Tag Archives: featured

Arrests and Indictments since 2/14/25

By MaryJane Farmer for the Van Alstyne News

Since February 14, Van Alstyne Police jailed 2 non-Van Alstyne residents after making traffic stops on their vehicles, as reported by VAPD Lt. Steven Hayslip. They also jailed several others on charges of Driving While Intoxicated or Public Intoxication.

On February 14, at about 11:30 p.m., officers initiated a traffic stop on US 75 at Hodges Road. The officers made the stop after clocking the vehicle traveling 94 mph in a 75-mph zone. When the patrol car’s overhead lights were turned on, the driving didn’t readily stop. While behind it, they saw the driver (and only occupant) throw something out of the window, which, when recovered, was found to be illegal contraband.

Once the vehicle stopped, the officers conducted a probable-cause search of it, and found marijuana and various articles of drug paraphernalia. While conducting the search, officers located marijuana and various articles of drug paraphernalia. They placed the suspect, a Sherman man, under arrest on charges of Tampering w/Evidence and for Possession of Marijuana less than two ounces.

On February 21, 2025, a week later, at about 3:30 in the morning, police stopped to help with a motorist assist on U.S. 75 at  Redden Road. Upon making contact with the sole occupant, a man with a Bonham address, they watched as he became more nervous and uncooperative. He provided them with several false names and became irritated and resisted when officers detained him. They continued the investigation and located a small amount of methamphetamine in his possession.

Police jailed the suspect on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and of Resisting Arrest

Grayson County Jail records show that this suspect remains incarcerated on those charges, and with an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) hold.

Grayson County Grand Jury Indictments

The Grand Jury meets every two weeks. It’s responsibility is to decide whether there is enough evidence to formally charge someone with a crime. An Indictment means there was enough evidence to have the case go further, but does not indicate guilt.

The Grand Jury, at the most recent session, indicted Van Alstyne resident Sally Hannah Prikryl, age 29, on charges of Assault of Hospital Personnel on Hospital Property and of Abandoning/Endangering a Child/Individual with Intent.

They also indicted, among many other people and for many other charges, a Sherman man on 25 counts of 5 Possession of Child Pornography >50 Depiction or Video.

Illegal Drug Indictments

If the Grand Jury’s indictments are an indication, the use of the One-Pill Kills drug, Fentanyl, is becoming more accessible and more used. In the most recent Grand Jury session, there were seven Indictments as compared to only one at the end of 2024.

However, it still falls behind other drugs, including Methamphetamine, for which the Grand Jury issued 26 indictments. Behind that was three Indictments for Possession of Cocaine, and one each for Marijuana, THC, and Psilaocybin, a hallucinogenic alkaloid, found in some toadstools.

 

TxDOT and Our Highways

By Mary Jane Farmer, for the Van Alstyne News on SceneInTown.com NOTE: If more information comes in, it will be added to this post.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began its brine operations on Friday (Feb. 14) and are continuing to monitor and maintain road during these current and upcoming foul weather conditions, said Kristen Prater, TxDOT’s public information employee in the Paris District Office.

“Brine is a water and salt mixture that is used to slow the initial icing on pavements,” Prater said. She added that the TxDOT crews are working 24/7 to keep drivers safe.

“For current local road conditions, you can visit DriveTexas.org.” Prater added.

 

Two Incumbents File to Continue Service on City Council

By MaryJane Farmer for The Van Alstyne News, SceneInTown.com

Two candidates, both incumbents, filed to run again and are unopposed for the May 3 Van Alstyne City Council election. The filing period closed Friday, Feb. 14.

Those refiling are Lee Thomas, City Council Place 4 and Mayor Pro Tem; and Katrina Arsenault, City Council Place 5.

The date to file for write-in election is Tuesday, Feb. 18.
The deadline to register to vote in the May election is April 3.

Early voting begins April 22 and continues daily until April 29. As per normal, voting will be held at Grayson College.

Arsenault said, “I look forward to representing the citizens of the City of Van Alstyne for another three years.
“If I can ever be of assistance to anyone, please reach out to me at aldermanplace5@cityofvanalstyne.us. Thank you all for your support and confidence.”

Thomas was not available for a comment.
The VA City Council meets regularly on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, and occasionally calls special meetings at other times. The agenda is posted on City Hall’s window and on its Website, cityofvanalstyne.us on the Friday before the regular meeting.

Members serve 3-year terms, since the city voters approved the advancement of the city from a General Law to a Home Rule city. All meetings are open to the public, except those classified as “Executive Session” on the agenda. Those are for the Council members to gather information on the listed subject(s), but the votes on those happen when the Council returns to Open Meeting.
The Council members currently serving are:

Mayor —Jim Achison

Place 1—Ryan Neal

Place 2—Marla Butler

Place 3—Dusty Williams

Place 4 and Mayor Pro Tem—Lee Thomas

Place 5—Katrina Arsenault

Place 6—Angelica Pena

U.S. 75 to undergo renovations north of Van Alstyne

Press Release from Texas Department of Public Safety, Paris( Texas) District

PARIS – Texas Department of Transportation(TxDOT)  officials Friday, Feb. 14,  announced that work on the US Highway 75 project in Grayson County, (north of Van Alstyne) is set to begin Wednesday, Feb. 19, with the setting of project limit barricades. Construction is set to begin Monday, Feb. 24, weather permitting. (No information was given about the length of this contracted work.)

The contractor, INDUS Road & Bridge, Inc., was awarded the contract for the 1.70-mile US 75 Project, valued at more than $145.4 million, which is designed to provide long-term transportation and operational improvements on US 75 from  in Grayson County. It follows TxDOT’s US 75 Corridor Study which assessed safety, maintenance and system efficiency, congestion and freight reliability, environmental sustainability, transportation choices and economic vitality along US 75.

The project will widen the four-lane roadway to six-lanes-divided from US 82 to SH 91. The project will include reconstruction of the frontage roads as well as reconfigure and improve the intersection at US 75 and SH 91.

The changes to this important highway are designed to improve safety, address traffic congestion and improve traffic operations, and address deficiencies in this aging roadway. Roadway changes and improvements will be constructed in phases as the project progresses, officials said.

While this project is underway motorists are asked to pay special attention to all barricades, traffic controls and signs, and to reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.

Guitars4Cops.com To Help Raise Funds For Police Officers In Need

Press Release from 2911 Media

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Some of country music’s biggest and brightest stars have come together to help raise money and awareness for the Las Vegas-based national law enforcement organization The Wounded Blue, which helps improve the lives of injured and disabled officers. Cody Johnson, Ronnie Dunn (of Brooks & Dunn,) Travis Tritt, Craig Morgan, LeeAnn Womack, Tracy Lawrence, Jon Pardi, Marty Stuart, John Anderson, Neal McCoy, Steve Wariner, Crystal Gayle, Larry Gatlin, Aaron Lewis, Jamey Johnson, Justin Moore, Randy Houser, Trace Adkins, Deana Carter, Mark Chesnutt, Gary Morris, and many more have all taken the time to autograph multiple Epiphone acoustic guitars for this fundraising effort. Fans, corporate partners, or anyone supporting law enforcement can purchase any of these signed guitars for $1,000 each by going to guitars4cops.com.

The law enforcement profession has always been inherently dangerous in terms of physical safety, but the current climate in terms of violence, anti-law enforcement rhetoric, agenda-driven politicians, and societal issues has created a far more dangerous environment for America’s police.

Neal McCoy, who played the 2022 Sounds of Summer in Van Alstyne, is one of many who has signed a guitar to be purchased, with the money going to help wounded law enforcement.

“These wildfires are horrible and everyone is in disbelief of the devastation,” said Neal McCoy“Not only are our firefighters in danger, but so our all of our first responders including law enforcement.  If signing guitars helps give those in need some comfort, it is the least that I can do.  Our prayers are with all those affected by these wildfires.”

Recognizing that approximately 50,000 American law enforcement officers are assaulted every year in the United States, with even more injured in traffic accidents, training accidents, and other assorted misfortunes while on duty, it was clear that help was needed. Additionally, many more are affected by PTSI (Post Traumatic Stress Injury). The term PTSI as opposed to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is used because the condition is often treatable to the point of it NOT becoming a “disorder;” but in many cases it, too, becomes an incapacitating injury. Most Americans seem to assume that in the event of sustaining on-duty injuries, law enforcement agencies and the local, county, and state governments that employ them would be responsible for taking care of them financially, medically, and psychologically, as these injuries are incurred while serving the people they swore to protect. Unfortunately, the reality is often quite different. Officers who are hurt often lose a major portion of their salaries during their healing process (if the injuries are only temporarily disabling) and also often lose the ability to earn enough to feed their families.

All of this has led to Randy Sutton’s creation of The Wounded Blue. The Wounded Blue Mission: To improve the lives of injured and disabled law enforcement officers through support, education, assistance, and legislation. The Wounded Blue was founded to help injured law enforcement build and administer an Emergency Financial Aid Fund, create a system of effective and caring peer support, be a resource for competent and effective legal counsel, and advocate for stronger laws and protection for the American law enforcement officer, all while remaining an advocate for the positive public perception of law enforcement.