Latest news with #Stallworth
San Francisco Chronicle
11-08-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Operator of $700-per-month sleeping pods in downtown S.F. faces eviction
In San Francisco, where the average apartment rent is about $3,000 per month and millions of square feet of commercial space sit unused after the pandemic, James Stallworth saw an opportunity. Through his startup, Brownstone Shared Housing, Stallworth leased a small former bank building at 12 Mint Plaza in 2023 and converted it into dormitory-like sleeping pods, which he leased out for just $700 per month. The work to remove the bank's abandoned furniture and install the pods, each large enough to fit a twin mattress, was done without city permits. Like any eager market disruptor, the bright-eyed entrepreneur figured it paid to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. He was right — sort of. Despite emerging victorious from a nearly year-long standoff with city officials over the legality of the conversion and managing to skirt hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees once associated with the project, Brownstone is now on the verge of closing its sleeping pods at Mint Plaza for good, seemingly after failing to reach profitability. Last week, Brownstone's landlord — the Prime Company, a Kansas-based real estate developer— filed an eviction lawsuit accusing the startup of owing more than $150,000 in rent payments. The alleged debt is equal to about a year's worth of unpaid rent, according to court records, which show that Brownstone signed a year-long lease with its landlord in May 2023 and operated on a month-to-month agreement for some time following the contract's expiration. Prime Company could not be reached for comment. Stallworth, on the other hand, said he was blindsided by the news of the lawsuit. 'I wasn't aware of the unlawful detainer lawsuit until I was notified by the Chronicle. Brownstone will respond to the lawsuit, but what is clear is that the landlord wants to move on with the building empty going forward,' he said in an email on Monday. Stallworth confirmed that Brownstone currently offers 26 sleeping pods at 12 Mint Plaza, of which he said a majority are occupied. He declined to comment on whether all of Brownstone's current tenants are actively paying rent. The eviction lawsuit comes months after Stallworth and his landlord switched to a new lease contract that pivoted away from requiring the startup to make monthly rental payments, switching instead to a 'revenue sharing' model. Per the contract, which was viewed by the Chronicle, the landlord would receive 80% of all profits generated from the sleeping pods. It also stated that Brownstone was required to provide a financial report and future revenue projections on April 1 — and that the landlord retained the right to terminate the agreement if 'unsatisfied' with Brownstone's performance. The new lease was signed 'with the understanding that the landlord and Brownstone could mutually decide to end the agreement in the event the city indefinitely impaired our ability to operate again,' Stallworth said. The plan was always to house 30 people at 12 Mint Plaza. But, the city began investigating Brownstone's operations after a tenant of the building made the unconventional sleeping arrangement public on social media. The tenant's post went viral before the company could apply for a formal change of use of the commercial building with the city's Planning Department, Stallworth revealed in a blog post last year. Despite launching what Stallworth described as 'costly code enforcement cases' against his startup, the city never shut down the sleeping pods' operations. But, it did limit Brownstone's ability to rent the pods to 'new people' for some time, capping the building's occupancy at 13 tenants. The Planning Department greenlighted the building's residential conversion in October, only to rescind the approval a month later, after ruling that the project didn't meet the city's affordable housing requirements and accusing Stallworth of misrepresenting certain details of the project. At that point, Stallworth faced over $300,000 affordable housing fees, payment of which the city required from all housing developers with projects of 10 or more units. Stallworth was offered a lifeline when legislation by former Mayor London Breed exempted downtown residential conversion projects like 12 Mint Plaza from paying the onerous fees. Brownstone's sleeping pods were approved to operate again, pending final permits from the Department of Building Inspection. But those permits were never pulled, public records show. Dan Sider, the Planning Department's Chief of Staff, said the lack of permits has caused Brownstone to accrue $69,000 in penalty charges with the department to date. 'They've finally gotten the approval from our office to do the thing that they want to do. But they need evidence that this is safe,' Sider said, referring to the building permit process, which he referred to as 'straightforward and objective.' 'Our priority right now is just to help Mr. Stallworth finish this process. We'd like him to take 'yes' for an answer,' Sider said, adding that Stallworth has the option to petition for a decrease in the fines, should he stop operating at 12 Mint Plaza or address the violation. Stallworth did not comment on the outstanding permit issue, but blamed the situation with the city for putting the company in financial arrear. 'We had a lot to recover from, due to incurred costs and deferred maintenance, during the months where we were barely pulling in enough to keep the place somewhat operational,' he told the Chronicle. 'We were optimistic that we could stabilize the place given a few more months, and communicated that with the landlord, so I was surprised to learn the landlord decided to file an unlawful detainer case.' Brownstone may be preparing to decamp from Mint Plaza, but Stallworth said that he is not done with downtown San Francisco. In fact, Stallworth said that he is currently in the 'final stages' of negotiating a lease for a new, larger location nearby, which could house 100 tenants. If the new lease is signed, Stallworth said the hope is to keep the Mint Plaza pods open long enough to transfer existing residents to the new location. And this time, Stallworth said he plans to work with the city, not against it. 'We learned a lot from doing things the wrong way at Mint Plaza,' he said. 'We are glad we stayed open though, because we have seen the benefits of rapidly creating housing from empty buildings downtown … to stop now just because we may have accrued some rental debt in the process would be a disservice to our residents and the city.'
Daily Record
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Last chance to watch award winning crime comedy with 'best actor out there' for free
Fans have just days to watch it before it's taken down BBC viewers have a limited time left to stream a highly-rated crime comedy film for free. BlacKkKlansman is currently accessible on the BBC iPlayer at no extra charge. However, it's set to be taken off the platform on July 8 as announced by the broadcaster. This means that, as of now, movie enthusiasts have less than a fortnight to take advantage of this opportunity. The film narrates the story of Ron Stallworth, an African-American detective who sets out to infiltrate his town's local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist hate group. The storyline is based on real events and the autobiography of the actual Ron Stallworth, a black police officer who managed to infiltrate a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. In the film, Stallworth is played by John David Washington, known for his roles in Tenet and The Creator and also being the son of Denzel Washington. Adam Driver portrays a fellow detective assisting Stallworth with his mission, while Topher Grace plays the role of David Duke, who was the grand master wizard of the Ku Klux Klan during that period, reports Birmingham Live. Despite its historical roots, some scenes are dramatised for impact and deviate from absolute accuracy. Nonetheless, director Spike Lee received accolades from both fans and critics for his handling of such a topic. When it first premiered in 2018, one critic described it as: "Lee's most purely entertaining film since Inside Man in 2006, BlacKkKlansman has a timeliness that taps into an imperative national conversation." Another critic agreed, noting: "Blackkklansman helps Spike Lee finally land in the Best Director field where he deserved a place years ago." Although the film did secure an Oscar for Lee, the recognition came in the Best Adapted Screenplay category rather than for directing. Reflecting on the impact of the film, one viewer observed: "An all time great movie on American history and its future. A terrific plot and acting I can't say much more then this. It is a must watch for anyone that likes films about the evils in the world. Not so much as a eye widener as much as a of a jaw dropper. Just fantastic". The central performances were also lauded by another viewer, who praised: "John David Washington is possibly the best actor out right now. His father has an aura that steals any scene and role, but John's range is phenomenal. He has the ability to make you forget who he is in the character, but love the character. He and Adam driver work so well together. Great movie." Further acclaim for the film came from another individual who commented: "BlacKkKlansman masterfully blends biting satire with powerful social commentary, delivering a gripping and thought-provoking narrative that is both entertaining and deeply resonant."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Utah cold case solved 40 years after 18-year-old woman's murder thanks to DNA sample, police say
A man who murdered an 18-year-old woman in Utah four decades ago has finally been identified, authorities said Thursday. Christine Gallegos was found dead on May 16, 1985, along Jefferson Street in Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake City Police Department said. She had been beaten, stabbed, sexually assaulted and shot to death near an area known then as Dirk's Field. Detectives were unable to find any leads despite years of investigative efforts and multiple rounds of forensic testing. The case went cold and remained so until 2023, when advances in DNA and genealogical testing connected the case to a man named Ricky Lee Stallworth. Stallworth was a 27-year-old airman stationed at Hill Air Force Base at the time of the Gallegos' murder, according to police. He died of natural causes in July 2023. Family Of Mom Murdered In Ritzy Dc Suburb Decades Ago Gets Justice As Perp Nobody Expected Pleads Guilty "We missed being able to talk to him and interview him just by a matter of months," Detective Cordon Parks said at a news conference on Thursday. "I wish we could have got to him before he died." Read On The Fox News App Stallworth was first named a likely suspect after the case was reexamined in 2023, with efforts focusing on identifying an unknown male DNA profile that had been previously entered into the Combined DNA Index System, a database of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence and missing persons. Othram Labs in The Woodlands, Texas, came up with the likely match after detectives sent evidence to the lab in late 2023 for advanced DNA analysis. One of Stallworth's family members then provided detectives with a voluntary DNA sample, which police said confirmed Stallworth as a match. Parks said an investigation into Stallworth revealed him to be "sort of a State Street stalker." "Even though he was married, he would tell his spouses that he was going out for the night," Parks said. "He'd leave late in the night, and he wouldn't come back until early, early the next morning." Detectives said a motive remains unclear and any potential relationship between Gallegos and Stallworth remains unanswered. Investigators have said it was "very obvious" that Gallegos struggled with the suspect before she was shot and stabbed. "She left a blood trail up to the gutter of Jefferson Street," Parks said. Detectives' True Crime Podcast Helps Dig Up Breakthrough In Case That Haunted Family: 'Drew Audible Gasp' Gallegos' mother, Leah, thanked investigators for "never giving up" on solving the case. "You never quit thinking about it. You never quit crying about it," Leah Gallegos said when reporters asked about her memories of her daughter. "I wonder about the kids that she would have…" she added. "She was outgoing, she was sweet ... they took so much away when they took her away." Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Steve O'Camb said he hoped that identifying the killer would bring the family closure. "Handcuffs, however, do not equal healing," O'Camb said. "The resolution of Christine's case is a prime example. We weren't able to arrest a suspect, but hopefully we achieved some measure of justice for her and the family and friends that loved her."Original article source: Utah cold case solved 40 years after 18-year-old woman's murder thanks to DNA sample, police say
New York Post
20-05-2025
- New York Post
Police name killer in cold case murder, rape of a Utah teenager that went unsolved for 40 years
A killer has finally been identified in the shocking rape and murder of a Utah teenager that baffled investigators for 40 years, according to police and reports. Christine Gallegos, 18, was last seen alive hitchhiking to downtown Salt Lake City on her way to work on May 15, 1985. Her body was discovered early the next morning by the driver of a passing car, according to reports from the Salt Lake Tribune at the time. 5 The murder of Christine Gallegos, 18, was solved 40 years later with the help of sophisticated DNA technology. Salt Lake City Police Dept Investigators arrived and found a grisly scene in the neighborhood now known as Ballpark. Gallegos had been beaten, raped, stabbed and shot twice in the head. She reportedly put up a fierce struggle against her attacker before she was killed, police said. 'She left a blood trail up to the gutter of Jefferson Street,' Detective Cordon Parks said at a press conference Thursday announcing that the cold case was solved. With the help of good old-fashioned detective work and cutting-edge genetic technology, police announced that the likely killer who evaded them for decades is Ricky Lee Stallworth — an Air Force vet who went on to marry five times and have three children before his death in 2023. 5 Police announced that Ricky Lee Stallworth, now dead, was the suspected killer of Christine Gallegos, whose lifeless body was discovered in a remote area 40 years ago. Aarons Mortuary Stallworth, 27 at the time of Gallegos' murder, was an airman at Hill Air Force Base in May 1985 when the teenage girl was killed. Before his death, Stallworth was reportedly known to police for his alleged interactions with prostitutes along State Street, the commercial strip that runs through downtown Salt Lake City, in the last two years of his life. During the press conference last week, Parks posthumously dubbed him a 'State Street stalker' for his late-night rendezvous. Even though he was married, Stallworth was known to leave his house at the dead of night and come back early in the morning, police said. He'd never tell his wife where he had been or what he had been doing, according to Parks. Stallworth, whose name never came up in the different rounds of investigations into the murder over the years, died of natural causes in July 2023, so investigators were never able to question him – a frustrating prospect for detectives. 'I wish we could have got to him before he died,' Parks said. 5 Christine Gallegos ' murder case remained unsolved for 40 years until DNA identified the killer. Salt Lake City Police Dept Investigators don't believe Stallworth and Gallegos knew each other before the murder. 'Handcuffs, however, do not equal healing,' said Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Steve O'Camb in a press release. 'The resolution of Christine's case is a prime example. We weren't able to arrest a suspect, but hopefully we achieved some measure of justice for her and the family and friends that loved her.' One of Stallworth's family members voluntarily provided a DNA sample to investigators that police say confirmed Stallworth was the killer. The DNA preserved from Gallegos' case was sent to one of the most powerful genetic sequencers in the world, Othram Labs, which found the match. 5 Police Chief Brian Redd at a press conference in Salt Lake City where he named Ricky Lee Stallworth as the suspected killer of Christine Gallegos, 18. Salt Lake City Police Dept Gallego's mother Leah said a day hasn't gone by since the teen's brutal killing that she hasn't thought of her daughter. 'I sure miss that girl every day,' she said at the press conference. Leah said that Christine was engaged to a man named Troy and that they had plans to have children together. 'I wonder about the kids she would have,' she said. 'I watch other people with their daughters, with their grandkids.' She said was grateful to the police for finally solving the case, but remained heartbroken about her loss. 'They took so much away when they took her away,' she said. 5 Leah Gallegos, mother of murder victim Christine Gallegos, said at a press conference that she thinks about her daughter every day. Salt Lake City Police Dept An obituary that appears to be for the suspected killer — which spells his first name as Rickie — described him as a loving family man and with an adventurous spirit. 'Rickie traveled the world during his very impressive and accomplished career in the United States Air Force,' it read. 'After retiring from the Air Force, Rickie started a career with HK Systems (now Dematic) and worked tirelessly until he had to retire for health reasons.' It states that he is survived by his wife, three children and a host of grandkids and other relatives. Cops also said Stallworth had four ex-wives during his lifetime. One of Stallworth's ex-wives challenged the police account and said that Gallegos' real killer remains 'out there somewhere.' 'He's dead,' the ex-wife, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Post. 'He never had a chance for a trial. We're going to fight this.' She said Stallworth was a loving, gentle husband and hard-working engineer. The ex-wife said she was married to Stallworth for 19 years and never once did he ever raise his voice or his hand to her. 'Not once. How do you go from that to killing someone?' she asked. 'You'd think there'd be something in 19 years, but no.' 'We just don't believe it,' she added.
15-05-2025
Cold case murder solved 40 years after Utah teenager killed after hitchhiking to work: Police
Police in Salt Lake City announced Thursday they have solved the cold case murder of Christine Gallegos, 40 years after the 18-year-old was found dead after trying to hitchhike to work. Gallegos was found dead on May 16, 1985, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department. She had been severely beaten, stabbed and shot twice in the head. Police believe that the person who picked her up the night before drove her to a remote area and sexually assaulted her, killing her after she tried to fight back. The case remained unsolved for decades. In 2023, the case was re-examined in an attempt to identify an unknown male DNA profile collected in the case. Detectives sent the evidence to Texas-based Othram Labs for advanced DNA analysis using investigative genetic genealogy, police said. That analysis identified a likely suspect, who was confirmed through a voluntary DNA sample from a family member to be Ricky Lee Stallworth, police said. Stallworth was a 27-year-old U.S. Air Force airman stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah, at the time of Gallegos' murder, police said. Police spoke with three of his four ex-wives and a friend before making contact with a child of his who provided a voluntary DNA sample that confirmed the match, according to retired Detective Cordon Parks. There is no indication that he and Gallegos knew each other, and Stallworth's name had never come up during the investigation, Parks said. Detectives were unable to interview Stallworth, who died from natural causes in July 2023, months before he was identified as a possible suspect, police said. "I wish we could have got to him before he died," Parks said during a press briefing on Thursday announcing the closure of the cold case. "Today, we can say with certainty that he was responsible for the death of Christine Gallegos," Parks continued. Stallworth was known to go out overnight and return in the morning "without explanation," Parks said. In the last two years of his life, police reports showed that he had been associated with prostitutes, Parks said. One of his ex-wives was "not surprised that we would be collecting his DNA" in a murder investigation, Parks said. Gallegos' mother, Leah Gallegos, remembered her daughter as "outgoing" and "sweet." "She was in love with her fiancé, Troy," Leah Gallegos said during the press briefing. "They had a family planned." "I just know that I sure miss this girl every day. I wonder about the kids that she would have, and I watch other people with their daughters, their grandkids," she said. "They took so much away when they took her away." Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd credited the "determination of our homicide detectives" and the advances in forensic technology in allowing them to solve the case.
