• CHEER: Congratulations to the members of the 84th Basic Class of the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy who crossed the stage at SUNY Niagara on Aug. 22. What’s notable, is that the 19 recruits in the class are the first to have trained exclusively in the academy’s new $8 million state-of-the-art facility, which opened last year on the campus of SUNY Niagara. Two of the newly certified officers are pre-employment graduates who have not yet been hired by a law enforcement agency. The remaining 17 represent eight different police agencies in Niagara and Erie counties. The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Timothy Ireland, Niagara University provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, reminded the new officers that they will frequently meet people “in a moment of crisis” and that they must “earn the public trust” every day. “You will encounter people on the worst days of their lives,” Ireland said. “Follow these guidelines, integrity above all, courage in all forms and (engage in) lifelong learning. Be more than the enforcers of the law. Be the guardians of the community you serve.”
• CHEER: You hear it all the time — there are no free rides! That won’t be the case next week as Connect Niagara, the bus service operated by the Niagara County Department of Public Works, will allow all riders to ride for free on weekdays, Tuesday through Sept. 12, as part of an effort to introduce more people to the service. “We believe that Connect Niagara is a hidden gem in Niagara County’s transportation network and our hope is that this free trial period will entice more people to give it a try,” DPW Commissioner Garret Meal said. “Plus, with SUNY Niagara and other colleges getting underway, waiving fares is a good way to introduce students to the service.”
Connect Niagara operates five different routes across the county. Residents can catch the bus at one of the stops, call ahead for a pickup, or flag a bus down to hop on. Connect Niagara will deviate up to 0.75 miles for those who schedule ahead. To view the bus schedule, go to www.niagaracounty.gov/bus. To schedule a pickup, call 716-282-8544.
• JEER: Niagara County received a stark example of the dangers of rabies this month thanks to the sad story of a kitten found in Cambria. Picked up on Saunders Settlement Road, the young feline displayed overly aggressive behavior and was brought to an Erie County veterinarian by its well-meaning rescuers. Due to signs of a potential neurological disorder, the decision was made to euthanize the kitten for rabies testing. It was confirmed rabid later by NYSDOH Wadsworth Center, Griffin Laboratories and had unfortunately exposed several people at the rescuer’s home and vet office to the rabies virus. All exposed individuals have started post-exposure rabies prophylaxis. Niagara County health officials said the case is an important reminder that even seemingly harmless domestic animals can contract rabies and spread the virus from contact with infected wildlife. Bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes are all common wildlife carriers of the rabies virus. For more information on rabies, visit www.niagaracounty.gov/health.