Swalwell Suspends California Governor Campaign Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Congressman Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor on Sunday after four women accused him of rape, sexual assault, and sexual misconduct — allegations he categorically denies. The San Francisco Chronicle published the first allegations Friday, triggering a cascade of withdrawals; all 21 of Swalwell’s House and Senate Democratic backers rescinded their support within 24 hours. “I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell wrote on X, while pledging to fight the “serious, false allegations.” Because he missed the state filing deadline to officially withdraw, his name will remain on the June 2 Democratic primary ballot.

Sources: Axios

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LAUSD Reaches Teacher and Admin Deals, But SEIU Strike Threat Hangs Over Schools

Los Angeles Unified School District and the United Teachers Los Angeles reached a tentative two-year agreement Sunday, averting the teachers’ portion of a threatened three-union strike set for Tuesday. The deal includes an 11.65 percent salary increase and raises starting teacher pay to $77,000 annually. Administrators’ union AALA reached a parallel agreement the same day. But SEIU Local 99 — representing roughly 30,000 custodians, food service workers, special education assistants, and bus drivers — remains at the table without a contract. UTLA has pledged a sympathy strike alongside SEIU members, meaning Tuesday school closures remain a real possibility if negotiations collapse overnight.

Sources: ABC7 Los Angeles

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Two Pedestrians Killed in North Hollywood After Suspected DUI Driver Strikes Group

Two pedestrians were killed early Sunday morning in North Hollywood when Vidal Cruz Jr., 32, of San Fernando Valley, allegedly drove his Acura into them at high speed on Colfax Avenue near Calvert Street at around 2:25 a.m. One victim, a man in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene; a woman in her 50s died later at a hospital. Cruz also struck several parked vehicles before stopping in a private driveway. Three people inside a nearby parked car escaped with minor injuries. Cruz was arrested and booked on two counts of murder, with bail set at $4 million.

Sources: ABC7 Los Angeles

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Four Shot at Rosemead Street Takeover, Including 17-Year-Old; All Stable

Four people were shot — including a 17-year-old — when gunfire erupted at an illegal street takeover at the intersection of Del Mar and Garvey avenues in Rosemead at around 2 a.m. Sunday. The other victims were a 19-year-old, a 21-year-old, and a 22-year-old. All four were transported to local hospitals and are listed in stable condition. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were investigating the incident and reviewing video evidence, with no arrests announced as of Sunday afternoon. Street takeovers have drawn increasing law enforcement attention across LA County in recent years as authorities seek to crack down on the dangerous gatherings.

Sources: CBS Los Angeles

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Britney Spears Voluntarily Enters Rehab Five Weeks After Ventura County DUI Arrest

Pop star Britney Spears voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation facility on Sunday, five weeks after her March DUI arrest in Ventura County. California Highway Patrol pulled Spears over for driving erratically at high speed on the freeway; she showed signs of impairment and was released the same morning. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is still deciding whether to file charges, with a court hearing set for May 4. A representative for Spears confirmed the rehab admission, describing it as a voluntary step toward recovery. The case has drawn widespread attention across the greater Los Angeles area where Spears has long maintained her primary residence.

Sources: Deadline Hollywood

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Sony Pictures Laying Off Hundreds in Hollywood as Studio Restructures Around Gaming and Streaming

Sony Pictures Entertainment is laying off hundreds of employees across its film, television, and corporate divisions as part of a strategic restructuring. CEO Ravi Ahuja described the cuts — targeting junior and middle management positions from a global workforce of more than 12,000 — as a pivot toward growth areas including anime, YouTube content, brand extensions, game shows, and video gaming. The layoffs are the latest sign of severe contraction in Hollywood: motion picture industry jobs have declined 30 percent over the past two years, while theater attendance has dropped 48 percent. Disney and Bad Robot announced cuts the same week.

Sources: Deadline Hollywood

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LA Pulse

Dodgers: Tonight vs. New York Mets — Mon Apr 13 at 7:10 PM PT, Dodger Stadium

Lakers: NBA Playoffs Game 1 vs. Houston Rockets — Sat Apr 18 at 5:30 PM PT, Crypto.com Arena  ·  Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves injury status TBD

Kings: Regular season ends Apr 16 — First-round playoffs vs. Colorado Avalanche begins Apr 18 (game times TBD)

Rams & Chargers: NFL off-season — season starts again in September.

Curated by JD  ·  samwise.agency