John Tufts|San Angelo Standard-Times
SAN ANGELO— Predicting with certainty what 2021 will have in store for San Angelo is like trying to predict our fickle West Texas weather. You need more than a crystal ball, rain-boots and sunscreen. Fortunately, the Standard-Times has ateam of talented, hardworking journalists ready to serve the community.
Our reporters are dedicated to the Concho Valley. We live here, shop here, and many of us have raised families right here in San Angelo. Along with content provided by the USA TODAY Network from around the globe, your newspaper has local stories written daily by local reporters.
You've probably even spoken to a few of us at the grocery store without realizing it.
We can examine recent eventsand make educated guesses about what kind of an impact 2021 could have for San Angelo and the rest of the Concho Valley. From the continued impact of COVID-19 to major construction projects along Bell Street and College Hills, to courtroom trials we'll all be talking about, our reporters are already making plans in how to keep our community well-informed in 2021.
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Meet our news team and get a sneak peek of some of the stories we're keeping watch on during what will likely be another eventful year in San Angelo:
Charles Bryce
Years at the Standard-Times: I’ve worked for the Standard-Times since 1989, except for a couple of short stints when I was doing something else. But even during that time I was still doing work for the S-T, so I kind of lump it all together.
What I do: I’m a sportswriter who covers the local sports beat for Angelo State University, San Angelo Central High School and San Angelo Lake View High School, in addition to coverage of numerous other high schools in our large circulation area. In addition to writing stories, I also take a lot of sports photos and news photos from time to time. I’m kind of the backup photographer for our photo editor.
What I'm watching in 2021: Probably the biggest event I’ll be covering in 2021 will be the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo. It usually takes place in February, but due to COVID-19 it has been pushed back until April.
You can contact me at: Charles.Bryce@gosanangelo.com; Twitter: @CBryce2015
Colin Murphey
Years at the Standard-Times: 18 months.
What I do: As the staff photographer and videographer, I am responsible for most of the visual journalism for the paper including sports, breaking news, features, etc.
What I'm watching in 2021: I will be watching the roll-out of the vaccine and trying to document that process and how that trickles down into other aspects of life as things return to normal. I will also be following, hopefully, the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and documenting that in as many forms as possible as they develop throughout the year.
With the extremely dry winter we've had in West Texas so far, I will also be keeping a close eye on the spring and summer fire season which could be fairly active.
You can contact me at: CMurphey@gannett.com
Rosanna Fraire
Years at the Standard-Times: 1 1/2 years.
What I do: As a trending/entertainment reporter, I try to be in the loop as much so possible in San Angelo. This means I am covering events in town, new businesses/restaurants, places closing, breaking news, a few crime stories and much more.
What I'm watching in 2021: Businesses closing, and opening are always an impact on San Angelo. I will be watching to see if local businesses continue to close and if/when new facilities will be opening, despite the pandemic. I look forward to continuing my coverage of “Small Business Saturday” stories on the front page every weekend highlighting local businesses.
I also want to create a story of “must-try foods in San Angelo.” I expect this might take a while, but it pairs well with my New Years resolution: only eating local food – no fast food from chain restaurants.
You can contact me at: Rosanna.Fraire@gosanangelo.com
Amy McDaniel
Years at the Standard-Times: 5 ½
What I do:As a sports reporter, who is a native West Texan and reader of the Standard-Times since childhood, I try to stay on top of what’s going on with high school athletes in West Texas and provide insight and perspective while finding and sharing the best stories with our readers.
What I'm watching in 2021:I’ll be keeping a close eye on how West Texas high school athletes and coaches are coping with issues that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In three months, it will be one year since 2020 basketball seasons, and spring athletic seasons, were canceled and lost forever.
I will continue to reach out to West Texas area high school coaches of all sports to not only keep accurate records of their seasons but to highlight individuals in their constant striving for new heights or showcase the creation of new stars.
You can contact me at: Amy.McDaniel@gosanangelo.com
Alana Edgin
Years at the Standard-Times: 3 years.
What I do: As a crime and courts reporter, I keep the community updated on what goes on in the courtrooms. I follow some of our biggest cases from the crime through a judge’s decision. I also enjoy diving into historical stories and showing San Angelo just what the real estate industry has to offer.
What I'm watching in 2021: Heading into the new year, two men could potentially be sentenced to death – Dwayne Chance Chadwick and Andrew Fernandez – in separate murder cases. In November 2020, San Angelo also learned of the death of Brixlee Marie Lee, a 2-month-old who died after testing positive for heroin. Three people, including her mother, were arrested in the case, which I will be watching in 2021.
A former San Angelo police chief is also on trial in the federal court for allegedly accepting bribes. These are just some of a number of cases I plan to report on in 2021.
You can contact me at: AEdgin@gannett.com
John Tufts
Years at the Standard-Times: 6 years as of March 2021.
What I do: I serve as a "public watchdog" covering stories about local government, education, and health care. My job is to keep you informed on what decision our locally elected officials are making and how that might affect you. As an investigative journalistfor the region, my work has sometimes taken me further than San Angelo — from the Texas-Mexico border to Washington D.C.
What I'm watching in 2021: COVID-19 changed the world. How it will change San Angelo in 2021 is my job to keep track of and report back to you. I'll be investigating the ripple effects the virus has caused in local government, how our local tourism might be impacted, and what changes could occur at San Angelo ISD, Shannon Medical Center, as well as the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo.
There are also many upcoming construction projects happening in San Angelo in 2021, from street-scapes and sidewalks, to major upgrades in our roads. It's going to be another eventful year, and I look forward to writing about it.
You can contact me at: JTufts@gannett.com or via Twitter: @JTuftsReports
Paul Harris
Years at the Standard-Times:I started working herein 1998.
What I do: I'm the assistant news editor and the sports editor. My job is to help tell the stories of San Angelo and our surrounding communities.
What I'm watching in 2021: I’ll be keeping an eye on how our community moves forward after the adversity it faced in 2020 —from the impact of COVID and the distribution of the vaccine, local businesses struggling to keep their doors open, and sports trying to return to normal.
You can contact me at: I can be reached at Paul.Harris@gosanangelo.com.
Jennifer Guadarrama
Years at the Standard-Times:4 years this May.
What I do: As the news director overseeing San Angelo, Ballinger and Brownwood, I guide our storytelling and coverage strategies across platforms, whether it’s on the phone in your hand or the printed paper enjoyed with your morning coffee.
What I'm watching in 2021: As the community continues to weather the coronavirus pandemic, my goal is to help our team tell stories of our recovery, highlight local businesses and champion the wins of our residents. I’m also excited to explore ways to hone focus on the stories no one else is telling and encourage our team to take deeper looks at the issues that matter to us in the Concho Valley.I'm committed to improving upon our government accountability reporting. In 2021 we'll shine light into more of the hidden corners of local government to help readers understand how their taxpayer-funded institutions are stewarding the critical funding we provide.
You can contact me at: jennifer.guadarrama@gosanangelo.comor via Twitter @JenGNews
John Tufts covers enterprise and investigative topics in West Texas. Send him a news tip atJTufts@Gannett.com.
