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

1.

Planned Parenthood bought a large facility near USC, but it’s not clear what it’ll use the property for. Marketing materials note that about a third of the 73,600-square-foot industrial facility is office space, and the reproductive healthcare provider said only that its LA branch “is expanding its footprint and our headquarters as we prepare for the future.” The $37.9 million property sits a few blocks from campus, just east of the 110 Highway.  

Greg Cornfield / Commercial Observer

2.

USC President Carol Folt blamed financial aid, higher wages, mental health programs and the school’s free Lyft service for this year’s $3,294 tuition hike. And when asked why the university walked back its controversial decision to cut a scholarship called the Academic Achievement Award, Folt said in the same interview that she “sat down and took a breath” before recognizing that the award was “one of the more important programs.” I could think of a few things that might’ve helped prompt that deep breath.

Staff / Annenberg Media

3.

A woman gave birth on the sidewalk just two blocks south of USC late Monday night, apparently after her water unexpectedly broke. Firefighters arrived on the scene to help the woman deliver her baby and cut the umbilical cord, and footage showed them later handing the newborn to its mother swaddled in a towel. Officials said the mother and child were taken to the hospital but didn’t know their status. The woman hasn’t been publicly identified.

Andrew J. Campa / Los Angeles Times

4.

Nicole Shanahan, a Silicon Valley lawyer, will serve as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate in his long-shot bid for the White House. Shanahan previously founded a firm that helped patent owners manage their intellectual property, and was formerly married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The 38-year-old political newcomer is expected to boost the ticket’s appeal among young voters, with the added advantage of a large personal fortune: Shanahan has already contributed more than $4.5 million to Kennedy’s effort.

Rebecca Davis O’Brien / The New York Times

5.

In 1992, a journalist went undercover in a San Francisco high school. Shann Nix — a 26-year-old reporter known for her gonzo, undercover stories — was looking to chronicle the effects of steep budget cuts in the city’s school district. So she devised a backstory, donned a costume and went undercover at George Washington High School for a full month. Indeed, she exposed just how dire the situation was in the budget-strapped classrooms. But students were pissed when she revealed the ruse. “That’s fair,” Nix said. “I would feel the same way.”

Peter Hartlaub / San Francisco Chronicle