THIS WEEK: Gov. Tom Wolf has designated the week of this week as Corrections Employee Week.

Stephanie L. Vettenburg-Shaffer, McKean County District Attorney, on behalf of the District Attorney’s Office and McKean County law enforcement, sent a message out Monday recognizing the corrections employees who work in the county.

“In the proclamation, the Governor recognizes the Pennsylvania Correctional System as the oldest in the nation, having evolved from Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Jail in 1773 and the Eastern Penitentiary in 1829.” Stephanie says. “Additionally, he identifies 24 state correctional institutions, 63 county prisons and jails and 25 federal facilities and offices, as well as other corrections facilities in the state.

“Thirty-one-thousand correctional professionals work in those locations,” she wrote.

“McKean County, of course, houses a county prison as well as a federal prison. I have had the honor of working with the men and women in these facilities.

“These individuals’ professionalism and skill provide for the safe and humane treatment of inmates — a task to both keep the community and facility safe but to also promote the safety of the inmate, the rehabilitation of the inmate and the punishment of the inmate for their crime,” the district attorney said.

“The criminal justice system is ever-evolving but the goals of deterrence, rehabilitation and punishment remain. We look to these individuals to carry on those goals and we recognize these men and women for their work.”

We agree. We imagine it’s a pretty thankless job, and we want to add our kudos for all you men and women do.

MAY: The month of May is one of awareness for several causes and for several issues.

Among those marked this month are awareness for ALS, celiac, lupus, melanoma and skin cancer, mental health, arthritis, mobility, stroke, cystic fibrosis, apraxia and brain tumors. It is also Jewish American Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month and National Foster Care Awareness Month.