Morning Brief: Heat, Nursing Homes, And AMC Theaters

Good morning, L.A. It’s June 17.

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s very hot this week. Temperatures broke records, and some places in the state saw highs between 20-35 degrees hotter than average. The National Weather Service reports that temps could stay high all week, and this is likely a foreshadowing of what L.A.’s summer is going to be like.

With that said, we have something to be very grateful for: libraries are reopening. As of now, 42 branches of the L.A. Public Library are welcoming back visitors — and all facilities have air conditioning and no time limits (though masks are still required).

Joyce Cooper, interim director of branches at LAPL, said her colleagues have seen more customers because of the weather, and that they’re ready for even bigger numbers.

“We are preparing to host a lot of people in our branches this summer that need to escape the heat,” she said.

Meanwhile, unhoused Angelenos are facing a potential health hazard; with no shelter, overheating and dehydration during heat waves present significant dangers.

Mayra Lozano, who works with Water Drop L.A., oversees volunteers who distribute thousands of gallons of water to residents on Skid Row every week.

“This is a population that is already very vulnerable,” she said, “so heatwaves like the one that L.A. is going through can be very detrimental.”

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• The same government agencies that found homes connected to a nursing home chain were dirty, understaffed and provided deficient care are also their biggest source of revenue.
• We solicited your awkward, silly and tough-to-ask questions about race as part of Racism 101. Here, our panelist discusses if there’s such a thing as too much checking in on Black and Brown friends.
• Officers with the Bakersfield Police Department have broken 31 people’s bones in four years — and no one has been disciplined.
• DA George Gascón unveiled an outside team to review past fatal police shootings.

Before You Go ... Some Pacific Theaters Might Not Be Gone, After All

Pacific Theatres at The Grove (Photo by Prayitno via the Creative Commons)

The movie business loves comeback stories. And a surprising revival tale could literally be coming to a theater near you.

Pacific Theatres said in early April it was closing all of its screens for good. In recent days, however, some of its forsaken venues reappeared on ticketing sites ... under the name of AMC Theatres. (The fate of the Arclight theaters and the Cinerama Dome remain unclear.)