Last year was an interesting one, for sure, with news all over the place. Some good, some not so good.
There really wasn’t a specific theme to follow for the yearly recap, but here are the top 10 stories from last year.
–1. UIL separates Bi-Stone four in realignment
Every two years, the University Interscholastic League (UIL) sorts the schools into districts and conferences according to attendance. The realignment for 2024-2025 had some drastic changes in football but minimal changes in basketball.
In Football, the last time schools were sorted, the Bi-Stone four, Mexia, Groesbeck, Teague and Fairfield, were in a district together for the first time in a long while; but they are now they are not only separated but are in different regions all together.
Fairfield moved to Region III with Crockett, Diboll, Huntington, Palestine Westwood and Teague into District 9-3A Division I.
Remaining in Region II, Mexia and Groesbeck moved to District 5-3A Division I.
Wortham remained in District 10-2A Division II, Buffalo moved into Region III, District 11-3A Division II, and Oakwood was moved to District 12-A Division II.
The basketball district remained the same, with the four Bi-Stone schools, Buffalo, Elkhart and Palestine Westwood. Only Franklin exited to another district.
–2. Fairfield PD Officer Arrested
City of Fairfield Police officer, Rodney Steven Price, 56, was arrested by Freestone County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, on charges of invasive visual recording and voyeurism involving a victim younger than 14 years of age.
Price was jailed on bonds totaling $10,000 and posted bail the same day.
Bond conditions include no direct communication with alleged victim of the offense and a stipulation to not go near a residence, school, or other location frequented by the alleged victim.
The location of the alleged offence was in the 100 block of Keechi Street in Fairfield.
According to City of Fairfield administration, Price resigned his position with the Police Department on Monday, February 26th.
Price had been with the department since 2016 and was promoted to Corporal in 2019. Prior to working at Fairfield PD, he served with Wortham PD from May 1998 to November 2006.
Price has also served as Mayor of the City of Wortham. He was elected in May of 2013 and resigned in February of 2019.
–3. FHS Brings Home Boys Powerlifting and Girls Track State Championships
Garnering the top Title in the state of Texas for Boys Powerlifting 242 Division 3 was Fairfield Eagle, and 2024 State Champion, Landon Salinas. His teammate, Eli Castillo, received a THSPA Scholarship for a total of $1,250; and River Bonds was named to the RHSPA All-State Elite Team for Academics. Also competing at the State Meet in Abilene were Brady Williams, Jose Gutierrez, and Collin Glass.
Congratulations to these gentlemen!
State Champions for the second year in a row in the 4×200-Meter Relay were Fairfield Lady Eagles: Blayke Brackens (sophomore), Madox Mitchael (senior), Na’Kayla Conner (junior), and Avery Thaler (senior). These gals took the title in 1:40.48 at the State Track Meet held Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Austin, Texas.
–4. The Much-Anticipated Total Solar Eclipse Over Freestone County
Big plans were made throughout the County for April 8, 2024, with the expectation of a vast number of out-of-town, out-of-state, and possibly out-of-country visitors. Schools closed, extra law enforcement and first responders were on standby, and everyone was on alert throughout the day.
While there was no inundation of people, the County did see several visitors and community members were able to view a celestial event that doesn’t happen very often; and it was a beautiful one to be sure!
–5. Capital Murder Arrest
On Monday, May 20, 2024, the Fairfield Police Department charged Julian Jefferson, 20, of Fairfield, with Capital Murder in the death of Denise Lissette Ramos, 22, of Fairfield.
On March 28, 2024, The Fairfield Police Department responded to welfare concerns on the 800-block of Clark Street after Ramos was absent from work. Officers located Ramos’s deceased body, which prompted an investigation into a suspicious death. The Fairfield Police Department, The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Texas Rangers, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) worked collectively to uncover evidence linking Jefferson to the crime of Capital Murder.
Jefferson was placed in Federal Custody for a separate unrelated crime in California.
It was later discovered that, according to Navy records, Jefferson, who held the Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Apprentice (AMAA), was charged by the Navy for sexually assaulting a female Sailor in January 2023.
In November 2023, those charges were referred to general court-martial and seven months later, on May 8, 2024, Jefferson pled guilty to burglary and rape charges at a court-martial.
Jefferson was sentenced to 20 years, a dishonorable discharge, and was being held in the brig at Miramar.
According to a Navy spokesperson, per UCMJ pre-trial confinement procedures, Jefferson was placed into pre-trial confinement in January of 2023, but was subsequently released as a result of an independent confinement hearing determination.
Jefferson was on leave at the time he was apprehended in Texas. Upon being returned to Navy custody, he was returned to pre-trial confinement pending his court martial and sentencing on May 8, 2024.
In accordance with statute and Department of Defense policy, Sailors are entitled to accrue leave and may use their leave at the discretion of their chain of command. All Sailors are presumed innocent until their guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
As with any Sailor, commanding officers granting leave for Sailors accused of misconduct are expected to consider any impact the Sailor’s absence will have on the mission, the accountability process, the facts, and circumstances surrounding the request, as well as the facts of the underlying alleged misconduct.
The ‘Times’ is still following this case and will update as more information becomes available.
–6. Longtime Coffee Shop Closes
Fairfield’s iconic I-45 Coffee Shop was closed as of Monday, May 20, 2024.
Many long-time residents of Fairfield and Freestone County, interstate travelers, and truckers have fond memories of spending time at the coffee shop and will miss having their favorite gathering spot available.
According to Gilbert A Daniels Co. representative, Kennth Hughes, the business closed due to the land it sits on being up for sale.
He stated that all employees were reassigned to one of the other GAD businesses, and there are no plans to open another business equivalent to the I-45 Coffee Shop.
–7. FHS Students Travel To State Championship
Fairfield High School students who competed in State UIL Academics in mid-May returned with the following results:
Newton Hartley placed First and is the Individual State Champion in Computer Science; and the School placed 9th overall in 3A at State!
Other results from state included:
–Computer Science: The team has competed at the State level for the last 4 years and earned 3rd Place this year. Members included Luke Cruce, Newton Hartley, Eashan Kalyanji, and Preston Scott.
–Computer Applications: Eashan Kalyanji – 6th and Preston Scott – 3rd. Eashan and Preston have been to State in this event 3 years in a row. UIL is retiring the event after this year.
–Editorial Writing: Carolyn Dunlap – 4th. She competed at State for the second year in a row.
Congrats, again, to these students!
–8. Freestone Medical Center Welcomes Tele-Health Partners & New Telemedicine Hospitalist Program
Freestone and Leon County patients now have another reason to stay close to home for their health care, rather than being transferred to hospitals in Waco, Tyler, Dallas or Houston.
On July 1, 2024, Freestone Medical Center launched a new tele health program designed to provide several new clinical services for Inpatient Care, like Hospitalist, Cardiologists (heart), Endocrinologists (hormones), Nephrologist (kidneys), Pulmonologist (lungs), Neurologist (nerves and brain), etc. The program is aimed at reducing the transfer of patients to specialists outside of Freestone County.
Dr. Sarjoo Patel, Owner, Founder, and CEO of Beam Healthcare said the most important part of patient care is the interview.
Patients receive high level care in the hospital 24/7 with the new telemedicine technology. They can speak with the physician via video on an iPad and providers are able to remotely listen to heart-lung sounds and other routine vital signs with the assistance of the onsite nurse.
The remote device has a wireless otoscope (ears), stethoscope (heart), O2 reader (oxygen), blood pressure cuff, tongue depressor, and digital camera so that the nurse on site can provide the patient’s vitals to the doctor virtually.
With the 24/7 tele-hospitalist program, FMC will be able to keep acutely sick patients locally in the hospital and avoid unnecessary transfers to outside institutions. Patients are now able to receive high-quality care in their community and stay close to their family and friends.
Beam Healthcare, based in Madison, Wisconsin, has been providing telemedicine services in hospital and clinic settings since 2014. They have been taking care of patients in medical and intensive care units for many years. Its telemedicine programs are also accredited by The Joint Commission, a quality assurance organization.
John Yeary, CEO of Freestone Medical Center, said his hospital’s patients have routinely pleaded to stay in Fairfield.
It is important to note that the change only effects Inpatient Care at the Hospital. It does not apply to the Emergency Room or the Clinic.
As to how this new service will work with billing, Chief Nursing Officer Hagen shared that the new hospitalists are working to get in network with payers. “As with all contractors, there will be a combination of in and out of network claims in the beginning but there should not be a difference in the way we currently bill or the way the patient is billed,” she said.
–9. Freestone Medical Center Selects Melissa Wilson as New CEO
In August, Freestone Medical Center (FMC) announced that its Board of Directors had selected Melissa Wilson as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer. Wilson began her new role August 19, 2024, and her first day at the hospital was August 21, 2024. She succeeds John Yeary, who retired after serving as FMC’s CEO for six years.
Wilson brings over 24 years of healthcare experience to FMC, including more than 14 years as a CEO, Administrator, and COO in non-profit rural healthcare, government, and deployed settings. Most recently, she served as CEO for Concho County Hospital in Eden, Texas, and prior, as Chief Operating Officer for Dimmit Regional Hospital, Carrizo Springs, Texas, which was in partnership with Methodist Healthcare System-San Antonio.
Wilson has a strong track record of improving operational efficiency, enhancing patient care, and driving growth in healthcare organizations.
Wilson is also a retired Major from the United States Air Force Medical Service Corps, where she honed her skills in strategic planning, financial management, and regulatory compliance.
Wilson is a current doctoral student of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Keiser University. She holds a Master of Science, Business Organizational Management from the University of LaVerne, La Verne, CA, and a BS in Psychology from Wright State University, Dayton, OH.
Wilson’s appointment came at a time of transition for FMC. Yeary, who had served as CEO since 2018, retired after a distinguished 42-year career in healthcare. Under Yeary’s leadership, FMC achieved significant milestones, some of which include strengthening board and physician relationships; expanding FMC’s services through new clinics in the Buffalo and Teague communities; and supporting technological advancements such as transition of the hospital’s IT platform to the cloud, improving efficiency and security.
–10. Westwood Coach Suspension Upheld by UIL State Executive Committee; Football Team Granted Appeal
On Monday, October 21, the District Executive Committee of District 9-3A Division I recommended that Palestine Westwood head football coach, Richard Bishop, be suspended for the remainder of the 2024 season, and varsity football team forfeit all district games (past and future) for the 2024 season.
It was also recommended that one of the school’s IT Techs, Donald McCoy, be banned from all district athletic events.
These recommendations stemmed from allegations of a Westwood staff member videotaping opposing teams’ signals while scouting the Fairfield vs Teague football game on Friday, October 11th, in Fairfield.
Texas UIL held an emergency meeting on Thursday morning, October 24, 2024, to consider the two recommendations.
In attendance were UIL Executive Committee members, District Committee members, Westwood coaching staff and Superintendent, Fairfield’s coaching staff, and others.
The committee first spoke with McCoy, who admitted to “videoing a few plays” that he claims he sent to his girlfriend in Virginia. He also claims that he did not intentionally record the coaches on the sideline.
Bishop answered questions about the Panthers moving their game from that Friday to Thursday. He stated that due to a shortage of officials, the game was moved, although he didn’t let the other members of the district know about the change; and claimed that he was sitting by
McCoy at the Fairfield vs Teague game, but was not aware McCoy was recording.
During halftime, Bishop was contacted by Westwood Superintendent, Wade Stanford, who told Bishop that he had been called by Teague’s Superintendent and asked about his coaches videoing the game. Stanford told Bishop to “ensure that nothing of that nature is occurring.”
After the call from Stanford, Bishop told McCoy to get rid of the videos.
Next, the committee spoke to Fairfield’s Head Coach John Bachtel and other members of the Fairfield coaching staff. One of the coaches said they noticed the recording taking place during the second quarter and it “looked as though he was zooming in on our coaches.” A third coach claimed that McCoy was on his camera app recording, and not on Snapchat as he had previously stated.
District 9-3A D1 Executive Chair, Brian Bowman, who also serves as superintendent for Diboll ISD, said the new information he heard was even “more damaging,” and noted discrepancies in the testimony from the DEC meeting to this meeting.
He also stated it was “gross negligence” on Bishop’s part to not know what was going on. Bowman said the DEC made the recommendations they did because they believe Bishop should be held accountable.
After nearly two hours, the UIL State Executive Committee made their ruling.
Coach Bishop was suspended for the remainder of the football season and is publicly reprimanded by being put on probation for the 2025-2026 school year.
McCoy was suspended from participating in UIL operations for the remainder of this school year.
The Panthers football team was granted the appeal against any forfeitures, past or future and will retain their overall record.
Westwood ISD appointed Glen Tunstall to serve as the Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season.
The Westwood Panthers continued into the playoffs, falling to Columbus 28-48 in the Area round.
The Columbus Cardinals went on to win the 2024 State Championship.
That’s it for the year. Let’s see what 2025 brings to our community!
