her children are Eva; Ethel, in Shinnston; John, in Worthington, engaged to Lisa Haynes; Ruth, in Fairview; and Paul and Sandy, both in Ohio.

Jay Holman, Class of 1971, who resides in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina with wife Margaret, a Fairmont West graduate, reports that, "After 30 years with utilities, I know how to stay out of the rain."
 
Jay lived in Carolina during his Monongah High days.

 

 

If you have information about Monongah High alumni in Florence’s path, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com or post it on my Facebook page and I’ll add it to this article. Thank you..