Latest news with #Lauria
Boston Globe
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
The Lemonade Wars return to Marshvegas festival as its young organizer eyes big growth
Advertisement This year, with a nationally recognized headliner in the confessional folksinger Get Love Letters: The Newsletter A weekly dispatch with all the best relationship content and commentary – plus exclusive content for fans of Love Letters, Dinner With Cupid, weddings, therapy talk, and more. Enter Email Sign Up 'I'm trying to paint a picture of what we could become, and go from there,' Lauria says. He grew up in the shadow of another plucky little music festival, one that has grown into something much bigger. The Advertisement Colby Lauria was interviewed at last year's festival. HANDOUT 'The way they've been able to foster a community is incredible, from a local surf shop to a staple New England festival,' Lauria says. But he has another model in mind. 'I'm trying to aim to be the biggest family-friendly event in Massachusetts,' he says. This year's festival will feature bounce houses, mini-golf, face-painting stations, chalk zones, and stomp rocket competitions. A music lover who was a three-sport athlete in high school, Lauria got his start as a promoter at a young age. With three little brothers in the house, he was accustomed to keeping them busy by organizing activities. When a neighbor joked that he should start a day camp, he did exactly that. For four summers beginning at age 14, Lauria hosted Colby Camp, a two-week day camp in his family's backyard, with basketball, swimming, and other activities. Dozens of kids attended. His mother, Heather, 'was like the nurse on duty,' he says. She's actually a labor and delivery nurse at South Shore Hospital. For those parents of the campers 'to trust me with their third- or fourth-grader, that's a testament to the Marshfield community,' Lauria says. 'I love Marshfield. I do think this town's special.' Not that he doesn't want to see other parts of the world. During his senior year at St. Lawrence, he spent a semester on an internship in New York City. He hopes to make the city his home for the next few years. Manhattan's Lower East Side is where he first saw harf. (real name Will Harford, from Connecticut) perform at the Mercury Lounge. The singer agreed to headline Marshvegas and recommended another Connecticut act called Kids That Fly. Rounding out the bill will be two young artists from Marshfield, Elyce Hardenbergh and Kyle Fickeisen. Advertisement 'I always want to have someone from Marshfield represent,' Lauria says, 'so you can create a beacon of hope for kids who want to be an artist someday.' At St. Lawrence, he started a music appreciation club, and he got the administration to let him turn the dining hall into a nightclub for an evening. 'I loved that dining hall,' Lauria recalls. 'I'd eat there four times a day.' To date, he has financed Marshvegas with profits from the seasonal landscaping company he started. (It's called Mulcho Man.) On social media, Lauria has been documenting all the steps he has taken to create his festival, as a primer for other young people who may want to develop something similar. 'I love building excitement,' he says, 'and I love bringing people together. If I can inspire others to do the same — especially at a young age, when they're maybe a little more uncertain how to go about life — I think that's a beautiful thing.' According to Guinness, 'I think people get afraid to say they want to be great,' he says. So far, he's making great strides. James Sullivan can be reached at . James Sullivan can be reached at
India.com
26-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Airtel's AI Fraud Detection System: Did You Know How Many Users Are Safeguarded In Delhi-NCR?
New Delhi: Bharti Airtel on Thursday announced that its AI-powered fraud detection system has successfully safeguarded more than 3.5 million users across the Delhi-NCR from rising online frauds. The feat was achieved within just 43 days of launching the advanced fraud detection system nationwide, Airtel said. 'In the last 43 days of the launch, Airtel has blocked more than 188,000 malicious links and shielded 106 million users across the country,' the company said. The advanced system, which is automatically enabled for all Airtel mobile and broadband customers, scans and filters links across SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, e-mail, and other browsers. It leverages real-time threat intelligence to examine over 1 billion URLs daily and blocks access to harmful sites in under 100 milliseconds. 'At Airtel, we are dedicated to protecting our customers from various types of fraud. By incorporating our network with an AI-driven fraud detection solution, we guarantee that our customers are protected from all new threats without requiring any action on their part,' said Nidhi Lauria, CEO – Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh (West), Bharti Airtel, in a statement. 'We consider it crucial to act now to secure the digital environment of tomorrow, and we take pride in being at the forefront of this initiative by providing a safer and more comprehensive network for our customers in Delhi-NCR,' Lauria added. With Delhi-NCR ranked as one of India's most digitally advanced states, the threat of online fraud has grown. Fraudsters increasingly target users through phishing links, fake deliveries, and spurious banking alerts. The system can potentially scan links provided in suspicious messages and flag them, as well as block access. The real-time interception acts as a digital shield, protecting families, senior citizens, homemakers, students, and first-time smartphone users alike, from falling victim to all kinds of frauds, the company said. The AI-driven platform also delivers fraud warnings in the user's preferred language, including Hindi, making it highly effective for a diverse population. The solution operates silently in the background, requires no installation, and is offered free of cost, the company said.
Boston Globe
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
R.I. Senate votes to ban sale, purchase of assault-style weapons
The Rhode Island Senate vote tally on amended legislation to ban the sale, purchase, and manufacture of assault-style weapons. Edward Fitzpatrick Senators Louis P. DiPalma, the Middletown Democrat who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, noted that assault weapons bills have been introduced for a dozen years without becoming law. 'We need to get this done,' he said. 'We need to get this done today.' Advertisement DiPalma noted that a union 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 He said the state of Washington has enacted a similar law banning the sale, purchase and manufacture of assault-style weapons. And he said that if the bill becomes law in Rhode Island, 'the proliferation of assault style weapons will go down precipitously.' Senator Pamela J. Lauria, a Barrington Democrat, attempted to amend the bill to reflect the House-passed version of the legislation. She said it is crucial to pass a bill that bans possession — and not just sale — of assault weapons, especially now that President Trump's administration is scaling back the federal government's ability to enforce gun laws. Advertisement Lauria noted that Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha had backed the House version of the bill, saying he could defend it in court. And she urged senators to 'pass the best possible bill,' including a ban on sale and possession of those guns. But DiPalma objected to Lauria's amendment, saying it sought to circumvent the committee process that had resulted in the House bill being held for further study in the Senate Judiciary Committee. New Senate President Valarie J. Lawson, an East Providence Democrat and teachers union president, upheld DiPalma's objection. Lauria challenged Lawson's ruling, and the Senate then voted 25 to 12 to back Lawson's ruling, thereby killing Lauria's amendment. Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, a North Smithfield Republican, and other Republicans proposed several amendments, including a proposal to delay implementation until July 1, 2027, rather than July 1, 2026. De la Cruz said the banned weapons make up to 70 percent of the stock of some gun shops, and they need time to adjust. She noted the legislature had delayed implementation of new laws on casino smoking and payday loans, and she said those law don't involve the 'fundamental rights of the Second Amendment.' Senator Andrew R. Dimitri, a Johnston Democrat, voted against the bill, saying, 'This bill still punishes good people, and does nothing to stop crime.' But Senator Meghan E. Kallman, a Pawtucket Democrat, voted for the bill, citing mass shootings ranging from Columbine High School in 1999 to the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018. 'I am appealing to this chamber's sense of urgency. I do not want to have it happen here,' Kallman said. But she said she was voting for the bill 'over deep disappointment because we had the opportunity to do something better, stronger, and with much more moral clarity.' Advertisement In the leadup to Friday's vote, Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Boston Globe
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
R.I. Senate president had ‘perfect opportunity' to advance gun bill but didn't, senators say
Sending the bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee 'all but guarantees the bill's demise, as similar legislation has repeatedly been held for further study for years in the Judiciary Committee without a vote,' said Lauria, a Barrington Democrat. Advertisement " This practice denies the full Senate the opportunity to publicly debate and vote on one of the most consequential public safety issues of our time," she said. 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 But Senate Minority Whip Gordon E. Rogers, a Foster Republican, objected, saying Lauria made her motion at the wrong point in the Senate calendar. And Lawson, an East Providence Democrat and The drama mounted when former Senate Majority Leader Ryan W. Pearson, a Cumberland Democrat who Pearson cited a section of Advertisement The Pearson told Lawson, " Madam President, your ruling that Senator Lauria's motion was out of order is, in fact, incorrect. I appeal the ruling.' The Senate then Among those voting against Lawson's ruling were the chairs of four Senate committees — Senator Mark P. McKenney, a Warwick Democrat who chairs the Rules Committee; Senate Finance Committee Chairman Louis P. DiPalma, the Middletown Democrat who has introduced Lauria's move came as a surprise to many senators. On Friday, Lauria said she made the motion because she thinks the Finance Committee is the appropriate venue, given that Also, Lauria said 24 of the Senate's 37 current members are cosponsors of the legislation. 'The will of the chamber is clear,' she said. 'I felt it needs to come to the floor for a full debate and vote.' She disagreed with Rogers' contention that she tried to send the bill to the Finance Committee at the wrong point in the Senate calendar. 'I think I gave the chamber a golden opportunity to get this bill across the finish line,' Lauria said. Advertisement She said she advocated for gun legislation for eight years with Moms Demand Action and saw the impact of gun violence as a trauma nurse. 'I am very, very passionate about this issue,' she said. But Lauria said she expects the bill to die if it remains in the Judiciary Committee. On Friday, Senate spokesman Greg Pare said, 'The Senate president is engaged in discussions with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She is working to win passage of that bill. That is the process we have.' Pare noted the legislation was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee before Lawson became Senate president, and the committee heard hours of testimony on the bill. Pearson has claimed that during the Senate leadership battle in April, new Majority Leader Related : On Friday, Pearson said, 'This was a perfect opportunity to prove me wrong. This was Val's perfect opportunity, if she supports the bill, to get it to the floor.' Pearson said Lauria was within her rights, under Senate rules, to try to send the bill to the Finance Committee. 'It was clear the president didn't even understand the rules,' he said. Pearson said some senators based their votes on their understanding of the rules, but he said others were 'making a political calculation against the assault weapons ban or a show of loyalty to Val.' Advertisement Senator Alana M. DiMario, a Narragansett Democrat, said, 'I take the Senate president at her word that she is committed to getting this bill across the finish line, and I will support her in whatever way she chooses to get that done.' Melissa Carden, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, issued statement thanking Lauria for her attempt to get the legislation to the Senate floor. 'While we were disappointed with the outcome, there is still a path to move this bill to the Senate floor.' Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
All eyes on RI Senate president as assault weapons ban sits in committee
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — As Rhode Island lawmakers inch closer to wrapping up their session, no bill is getting more attention than the proposed Assault Weapons Ban Act. The controversial measure cleared the House in a historic vote last week, but the outlook in the Senate is highly uncertain. The bill, which has support from a majority of the state's senators, would apply to certain weapons, including semiautomatic shotguns, rifles and pistols. RELATED: What guns are included in Gov. McKee's 'assault weapons ban'? The final decision on what to do lies with newly elected Senate President Val Lawson. 'We're working diligently on the bill,' Lawson, D-East Providence, told 12 News in a one-on-one interview Thursday. 'The bill is currently in the Judiciary Committee. As I've previously said, I support the bill. We're working with the chairman, members of that committee, to see what we can do to get it across the finish line.' Opponents of the assault weapons ban may have enough votes to kill the bill in the judiciary committee. Supporters say that's why they want it moved to a different committee, as Democrat Senator Pamela Lauria tried to do Thursday. 'With 24 sponsors (on the Senate's bill), I think it's the will of the Senate that this bill come to the floor and have a good debate and have a vote,' Lauria, who represents Barrington, Bristol and East Providence, said. 'It'll win if it comes to the floor.' Lauria's effort failed on a close vote of 20 to 17. In the past, Senate leaders have used their power to move key bills to other committees, or send them straight to the floor for a vote. Lawson is under pressure to do the same. When asked whether it's something she's considering at this point, Lawson paused for a beat. 'There have been rare instances that that has occurred,' Lawson said. 'Right now, we're working through the process, as it exists, through the Judiciary Committee.' What does RI's proposed assault weapons ban mean for current gun owners? Senate Republicans, who oppose the ban, told 12 News the bill should stay where it is. 'Rules are put in play for some innocuous things to get them through both sides and passed into the law,' said Sen. Gordon Rogers, R-Coventry, Foster, Scituate and West Greenwich. 'Some of these are being abused on very important issues, that will circumvent the real process, of something that's in the constitution and the second amendment.' 'It has a penal code, which means it has to be heard in judiciary,' Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, who represents North Smithfield, Burrillville, and Glocester, said. 'It shouldn't be brought improperly to the floor. We shouldn't circumvent the rules. We should do it the right way.' 'If it dies in committee, it dies in committee,' Sen. de la Cruz continued, 'and if it passes, then we'll vote on the floor.' Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, with lawmakers poised to finish this year's session as soon as the end of next week. A spokesperson for the Senate told 12 News a date for the bill to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee has not yet been set. Ted Nesi contributed to this report. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
