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Lea Tran

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Newton Beacon •

Chris Boyd campaigns for Congress on a call to invest in region's future - Newton Beacon

Chris Boyd is still waiting for his American dream.
Growing up in Bellingham, Boyd experienced firsthand the struggles of a low-income American family and remembers when the 2008 recession hit home. With his single mother providing their only income, Boyd said, his family had to rely on public assistance programs.
“Let’s make sure that we’re investing in these programs to make life more affordable so that we can actually get that American dream,” Boyd said, “because we were promised an American...
Newton Beacon •

Newton architectural photographer Peter Vanderwarker turns his lens on Boston - Newton Beacon

Photographer Peter Vanderwarker, shown here in his Newton home, has artwork on display at the Cooper Center for Active Living. Photo by Lea TranNewton photographer Peter Vanderwarker has captured monuments in Paris, colorful sites in Yellowstone and natural wonders in Costa Rica. But as the 250th anniversary of American independence approaches, Vanderwarker’s new exhibit captures what he knows best: the city of Boston.
“Boston Freedom” features 11 photographs shot and chosen by Vanderwarker that...
Newton Beacon •

Committee takes up controversial overnight parking ban again - Newton Beacon

A City Council committee may decide soon whether to repeal or modify Newton’s hotly debated winter overnight parking ban.
The Council’s Public Safety and Transportation Committee heard public input March 4 and debated the measure, but ultimately decided to put the issue on hold.
Jeremey Freudberg, co-leader of the group Repeal the Ban, urged the council to act.
“Indeed the overnight parking ban is or does pose a hardship for a lot of people,” Freudberg said.
He said the council could consider ch...
Newton Beacon •

Newton teen creates award-winning app to help people with Type 1 diabetes - Newton Beacon

Aaron Prager of Newton has created an app that helps monitor Type 1 diabetes and won the Eastern Region Congressional App Challenge. Courtesy photoAs the son of two software engineers, Aaron Prager figured app development was in his future. Little did he know that the first app he made would be recognized on a national platform.
His app, BoostT1D, designed to help people with Type 1 diabetes, was chosen by Rep. Jake Auchincloss as the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in the Massach...
Newton Beacon •

Wegmans’ plan to close Chestnut Hill pharmacy sparks outcry - Newton Beacon

Wegmans plans to close the pharmacy in its Chestnut Hill store next month, and local residents aren’t happy. Some are fighting back.
The supermarket chain is closing the Wegmans Pharmacy to create more space for groceries in Chestnut Hill, a Wegmans executive told a local resident in an email. Wegmans’s corporate office did not respond to repeated calls and emails from the Newton Beacon.
Deana Percassi, Wegmans’ vice president of community engagement, explained the decision to close the pharmacy...
Newton Beacon •

Snow, Well: Newton residents work at staying chill amid this brutal winter - Newton Beacon

By Kate Brodkin, Celine Hijazi and Lea Tran
In Newton Centre, the snow was so much that several businesses stayed closed a day or two after Monday’s blizzard. In Newton Highlands, pedestrians gingerly stepped through narrow shoveled strips of sidewalk. In Newtonville, residents complained about the slush and ice that is everywhere but mostly took this unrelenting winter in stride.
“I think it’s given us a lot of highlight moments,” said Kerry Murphy, a cybersecurity software engineer who works r...
Newton Beacon •

Newton-based Bricks for the Blind helps people without sight enjoy Legos - Newton Beacon

Newton resident Matthew Shifrin leads a nonprofit, Bricks for the Blind, which brings the joy of Legos to the sight-impaired. Courtesy photoNewton resident Matthew Shifrin leads an initiative to make Legos more accessible through his nonprofit Bricks for the Blind.
“It’s been really wonderful because blind people have been able to explore the world in different ways,” Shifrin said.
Shifrin, 28, who grew up and lives in Newton, was born blind. His love for Legos began when he was 13 and a family...
Newton Beacon •

In new City Hall role, Lauren Berman looks to help Newton's business community thrive - Newton Beacon

Lauren Berman is founder of All Over Newton, which fosters community connection while spotlighting local businesses. (Laney McAden / Heights Editor)Lauren Berman has organized PTO fundraisers, helped revamp Newton’s farmers market and organized a “bakery crawl” to benefit small shops. Now that she has assumed the role of the city’s economic development director, she’ll have a bigger hand in supporting businesses here.
“We want to make sure that the experience of opening a business is easy,” Berm...
Marblehead Current - News for people, not for prof •

Labor law violations cost Marblehead employers nearly $44,000 in state fines - Marblehead Current

The Attorney General’s office fined seven Marblehead employers for 17 state labor law violations between March 9, 2022, and Feb. 20, 2025, the Current has learned. 


More than 80% of all employer violations — including failing to pay minimum wage or provide earned sick time, keeping inaccurate records and child labor infractions — were issued in the past two years. Since March 9, 2022, Marblehead employers have paid nearly $44,000 in fines, records show.


The attorney general fined the Marbl...

New developments to combat the heat in Chinatown creates new fears amongst residents – Boston University News Service

By Lea Tran 


Boston University News Service


Chinatown remains one of the top neighborhoods in Boston susceptible to climate change. Residents are wary of changes as Mayor Wu shares climate change initiatives as her reelection campaign continues.


Chinatown is the hottest neighborhood in Boston with the average daytime temperature in July rising to 105.5 degrees Fahrenheit, nearly 6 degrees hotter than the Boston average of 99.5 degrees, according to data from the Boston Heat Resilience P...

Recap: Nobel Prize 2025 winners – Boston University News Service

By Lea Tran


Boston University News Service


The announcements for the winners of Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, literature, medicine, economics and peace concluded on October 13. BUNS Reporter Lea Tran gives a brief recap of the winners and their achievements in each field.

By Lea Tran

Boston University News Service

The announcements for the winners of Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, literature, medicine, economics and peace concluded on October 13. BUNS Reporter Lea Tran gives...
mxdwn Music •

Jake E. Lee Says He Is Aiming To Play “The Ultimate Sin” At Black Sabbath’s Final Show Rather Than “Bark At The Moon” -

From Blabbermouth, guitarist Jake E. Lee shared his desire to play “The Ultimate Sin” at the final Black Sabbath show rather than the fan-picked “Bark At the Moon.” This would be at the “Back to The Beginning” charity show on July 5 in Birmingham, featuring the last time the original line-up of Black Sabbath will perform.

Lee said to Blabbermouth, “I know people are expecting ‘Bark At The Moon’, but I don’t know. Right now, with my wrist, the arthritis and everything, that would be very challen...
mxdwn Music •

Ho9909 Announce New Album Tomorrow We Escape For September 2025 Release, Shares New Single “Upside Down” -

Ho9909 release a new single, “Upside Down,” which will also be featured on their upcoming album Tomorrow We Escape. According to ConsequenceSound, the album will be released on September 9 and it will be a blend of the hip-hop, metal and punk genres. This hybrid sound is present in “Upside Down” with instrumentals from the metal and punk but the vocal pacing takes from the hip-hop and rap genre.

The music video is highly stylized, mixing scenes of nature and urban scenery. From a press release,...
mxdwn Music •

Raye Teams Up With Mark Ronson For Collaborative New Single “Suzanne” -

Raye’s new single with Mark Ronson, “Suzanne” is a jazzy, hopeless romantic tune that highlights both the strengths of each artist. Raye’s vocals are smooth and captivating as they sings about missing someone. matching well with the playful and strong elements of Ronson’s jazz instrumentals, including notable use of horns. The vocals are in tune with the drums and as the song progresses, there are more vocal layers added to make the sound even more heightened.

The music video is a stylized and...
mxdwn Music •

The Hu Unveil New Rendition Of “This Is Mongol (Warrior Souls)” Featuring Members Of Alice In Chains & Thousand Foot Krutch -

The Hu newest remix of their song “This Is Mongol”, features William Davis from Alice in Chains and Trevor McNevan under the alias Teerawk. The new version brings more layers to the song with more vocal elements that expand on the original song. The song still sounds the same with it’s familiar rock elements of the guitar and drums but just slightly changed with the new vocals.

The remix is featured on The Hu’s latest EP, Echos of Thunder, which features other new renditions of the band’s songs...
mxdwn Music •

Turnstile Invites Shabaka & Blood Orange Onstage For Collaborative Performances Of “Never Enough” & “Alien Love Call” -

At Turnstile’s performance at OutbreakFest in London, the artists brought out Shabaka for the song “Never Enough” and Blood Orange for “Alien Love Call.” Footage from the performance was posted on Twitter of Shabaka’s collaboration.

This is the first OutBreakFest hosted in London with Turnstile, Alex G and Danny Brown headlining.  Turnstile just released their newest album, Never Enough, which also came with a theatrical visual accompanying film that debuted at the New York Tribeca Film Festiva...
mxdwn Music •

Turnstile Share New Trailer For Forthcoming Film Turnstile: Never Enough, Announce Theatrical Release -

Turnstile’s new trailer for their upcoming film, “Turnstile: Never Enough” gives a glimpse to the visuals of the movie. The color palette of the trailer is warm and saturated giving the shots an uncanny vibe. There’s a repeating shot of an old school dial telephone with other clips of live performances and studio recordings also edited into the trailer.

The film will be a 14-song visual album and will premiere at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival on June 5. The album is said to highlight the ban...
mxdwn Music •

Daniel Avery Shares New Rendition Of The Cure’s “DRONE:NODRONE” From Forthcoming Mixes From A Lost World Album -

The Cure released Daniel Avery’s remix of their song, “DRONE:NODRONE” which is off of their upcoming remix album “Mixes of a Lost World”, the remix version of their “Songs of a Lost World.” Avery’s take on the song elevates the haunting structure of the song, enhancing the darker instrumentals and adding hints of techno beats. Avery’s additions give the song more dimensions with the new rhythm while sticking to the song’s overall dark vibe.

Avery is a part of the trio, Demise of Love. “Mixes of...
mxdwn Music •

Boys Noize, Keinemusik & Vinson Team Up For Collaborative New Track “Crazy For It” -

“Crazy For It” is the newest single from the collaborative minds of Boys Noize, Keinemusik and Vinson. It’s a melodic and hypnotic song that has hints of house-inspired beats. The introduction is mysterious with breathy vocals and an inviting drumbeat. The vocals become more intense as the song progresses, along with the tempo. Keinemusik recently performed at the 2025 Coachella, inviting Vinson to perform “Crazy For It” live.

The lyric “If you want it, you gotta go crazy for it”, is repeated t...
mxdwn Music •

Kaytranada Teams Up With Justine Skye For Collaborative New Single “Oh LaLa” -

Justine Skye’s new single, “Oh LaLa”, is a fun dance song that incorporates Kaytranada’s signature rhythmic beats. The song is an ode to club and dance culture, with Skye inviting the listener to join her in the dance. Skye’s voice carries to the hypnotic melody with the dance beat. The accompanying music video depicts the sweaty and sexy vibes of the dance floor with shots of people dancing, touching and overall having a good time. Kaytranada is featured behind the booth.

“‘Oh Lala’ is the fir...
mxdwn Music •

Pusha T & No Malice Join Forces On First New Clipse Single In 16 Years “Ace Trumpets” -

Pusha T and No Malice’s new single, “Ace Trumpets,” is a mellow rap song that is Clipse’s first single in 16 years. The song has a very slow and laid-back tempo, with the instrumentals carried by a strong drumbeat and a hint of guitar or strings. Both rappers’ flows are slower and rhythmic, allowing the listener to hear all the lyrics. The duo also announced their latest album, “Let God Sort Em Out,” which is produced by longtime collaborator Pharrell Williams, according to stereogum.com.

“Ace...
mxdwn Music •

I Prevail Unveil Dynamic New Single & Video “Violent Nature” -

I Prevail’s new single, “Violent Nature”, is released alongside an electric music video. The song is very aggressive both instrumentally and vocally, which is the heavy metal sound that I Prevail is known for. The music video showcases a science fiction landscape with intertwined clips of a storyline and the band performing.

The setting for the music video resembles an abandoned electric field or plant with electricity sparking in the back as the band is playing. The storyline that is shown thr...
mxdwn Music •

Chris Stapleton Shares Soulful New Single “Bad As I Used To Be” -

Chris Stapleton’s new single, “Bad As I Used To Be,” is a soulful rock song that sets the vibe for the upcoming Formula One movie titled F1. The song tells the story of someone returning with just the same amount of fire and passion as they once had, which reflects the plot of the movie. The instrumentals are a blend of soul, folk, country and rock that give the song a slight edge,e pairing well with Stapleton’s vocals.

The F1 soundtrack will also feature new music from Doja Cat, Rose, Dom Doll...
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