Alexander American Legion Post had a good Poppy Drive

Alexander American Legion Post Commander Harold Timmerman recently spoke with me while both of us happened to be at city hall. Timmerman said they received $808, and some change, in donations during their Memorial Day Poppy Drive.

The American Legion Poppy Drive is an annual event to help raise funds for American Legion posts. The poppies represent the poppy fields in France where American Soldiers fought and died during World War I. The American Legion was founded in France in 1919.

Little Rock man remains in Saline County Jail after April stabbing of Alexander council member

Little Rock resident Deontae McCrystal remains in the Saline County Detention Center on a charge of Aggravated Assault, a Class D Felony, in the stabbing of City of Alexander Council Member Jeffery Watson. McCrystal is 19. Bond has been set at $50,000.

Deontae McCrystal

Saline County Detention 

Center photo

The incident occurred on the evening of April 21, around 10 PM, in front of Watson’s home on Valley Drive. According to the police report several witnesses, including Watson’s wife Regina, told Officer Nick Salyers, “[A] group of individuals came down the road and attempted to fight,” with an individual whose name has been redacted. Apparently, the “fighting” involved two females over a male acquaintance.

The police report states Watson tried to get between the two females to break up the fight. “At this time three males … had jumped on Mr. Watson.” Watson then returned to the porch and told his wife he was bleeding.

It was then police were called and Alexander K-9 Officer Nick Salyers arrived on the scene. Salyers provided medical aide to reduce the bleeding. Salyers later received a Life Saving Award. More on that can be found here.

Once the ambulance arrived and took Watson to Baptist Hospital Officer Salyers began questioning witnesses. According to the report members of the Watson family said some of the males involved lived on Mountain Drive.

With the arrival of Chief Robert Burnett and Assistant Chief Richard Harper the three went to the Mountain Drive address provided by the Watsons. Once Police Detective Jessica Burnett arrived she and Chief Burnett went to the back door. Assistant Chief Harper and Officer Salyers went to the front door. After advising the homeowner of the situation the officers were allowed to enter.

“We entered the residence and located six individuals including the three male subjects that matched the descriptions given by the witnesses,” Officer Salyers states in the report. Two of the males were detained for questioning and McCrystal was handcuffed.

Officer Salyers walks McCrystal to his police vehicle. McCrystal was asked by Officer Salyers, “[I]f he had any weapons.”

The report quotes McCrystal as stating, “Yes, a knife.”

Officer Salyers asked McCrystal, “What knife?”

According to the report McCrystal said, “The one I stabbed him with.”

Using gloves Officer Salyers removed the knife and placed it into an evidence bag. The remaining items were removed from McCrystal’s pockets. He was placed into the police vehicle, read his Miranda Rights and transported to the Saline County Detention Center where he was booked and charged with Aggravated Assault.

Watson was transported to Baptist Hospital where he recovered. He was able to attend the May meeting of the Alexander City Council.

Planning Commission schedules rezoning hearing for June 9

The Alexander Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing to receive input from residents and property owners on a rezoning request for the vacant lot located at the northeast corner of East 2^nd Street and Main Street. The property is across from Fire House 2.

At a special meeting, held May 19, planning commission members heard a proposal presented by Jonathan Hope, of Hope Consulting in Benton, to rezone the vacant property to multi-family housing (ie. apartments). Currently, the property is zoned for single-family detached dwellings, duplexes, manufactured homes, modular homes, and prefabricated homes.

Hope is representing Heritage Homes & Development of Central Arkansas. The developer is currently constructing three multi-family structures in Alexander on property surrounded by East 1^st Street, A.C. Wallace and East 2^nd Street. When completed the three single-story buildings will house 14 apartments. This new project will consist of two single-story buildings housing a total of nine apartments built in the same style as the other project.

The rezoning hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9 at 6:30 PM in the courtroom at city hall. Following the public hearing the planning commission will begin its regular June meeting in which committee members will decide whether to recommend to the city council approval of the rezoning request. The public is encouraged to attend.

Due to the adherence of Federal and State guidelines for social distancing during the ongoing CoVid-19 pandemic seating is limited. Face masks are optional.

Alexander officer receives Life Saving Award

City of Alexander K-9 Police Officer Nick Salyers was presented with a Life Saving Award for actions he took after a stabbing incident, which occurred April 21. The individual whose life he saved was that of Council Member Jeff Watson who was stabbed multiple times at his home by an unnamed individual who was caught later that evening. The award was presented at the May 18 council meeting.

The citation, presented by Sergeant Matthew Wharton, credited not only the actions by Officer Salyers and his training, but a product known as QuikClot. Prior to the presentation Police Chief Robert Burnett provided some details about the incident and an in-house medical training program developed by Sergeant Wharton.

Chief Burnett told council members “about two years ago” then Officer Wharton proposed an emergency medical training program for the department. Wharton is a medic with the Army National Guard. Chief Burnett said Officer Wharton was able to provide the training himself and locate funding for other necessities like the QuikClot “at no cost to the city.” The Chief added that all officers have gone through the program twice.

QuikClot is a gauze which when applied to a wound increases the clotting of blood, thereby slowing or stopping external bleeding.

Officer Nick Salyers

File Photo

“For outstanding performance and duty as a member of the Alexander Police Department on April 21^st, 2020, on the above date, Officer Salyers responded to a stabbing with possible suspect on the scene on Valley Drive at the intersection of West Azalea Drive,” the citation begins. “Officer Salyers arrived to the chaotic scene with several emotionally distraught individuals and observed the victim's wife was holding a towel on the back of the victim that was soaked with the victim’s blood.”

The citation describes how after Officer Salyers assessed the suspect had fled the scene he determined “the seriousness of the injuries” and retrieved the trauma kit from his vehicle. Officer Salyers applied the QuikClot and “then held pressure on the dressing, which effectively stopped the extreme blood loss.”

“Officer Salyers immediate implementation of emergency treatment and presence of mind under extreme conditions undoubtedly saved the victim’s life.” The citation concludes by stating, “The above mentioned officer’s performance as a member of the patrol division and in keeping with the highest ideals of law enforcement, in fact, brings credit upon himself, the Alexander Police Department and the City of Alexander.”

Officer Salyers received a round of applause by those present.

During his opening remarks Chief Burnett described how after Watson was on his way to the hospital officers spread out through the area to search for the alleged perpetrator. “We hit a house on Mountain Drive and apprehended the suspect,” he concluded.

The unnamed suspect was booked into Saline County Jail. An official report has not been released.

Alexander council turns over land dispute to city attorney

The Alexander City Council has given Mayor Paul Mitchell permission to allow City Attorney Pat Marshall to deal with a land dispute involving a portion of the city park. Mitchell told council members the real estate attorney he consulted hasn’t been able to get a response from property owner David W. Jacks.

According to Mitchell it all started about a year ago when Jacks contacted Mitchell about the portion of the park near Highway 111 that now contains the water fountain and gazebo. The city has been mowing the property for years under the assumption it had been deeded to the city.

“He wants $150,000.00,” Mitchell said. “It’s only worth about $10,000.00.”

According to the Saline County Assessor’s GIS map the “Full value” of the property is $10,650.00.

Mitchell says the real estate attorney hasn’t been able to get a response from Jacks on any proposal and is hoping the city attorney can resolve the issue.

The only other agenda item concerned the status of the former Human Development Center located along Highway 111 in Alexander. Mayor Mitchell said developer Walter Woodward is “Taking a second look” at developing the property. Since the former tuberculosis hospital burned on March 18 Mitchell said Woodward is looking into the cost of razing the structure now that the fire has made the removal of asbestos a non-issue. Woodward is the developer of the Meadow’s Edge Subdivision. The fire is still under investigation.

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council will be June 15 at 6:00 PM in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.

Two Alexander meetings scheduled for May 18 & 19

There will be two meetings next week held in Alexander. The city council will hold its regular monthly meeting on Monday, May 18. The planning commission has scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, May 19. Both meetings will be held in the courtroom at city hall. The time for the council meeting is 6:00 PM and the planning commission meeting time is 6:30 PM.

According to the city council agenda council members will, “Discuss city attorney’s recommendation on park property.” For the past several years city officials thought the City Park consisted of two combined parcels owned by the city. About a year ago Mayor Paul Mitchell was contacted by the owner of the portion of the park near Highway 111, offering to sell it to the city. As it turns out the owner never signed over the property to Alexander.

The planning commission’s special meeting is to hear a proposal by Jonathan Hope of Hope Consulting to rezone northeast corner of East 2^nd Street and Main Street for multi-family buildings. The commission is also expected to set a date for a public hearing on the request.

Both meetings will be following Federal and State guidelines for social distancing due to the ongoing CoVid-19 pandemic. Face masks are optional.