MHS Reunion reservations at 104 & climbing

Monongah High Alumni Association Treasurer Donna Davis has 104 reservations for the 2017 Reunion at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Marylou Retton Drive in Fairmont.

Donna’s Facebook post:

Monongah Alumni, only 20 days left to make your reservations. The dinner is on May 27th at the Knights of Columbus. $30.00 per person. If you have any questions please call me at 304-534-5636. Hope to see you there.

If you plan to attend but haven’t made your reservations yet, phone Donna at (304) 534-5636. She’ll take it from there.

 

 

Hours for the Family Dollar Store, which will open May 11 in Monongah.

It took more than 3 years but it's finally happening.

Kudos, Monongah!

Graffius daughter's surgery went well

The surgery went well for Jennifer Graffius Linn, who fell and severely fractured her ankle in Kentucky.

Her parents, Ed Graffius, Class of 1971, and wife Brenda Ridenour Graffius, Class of 1974,
 

“Jen's surgery a success, fixed torn tendon, plate and screws to fibula and button zip to ankle fractures. Complete rest, only allowed to bathroom and at dinner table, no weight-bearing to right foot for next six weeks, then she will get a boot for 4 weeks if all goes well. Hope she gets better using the crutches. Thanks everyone for your prayers.”

Ed and Brenda live in Fairmont’s Pleasant Valley, and drove to Kentucky to be with their daughter.

Jennifer’s children are Kylie Jo and Erin Linn. Jennifer is the widow of their father, Joe Linn, born in Fairmont, who passed away at the age of 37 in 2013.

Jennifer’s brother is Eric Graffius.

Ed is retired from Wal-Mart where he was receiving manager for decades. Brenda is a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Ed’s siblings are another Brenda, nurse Brenda Graffius Barna, Class of 1974, who lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with husband Charles “Chuck” Barna;  and, both deceased, Dave Graffius, Class of 1973, and Donald Graffius, Jr. 

 

Their parents are Helen Prahl Graffius, daughter of Paul and Beulah Toothman Prahl,  and the late Donald Graffius.

 

Jon Graffius is North Marion Class of 1982.

Ed and Brenda’s cousins, Eleanor Slavik Varga and Lou Varga, live in Brooksville, Florida.

Go to college percentages

52.73% of Marion County’s high school graduates go to college, according to the West Virginia High Education Policy Commission’s Division of Policy and Planning.

Fairmont East does best, at 60.44%. Fairmont West hits 55.44% and North Marion 41.71%.

The state average dropped to 55%, which ranks in the bottom 12 states in America.

Alabama gave football coach Nick Saban, Class of 1969, an 8-year contract extension. Since Brother was born October 31, 1951, that means he’ll be 73 years old for his final season in 2024.

There will be a contract extension signing incentive of $4 million with an additional $4 million spread out through the 2020 (10 percent), 2021 (10 percent) and 2022 (80 percent) years of the contract.

Brother is making $7 million a year plus bonuses. Only Jim Harbaugh’s $9 million from Michigan is higher among college coaches.

Brother said: "This has become our home and we are looking forward to finishing our career at Alabama.”

Brother is entering his 11^th season at Alabama that includes four National Championships in a decade. He has won 10 or more games for nine straight seasons and led the Crimson Tide to appearances in each of the first three College Football Playoffs.

36 players have won 40 first team All-America honors during his tenure while 65 players have been selected in the NFL Draft since 2009, including 22 first round picks. Those numbers are all the best in the nation during that span.

Over the past 10 seasons, Brother’s teams have excelled in the classroom with a graduation success rate of 80 that ranked fifth among Associated Press top 25 teams.

Since arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2007, Nick and Terry Saban have raised nearly $6 million for charitable causes through their Nicks' Kids Foundation.

Following the devastating 2011 tornado, they teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild 16 homes.

The Sabans donated $1 million to UA's first-generation scholarship fund and most recently spearheaded fundraising efforts for the new St. Francis Catholic Church student center, which is named in their honor.

Brother also won a national title while coaching LSU. The 5 championships puts him behind only Paul “Bear” Bryant, who coached Alabama and Texas A&M.

At Monongah High, Brother quarterbacked the 1968 state championship team.

Family Dollar to open May 11

The long-awaiting opening of the Family Dollar Store in Monongah will be Thursday, May 11. The grand opening with more fanfare will be May 20.

Mayor Greg Vandetta posted:

“Hallelujah, hallelujah!

“I just spoke with the district manager of the Monongah Family Dollar and was informed the soft opening is scheduled for May 11, 2017. Grand Opening on May 20, 2017.

“GET READY TO SHOP!”

Family Dollar is on Camden Avenue (U.S. 19) at Walnut Street on property formerly occupied by the Huntington Bank.

The Pulice, Fiori and Gumont families took turns living on the property before the home was torn down to make way for the bank.

The first Family Dollar announcement was in 2014. Some things takes a while to happen. But now it will.

Teresa Jacobin Palmer, Class of 1973, and John Ed Palmer, Class of 1974, celebrated their 41^st wedding anniversary. They were wed May 1, 1976.

Their son is Monongah Town Councilman JohnBoy Palmer.

Their daughter is North Marion High grad Jonetta Palmer Collins, who with Dee McDonald Wolf, Class of 1962, coached Monongah Middle School to the Beckley-Stratton Middle School Best Cheer title.

Teresa works at Fairmont State, John Ed at the Peabody Mine in Blacksville.