Latest news with #Fiore
Boston Globe
27-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
From busboy to beverage director: Meet Jose Luis Betancur
I like to be a mentor, showing everything I've been learning through the years from other people, giving that to others — trying to find a way to make people happy. Advertisement How did you get into this industry? When I came to the US, I was always attached to restaurants. I was doing valet parking in a French restaurant in the South End, Petit Robert. My first day as a busser was Mother's Day. I'll always remember it. It was brunch. I was working solo, and I was dropping things because I was so anxious and nervous and busy. I just needed a little break. I went downstairs to rest a little bit. Advertisement Jacky told me, 'We don't rest. We need to go back to work.' That told me: It's time to do things. It's time to continue the work. I think that kind of gave me a path toward the structure of our industry, how much we want to take care of guests. We're tired, but we need to take care of them. I started moving into many other different restaurants in the city, on Newbury Street and the Park Plaza area. I worked at Via Matta; I worked in the North End as a busser at Fiore. That was a busy place, very Italian-driven, very hard-core. It was an interesting vibe; it was awesome, the fast pace. I was working with a lot of professional servers back in the day, all these Italian servers. It was awesome learning from them, learning how they do service. How did you get into wine? I always loved being in this industry. My father was a chef in Chile. I feel like I've always had that type of foodie mentality. I got married in Boston, and then we moved to New York; [my wife] got into school in New York. I said: I need to get a job. I saved one on my browser, I applied, I had a second interview, and I started working for TAO. I wanted to make a little bit more money as well. Since I was in New York, things were a bit more complicated. I asked my beverage director, 'Can I do something else?' Advertisement They said to come early in the morning and organize all the wine, liquor, and beer deliveries. So that's what I did. I started looking at the vintages of the wines, and it was fascinating, I said: 'I want to learn more about wine. Can you teach me?' I was told that the world of wine is very complicated. They said, 'I can teach you, but I highly recommend you take classes.' I found a program at the Sommelier Society of America in New York. It was a six-month program, and then from there, pretty much, I just took off. I applied to a place in Midtown from the Patina Group. Since I was a new guy, I was getting the worst section. In order for me to make money every day, I was just talking about wine pairings and making people happy. I was able to develop this and make a daily living. My wine director said, 'I like the way you talk about wine. It's awesome. Continue to do that.' I became a certified sommelier. My wife and I came back to Boston, and then I started working at Bel Ari, a very small place. I applied to Harvest, but then Joe Bastianich was opening Babbo. What was Babbo like? I was the sommelier. I learned everything Italian, rustic, peasant food. We had a lot of natural wine, a lot of small family producers. For me, it was very challenging to recommend to our guests. I was always used to classic French varietals. It was a constant study. My palate was developing more earthy, savory nuances. Advertisement What were your first impressions of Boston when you moved here? This was probably 15 years ago. My first impression was that it was very clean, beautiful. I do remember my first look at the city, walking out of South Station and then going up to Summer Street. Back then, there was Macy's. It had all these beautiful American flags. It was a little bit past December, so there were still holiday decorations out. There were all these beautiful flags, 50 of them, and Filene's was still there. It was very elegant, the architecture. I took some pictures right away of those buildings. Another thing that grabbed my attention was the newspaper boxes and mail boxes on the street — they were colorful, flashy colors. Where do you eat when you're not working? We try to do Mexican food. I live in Manchester, N.H. There's [a restaurant] called I went to What's your favorite wine? Wow, that's a very difficult question: Val delle Corti, Chianti Classico 2010 and 2010 Azienda Agricola Pugnane 'Villero' Barolo. How do you not get a hangover? Wine gives me a horrible hangover. Maybe I'm just old. I was always told: It's a glass of wine and two glasses of water. What do you snack on at home? That's difficult. I mean, chocolate's always great. Lately, I've been doing a little Hershey's, and Lake Champlain milk and dark chocolate. Advertisement Last but not least: What food won't you eat? Anything that's aggressively spicy. I just want a little touch of spiciness. Interview was edited for clarity. Kara Baskin can be reached at
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Fake case': Michele Fiore responds to Trump pardon
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Suspended Nye County Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore, the one-time state legislator and controversial Las Vegas city councilwoman, told the 8 News Now Investigators on Friday that President Donald Trump pardoned a federal jury's guilty verdict on wire fraud charges because it was a 'fake case.' In October 2024, a jury convicted Fiore, suspended in July 2024 from her position as justice court judge in Nye County, after deliberating for two hours. The panel convicted her on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud for taking money meant for fallen police officers' memorials and spending it on herself. Fiore denies she was convicted, technically speaking, and maintains she was never sentenced and the court never entered a judgment of conviction. In her first televised comments since the Presidential pardon, Fiore, in an impromptu on-camera conversation outside of an AM radio station where she completed an hour-long interview, denied stealing charitable donations to pay for her daughter's wedding. But federal prosecutors convinced a jury she did just that, with money she said she was raising for the officers' statues. 'It was a fake case, and the government knew it,' Fiore told the 8 News Now Investigators on Friday. Fiore then got behind the wheel of her pick-up truck and closed the door, ending the interview. But her conversation with well-known Las Vegas political consultant Tom Letizia, broadcast Friday morning, allowed Fiore to tell some of her story. Fiore has long criticized the media for its handling of her federal trial and its aftermath as unfair and inaccurate. Explaining her reaction to Trump's pardon, Fiore told Letizia she cried for 40 minutes. 'I just started crying because, you know, knowing what I was going through. No 1, for some reason, people think I have President Donald J. Trump on speed dial. I do not.' The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, which suspended Fiore with pay when she was indicted on the federal wire fraud charges, revoked her pay after her conviction. Earlier this week, in a written filing, it reinstated her pay but upheld her suspension. 'I don't know what happened behind the scenes with the judicial commission, but I do know that they are dragging their feet,' Fiore said on Letizia's radio show, 'The Middle Ground.' 'And they do know that what's happening right now is not right or ethical or legal. It's an abuse of their authority.' In its decision, the commission said the allegations against Fiore present 'a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and to the administration of justice.' On Thursday, Fiore appealed that decision to the Nevada Supreme Court. First elected as a Republican Nevada assemblywoman in 2012, Fiore later served as Las Vegas mayor pro tem and unsuccessfully ran for governor and treasurer as a Republican. Nye County Commissioners appointed her to her judgeship in late 2022. Last June, before her indictment, voters re-elected Fiore, who is not an attorney, to that position. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michele Fiore to appeal judicial suspension to Nevada Supreme Court
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Pahrump judge and former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore is asking Nevada's high court to rescind her suspension from the bench. Fiore filed a notice of appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday. The Commission on Judicial Discipline suspended Fiore from judicial office with pay in an order filed Monday. The suspension was pending a final decision. Last month, President Donald Trump pardoned Fiore, a Nye County Justice of the Peace, after a jury convicted her of taking money meant for fallen police officers' memorials and spending it on herself. The jury deliberated for two hours, convicting her in federal court on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud. Following Fiore's federal indictment last July, the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline suspended her from office with pay amid the proceedings. The commission later suspended her without pay after her conviction. The commission held a hearing on Friday, May 9, following the pardon to discuss its next steps. In an order filed Monday, the commission kept Fiore suspended pending a final review, citing the allegations against Fiore as 'a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and to the administration of justice.' Fiore will be suspended this time with pay. The order notes that the commission 'has received additional complaints against Fiore' since the pardon. There was no indication in the document filed Monday when the commission could complete its investigation. 'When does this end?' Paola Armeni, Fiore's attorney, said during the May 9 hearing. Armeni added the commission only has jurisdiction over a judge's actions as a sitting judge. 'The commission can no longer issue, rescind, and reinstate based on this conviction, based on the pardon,' Armeni said. 'There is nothing before this commission about her conduct as a judge, nothing.' Trump pardoned Fiore on April 23. First elected as a Republican Nevada assemblywoman in 2012, Fiore later served as Las Vegas mayor pro tem and unsuccessfully ran for governor and treasurer as a Republican. Nye County Commissioners appointed her to her judgeship in late 2022. Last June, before her indictment, voters re-elected Fiore, who is not an attorney, to that position. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tariffs push manufacturing into stagnation through 2025: ISM forecast
This story was originally published on Manufacturing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Manufacturing Dive newsletter. Manufacturing revenue will remain relatively flat through the end of the year, according to an economic forecast out last week from the Institute for Supply Management. Revenue for the year is slated to grow by only 0.1%, as tariffs drive up prices and spread uncertainty. The outlook is a significant drop from ISM's annual forecast for 4.2% growth shared in December, and lower than the 0.8% growth seen last year. Raw material prices are set to skyrocket 7.5% this year, according to the forecast, driven up in large part by the Trump administration's tariffs. "We've gone into another liquidity year, rather than a productivity year, all driven by tariffs," said Timothy Fiore, former chair of the ISM's manufacturing business survey committee. The outlook stands in contrast to the optimism seen for the industry at the start of the year, when ISM's Purchasing Managers' Index, a key indicator of economic health, reentered growth mode for the first time in more than two years. Since then, however, the industry has been on a downward slide. Industry confidence and consumer demand have both fallen amid the Trump administration's tariff policies, leading manufacturers to pull back on production. Tariffs dominated survey respondents' concerns for both the April ISM PMI and the forecast survey, as manufacturers remain preoccupied with the policies' impact on metrics like production and export orders. "When we started the year, we thought the second half would be better than the first. That's not what we're seeing here, because we're seeing continual price inflation through the second half of the year," Fiore said. "I don't see this as a good manufacturing year at all." The higher costs are pushing manufacturers to pull back on spending – ISM survey respondents expect capital expenditures to drop 1.3% this year, down from a December 2024 projection of a 5.2% increase. Other industry analysts are also highlighting the stalled growth caused by the tariffs. During a webinar hosted by analysis firm Omdia on Monday, senior research manager Joanne Goh said the levies are causing many companies to hit pause on new investment. The result has been a delay on an industry bounceback. "When tariffs hit, everything got delayed. The earliest recovery we are expecting is 2026," Goh said. Manufacturers have yet to initiate widespread layoffs, with employment expected to remain relatively stable, with only a 0.1% dip. Fiore, however, is less optimistic, saying he believes there could be more job losses later in the year as manufacturers feel the squeeze of lower demand and higher input prices. "In a liquidity year, employment is going to drop," he said. "The only way to work through this is by passing prices through or improving productivity, and it's really hard to improve that in a contracting environment." In ISM's forecast survey, respondents reported that their companies were operating, on average, at 79.2% of normal capacity. That operating capacity is 3.1 percentage points lower than the capacity reported in December. Eight of 18 manufacturing sectors are expected to see revenue growth this year: primary metals; miscellaneous manufacturing; computer and electronic products; chemical products; electrical equipment, appliances and components; printing and related support activities; food, beverage and tobacco products; and transportation equipment. As for how manufacturers should approach the latter half of the year, Fiore advised manufacturers to do what they can to weather the current storm. "Control what you can, protect your customers, protect your basic business, and wait for the grow-out," Fiore said. "Hunker down for 2025 and get ready for 2026.' Disclosure: Informa, which owns a controlling stake in Informa TechTarget, the publisher behind Manufacturing Dive, is also invested in Omdia. Informa has no influence over Manufacturing Dive's coverage. Recommended Reading 'We're headed in the wrong direction': Tariffs drive up prices, hurt output: PMI Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michele Fiore suspended from Nye County bench with pay following Trump pardon
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Pahrump judge and former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore will remain suspended from the bench after receiving a presidential pardon, for now. Last month, President Donald Trump pardoned Fiore, a Nye County Justice of the Peace, after a jury convicted her of taking money meant for fallen police officers' memorials and spending it on herself. The jury deliberated for two hours, convicting her in federal court on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud. Following Fiore's federal indictment last July, the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline suspended her from office with pay amid the proceedings. The commission later suspended her without pay after her conviction. The commission held a hearing on Friday, May 9, following the pardon to discuss its next steps. In an order filed Monday, the commission kept Fiore suspended pending a final review, citing the allegations against Fiore as 'a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and to the administration of justice.' Fiore will be suspended this time with pay. The order notes the commission 'has received additional complaints against [Fiore]' since the pardon. There was no indication in the document filed Monday when the commission could complete its investigation. 'When does this end?' Paola Armeni, Fiore's attorney, said during the May 9 hearing. Armeni added the commission only has jurisdiction over a judge's actions as a sitting judge. 'The commission can no longer issue, rescind, and reinstate based on this conviction, based on the pardon,' Armeni said. 'There is nothing before this commission about her conduct as a judge, nothing.' Trump pardoned Fiore on April 23. First elected as a Republican Nevada assemblywoman in 2012, Fiore later served as Las Vegas mayor pro tem and unsuccessfully ran for governor and treasurer as a Republican. Nye County Commissioners appointed her to her judgeship in late 2022. Last June, before her indictment, voters re-elected Fiore, who is not an attorney, to that position. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
