PULASKI - An air permit application from Volvo Trucks North America to expand its truck-assembly and painting facilities near Dublin will be the subject of a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors meeting room in the county office building at 143 Third St. N.W.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has completed its own review and prepared a draft permit, subject to comments at the hearing on air quality. The agency will offer an information briefing before the hearing at 6:30 p.m. and answer questions about the permit.

Volvo proposes to expand production in two stages. The first will increase capacity for base-coat and clear-coat painting, and the second will increase capacity for electro-deposition and primer painting. DEQ has reviewed air dispersion projections submitted by Volvo and concluded that the modifications will not cause an increase in particulate matter beyond the already-allowable limits.

- Paul Dellinger

Ventura to speak at Tech next month

Former professional wrestler and Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura will speak March 15 at Virginia Tech.

Ventura became the first Reform Party candidate to win statewide office in 1998 when he was elected governor. He served one term and went on to teach as a visiting fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. The course focused on how third-party politics influences American government.

Before his career in politics, Ventura served in the Navy for six years, which included training as a Navy SEAL. After leaving the Navy, Ventura attended North Hennepin Community College. He went on to 11 years in the World Wrestling Federation as Jesse "The Body" Ventura. He retired from wrestling in 1984 and became an actor and radio talk show host.

Ventura's political career began in 1990 when the Minneapolis native ran for mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn. He served as mayor until 1995.

The speech, entitled "Tell It Like It Is," is at 7 p.m. in Burruss Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

-Greg Esposito