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Christmas time is coming, and the city is getting itself ready1

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The bass of the Christmas tree in Dorothy Fielder Park, set over the park’s water fountain.

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer for The Van Alstyne News, Scene In Town

Van Alstyne is Christmas Town

Christmas is around the corner. It’s only 4+ weeks until Dec. 3, when the city will be lighting up its newest Christmas tree, accompanied by festivities in celebration of the season.

This week, the Van Alstyne Parks crew installed a Christmas tree over the fountain in downtown’s Dorothy Fielder Park. They have also wrapped the park’s trees in Panther blue Christmas lights, planted wintertime flowers in the park’s border, and added greenery and lights on the gazebo. But this project isn’t 100% completed. The entire Christmas project around town is coordinated to be completed at about the same time.

First, getting all the electricity in working order.

The city’s Public Works Department is now the Parks & Public Works Department, with Will Grissom heading the Parks’ responsibilities and Justin Johnson over Public Works. And while both crews are always willing to help each other out with manpower, both crews also have their own separate and necessary projects.

City Manager Lane Jones said, “(It’s a) Big job, and we have few people to get the job accomplished.” He added, “The job of decorating the city for the holidays is a sizable task requiring time to accomplish. The dedicated staff of the P&PW has taken on the task, but with limited time available given the demands of daily duties. To get the job done, the process has gotten underway early.

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And n0w for the top of the tree. Notice the ornaments still in place from last year.

“Thousands of lights, two large trees and many ornaments will be up and ready for the tree lighting event planned for December 3rd.  Until then, Santa’s Elves (Parks and Public Works staff) will be busy making ready,” Jones said.

Chief Elf Grissom said that many of the other places to be decorated include the Fire Station, Police Station, Public Library, and the city welcome sign at the Valero gas station at U.S. Hwy 75 and Van Alstyne Parkway. They will also be decorating the downtown corners, wrapping and  adding Christmas banners to downtown poles. Much of that will also happen in the Central Social District Park

It is the second year that Parks has installed the man-made Christmas tree at the downtown park, and this year served as a reminder for those who had the opportunity last year of just now tedious it can be. For those new to the Parks crew, it was practice.

Getting the star ready to add next.

Star is up and for hanging the remainder of the branches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guys at Dorothy Fielder Park said that the lights are in the branches, so that job is completed. Next — the ornaments. Wednesday, the crew had put up all they had, but said they would have more soon to fill in the empty spots.

The tree going up at the Central Social District Park (215 E Van Alstyne Parkway is twice the size of the one now gracing Dorothy Fielder Park,  said. And that’s the one where all the Tree-Lighting festivities will be going on Saturday, Dec. 3. These not only include the ubiquitous and infamous countdown, but also horse and carriage rides, a specialty food truck, carolers, and more. It all starts at 6 pm.

And while you readers are marking the Christmas Tree Lighting on your calendars, remember to mark the next Saturday, Dec. 10, down for the Christmas Parade. It will be taking a new route this year, and, since step-off is at 6:30 pm, aka dark-30, one can just imagine the glowing lights on many floats.

Stay tuned, Christmas fans. More about both the Tree Lighting and the Parade later. And one way to help stay up-to-date will be to ‘like’ and monitor the Facebook page Van Alstyne City Municipal Events.

Almost all done.

 

 

Police Blotter Oct. 1-21, 2022

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By Mary Jane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News, Scene in Town.

NOTE:  Names are not included until/unless a suspect is indicted.

Since October’s onset, Van Alstyne Police have jailed numerous people, including people from Sherman, Savoy, and Mesquite jailed on felony charges.

October 17 — Police Lt. Steven Hayslip reported that police a vehicle going north on U.S. Hwy 75 at FM 121 because of moving violations. When the officers approached the vehicle, they smelled the distinct odor or marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. With that as probable cause to search the vehicle, police conducted a full search of it and of the three adult occupants.

Hayslip said the search uncovered 60 grams of Methamphetamine, more than one gram of Fentanyl, and about five grams of Marijuana. They also found a fully-automatic Glock pistol.

The two other men both said they had Marijuana on them, so police placed all three of them under arrest.

There was a one-year-old baby in the car, also. Police turned the baby over to Child Protective Services, who, in turn, turned him/her over to his/her mother in Sherman.

Jailed was a Mesquite man on charges of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 (Meth), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Possession of Controlled substance over 1 gram (Fentanyl), Possession of Marijuana between 5-50 Pounds, and Abandoning/Endangering a Child with Intent/Criminal Negligence, with a total set at $85,000, and he remains incarcerated. The two Sherman men with him received charges of Possession of Marijuana less than two ounces, and both bailed out on Surety Bonds of $1,500 the following day.

October 12 — Police were called by a driver who reported a reckless driver on U.S. 75. The reporting caller described the errant vehicle and said it had a hard time maintaining lanes. Hayslip said police located the car and they, too, saw it weaving back and forth. They initiated a traffic stop. While talking with the officers, Hayslip said, the female driver, admitted to them that she had Heroine in her purse. Police searched it and found loaded syringes. They also found a small amount of Fentanyl in the purse, also.

Police jailed the suspect, a Savoy resident, on charges of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance Over 4 Gram -PG 1 and of Possession of Controlled Substance less than 1 Gram, both felony charges.

Bail was set at the jail at a total of $13,500, which she posted the following day in surety bonds for her release.

Theft of Property — On Oct. 12, police investigated the theft of a catalytic converter. Hayslip said this was taken from a residence in the 600 block of Williams Way.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation and return of the stolen item to its rightful owner is urged to call the Police Station at 903-482-5251. The dispatcher can connect the caller with the right officer.

Other arrests — Police arrested numerous others, mostly the results of traffic stops, since October 1, including:

  • Denison man on a Grayson County warrant charging him with Tamper/Fabricate with Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair;
  • Sherman man on Grayson County warrants charging him with Failure to Appear on previous DWI and Assault causing Injury;
  • Van Alstyne man on a Grayson County warrant charging him with Theft of Property between $100-$750;
  • Van Alstyne man on a charge of Driving While Intoxicated;
  • Sherman man on a Collin County warrant charging him with Graffiti causing Pecuniary Loss between $100-$750.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Men Arrested for 2019 Murder of Howe Man

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By Mary Jane Farmer with help from a press release from Grayson County District Attorney’s Office.

Hussein Mahmoud Azab

Hussein Mahmoud Azab

Grayson County District Attorney Brett Smith held a press conference early Monday morning to announce that two Denton County men are in the Grayson County Jail for their roles in the 2019 murder of Howe’s Cory Lee Wain Petty, age 19 at the time of his passing.

According to previous media reports from KTEN, KXII, and the Herald Democrat, police got a call about a burglary in progress early that Tuesday, Aug. 27, but when they arrived they found Mr. Petty  lying inside his home in the 700 block of North Collins Freeway. He had been assaulted, media reported, saying he had been badly beaten. No suspects were located.

An ambulance transported Mr. Petty to a nearby hospital. He reportedly passed away the following Saturday.

The investigation has continued during the passing years. Howe Police, with the assistance of the Texas Rangers, brought it to a conclusion and obtained sealed indictments against both suspects.

Kenny Nana Nietcho

This past weekend, they, with the help of The Colony PD, arrested 23-year-old Hussein Mahmoud Azab, in The Colony, and Kenny Nana Nietcho, 26, in Frisco. These arrests came less than 48 hours after law enforcement obtained the sealed indictments, Smith said.

Azab was indicted and jailed on three charges: Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery, and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary of a Habitation. His bail is set at a total of $2,500,000, payable in surety bonds. He remains in Grayson County Jail.

Nietcho was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary of a Habitation. Since his incarceration, two other warrants, issued in Collin County, have also been served on this suspect. Those are for Evading Arrest of Detention with a Previous Conviction and Failure to Identify as a Fugitive from Justice by refusing to give (proper) identity. Bail on the two Grayson County charges total $1,500,000 and at the time of this writing, no bail had been set on the two Collin County charges. He, also, remains incarcerated. UPDATE: Bail has been set for the two Collin County charges at a total of $6,000.

Mr. Petty’s obituary defines him as a son, a grandson, a great-grandson, a brother, and a father. Neighbors reportedly said he was a very caring and loving man.

Smith stated, “These arrests and indictments are the culmination of a three-year investigation. We commend the hard work of the Howe Police Department and the Texas Rangers for helping to secure the indictments and for promptly arresting these suspects.”

 

One Indictment and Police Arrests for August

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

Note:  Names are not used until or unless a suspect is indicted for the offense.

Indictment

On Aug. 31, the Grayson County Grand Jury indicted Van Alstyne resident Scott Nelson Bass on a charge of accident involving serious bodily injury. The vehicle crash happened on Jan. 27, 2022, according to the published indictment list.

Assault arrests

Arrest — About 10 p.m. Aug. 5, someone called police to a domestic disturbance on West Van Alstyne Parkway. There, police found a woman with cuts on her face, reported Van Alstyne Police Lt. Steven Hayslip. They determined that the husband and wife had been arguing and that she got into her vehicle. The suspect had broken the car window and that glass caused the facial injuries. Police sent for the Van Alstyne paramedics, but the victim’s injuries were not severe enough to cause her to be transported for treatment.

Police jailed the suspect on a charge of assault causing bodily injury/family violence.

Grayson County Jail records show that the suspect posted bail of $3,000 in surety bonds, which have conditions on them, and the Van Alstyne man was released on Aug. 6

Arrest — About 9 a.m. on Aug. 6, police were called to a disturbance in progress at a fast-food restaurant on the U.S. Highway 75 service road. There, Hayslip said, they found that a man had assaulted his mother. Her injuries were not severe enough to require medical help, and police jailed the suspect on a charge of assault causing bodily injury/family violence.

The following day, the suspect posted bail in surety bonds, with conditions set, for his release.

Arrest — The third arrest was on Aug. 16 a home on Columbia College. Hayslip said there the suspect assaulted his wife with his fists, but her injuries did not require medical attention.

Again, police jailed the suspect on a charge of assault causing bodily injury/family violence. Bail set at the jail was $2,500, which the suspect paid in surety bonds, with conditions set. The suspect posted that for his release later on Aug. 16.

According to jail records, this was this suspect’s 3rd arrest on assault charges.

Arrest — Police were called to a home occupied by siblings and others on Aug. 30. At this location, they learned that the brother and sister had been arguing when she obtained a kitchen knife and stabbed him twice in the leg. The victim declined medical treatment.

Police jailed the suspect on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon/family violence. As of Tuesday, Sept. 3, she remains in jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Other Arrests

Aug. 14 — Police jailed a Dallas man on charges of possession of marijuana and of unlawfully carrying a weapon. After being jailed on both charges, the suspect posted $4,000 bail in surety bonds and was released later the same day.

Hayslip said this came from a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 75 after officers saw a vehicle traveling with an expired registration.

Even though gun laws have changed to allow carrying a weapon, there are some restrictions in place which makes it illegal to carry a gun. One of those restrictions is that a person committing another crime of a certain level of severity (misdemeanor or felony) — in this instance, the possession of marijuana — cannot carry a weapon, Hayslip explained.

Aug. 14 — A Howe man went to jail following a 5:18 a.m. pursuit on U.S. 75. Hayslip said police were called because of a reckless driver on northbound U.S. 75 at FM 121 (Van Alstyne Parkway). The reporting party said the vehicle was going all over the road and had almost hit several vehicles. The caller gave the police a good description of the offending vehicle, and police spotted it quickly. They, too, saw it moving from lane to lane and barely missing one or more vehicles. They activated lights and sirens, but the vehicle’s driver did not pull over.

Instead, it continued to speed, then left the highway at Haning Street in Howe and pulled into a retail store’s parking lot. There, officers made the arrest.

The Howe resident had bail set on the two offenses at a total of $11,500, which he obtained in surety bonds for his Aug. 15 release.

Aug. 17 — A Van Alstyne woman remained incarcerated several days before making bail on a charge of violation of protective order. Police were dispatched to a business on the U.S. 75 west-side front road, where the person listed as protected under the order talked with the officers. They then contacted the suspect and jailed her on the charge.

Jail records show that the suspect was arrested earlier this year, on July 11, on a charge of assault causing bodily injury. It was the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office that made that arrest and the report has not been provided. She remained in Grayson County Jail then until Aug. 9, when she posted $3,000 in surety bonds with conditions set.

Aug. 24 — A traffic stop made about 10:13 p.m. led to the arrest of a Howe man on a drug charge. Hayslip said the suspect did stop for the lights and siren from the patrol car behind him. The officers learned that driver had no liability insurance, as required by law. Following protocol, the police completed an inventory inside the vehicle and discovered about two grams of heroin. The suspect went to jail on a charge of possession of controlled substance, Penalty 1, between 1-4 grams.

This suspect went free on personal recognizance.

Van Alstyne Police made numerous other arrests during August, often made from traffic stops and consisting of driving while intoxicated and illegal possession of weapons among other charges, and warrants issued in Grayson or other counties.

 

Assault, family violence results in one arrest

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

Van Alstyne Police received a domestic disturbance call about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 30). The incident took place at a home, occupied by at least two members of the same family, in the 700 block of Nash Street

Police Lt. Steven Hayslip said the officers found that the suspect and the victim, sister and brother, had been arguing, and one of the two received stab sounds in his leg.

Hayslip said their information received is that the argument escalated until the sister took a kitchen knife and stabbed her brother, twice, in the leg. The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries and, Hayslip said, he declined treatment.

Police jailed the suspect on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon-family violence. Once incarcerated, a magistrate set bail at $75,000 available in surety bonds with conditions. As of Wednesday night, she remained incarcerated.

This is the 4th arrest made in Van Alstyne on charges of assault in the past few weeks, but all involved different suspects and different alleged victims.

More will be reported in the near future.