Distributed FREE On Fridays For 12 Years July 16, 2021 www.pcpatriot.com Locally Owned And Operated Insuring You & Yours PC School Board issues statement supporting Siers By MIKE WILLIAMS mation and a corresponding lack of understanding The Patriot of the Board’s equity initiatives,” Hurst began. “We wish to set the record straight.” In what School Board Chairman Tim Hurst called Hurst continued that “Some in the community an “open letter to the Pulaski County Community,” have been spreading false, malicious, and defama- the school board expressed strong support for em- tory information about Dr. Kevin Siers, who, since battled School Superintendent Dr. Kevin Siers. making Pulaski County his home, has championed Karen Tuggle Brad Alley Lynn White The statement comes following harsh criticism of the Pulaski County schools and its students in ways Siers from throughout the community, following his that will advance their interests for years to come.” being rebuked by members of the Board of Super- Hurst said “the Board is aware of some grum- Home • Auto • Life • Business visors, Sheriff, Commonwealth’s Attorney and oth- blings in the community about certain emails that ers. Siers was criticized for having made what many Dr. Siers exchanged with the State Superintendent have called disparaging comments about members about Pulaski County Public Schools’ efforts to cre- of the community, clergy and the Sheriff’s Office. ate a safe and supportive space for all children who Hurst read the four-page statement from the attend our schools. Many of those individuals have board during a meeting on Wednesday evening at cherry-picked words and phrases from the emails to the School Board office. The meeting was scheduled support a political narrative that is not reflective of originally as being a closed session so the board Dr. Siers’ efforts to advance the interests of Pulas- could consult with legal counsel. Later an item on ki County students. A full reading of the dialogue the meeting agenda was added pertaining to per- with the State Superintendent and his staff would 611 East Main Street sonnel actions within the school system. reveal a different narrative.” Dublin, VA 24084 • 540-674-4678 About 20 or so citizens attended the meeting “Rarely is there a time when a body such as this and remained in attendance for over an hour as the School Board comes out to throw its support behind www.insurancecenterofdublin.com board met in closed session in an upstairs confer- its chief officer, but rarely is there a time when such ence room. an officer is so poorly maligned for his efforts. The It was after the board returned to the meeting Board finds that it is appropriate to remind the com- room that Hurst read the statement. munity of but a few of Dr. Siers’ achievements on WEEKEND WEATHER “The Board is aware of apprehension and fear in behalf of Pulaski County students since he began Saturday Sunday the community based on a campaign of misinfor- See SCHOOLS, page A1 Mostly sunny, with a high near Showers and possibly a thun- 86. Chance of precipitation is derstorm. High near 79. Chance 70%. of precipitation is 80%. UAW workers at Volvo Saturday Night - Mostly Sunday Night - Chance of cloudy, with a low around 65. showers. Low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Chance of precipitation is 80%. vote to ratify new contract From Staff and Wire Reports “The democratic process played out at Volvo Trucks,” Curry said. “UAW Members stood togeth- Striking blue-collar workers at a Volvo heavy er through their strike and now the overall agree- truck plant in Dublin have narrowly ratified what ment and hourly agreement have been ratified de- the company said was its final offer in a long-run- spite the company’s actions earlier in the week.” ning labor dispute. Earlier in the week Volvo Trucks said it would put The hourly workers voted 1,147 to 1,130 for the the third tentative agreement into effect and asked six-year contract, and will suspend their on-and- workers to cross picket lines so it could restart Celebrating 141 off strike that began in April. However unionized production. The union threatened to file an unfair years of service, salaried workers voted against the pact 54-40, ac- labor practices complaint with the National Labor and family owned. cording to the Facebook page of the United Auto Relations Board. The union said only a few work- Traditional services Workers local. ers crossed the lines, and the company said it would with traditional The UAW said in a statement that blue-col- take several days to resume production. values. lar members will return to work for their Sunday A copy of the third agreement shows workers Accepting and Monday shifts, even though the company said with one year of experience would start at $20.60 pre-arrangements workers could return as early as Thursday if they per hour, progressing to a top wage of $30.92 when from other desired. the contract ends in 2026. funeral homes. About 2,900 workers represented by the UAW The union said in its statement that the six-year Financing for have been on strike at the plant. They rejected three agreement eliminates a second, lower tier of wages funerals available tentative contract agreements reached with local and provides protections around shift scheduling as union negotiators, including the same contract that well as a “major signing bonus and aggressive an- 414 N. Jefferson Avenue • Pulaski, Va., 24301 was ratified on Wednesday. nual wage improvements.” S. Todd Bruce, Manager/Owner Ray Curry, UAW president, said in Wednesday’s Franky Marchand, vice president and general statement that the union has an established process manager at the Volvo Trucks plant, said in a state- 540-980-1700 to address concerns raised over the salary agree- ment that the agreement will provide employees ment that narrowly failed. See VOLVO, page A2 GREAT PAY. GREAT JOBS! NOW IS THE TIME TO GET THAT PAY AND JOB YOU DESIRE. STARTING PAY $11.50 TO $17.00 PER HOUR Classifieds UNSKILLED POSITIONS AT $12.00 AND $13.00 PER HOUR ALL SHIFTS – SIX COUNTIES FREE CALL OR COME TO OUR OFFICE TODAY! GO TO WORK TOMORROW! Valley Staffing Inc. Call 540-808-3949 Wright Ave., Dublin, Va. SOMETHING TO SELL? TO SOMETHING 540-674-3103 We've Got Got We've EEO Apply Today At www.valleystaffingjobs.comDRUG FREE Page A2 - The Patriot - July 16, 2021 Kids Fest set for July 18-21 NRCC announces fall semester plans New River Community College at Abundant Life Ministries will be operating at full capacity for the upcoming fall semester, Abundant Life Ministries at 5 p.m. college officials have announced. is hosting a Kids Fest event, Traditional in-person instruction beginning Sunday, July 18 to The church is located at will be the norm for classes held Wednesday, July 21 from 5 to 3050 Lee Highway, one-quar- at NRCC’s locations in Dublin 8 p.m. nightly. ter mile past LewisGale Hospi- and Christiansburg. This special Kids Fest will tal Pulaski on the right. Students, college personnel and be for agest Pre-K through 5th visitors who have been vaccinat- grade. Dinner will be provided For more information, call ed for COVID-19 will not be re- each evening for the children 540-980-5506. quired to wear face coverings. To encourage vaccination, students who show proof of vaccination and hybrid options. Registration will receive a gift card usable at is now in progress. Details about the college bookstore. available programs, courses and “We appreciate the cooperation tuition assistance is available on- shown by all concerned during line at www.nr.edu. the past months,” said NRCC Current NRCC students may president Pat Huber. “Of course register for classes online by we will continue to monitor all visiting their student accounts. relevant health information, but Prospective NRCC students may I’m happy to say we’re now look- visit www.nr.edu/register for en- ing forward to a vibrant and pro- rollment information. ductive fall semester.” Advisors are available at advis- Classes begin Monday, August [email protected] or (540) 674-3609 or 23. In addition to face-to-face in person to assist with registra- classes, offerings include online tion. Volvo Continued from Page A1 with a continued “great quality don’t see the first deal as the best of life” and “will also help secure they can get, then it’s a self-ful- the plant’s long-term growth and filling prophecy,” she said. “Ne- sustainability.” gotiators will counter by leaving “Our focus now will be on some room to go back and sweet- getting trucks to customers as en the deal.” quickly as we can, and strength- Workers at Ford and Fiat ening our relationship with our Chrysler (now Stellantis) have employees,” Marchand said. rejected the first agreements in The defiant strikers could be the past. a sign that workers feel more Volvo says the 1.6 million- emboldened because employers square-foot Dublin plant is the are having a hard time finding largest manufacturer of Volvo skilled workers. trucks in the world. It is one of Experts say there is little fear the largest private sector em- of finding another job with com- ployers in the region, with about panies scrambling to hire work- 3,300 employees, 2,900 repre- ers, so the gamble of a strike is sented by the UAW. not as severe. The plant is in the midst of a Kristin Dziczek, senior vice $400 million investment for ad- president at the Center for Au- vanced technology upgrades, tomotive Research, an industry site expansion and preparation think tank, said rank-and-file for future products, including the union members flexed their mus- innovative Volvo VNR Electric cles in the labor dispute by re- truck.