Good morning, Central Coast. Today we honor Martin Luther King Jr. through events and ceremonies in our communities. Here are some of the top stories from Daybreak:
- Events for MLK Day: Communities across the Central Coast are celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day with multiple events. Santa Barbara will host a Unity March and a keynote speech by Leah Webber, while Paso Robles will hold a community celebration at Downtown City Park.
- Tips to stay safe on our roads: Goleta is preparing for its fourth annual E-Bike Safety Week with safety outreach activities at local schools. The events include an e-bike skills and group ride this Saturday at Goleta Valley Junior High.
- Price hike: The average cost of a new car has reached a record high of about $50,000, with no new models priced under $20,000. Tariffs have increased import costs, hurting low-cost vehicle options, while luxury car sales continue to grow.
Court documents reveal that law enforcement seized numerous electronic devices, including cameras, tablets, a desktop computer, and a cell phone, during the first search of Ashlee Buzzard’s Vandenberg Village home the day after her 9-year-old daughter Melodee was reported missing. The defense has filed a motion to unseal the warrants used in that search to ensure Buzzard’s right to a fair hearing. Buzzard has since been arrested and charged in connection with her daughter’s death, and the investigation has included multiple additional search warrants.
Cal Poly’s Vista Grande Dining Complex has launched Balance Cafe, a new dining option that offers meals free from the top nine allergens to better serve students with allergies or dietary restrictions. Meals are prepared in a completely separate kitchen space with dedicated equipment and staff training to prevent cross-contamination. The goal is to provide safe, inclusive dining that gives students with allergies a similar experience to their peers.
California’s Privacy Protection Agency has rolled out the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP), which allows residents to submit one request to delete their personal information from more than 500 data brokers at once. The brokers collect and sell personal data like Social Security numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers, and under the program must begin processing deletion requests by August or face fines. Some local residents expressed mixed feelings about participating in the program due to concerns about data collection.
