crape myrtle stave cutting

[kevinsmith5]

So my neighbors have a crape myrtle they are cutting back. There is a 5-5 1/2' section of the bottom of one trunk that is nearly perfectly straight and appears to have only one knot in the whole length. It's about 3" in diameter.

My question is (since it will be my first piece of crape turtle)- how to go about drying? Leave it intact? Split it? Rip it down the center on the band saw? From the pics I've seen of myrtle bows it looks like they aren't in any way de-barked.

[BOWMAN53]

from what ive read, cm take speed drying well, you can thin them down but leave the width. debark and seal them. cm bark is similar to yew, thin and waxy and the cambrium streaks leave a cool look on the back.