HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE FOURTH OF JULY! Distributed Free Each Friday Since 2009 June 30, 2017 www.pcpatriot.com Locally Owned And Operated Middle school debate continues By MIKE WILLIAMS The Patriot Thirty people spoke their minds Monday night on the pro- posed construction of a new con- solidated middle school during a meeting of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors. Comments went on for nearly two hours, with 28 speakers expressing wholehearted support for the new school, while two New Sheriff Sworn In others expressed concerns. Sandy Dowdy Singleton told Pulaski County Clerk of Court Maetta Crewe (left) administers the the supervisors that she would oath of office to Major Mike Worrell as the new sheriff of Pulaski love to see a new school con- County, as Worrell’s wife, Wendy looks on. The swearing in ceremo- structed. However, she said, the ny was held Thursday in the Pulaski County Courthouse. Worrell county is already in millions of takes over as sheriff officially Saturday, July 1. A special election will debt and she isn't comfortable be held in November to elect a new sheriff. Worrell is expected to with the present amount of debt WEEKEND WEATHER seek election then. Worrell takes over as sheriff following the retire- along with the projected reduced SATURDAY SUNDAY ment today of Jim Davis who served as sheriff for 20 years. His retire- ment ends a 41-year career in law enforcement. See more, Page 2. See SCHOOL, page 4 Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with Partly sunny, with a high near a high near 82. Chance of pre- 83. INSIDE THIS cipitation is 50%. Sunday Night - Partly cloudy, 64. WEEK’S EDITION •Fourth of July Veterans Program - Page 3 •Heritage Farm Series: Phillips Family Farms - Page 11 •Ratcliffe Museum Camps Gear Up - Page 16 •Claytor Lake Festival draws over 13,000 - Page 20 Page 2 - The Patriot - Friday, June 30, 2017 New Sheriff In Town As of Saturday, July 1 Major Mike Worrell becomes Sheriff Mike Worrell, following Thursday’s swearing in ceremony at the Pulaski County Courthouse. Worrell is pictured above with retiring Sheriff Jim Davis and the rest of the department. At right, Worrell takes the sheriff’s badge from Davis. A special election will be held in November to elect a sheriff. Worrell is expected to seek election to the office at that time. NRCC offering handgun safety class in July New River Community Saturday following the class. ic handguns and safety issues College will offer a handgun The cost of the course is $60. related to handgun ownership. safety class on Tuesday, July The six-hour classroom por- Participants will also learn how 18, and Thursday, July 20. tion of the course, instructed by to care for, maintain and store Both class meetings will take Joey Williams, is required. their handguns. place from 6 to 9 p.m. at 206 However, range time is option- To register for this course, Edwards Hall in Dublin. Range al. The class is intended for visit http://bit.ly/handgunsafe- time will be offered on the individuals who are applying ty072017. for a handgun permit through the courts, and will cover topics such as the nomenclature of The Patriot revolvers and/or semi-automat- www.pcpatriot.com 808-3949 [email protected] The Patriot - Friday, June 30, 2017 - Page 3 Pulaski County’s War Casualties Tuesday, July 4, 2017 Noon Tuesday, July 4th 2017 Schedule of Events (July 4th Planning Committee) •9:00 a.m. Flag Ceremony - Dublin Town Hall •11:00 a.m. Parade - Pulaski (Line up 10:00 am) •12:00 p.m. Veterans Ceremony - Pulaski Theater •4 p.m. Yankees Baseball Game at Calfee Park Free Opponent Danville Braves Page 4 - The Patriot - Friday, June 30, 2017 become dangerous," she said. inevitable. Dawson explained that in an Bowman said she knows the School area near the gym a classroom is supervisors have seen photos of Continued from page 1 no longer in use due to the shift- the current conditions at the ing of the floor. Part of the floor schools showing ceilings that are enrollment figures and no in the room near the entrance, falling down, broken bathroom prospects for any significant she said, is higher than the rest of fixtures, masking tape on multi- growth in the county's tax base. the floor. ple windows and signs saying, "As a taxpayer and owner of "It has created a fairly large "Danger - Contains asbestos two properties in Robinson bulge in the floor and leads out fibers. Avoid creating dust. Tract, which I tried to accumu- into the hallway where pedestri- Cancer and lung disease hazard. late to help me with my retire- an traffic is located," she said. Avoid breathing airborne ment, this would significantly The boy's locker room located asbestos fibers." hurt me if taxes go sky high, as it below the area is no longer used "We're sending our most pre- would others," Singleton said. due to those structural shifts, she cious gifts into schools full of "We would all be more confi- noted. health hazards every day. That's dent if the people had a direct Dawson said all schools in the not okay for our county," voice with something so expen- county had attained full accredi- Bowman said. sive," she added. tation, except two - both middle Mike Moore told the supervi- Singleton also noted her con- schools. sors he supports construction of a cerns over the proposed location She said test scores at the mid- new middle school, but he thinks of the school, offering figures dle schools are lower than they building a new high school from the Virginia State Police are for students in elementary makes more sense. from 2011 to May of this year in and high school. "People look at high schools which 657 accidents had been "These facilities do have an not middle schools when they do reported on Lee Highway result- impact on how well students do internet searches on where to ing in 313 injuries and 7 fatali- on individual standardized tests live," Moore said. "Colleges look ties. like the SOLs," she said. at high school transcripts. It "There is a time and place for "Pulaski and Dublin middle would take more money now and everything. The time for a new schools are sub-standard facili- more planning, but in the long school is not now," she closed, ties and our students shouldn't be run it would be more effective urging maintenance to be educated in such buildings. You for students," he said of building "stepped up." (supervisors) can change this," a high school. Amy Dawson told the supervi- she concluded. Jean Anderson questioned the sors that research shows students Lora Covey brought her son, increase in debt to build a new Retired Teachers Make Presentation achieve at a higher level when Mason to the podium to address middle school when you consid- they attend well-designed supervisors. er the county is still paying off The Pulaski County Retired Teachers Association’s Esther Ward, schools. "I think it is important for you the last schools it built. PCRTA Scholarship Chairman (left), Angie Covey, Executive "Well-designed means schools to put faces with the students "These young people are fine Director, NRCC Educational Foundation (center) and Barbara that are well-lit, thermally con- who are the future of this county with a new school, but the bur- Laymen, PCRTA President present Covey with a check for the 2017 trolled, with good air quality and and who your decision makes a den will be on us older people," PCRTA Scholarship winner. Every year the PCRTA presents a $1,000 ventilation to accommodate the difference to," Covey said. she said. scholarship to a member of the senior class at Pulaski County High student population and that are Noting there is a difference Another speaker said the board School who plans to attend college and major in Education. This safe and accessible," Dawson between maintenance and capital should just approve the school year’s scholarship was given to Justin Shatto, who plans to be a his- said. improvements, Covey said the and not worry about taxes, tory teacher. "There are classrooms at safety and fire hazards at both although she admitted she isn't Pulaski Middle School where middle schools are "too numer- yet paying taxes. The Patriot students are not allowed to go ous to mention during my three "Show you care about the stu- into due to structural changes minutes of speaking time." dents, because none of us think 808-3949 that are dangerous or could www.pcpatriot.com She had criticism for both the you do right now," she told the school boards and boards of supervisors. supervisors of recent years for Later during the meeting, continuously pointing fingers of Draper District Supervisor Dean blame at each other during years Pratt bristled at that comment. of discussion on a new middle "It really bothers me that some school. people think that we do not care "That's why we're not further about the students of Pulaski along in the process than we are County," Pratt stated. "Let me today. It is my belief this has to tell you, I care deeply for the stu- stop," Covey said. dents along with the citizens of She said the reasons for a new this county. When we (supervi- middle school have been known sors) sit up here we have to take for many years. care of everybody. This board "The decision to raise taxes is has not done anything unneces- never an easy one," Covey said, sary to slow this process." asking why taxes hadn't been During Monday's meeting, the raised in past years with the goal board voted to acknowledge of building a new middle school receipt of the school board's in mind, to ease the burden of recently approved resolution ask- raising taxes.