Dalton Town Employees Gets ADA Training

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — Municipal employees will have the option to participate in Americans with Disabilities Act training. 
 
ADA coordinator Alyssa Maschino informed the ADA Committee on Monday that Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson approved the idea and is currently in the planning process. 
 
The virtual training will cover state ADA requirements, ensuring program accessibility for people with disabilities, and the reasonable modification process.
 
The training is led by Julia O'Leary, general counsel for Massachusetts Office on Disability. The Office on Disability "provides information, guidance, and training on disability-related civil rights and obligations," the state website says. 
 
A lot of people are used to being able to walk upstairs and being mobile, so they are not thinking about how their surroundings affect people with mobile disabilities, committee member Edward "Bud" Hall said.
 
This will give town employees a better understanding of what is compliant and what is not, 
 
"A lot of people are just used to the everyday walking upstairs, running into the building, not thinking about, what about the other person that can't do it. So this just will probably give them insight and hopefully helping 
 
Maschino and Hutcheson are considering holding the training during the monthly staff meeting on the third Wednesday of each month.
 
Although the training is an hour and "I feel like everyone should really take the time to do it" it is unclear if the town can make it mandatory, Maschino said. 
 
In other news, the committee signed a letter recommending the town install sidewalks on Orchard Road. 

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Local Cheer Teams Celebrate Successful Season

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

The cheerleaders spoke of how their participation helped build their confidence and their focus on academics.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The gymnasium of the Boys and Girls Club was full of laughter, music, dancing, and cheer as multiple generations celebrated the hard work of 413 Cheer and Taconic High School cheerleaders with a fundraiser and showcase.
 
The fifth season for 413 Cheer was filled with achievements as the organization's teams — Codes Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Purple and Orange Fusion — had brought home awards from competitions across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. Find each team's placements at the end of the article. 
 
This year, Code Red received a wild card bid to the D2 Summit in Orlando, Fla., and Code Blue earned a bid to the Youth Summit in Tampa, Fla., but because of the cost and lack of funds, 413 Cheer will be doing its finals at Myrtle Beach, S.C., this season. 
 
(Donations to cover fees, travel and equipment can be made by emailing 413Cheer@gmail.com.)
 
The showcase last Sunday was the largest since the organization's inception five years ago, featuring spirited performances from each of the teams, a dad dance off, and mom bow challenge, raffles, concessions, and more. 
 
It also featured a performance by Taconic High School's varsity cheerleaders, coached by 413 Cheer's owner and founder Shavelle Boire. 
 
Boire said the school hasn't had a cheer team in several years, but these new cheerleaders persevered, grew, and stole her heart. 
 
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