Monongah Fire Department battling Three Ways Inn blaze

The fire that destroyed the Three Ways Inn in Fairmont today removed a Marion County landmark and a favorite place for Monongah High Alumni to have reunions on the Friday before the Saturday Memorial Day Weekend Monongah High Alumni Reunion at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont.

According to a 911 dispatch, the fire began just before 4:40 a.m. Tuesday, July 2. Crews from Bridgeport and Shinnston Fire Department, as well as Marion County Rescue Squad, among many others, battled the fire.

On my way to one of my annual winter trips to Florida I reserved a large room that drew 21 Monongah High alumni to a reunion.

Linda Mazza Shelosky, widow of Bernard Shelosky, Class of 1965, used it for reunions or her Fairmont East Class of 1965.

Linda still lives in Monongah, on Cottage Street where she made her home with Bernie for 44 years until he passed away in 2013.

Even Brenda J Bevins-Johnston, who went to Grafton High and Columbus Franklin Heights, has ties to Three Ways Inn. She posted:

·         “My baby brother was the kitchen manager/ head chef; a niece was a waitress.”

·      

Human Resource Development Foundation Region 6 One Stop Coordinator April Pierson, a Fairmont State graduate, is offering to help Three Ways employees put out of a job by the fire. She posted:

o    “Please have any employees affected by this to call my office. 304-363-0654 ext 51262. I may be able to help them.”

Three Ways Inn, which has been around for nearly a half-century in White Hall, is known for its hoagie, home-made pierogies – and class reunions. The restaurant had banquet rooms that seated up to 100 people.

Owner Greg Apanowicz got the pierogies recipe from his mother.
Ramona Fullen Michalski, Class of 1949, who lives in Monongah, said it best:

·         “John, I enjoyed the get-togethers with you at Three Ways. (Especially the ones you picked up the tab.) Think I attended all of them.

·     ·  “My grandson, Brad, was a bartender and his wife, Britney, was a waitress during their college days. My granddaughter, Tracy, also worked there during her college days.

·    
“We had many family dinners there during the winter months. I will miss their steak and pierogies and French onion soup.”

·        Ramona closed with a sentiment every Monongah High graduate and, indeed, all of Marion County feels:

    
“I hope they rebuild!”

Say-Boy to open Tuesday at new location

Say-Boy Restaurant, hit by a fire in early March, will re-open at its new location, 1228 Country Club Road, Suite 10, at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 11.

For earlier story on the flames that forced Say-Boy from its historic landmark, click on the blue http://jo4wvu.blogspot.com/search?q=Say-Boy+to+open+at+new+location

 

Fire hits Say-Boy

Say-Boy Steakhouse Restaurant in Fairmont, where my father introduced me to the wonders of ribeye steak, was damaged badly by a kitchen fire that spread.

To this day, no matter where I travel to 55 countries and 44 states, ribeye is my steak of choice. I think of my Dad every time I eat one.

My best wishes go out to the Sabo family. I hope they rebuild and get another ribeye ready for me.

Say-Boys founder Albert Sabo, who used a play on his name for the restaurant's name, is Class of 1940.

Maybe Smokey the Bear needs to show up on Valleyview Drive in White Hall.

In less than a month there have been two serious fires on that street.

On May 14, the Monongah, Valley, Boothsville, Winfield, Bunner's Ridge, Barrickville, Worthington and Shinnston Fire Departments and the Marion County Rescue Squad and West Virginia State Police showed up. An occupant got out safely.

On Tuesday, June 9 Pleasant Valley, Winfield and Boothsville fire departments and the Marion County Rescue Squad responded to another Valleyview Drive fire. The three-story home again was visited by fire the next day.

The blaze, which started in the garage, made the home a total loss, just as it did in the May fire.

Valley View is off Manuel Drive and is a very narrow 2-lane road. Emergency crews had problems with people who don't live on those streets driving by to check out the fire and the damage.

Kept busy at White Hall were Monongah fire chief Harless McCombs, Class of 1976; Harless’ brother, Bill McCombs, Class of 1969, is assistant fire chief.  

  Bill was elected mayor of Monongah but had to resign because it conflicted with his duties as water department chief. Harless is married to Monongah Middle School language arts teacher and children’s book author Lisa Myers McCombs, Class of 1977.

 
North Marion grad Jim Birdsell, grandson of Byron Birdsell, Class of 1947, and great-nephew of Bill
Birdsell, Class of 1950, is a Monongah fire captain. He had quadruple bypass heart surgery eight months ago. Jim is married to Angela and celebrated his birthday June 3. He said Monongah firefighters were on the scene for six hours.

At least they didn’t have to put out the fire for one of their own as the Monongah Fire Department did in December 2014 when the Riverview Avenue mobile home of Monongah firefighter Shawn Teets was set ablaze by an electrical fire in a bedroom. Shawn wasn’t hurt, but he was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and had to live elsewhere.

Fellow firefighter Shawn Parker opened an account for the other Shawn at Fairmont Federal Credit Union for anyone who wanted to donate to help out the burned-out Shawn.

Shawn Teets is a captain in the Marion County Department of Homeland Security. He studied biology at Fairmont State.

April 1 opening – hopefully – for Fairmont’s Aquarium Lounge

The latest reopening date for Fairmont’s  Aquarium Lounge on Gaston Avenue is April 1.

Previously, owner Jimmy Lamb had said he hoped to reopen last December.

It has taken nine months of reconstruction after the structure was gutted following extensive smoke and water damage from a fire that started in the kitchen and spread to the dining area last June.

No one was injured in the blaze.