Latest news with #Ciccone
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
25 Madonna Songs Thats Shaped Pop Music History
Madonna is one of the all-time greatest female artists, with some of the top hits of the '80s, '90s ... More and beyond. Madonna Louise Ciccone, aka the Queen of Pop, is one of the most successful musical artists of all time, with 18 multiplatinum albums and a knack for creating controversy that has kept her culturally relevant for more than four decades. Known simply by the name Madonna, she moved from Michigan to New York City after high school to pursue a career as an entertainer and released her first album in 1983, quickly becoming one of the top '80s female singers. Madonna music is known for being sexy, spicy and culturally relevant. The best Madonna songs focus on social issues such as religion, feminism and politics. This list of greatest Madonna songs includes music from every era of the versatile singer's career. Madonna is primarily a pop music singer, though she's also experimented with electronica and dance. She has released 14 studio albums, and three of them have sold more than 14 million copies, putting her on par with the Beatles and Whitney Houston. This list is based on commercial sales, critical acclaim and awards recognition. From I'm Breathless: Music From and Inspired by the film Dick Tracy, 'Hanky Panky' reflects Madonna's playful side and mimics tunes from the movie's 1930s era. Some women's groups criticized Madonna begging, 'You can just spank me,' but she said the song was tongue-in-cheek. It was a top-10 hit in the U.S., Australia and UK. Madonna's songs often deal with the darker side of love, but 'Cherish' from Like a Prayer has a lighter, more optimistic tone. In the video directed by Herb Ritts, a fashion photographer, Madonna romps on the beach with mermen, who became gay icons. The song hit No. 2, her record 16th straight top-five single. The video for 'What It Feels Like for a Girl' (from Music) was directed by Guy Ritchie, Madonna's then-beau, and banned by MTV for its violent imagery. That was kind of the point—the singer wanted to illustrate how society encourages women's independence but ultimately punishes them for it. 'Girl' earned critical kudos. Madonna croons, 'I want to free my soul,' on this release from True Blue. It came amidst intense media scrutiny of the singer's relationship with actor Sean Penn, and she wrote the song to explain what those moments felt like. It wasn't released as a single but still gained popularity due to its heartfelt message. Envisioned as a tribute to Sly and the Family Stone, 'Express Yourself' appeared on Like a Prayer and encouraged women not to settle for 'second-best.' The suggestive video, directed by David Fincher, had a then-record $5 million budget. The girl power anthem urged women to pursue what they want, as men do. Madonna performs "Express Yourself," one of her best singles, at TD Garden on Tuesday, September 4, ... More 2012. Madonna co-wrote this song about ushering out a poor lover with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, advising, 'The night is over/This masquerade is getting older.' As the second single on Bedtime Stories, it topped the charts for seven weeks and established Madonna as one of the quintessential '90s female singers as her 11th No. 1. 'Burning Up' came from Madonna's first studio album, Madonna, and helped cement her as one of the top early '80s artists. It played on one of her favorite themes, sex, with the singer confessing she 'had no shame'—but it was also a double meaning, speaking to her professional ambition on later display as well. Madonna closed out the decade with this electronica banger. The singer channeled '60s psych-pop as inspiration for the song for the soundtrack of Austin Powers film The Spy Who Shagged Me. It peaked at No. 2 in the UK and netted Madonna a fifth Grammy, won for Best Song Written for Visual Media. Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens-Crowder offered this song to several artists, including the Supremes' Mary Wilson, before Madonna snapped it up for her debut album, Madonna. The dance-pop energy and upbeat tempo helped the song become the singer's first top-20 single, and critics now regard it as one of her finest releases. Remember when Madonna was an actress? This single from her third movie was much more memorable than the film itself—so much so, in fact, that its original title (Slammer) was dropped, and it was renamed Who's That Girl. The Latin pop song, with some lyrics in Spanish, became her sixth No. 1 hit. American singer and actress Madonna with director James Foley on the set of the film "Slammer," ... More later titled "Who's That Girl?." 'Ray of Light,' the title track of Madonna's seventh studio album, sees the singer delve further into electronica and is one of her biggest critical hits, earning three Grammy nods, including Record of the Year. It bowed at No. 5, her highest chart debut. The video also won five MTV Video Music Awards. From Confessions on a Dance Floor, 'Hung Up' marks a return to Madonna's dance club roots, a high-energy song that samples ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)'—ABBA has rarely authorized such samples. Madonna tied Elvis with her 36th top 10 single with 'Hung Up' and hit No. 1 in 41 countries. 'Open Your Heart' was the fourth single from Madonna's wildly successful third album, True Blue, and became her fifth No. 1 hit. It also made her just the second female singer to chart three No. 1s from one album. The acclaimed music video is partly inspired by Cabaret. Lyrically, 'Live to Tell' (off of True Blue) marked a departure from earlier Madonna songs, telling of a dark secret she must keep: 'Hope I live to tell the secret I have learned/ Till then it will burn inside of me.' She has never revealed the secret, but it resonated with listeners, rising to No. 1. This song became Madonna's second No. 1 hit, appearing on the Vision Quest soundtrack—and also marking the singer's feature film debut. The pop ballad marked a departure from her earlier dance music, earning her a first Grammy nod (Best Female Pop Vocal Performance) and helping her break into adult contemporary. The singer and actress Madonna in concert at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, Italy for one date of her ... More Rebel Heart World Tour. After going to a Sting concert, Madonna was moved to write this song about the unifying power of song. 'Music makes the people come together/Music, mix the bourgeoisie and the rebel,' she sang. The song from the album Music hit No. 1, and the video, which featured then-up-and-comer Sacha Baron Cohen, was a smash. From the first movie Madonna starred in, Desperately Seeking Susan, which she co-wrote, 'Into the Groove' was Madonna's first UK No. 1 and her bestselling early single. The sexual innuendo-laden tract invites a boy to 'prove your love to me.' A Billboard poll once dubbed it the best 1980s dance single. 'Material Girl' was one of the defining '80s songs, appearing on her second album, Like a Virgin. Though Madonna has said she herself isn't materialistic, she liked the provocative nature of the song, which declares, 'We are living in a material world.' The song vaulted the singer to superstardom, topping the Hot Dance Club Songs. Another Like a Virgin hit, 'Dress You Up' opens dreamily, 'You've got style, that's what all the girls say.' The song, widely regarded as one of Madonna's top singles, got a boost when the Parents Music Resource Center added it to its "Filthy Fifteen" for suggestive lyrics—helping into Billboard's top five. From Madonna's debut album, 'Borderline' is so catchy and danceable that it's no wonder it became the singer's first top-10 hit. The video depicted an interracial romance as Madonna proclaimed, 'You just keep on pushin' my love/Over the borderline.' 'Borderline' drew critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone naming it the No. 2 song of the year. Softer and more experimental than most of her previous music, 'Justify My Love' became Madonna's ninth No. 1 single. Lenny Kravitz co-wrote the song, which portrayed the singer's sexual fantasies and belief women were in charge in the bedroom. MTV banned the suggestive video with Madonna's then-boyfriend Tony Ward, which nonetheless went multiplatinum. Madonna performs during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on October 14, 2023 in ... More London. One of the most iconic '90s songs, this single from I'm Breathless is high-class fun. Madonna pays tribute to the stars of yesteryear. 'Strike a pose,' she encourages, later repeating, 'Don't just stand there, let's get to it/Strike a pose, there's nothing to it.' It became her biggest-selling single to date. 'Papa Don't Preach' appeared on True Blue and has become one of the most notable Madonna songs due to its content. It addresses women's autonomy and has also been interpreted as a pro-choice anthem, since the lyrics deal with a father's reaction to teen pregnancy. This marked Madonna's fourth No. 1 single. Madonna's performance of 'Like a Virgin' at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards remains an indelible pop culture moment. It was Madonna's first song to top the Hot 100, from the album of the same name, and has sold more than 6 million worldwide. She continues to sing the popular tune on her concert tours. Perfectly uniting Madonna's obsessions with sex, religion and taboos, 'Like a Prayer' may set a record for double entendres, like this lyric: 'I'm down on my knees/I wanna take you there.' The catchy song had an equally controversial video in which Madonna sleeps with a Black saint. Needless to say, it hit No. 1. Bottom Line Madonna is one of the most successful and revered pop singers in history for a reason. Her top songs reveal an ability to change with the times while continuing to get people talking and build her reputation. You can enjoy every song on this list over and over without tiring of them.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
If R.I. passes casino smoking ban, state would pay more to cover Bally's ads under this bill
A roulette wheel inside the 40,000 square-foot gaming space and food hall Bally's opened at its Twin River Lincoln casino in 2023. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) A last-minute bill filed on behalf of the state's sole casino operator cleared a Rhode Island Senate committee hearing after roughly 10 minutes Wednesday, despite strong objections from the Rhode Island Lottery. Now it's set to sprint toward a floor vote in the full chamber on Tuesday. The bill introduced on May 23 by Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone, a Providence Democrat, would increase the cap for reimbursements Bally's Corp. receives from the Rhode Island Lottery for its marketing costs. But the legislation really serves as a contingency plan should lawmakers push forward legislation to ban smoking at the company's Lincoln and Tiverton properties. Ciccone confirmed that he introduced the legislation at the request of Bally's as a way to make up for anticipated lost revenue if a smoking ban is enacted this year. For years, unionized workers, public health advocates and progressive lawmakers have pushed to end the loophole that exempts Bally's casinos from an indoor smoking ban. Bally's Twin River in Lincoln and Bally's Tiverton Casino & Hotel allow patrons to smoke while casinos in Massachusetts and Connecticut are smoke-free. Bally's projects it could lose $20 million annually if smoking were fully banned at the Lincoln and Tiverton casinos, said the company's spokesperson Patti Doyle. 'As we look to the possibility of the smoking ban being enacted, we need as many tools in our arsenal as possible to bring back any lost revenue to the state,' Doyle said. Ciccone has long opposed banning smoking at the two casinos, saying he believed it would mean lost revenue. 'I just feel that the people who are here are because they can smoke and gamble — it's as simple as that,' Ciccone said in an interview. 'If that closes, you're going to lose a small percentage of them.' The Rhode Island Lottery is responsible for reimbursing Bally's under different rate structures — one for the Lincoln facility and one for the Tiverton casino. Both casinos have been regulated under two-tiered rates since 2010, when Tiverton's license was still held by Newport Grand under different ownership. In Lincoln, the state reimburses 60.7% of all casino marketing expenditures between $4 million and $10 million. The state pays nothing for Bally's marketing expenditures over $10 million up to $14 million, then reimburses 60.7% of expenditures between $14 million and $17 million. In Tiverton, the state reimburses 60.1% of marketing expenditures between $560,000 and $1.4 million. Doyle said the Tiverton casino was capped at the lower end because its contract was tied to the now-defunct, smaller Newport Grand tier structure. During the fiscal year ending on June 30, Rhode Island Lottery projects Bally's Lincoln will be reimbursed a total of $3,640,800 for marketing expenditures, while Bally's Tiverton will be reimbursed a total of $506,890, said lottery spokesperson Paul Grimaldi. But if Ciccone's bill becomes law, Grimaldi said, Bally's Lincoln would have been reimbursed $6,068,000 and the Tiverton casino would have been reimbursed $844,816 — representing a nearly $2.8 million increase. Lottery Director Mark Furcolo's interpretation of the legislation is that the state would have to reimburse Bally's at a rate of approximately 60.5% up to a cap of $27.25 million. 'Should Bally's spend more than it has during the last three fiscal years, there would be a greater impact to the state,' Furcolo wrote to the committee. As we look to the possibility of the smoking ban being enacted, we need as many tools in our arsenal as possible to bring back any lost revenue to the state. – Patti Doyle, Bally's spokesperson Furcolo said he was not opposed to the idea of consolidating Bally's marketing program from an administrative standpoint, but he doesn't believe the state should be on the hook for additional reimbursement. He added that amending any new contract would require a 'time-consuming legal undertaking' and could conflict with the Lottery's plans to issue a request for information on potentially expanding the number of online sports betting apps available in the state. Despite Furculo's opposition, the Senate Committee on Labor and Gaming voted 6-0 to advance Ciccone's bill at its initial hearing Wednesday. Not present were Democrats Ryan Pearson of Cumberland, Ana Quezada of Providence, and Brian Thompson of Woonsocket. Ciccone joined the panel in his ex-officio role as majority leader. Ciccone's bill is scheduled to be voted by the full Senate on Tuesday, chamber spokesperson Greg Paré said in an email Thursday. Companion legislation has not been introduced in the House. Momentum to make casinos smoke-free has grown in the House, where Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is one of 10 cosponsors listed on the latest edition of a bill sponsored by Rep. Teresa Tanzi, a South Kingstown Democrat. The House Committee on Finance held an initial hearing on Tanzi's bill on April 10, when it was held for further study — as is standard practice for a first look by a legislative legislation introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski in February has yet to be heard by the Senate Committee on Labor and Gaming. No hearing date has been set. Newly-elected Senate President Valarie Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, has stated she personally supports a smoking ban, but indicated she would like to see the standard committee review process play out. The growing support in the House mirrors overall sentiment in Rhode Island. The AFL-CIO in February released a poll that found nearly seven in 10 survey respondents 'strongly' or 'somewhat' supported a smoking ban at the state's two casinos. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
What promises were made in the battle for the R.I. Senate leadership?
The barbed exchange is pulling back the curtain on a Senate leadership battle that played out even on the day of the late Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up The dispute began when Ciccone was interviewed for this week's Advertisement Ciccone, a Providence Democrat, was asked for his reaction to a progressive group that called him 'Trump Lite,' describing him as 'anti-choice, anti-LBGTQ+, anti-gun safety, anti-climate.' As part of his response, Ciccone said that during the leadership battle he 'wasn't one of the people that were out there telling (senators) if you vote for this, I'll grant you money for your schools, I'll grant you this, I'll reduce the tax on clothing.' Advertisement Ciccone confirmed that he was referring to Pearson, a Cumberland Democrat and former majority leader who lost the leadership battle to Lawson and Ciccone on April 29. 'I know (Pearson) called the mayor of Johnston, offered him $10 million for a school, called one of the ... senators in Pawtucket, offered $5 million for their schools,' Ciccone said. 'And then he called another senator and said, on the sales tax on clothing, we'll eliminate that. So in that one day, just prior to the vote, I think he gave away over $30 million of state money.' When asked what he thought of that, Ciccone said, 'I think it was totally illegal.' When asked for his response, Pearson did not deny he offered those deals, but said he did nothing illegal. He said he has long supported increases in state education aid in communities such as Pawtucket and Johnston, and said there's nothing wrong with discussing what legislation you would support or oppose. 'As far as I know, every senator — when making commitments to vote for someone — asks for certain things,' Pearson said. 'This is how it works. Every senator had different things they asked me for, as I'm sure they asked him for. I know they promised no assault weapons ban. Was that illegal?' Pearson said conservative senators told him they were voting for the Lawson/Ciccone leadership team because they were promised that Lawson would put the assault-weapons ban 'up for committee vote to let it die.' 'The conservatives were promised [Lawson] would have no power because her Number 2 and Number 3 would be conservative men in the chamber,' Pearson said, referring to Ciccone and Senate Majority Whip David P. Tikoian, a Smithfield Democrat. Advertisement Lawson and Ciccone issued a statement Wednesday, saying, 'No such promises were made.' Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard hours of testimony on the assault-style weapons ban, introduced by Senator Louis P. DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat who said he has 24 of the 37 senators as co-sponsors. The committee held the bill for further study. The 10-member committee is viewed as being evenly split between supporters and opponents of the bill. The attention is focused on whether Lawson, Ciccone, and Tikoian will use their ex officio power to vote on any committee and send that legislation to the Senate floor. As the April 29 leadership vote approached, Pearson said he had secured 18 votes — one shy of the 19 needed to become president. He said 'swing' senators who preferred him as president told him they had committed to the Lawson/Ciccone team because of their commitment to kill the assault weapons ban. 'So I said, 'Fine, I'll kill it too,' Pearson said. 'I knew it was already dead. I remain in support of it, and would love to see it become law, but I knew it would ensure [Lawson] is the president.' On the day of the leadership vote, Pearson and his supporters did not enter the Senate Lounge for the Democratic caucus until well after the Lawson and Ciccone supporters entered. Pearson confirmed that if he could get 19 votes, he and his supporters were planning to skip the caucus and go straight into the Senate session in which all senators, including Republicans, would vote for president. But that plan fell apart when Pearson couldn't secure the 19th vote. In the end, Lawson received 24 votes while Pearson received 8 votes, and Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, a North Smithfield Republican, received 4 votes. Advertisement Pearson said Ciccone had approached him in 2023 and 2024, looking to become majority leader if Pearson became president. 'He kept shopping until he found someone who would give him that, and that person was Val,' he said. Pearson said the Lawson/Ciccone team told conservative senators they would hold sway while they told liberal senators 'it would be the most progressive Senate leadership in the history of the state.' And, he said, 'I don't know which one of those two will be true.' Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Boston Globe
21-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
R.I. casino workers rally for smoking ban
Philip Farinelli, a floor supervisor at Bally's Twin River Lincoln Casino, speaks at a State House rally, calling for a ban on smoking at Rhode Island casinos. Edward Fitzpatrick Farinelli said he had lung cancer and a heart attack, but 'I'm still here fighting today so I can work in a healthy environment.' He said he had just taken a selfie with a 'no smoking' sign in the State House, and he asked why legislators get to enjoy a smoke-free workplace while casino workers do not. Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's a question of fairness,' Farinelli said. " Second-hand smoke obviously causes respiratory diseases. We all suffer — nose running, eyes itchy. It's every day. It's terrible." Advertisement Advocates had viewed the late Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio as the main reason smoking is still allowed in Rhode Island's casinos. After But new Advertisement Ciccone, a Providence Democrat, has said Bally's has projected it could lose $15 million to $30 million if smoking is banned in all parts of the casinos. He said it would be difficult for the state, which generates revenue from the state-licensed casinos, to fill that gap in a tough budget year. But workers at Tuesday's rally said Ciccone has it all wrong. " Smoke-free casinos are more profitable than casinos that allow smoking indoors," said William DelSanto, a Twin River table games dealer. He cited the 'Only 20 percent of people smoke,' DelSanto said. 'That means 80 percent don't. You're catering to 20 percent of people? That doesn't even make sense.' Speakers at the rally were adamant that any negotiated agreement would be unacceptable if it only limited and did not end smoking in casinos. They held signs that read, '100% smoke-free,' '90% is not enough,' 'No compromise,' and 'No safe level of exposure.' Workers held these signs at a State House rally Tuesday, calling for a ban on smoking at the casinos in Lincoln and Tiverton, R.I. Edward Fitzpatrick State Representative Teresa A. Tanzi, a Narragansett Democrat who has introduced Advertisement Rhode Island passed the indoor smoking ban in 2005 to protect workers from carcinogens, Tanzi said. 'There's only one group of people in this whole state that are left behind,' she said standing in front of a group of casino workers. 'It's these people.' Senator V. Susan Sosnowski, a South Kingstown Democrat who has sponsored the Senate version of that bill, did not attend the rally. Vanessa Baker, founder and leader of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) Rhode Island, holds a sign at a rally in the Rhode Island State House rotunda. Edward Fitzpatrick Vanessa Baker, founder and leader of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) Rhode Island, said it was not right to exclude casinos from the indoor smoking ban in 2005. 'And it's not right now,' she said. 'No smoking means no smoking anywhere — 100 percent. No smoking is the only way that we can protect the workers and our customers." Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
R.I. House momentum for a casino smoking ban is not enough. Unionized workers zero in on Senate.
'Please don't kill us we have families' reads the sign held by one Bally's employee during a State House rally on May 20, 2025. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) 'NO MORE SMOKE! NO MORE SMOKE!' That was the chant from about 150 casino workers who packed the steps inside the State House Tuesday — their backs to the House chamber, but their voices aimed directly across the rotunda to the Senate floor. It's the fourth such year they've backed the bill by Rep. Teresa Tanzi, a South Kingstown Democrat, seeking to end the Lincoln and Tiverton casinos' exemption from the state's 2005 indoor smoking ban. 'For the last 20 years, there has been a grave injustice happening in our casinos,' Tanzi told the crowd. 'These are our workers who are there day in, day out — they're doing a service for our state.' Tanzi's proposal has yet to reach the House floor. But unlike previous years, casino workers now have some additional institutional backing. For the first time, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is a co-sponsor on Tanzi's legislation. Casino workers from 11 separate unions had help making noise from yellow and purple-clad striking Butler Hospital workers who gathered at the State House Tuesday to call on House Democrats meeting for a budget caucus. The Butler workers, who are members of SEIU 1199NE, want lawmakers to prioritize any state funding intended for hospitals for wages and staffing for frontline staff. 'Workers deserve a smoke-free workplace,' Jesse Martin, the executive vice president of SEIU 1199NE, told the crowd. 'People deserve the ability to do their work free from injury, free from these types of concerns.' Across the rotunda, companion legislation sponsored by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski has still yet to be heard by the Senate Committee on Labor and Gaming chaired by the chamber's newest majority leader: Frank Ciccone III. Ciccone, a Providence Democrat, has been a staunch opponent of the ban citing concern that the state would lose millions in revenue should smoking completely disappear from the two casinos. It's the same position shared by the late Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, whom many advocates saw as the main reason smoking still remains inside Rhode Island's casinos. Newly-elected Senate President Valarie Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, has previously stated she personally supports a smoking ban. But she also indicated that she would like to see the standard committee review process play out. But Ciccone is instead looking to reach an agreement between Bally's and the union to expand existing non-smoking areas in the casinos. Ciccone said in an interview Tuesday that talks remain ongoing. 'If anything looks fruitful, we'll set up another meeting with everyone again,' he said in an interview Tuesday. 'Hopefully we'll get closer.' Whether Bally's wants to expand its nonsmoking offerings — or reduce the size of the smoking area — is still being kept under wraps. 'We don't have anything to report right now on the smoking issue,' Bally's spokesperson Patti Doyle said in an email Tuesday. 'Will certainly share updates when/if we do.' Union leaders remain adamant that a compromise won't solve the problem. Matt Dunham, president of Table Game Dealers Laborers Local 711, told Rhode Island Current that even with a larger non-smoking section at the state's two casinos, some workers would still be exposed to smoke. 'A lot of people are going to be left out,' he said in an interview before the rally. Dunham pointed to the 2024 non-smoking expansion at Bally's Lincoln casino, which he said has flaws. 'We still have to walk through cigarettes to get to our own break room,' he said. Ending Bally's smoking ban exemption is also a top priority for the AFL-CIO, which commissioned a poll in February that found nearly 7 in 10 survey respondents 'strongly' or 'somewhat' supported a smoking ban at the state's two casinos. 'We're taking the lead from the workers,' Rhode Island AFL-CIO Political Director Autumn Guillote said in an interview just before the rally. 'And the demand is still 100% from the advocates.' Vanessa Baker, an iGaming supervisor at Bally's Lincoln casino, said staff are constantly 'abused and assaulted' by the second-hand smoke that lingers throughout the two Rhode Island facilities. 'The Rhode Island casinos are allowing the safety and wellbeing of their employees and patrons at risk and showing that their employees are expendable,' Baker said. There was a time when smoking was temporarily banned inside Bally's two Rhode Island casinos: when they first reopened after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But those rules were eventually lifted by March 2022. 'And all our lives changed for the worse,' Baker said. Philip Farinelli, a floor supervisor at Bally's Twin River Lincoln Casino, told the crowd he has dealt simultaneously with stage 3 neck and head cancer and stage 1 lung cancer, along with a heart attack, because of conditions caused by lingering smoke. 'I'm still here fighting today so I can work in a healthy environment,' he said. 'We all suffer — nose running, eyes itching — it's just every day, it's terrible.' Maegan Tikiryan, a server and bartender at Bally's Lincoln for 14 years, said she regularly deals with congestion and headaches from the casino's smoke. She's said she's seen three coworkers diagnosed with cancer and is worried it could happen to her as she begins to pursue a law degree at UMass Law. 'I don't want the smoke to kill me before I earn my degree,' Tikiryan said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
