Morning News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on January 23, 2023
The Governor was in Buffalo to recognize heroes of the Christmas weekend blizzard and members of the Genesee Snopackers were among the dozens of people in attendance. Nathan Fix and Tony Johnston received the Governor’s Medal of Public Service. Fix and Johnston, along with Deputy Kevin McCarthy, who rode with them in the Snopackers groomer and received a certificate of recognition, spent 17 hours in Oakfield and Alabama, making their way through heavy wind and snow on snow-covered roads, rescuing people from stranded vehicles.
A Batavia man has been indicted on charges of sexually abusing a child. Ronald Washburn is indicted on a count of sexual abuse in the first degree, a Class D violent felony, and one count of sexual conduct against a child, a Class D felony. Washburn is accused of sexual contact with a child less than 11 years old in the City of Batavia at least two or more times between February 2018 and April 2018.
Batavia Downs has announced 2 new events coming to the casino in February and March. The 4th Annual Brew Fest will be February 18th from 5 to 8pm. It is presented by the Young Lion and Genesee Brewery. Tickets are 40 dollars for 3 hours of beer sampling from Western New York Breweries. The second event taking place on March 3rd is a concert with KISS tribute band KISS This. Tickets are 15 dollars and come with 10 dollars in free play on the day of the show. Tickets for these 2 events will be available at www.BataviaConcerts.com beginning on Friday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m.
Bishop Emeritus Matthew Clark, the former head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, died early Sunday at age 85 according to the diocese. Clark was Bishop of Rochester from 1979 to 2012. He retired at 75 years old. In 2019 he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In a letter sent to priests, deacons, and the religious and lay faithful of the Diocese of Rochester, Bishop Salvatore Matano said Clark died in his room at the Sisters of Saint Joseph Motherhouse following “a period of declining health.”
The Buffalo Sabres won their game against the Anaheim Ducks Saturday night 6 to 3. Victor Olofsson and Peyton Krebs scored twice each and Dylan Cozens and Jeff Skinner scored once each for the Sabres. This makes 2 in a row for the Sabres who have a record of 23 and 19 and 3. Their next matchup is tonight in Dallas against the Stars at 8:30.
The Cincinnati Bengals are punching their ticket to the AFC Championship Game. They notched a road win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, 27-10. Cincinnati heads to Kansas City next Sunday to face the Chiefs for a spot in Super Bowl 57 in Arizona next month. It’s also a rematch of last year’s AFC title game, won by the Bengals. Buffalo’s season came to an end as safety Damar Hamlin attended the game following his on-field cardiac arrest earlier this month.
