By Mary Jane Farmer, from info supplied by Van Alstyne Police Department.

Van Alstyne Police Department answered 225 calls for service between Aug 2 and Aug. 8, 2021, reported Police Sgt. Steven Hayslip. Of those, there were nine incidents are in police reports and four offense reports.

There were also three motor vehicle accidents, two without injuries.

The third, which occurred about 8:15 p.m. Sunday (Aug. 8) involved three vehicles and injured three people. Hayslip said this crash happened on southbound U.S. Hwy. 75 at Van Alstyne Parkway.

Sunday, at about 8:15 pm, police officers and fire department personnel and vehicles were dispatched to a three-vehicle crash on southbound US 75 and Van Alstyne Pkwy. The right lane and shoulder were blocked due to construction. The left lane remained open for travelers moving a reduced speed, including stop and go traffic. That is where the crash occurred.

The first vehicle’s driver involved in the wreck, a Lexus SUV, reported driving at about 20 mph, but having to slow down and even stop at times. The driver of the second vehicle, a Toyota pickup, reported the same. The third vehicle, a Honda CRV, was reported to have been going a high rate of speed. It struck the Toyota, pushing the second vehicle into the first vehicle. The Honda CRV sustained major front-end damage. The driver was trapped inside it. Once the driver was removed from the vehicle, he was flown by ambulance helicopter to a hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Two occupants in the second vehicle were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Thursday, Aug. 3, police were sent to the new Thompson Farms subdivision because of missing supplies. They were informed that someone, unknown to them, had stolen more than 100 sheets of radiant barrier.

“Both Collin County and Grayson County are seeing a rise in construction theft since building materials cost have risen so drastically,” Hayslip said.
“VAPD is asking for the help of the residents. If anyone sees a vehicle or person who appears to be out of place, especially in construction, hours outside of normal work hours, to please contact police immediately to report the suspicious activity.” Van Alstyne PD’s phone number is 903-482-5251

Between May 8 and June 4, Van alstyne police received 890 calls for service, made 37 police reports and 23 offense reports, and investigated six accidents. One of those was a fatality, but there were no reported injuries in the remaining five crashes.

But, first, the fun news. On May 20, police provided several patrol cars to give a ride to first-grader James Mercer and his parents, Chris and Marianne, to Partin Elementary School.

They first went to the community center for breakfast, at which time they awarded James with a police Lego set and a t-shirt, and let them get acquainted with the department’s Hummer. It was Chief Tim Barnes who then drove James to school in the hummer.

This happened because his parents won a silent auction benefitting the Van Alstyne Education Foundation at its recent yearly banquet. The foundation was founded in 2012 to assist VAISD students and teachers and, since the nine years following its beginning has provide more than $500,000 in scholarships and grant to students and teachers.

Fatal crash — At about 2 p.m. Saturday, May 29, a motorcycle was traveling north on Henry Hynds Expressway (U.S. Hwy 75 service road) south of the northbound entrance ramp between Van Alstyne Pkwy and Farmington. Van Alstyne Police Sgt. Steve Hayslip said that a U-Haul truck was moving south on the same two-way road. The U-Haul stopped to make a left-hand turn into the Elite Storage parking lot. According to Hayslip, the U-Haul driver believed the motorcycle was about to enter the entrance ramp onto U.S. Hwy 75. Therefore, the driver of the U-Haul began to turn. However, the motorcycle continued straight on Henry Hynds and did not enter the highway entrance ramp. The driver of the motorcycle locked his brakes and laid the motorcycle on its side. The motorcycle and driver of the motorcycle slid into the U-Haul. The motorcycle driver was transported to Texoma Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.

The accident is still under by the Van Alstyne PD & The Texas Department of Public Safety. At this time, Hayslip added, no criminal charges have been filed.

Arrests

May 27 — About 7:30 p.m., police were sent to a road rage between two drivers on U.S. Hwy 75. Hayslip said the incident began in the Sherman area, but had moved southward and both vehicles approved the Van Alstyne City Limits, where police got them both stopped. The investigation uncovered that one driver, an Allen man, had pointed a firearm at the other vehicle’s driver. Police also discovered that the suspect was in possession of methamphetamine.

Police jailed the suspect on charge of possession of controlled substance and deadly conduct. A magistrate set bail on the two charges at a total of $8,000, which the suspect posted in surety bonds for his release the following day.

May 16 — In the early morning hours, police were sent to locate a reckless driver who they found in the northbound U.S. 75 at Van Alstyne Parkway. The reporting party had told dispatcher the vehicle was driving all over the road. After they got the car stopped, Hayslip said, they determined the driver, an Allen man, was driving while intoxicated and had drugs in his car, which he had attempted to destroy in order to keep officers from finding them.

They jailed the suspect on charges of driving while intoxicated, possession of controlled substance between 3-28 grams (Xanax) and Tampering with Physical Evidence. Bail was set at a total of $14,000, which the suspect paid in surety bonds for his May 18 release.

May 15 —Police initiated a traffic stop on S.H. 5 and Village Pkwy about 11 p.m. They determined that the driver, a Kingsville woman, was driving while intoxicated and jailed her on that offense. Her bail was set at $1,500, and she posted a surety bond and was released the following day.

May 14 — About 12:20 p.m., police were sent to the 990 block of West Van Alstyne Parkway because of a possible domestic disturbance in a moving vehicle. They discovered that the male had left the vehicle and ran away. They found the suspect in a nearby field. When they gave him oral commands to stop, Hayslip said, he took off running from them. Officers pursued and apprehended the suspect, a Van Alstyne man.

The charge against the suspect at the jail was evading arrest or detention with a previous conviction. He paid $5,000 bail in surety bonds and was released the following day.

May 14 — At 7:50 p.m., police watched as parents conducted a custodial parent exchange in the parking lot of the police station. During the exchange, the father, from out of town, became angry and punched the mother’s vehicle’s windshield. They placed him under arrest on a charge of criminal mischief with value of damaged property between $100-$750. His bail of $1,500 was paid via surety bond the next day.

May 13 — It was a Howe resident who went to jail about 10:45 a.m. following a traffic stop at Henry Hynds Road and County Line Road. They found that the driver was in possession of methamphetamine in an amount between 1-4 grams. Once incarcerated, a magistrate set his bail at $10,000, which he posted in surety bonds two days later for his release.

May 12 — An early-afternoon traffic stop at the U.S. Hwy 75 and Blasingame led police to know that an occupant in the vehicle had several warrants for his arrested issued in Fannin County. They placed him under arrest on those warrants, each of which charged the Paris suspect with burglary of a building. Jail records show that the suspect was released “to another agency.”

May 8—Another reckless driver call from a U.S. Hwy 75 motorist had police sent to the highway. They found the driver, a Howe man, at County Line Road and Hayslip said that he was driving while intoxicated. Bail for the charge placed against this suspect was set at $1,500 at Grayson County Jail. The suspect made bail, via surety bonds, on May 9.

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News/Scene In Town

Van Alstyne police have been busy since late April, having made seven felony and misdemeanor arrests and handled other 464 calls for services. These resulted in 20 police reports and 12 offense reports, reported Sgt. Steven Hayslip.

Arrest — On April 25, at 7:15 pm, officers initiated a traffic stop. Upon contacting the vehicle’s occupants, they discovered that both men were possession of cocaine and marijuana. They arrested both suspects on charges of possession of controlled substance and possession of marijuana. They both posted a total bail of $7,500 the following day for their release.

Arrest— On April 26, police jailed a Denison man on a charge of Driving While License Invalid/Suspended with previous conviction. The suspect posted $1,000 bail in surety bonds for his release on April 27.

Arrest — On April 28, another traffic stop resulted in the arrest of a Sherman man. Hayslip said the officer learned there was an outstanding Dallas County warrant on the driver, charging him with assault with a previous conviction. The suspect, who has a masculine name but is identified as a female in the Grayson County Jail records, posted $12,000 bail in surety bonds the following day and was released.

Arrest — On May 1, a McKinney man went to jail on a charge of driving while intoxicated and posted $1,500 bail in surety bonds the same day for his release. This arrest was made because of a reckless driver call, Hayslip said. Police located the described vehicle and saw that the driver wasn’t keeping in a single lane of traffic. They initiated a traffic stop and determined the driver to be intoxicated.

Arrest— On May 3, officers were sent to a two-vehicle automobile crash. After contacting both vehicles’ occupants and, following their having completed investigation on the wreck, determined that one of the drivers was found to have outstanding Grayson County warrants for his arrest. The warrants charged him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and with assault causing bodily injury-family violence. A total bail was set at $25,000, which the suspect posted on May 4 for his release.

Arrest— On May 5, a traffic stop uncovered drugs and brought into customer a parole violator. Hayslip’s report said that the first suspect was charged with Manufacture-Delivery of a controlled substance between 4-200 grams. Jail records also show this suspect, from Balch Springs and with a Smith County warrant charging with him with possession of drugs and that he was also on parole. Since incarceration, Grayson County charged him as a parole violator and he remains in the jail. The other suspect, from Seagoville, was also in possession of methamphetamine and various drug paraphernalia, indicative of narcotic sales and received the same drug charges.

Burglary— About 9 a.m. April 29, officers were sent to Arroyo’s Mexican Food Restaurant at 166 N. Main to begin investigation into a burglary. Hayslip said there were pry marks on the back door, which is how entry was made. Taken were several hundred dollars in cash and checks. The investigation is ongoing, and police have identified two suspects, Hayslip said.

By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News/ Scene In Town

Two items on this year’s election ballots met with voter approval, and the third item, for the only contested chair on either the Van Alstyne ISD or the Van Alstyne City Council, came out with voters selecting the (appointed) incumbent on its board.

The ISD asked the voters to sanction a $325 million bond to allow the District’s board and administration to be able to build a new high school and possibly two new elementary school, purchase land for necessary use, improve the existing high school and current extra-curricular activities.

According to the District’s bond Website, vasisdbond.com, in the long run and as the population growth requires it, there could be four levels of school. Elementary schools could include students up to grade 4; then there could be an intermediate school for grades 5-6, junior high for grades 7-8, and the high school to educate grades 9-12.

This Website also depicts that “There will be (would have been) no Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate increase if the voters approve the bonds. Likewise, there will be (would have been) no tax rate reduction if the voters do not approve the bonds.”

The site explains that enrollment could grow to 4,300 students by school year 2030-31.

Unofficial numbers, supplied by the Grayson County election Website, there were a total of 644 votes cast and, of those, 517 were for the bond and 127 against. Official numbers will be posted by next week’s end.

Voters also gave VA ISD Board member Beau Williams a go-ahead to stay on the Board of Trustees. He received 490 votes to challenger Anthony Albertini’s 99 votes. The other incumbents ran unopposed.

The City’s Proposition 1, seeking reapproval for city use of sales taxes, passed with a total of 243 votes; 221 for and 22 against. State law required that every few (designated) years for cities to get voter sanction and these rates or uses cannot change without the consent approval.

There were no challengers for the City Council chairs that were up for re-election, and so these incumbents will be re-sworn in at the May 11 Council meeting.

Apathy seemed to have prevailed across the county, with only 4.5% of the registered voters turning to make these and area-specific decisions. The percentage of individual towns’ number of registered voters is not broken down by cities/towns.

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The new Texas Bank in Van Alstyne, taken from across West Van Alstyne Parkway (FM 121).

Photos and story by Mary Jane Farmer for Van Alstyne News/Scene In Town

It’s not a new sheriff coming to town — it’s a new bank.

Texas Bank has purchased, is renovating, and will move into what was originally Landmark Bank, then Simmons Bank. Simmons Bank closed it several months ago because it was, apparently, in a small market after they bought Landmark (Bank) out, and “was dropping some of their more rural market banks. It was a good opportunity when it was presented to Texas Star,” Texas Bank’s Michael Marshall said.

A GCEC truck moves through the Texas Bank parking lot after working on the site.

Texas Bank got its start in 1973, according to information provided on its Website, TexasBnk.com. In 1987, they opened a branch in Henderson, and then one in Nacogdoches in 1999. There are branches now in Longview, Tyler, Frisco, and Prosper — the Prosper Bank having merged into the Texas Bank family. They have also opened a second location in Henderson.

And in 2020, the bank began construction on a new branch on White Avenue (FM 455) in Anna, more specifically at 609 Victoria Falls Drive. And, while this building is undergoing construction, the bank is open in Anna, using a temporary facility beside the construction, and which opens on its north side.

And through all this growth, Marshall said, Texas Bank remains a customer-oriented financial institution. The Website added that its Board of Directors “is committed to providing a friendly, full-service financial institution in every community (it) serves.”

Settling into Van Alstyne with its close proximity and close ties in Anna, can only be productive for its customers. “We are more familiar with rural areas that large cities,” Marshall said. He said it is family-based, as they welcome all the growth coming to the area. “We have spoken with the Economic Development Corporation Director (Rodney Williams) and know it is definitely growing up here in this neck of the woods.

“From a bank standpoint, we began and continue to be a family-owned bank, with a different feel that your more corporate (banks). We like to pride ourselves in threating our customers as we like to be treated.” To that extent, there is another bit of construction in Anna sporting a sign depicting Texas Bank as being involved in that construction.

Texas Bank in its temporary building, beside the new construction going on now.

Opening date? “I would say late in this year’s 3^rd quarter or early the 4^th quarter,” Marshall said. Right now, they are coordinating with multiple vendors to get the Van Alstyne operation up and running; getting the signs in the works; and has contractors renovating inside the building; all more in the background than the foreground now.

They, too, have already had numerous banking-knowledgeable people apply for employment with Texas Bank. They have hired Van Alstyne long-time banker Buddy Hayes as Anna’s Texas Bank Branch

Texas Bank, Anna, under construction.

Manager. And that staff, too, is from the area. “We will be hiring locally, quality candidates, as much as we can,” Marshall said.

“We also will be seeing how we can definitely be a community member, getting more involved. I’ve been the Chamber president here locally in Henderson. We definitely like to encourage our banks to being out and about community. As the towns grows, so will the businesses.

More information on what this bank offers can be obtained on its Website. Again, that is TexasBnk.com