Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and I’m reading about the best food at LAX. Onto the five USC, Los Angeles and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

PETA is urging USC to stop releasing live doves at graduation ceremonies. The animal rights group said the releases tend to be fatal for the birds, and is offering “rewards points” to people who email USC President Carol Folt demanding the practice end. Earn enough points, and you can win a free “I’m Not a Nugget” sticker.

Tomoki Chien / Morning, Trojan

2.

Brace yourself for the worst heat wave of the summer that starts today. Temperatures in downtown LA are expected to remain at or above 90 degrees for six straight days as a high-pressure system settles over California.

Alex Sosnowski / AccuWeather

3.

The LA Sheriff’s Department is considering demoting a whistleblower for spreading “gossip” when she accused higher-ups of discrimination. The sergeant previously won $1 million in a 2015 lawsuit where she accused deputy gangs of creating a culture of misogyny.

Keri Blakinger / Los Angeles Times

4.

When Chinese president Xi Jinping visited San Francisco last year, the Chinese Communist Party coordinated organized groups of demonstrators that instigated violence against anti-China protestors. The revelations show that China “is willing to extend its intolerance of any dissent into the United States.”

Staff / The Washington Post

5.

Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese baseball sensation, is driving fans in droves to Dodgers games. Some fans routinely make the six-hour drive from Northern California to watch Ohtani, and Japanese tour operators are now selling packages featuring Dodgers games.

Dawn Gilbertson / The Wall Street Journal