Latest news with #Tocco
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Five of six potential candidates meet signature requirements for Senate District 4 special election
A campaign sign in a North Providence front yard supports Stefano Famiglietti in the race to fill the vacant Rhode Island Senate District 4 seat. Famiglietti has the endorsement of the district Democratic committee. (Photo by Janine Weisman/Rhode Island Current) Four Democrats and one Republican are still in the running to fill the open Rhode Island Senate District 4 seat, having met the signature requirements ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline, according to the Rhode Island Secretary of State website. A potential sixth contender, and the only independent candidate for the race, Stephen Tocco, withdrew his declaration of candidacy on Monday, Faith Chybowski, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State, confirmed in an email. Tocco, a retired chief of Rhode Island Capitol Police and former Smithfield Town Council member, said he decided to withdraw after seeing the number and quality of other candidates. 'I figured, why become a spoiler and hurt one of the two candidates in the general election,' Tocco said in an interview Tuesday. 'I might have gotten 6-10% and that could have hurt either candidate. I didn't want to do that. We need good people out there in the public arena. The seat spanning parts of North Providence and Providence became vacant after the death of Senate President Dominick Ruggerio on April 21. Ruggerio, a Democrat, had held the seat since 1984. The four Democratic candidates seeking the seat will compete in a primary election on July 8. Candidate Stefano Famiglietti, a North Providence City Councilor, will appear first on the ballot, having secured the endorsement of the Senate District 4 Democratic Committee. The Secretary of State's Elections Division will hold a lottery Wednesday to determine the order in which the remaining candidates will appear on the primary ballot. They are Lenny Cioe, a registered nurse; former state Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell; and Manny Taveras, brother of former Providence Mayor Angel Taveras. The lottery will also decide the order of the Republican or Democratic Party candidates on the general election ballot. As the only Republican candidate, Alexander Asermely, a lawyer, automatically advances to the Aug. 5 general special election. The winner of the election will serve the rest of Ruggerio's two-year term, through 2026. State lawmakers are paid $19,817 a year. The registration deadline for the July primary was Sunday, July 8. Registered voters have until June 17 to apply for a mail ballot. Early voting runs from June 18 to July 7. More information for candidates and voters is available online. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas City beer businesses say there's ‘a big concern' over Trump's tariffs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The worldwide business market is in a wait-and-see mode. On Friday morning, China responded to new U.S. tariffs with economic demands of their own. European countries were already banding together, pushing back against new tariffs introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump. Business leaders in the Kansas City metro are also feeling nervous about potential cost hikes. The beer business and those who buy beer at retail could feel the strain of these tariffs placed on imported goods. Andy Lock, father of Drew Lock and KC-area restaurateur, dies Managers at KC Bier Co., which built its brewery at W. 79th and Wornall Road eleven years ago, makes its popular beers in house, but ingredients often come from overseas. Steve Holle, founder and operating manager at KC Bier Co., said 40% of the brewery's beers are sold in cans, which are packaged in paper and cardboard at retail. Those goods, as well as German hops and malt, come from overseas and fall under tariff restrictions put in place by the Trump White House. 'I would say there's a big concern,' Holle said on Friday afternoon. Holle said he's waiting to talk with his suppliers about the cost of raw goods, and he hopes he doesn't need to raise prices for his consumers. 'I think having those ingredients is important to the brand and the type of beer we're making, so yes, I think it's a very big deal for us, and I don't think it's something we can readily change and not lose the brand identity we have,' Holle continued. Metro business analysts are watching the Dow Jones Industrial Average react to the tariffs with sudden drops this week. Dr. Tony Tocco, who teaches at Rockhurst University's Helzberg School of Management, believes the overall impact in the Kansas City metro may be low since there aren't many Fortune 500 companies still based here. 'I think this is going to be short-term. It's going to be short-term pain for long-term gain,' Dr. Tocco said. Things to do in Kansas City this weekend April 4-6 Dr. Tocco believes that if this goes on for long, a worldwide recession isn't out of the question, but he doesn't believe this trade war will last more than three months. 'My bet is this gets solved pretty damn quickly. I truly believe that. I really do believe that. I think there will be a lot of people coming in and negotiating, and there will be a settlement on both sides,' Dr. Tocco said. Holle is cautiously optimistic, but he seems to agree with the professor's optimistic outlook. Holle said he'll crack the books and look for ways to cut costs, but he doesn't believe beer prices will change for a few months, if they do at all. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
