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Jefferson Park restaurant duped feds out of $243K, landlord says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

A former restaurant owner in Jefferson Park has been accused by his one-time landlord of defrauding the federal government out of $243,000 in pandemic aid.Sarto’s was a highly regarded Italian restaurant at 2900 W. 25th Ave. from 2014 until its closure in October 2020. It was founded by Taylor Swallow, who had been a real estate consultant and lender before leaving the corporate world and opening the restaurant.Federal records show that in March 2021, five months after it closed, Sarto’s received a $243,297 loan through the Paycheck Protection Program — money that was supposed to be used to keep workers employed. The loan has not been repaid. The address that Sarto’s listed on its PPP loan application, 1766 W. 46th Ave., is a post office in Sunnyside.Jefferson Park LLC, which owns 2900 W. 25th Ave. and whose operating manager is businessman Ken Wolf, is still owed $98,000 in back rent from Sarto’s. The landlord says the PPP loan is just one example of Swallow’s schemes to enri...

Despite soaring mortgage rates, California home prices keep rising

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

Even with mortgage rates hovering around their 15-year highs, home prices in California edged higher for the fourth consecutive month in May, according to the latest data from the California Association of Realtors.The median single-family home price in the Golden State last month was $836,110, roughly $25,000 higher than in April and $100,000 over February, data shows.The San Francisco Bay Area ($1,300,000), Central Coast ($1,000,000) and Southern California ($800,000) continue to be the priciest, while the Far North region ($380,000) is the most affordable, CAR said.Home prices are still well below the all-time high recorded in May 2022 when the average California single-family home cost $893,200.Average Single-Family Home Prices in California RegionMay 2023April 2023May 2022Statewide$836,110$811,950$893,200Condo/Townhomes$635,000$634,000$675,000Los Angeles Metro$765,000$740,000$805,000Central Coast$1,000,000$1,020,000$995,000Central Valley$485,000$463,000$510,000Far North$380,000...

Newsom expected to give Hollywood studios major tax break

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

Hollywood productions have filmed behind the confides of Southern California, and other states have long offered studios major incentives to shoot away from the Golden State.As unions are striking or are preparing to strike, Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to give studios a major tax break to keep productions in the state, while also boosting set safety.Newsom is expected to sign legislation that will give major Hollywood studios a tax break they’ve been asking for. The legislation extends a tax credit for productions in California to the tune of $330 million, made available every years through 2030.Last summer, Newsom’s office released a statement in support of the tax extension, saying it will “help ensure California’s world-renowned entertainment industry continues to drive economic growth with good jobs and a diverse, inclusive workforce.”It’s something that the studios and striking writers agree on, said John August, a screenwriter and Writers Guild of America negotiating committ...

California tax preparer sentenced to six years in federal prison for filing thousands of false tax returns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

A tax preparer from the Inland Empire was sentenced to six years in federal prison for knowingly filing thousands of tax returns that caused the IRS to lose more than $3 million, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.Andrew Zepeda Hansack, 40, of Riverside, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson, who describes Hansack’s crimes as “one of the most serious offenses he has encountered while on the bench,” according to a news release. California lawyer to plead guilty in multi-million fraud scheme Hansack pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return on Feb.27. The judge presiding over the case imposed the statutory maximum sentence for each of the two counts.In addition to the six year prison sentence, Hansack has also been ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and about $3.3 million in restitution.Beginning in 2015, Hansack knowingly filed tax returns that included false itemized deductions for medical expens...

2-month-old girl, mother found safe after alleged kidnapping in Lancaster; suspect still outstanding

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

A 2-month-old girl and her mother have been found after they were allegedly kidnapped by their father and husband in Lancaster Sunday. The suspect has not been apprehended. Sabrina Sanchez, 31, and her baby daughter Itzel Sanchez had last seen around noon when they were said to be abducted by 25-year-old Efrain Sanchez-Jimenez, the husband of Sabrina and the father of Itzel, the California Highway Patrol tweeted. Efrain Sanchez-Jimenez (left), Sabrina Sanchez (center) and Itzel Sanchez are seen in this image provided by the California Highway Patrol.Sanchez-Jimenez, who is believed to be armed with a handgun, allegedly sexually assaulted a family member before the kidnapping, authorities said. Authorities said he had threatened to murder his wife and daughter.Authorities are searching for a silver Buick Lucerne with Colorado license plate number AUI-X94.Both were found safe by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said in an update ...

“As Much As I Love You” Features Sami Siteman’s Serene Ode to Affection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

Sami Siteman is a singer-songwriter from Agoura Hills, California. Her music, which can be accessed on all streaming platforms, showcases a fusion of pop, country, and singer-songwriter genres with meaningful lyrics and catchy melodies. Siteman’s music emanates her passion for songwriting.Sami’s inclination towards music began at a very young age, stemming mainly from often singing with her father, who also shares a deep appreciation for music; by 12, she started writing songs. She took piano lessons from 11 to 18 and taught herself to play the ukulele when she was 19. In the past six and a half years, Sami has been living her dream of being a musician, releasing two EPs, including “What I Should Have Done” and “All the Ways That This Could Go,” and many singles, for a total of 19 songs. She plans to release more pieces, her most recent being “Break It” (May 2023).Currently, she is geared up to demonstrate her talent with the release of her ...

Jennifer Lawrence Transcends Silly Setup in No Hard Feelings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

No Hard Feelings, starring a fearless Jennifer Lawrence, features a healthy budget, a unique location (Montauk, New York), discernible characters, a plotline in which said characters learn something about themselves, and it takes place on planet Earth. This is what theatrical films used to look like before we lost them to the malaise of streaming and the Marvel/DC takeover. But Gene Stupnitsky’s comedy is only sporadically funny and you wish he pushed the envelope a little further instead of being satisfied with a sluggish third act. Like hungry dogs in a kettle, the audience chews on every savory human moment, even if there isn’t enough meat on the bone.Lawrence, who also produced the Sony Pictures-backed vehicle, plays Maddie, an embittered bartender and Uber-driver who pours every cent she makes into the house her mother left her after she died. She could care less about cultivating a relationship with anyone, especially men, who she basically uses for libidinous purposes. She on...

Detached house sells for $1.7 million in Hayward

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

2703 Tribune Avenue – Google Street ViewA 3,581-square-foot house built in 2019 has changed hands. The spacious, recently built property located in the 2700 block of Tribune Avenue in Hayward was sold on May 24, 2023. The $1,740,000 purchase price works out to $486 per square foot. The property features five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a garage, and three parking spaces. The unit sits on a 6,824-square-foot lot.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:A 3,013-square-foot home on the 2600 block of Hillcrest Avenue in Hayward sold in May 2023, for $1,762,500, a price per square foot of $585. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Tribune Avenue, Hayward, in September 2022, a 2,450-square-foot home was sold for $1,585,000, a price per square foot of $647. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In September 2022, a 2,294-square-foot home on Mesa Drive in Hayward sold for $1,350,000, a price per square foot of $588. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. 

Photos: Modest 1,167-square-foot San Jose home sells for $1.6M

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

South Bay home sales are heating up as this modest 1,167-square-foot Willow Glen home sold for $1.6 million. That was more than $100,000 over the original asking price of $1,499,999.This modest 1,167-square-foot home sold for $1.6 million. (So Gold Marketing) The home features an open floor plan with a “warm & cozy living area.” It also boasts hardwood floors, recessed lighting and granite countertops. There is a large side yard for outdoor fun, and the property is not far from shops and restaurants.This modest 1,167-square-foot home sold for $1.6 million. (So Gold Marketing) This modest 1,167-square-foot home sold for $1.6 million. (So Gold Marketing) This modest 1,167-square-foot home sold for $1.6 million. (So Gold Marketing) Colin Clancy with KW Bay Area Estates was the listing agent.Related ArticlesReal Estate | Photos: Tahoe ski home seen on ‘The Kardashians,’ ‘Real Housewives’ listed for $19.8 million Real Estate...

‘You can grab me a million times and we will quickly get out’: San Francisco fentanyl dealer allegedly told arresting officer he doesn’t ‘give a f—‘

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — While city leaders, advocates, and police debate how to curb the practice of blatant drug dealing in the city’s downtown, one local man allegedly offered police his two cents on the issue as they were arresting him, again, on suspicion of distributing fentanyl.“You can grab me a million times and we will quickly get out,” 28-year-old Jackson Torres allegedly told a San Francisco policeman as he was being arrested March 26 for allegedly selling fentanyl on 7th Street. Torres added that he does not “give a f—” about the arrest.But for now at least, Torres is behind bars, where he faces two separate cases — one accusing him of selling fentanyl on March 26, when he was arrested in San Francisco, and another for violating his supervised release from a 2020 conviction for selling fentanyl in San Francisco. Prosecutors are now using that prior case, and his apparent lack of concern of future prosecutions, to argue that Torres ...