Morning Briefing: It’s Going To Be Very, Very Hot This Weekend

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Ready your ice buckets; the heat is descending on SoCal this weekend. And so has a statewide power emergency, at least for about 2 1/2 hours Friday night.

The areas facing the highest projected temps are the Antelope Valley, which could get up to 112 degrees, and the Inland Valleys, which may see highs of 110 degrees. Experts are saying the heat could last through Wednesday.

But there are creative ways to stay cool, regardless of your living situation: put lotions in the fridge before slathering them on, build a tower of ice cubes in front of your fan, freeze wet paper towels and put them on your wrists – you get the idea.

Some cooling centers will also open up over the next few days.

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

— Jessica P. Ogilvie

Coming Up Today, August 15

With authorities putting the fire risk in Southern California at “extreme,” we will be keeping an eye on the fire situation this weekend.

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The Past 24 Hours In LA

Power Emergency: 2020 is definitely not letting up. State power officials last night declared a Stage 3 Electrical Emergency in California. Yes, that means rolling blackouts might happen. No, it hasn't happened since 2001 when the state was in an electricity crisis (who remembers Enron?). The emergency lasted about 2 1/2 hours before officials said they'd stabilized the grid.

Our infrastructure reporter Sharon McNary explains what's going on and what you can do to help:
It’s Hot: It's going to be a very hot weekend, but there are some options for cooling off. Here are some tips to protect against heat-related illnesses, along with advice from health officials, updated local resources, and DIY suggestions from formerly warm people.

Wildfires: Fire crews are in the third day of battling the Lake Fire, which has burned over 11,600 acres in the Angeles National Forest. A brush fire near Azusa, now dubbed the Ranch 2 Fire, has spread to more than 2,500 acres at last count.

Coronavirus Updates: California is seeing a decline in COVID-19-related hospitalizations and a 6.2% average positivity rate, which Gov. Gavin Newsom called a good sign.

Shaping The Conversation: Take a deeper dive into the life of Hee Sook Lee and the impact of the BCD Tofu House chain, which she founded. A struggle is playing out over who gets to shape a new school of ethnic studies and a forthcoming university requirement at Cal State L.A.

First Person: For one Argentine girl, assimilation as an immigrant to the U.S. meant a new friend, tastes of home and a whole lot of Harry Potter. A visit to the dentist for a costly emergency prompts columnist Erick Galindo to look into access to dental care for working class communities of color, and he learns it’s not great.

Weekend Reads

There's a lot going on in the world right now, and it’s hard enough to keep up with our day-to-day lives without also trying to stay current on the news. But if you have some time this weekend, these articles provide some much-needed insight into the current moment in L.A., as well as some news you may have missed:

Semaj Miller, a 14-year-old basketball prodigy, was shot to death in South L.A. at the end of July. Many in his community attribute his death to the ongoing pandemic, which has forced the closure of youth programs in the area. (The 562)

In this excerpt from Katie Hill’s new memoir, the former Congresswoman discusses her abusive ex-husband, the sexual violence that forced her to resign her seat, and more. (LA Mag)

L.A. County will pay $8 million to the family of Darren Burley, a Black man who died in 2012 after Sheriff’s deputies beat him with a flashlight, tased him, and kneeled on his back and neck. (LA Watts Times)

The Melrose Ave. we all know and love may soon look very different. (Urbanize L.A.)

Chanchanit Martorell has spent 14 years shepherding the Thai Town Marketplace, a food hall intended to kickstart low-income chefs and first-time entrepreneurs, into being. It may finally be happening. (The LAnd)

This couple recently opened the first CBD shop in Boyle Heights, inspired by their families’ histories as well as the history of the area. (LA Taco)

For one Mt. Washington mom, giving birth during the coronavirus took her on a journey from “soul-wrenching and heartbreaking” to “elated [and] exhausted.” (The Eastsider)

Photo Of The Day

Matt Tinoco, who covers homelessness for our newsroom, shot this photo last night. As he said on Twitter: “Ha ha nope.”

(Matt Tinoco/LAist)

Help Us Cover Your Community

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The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft, and check LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This post has been updated to reflect changes in what's coming up for today.

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