Here are the top stories from Daybreak this morning:
- Tree trimming demand surges: Local tree trimming companies are busier than ever due to recent rain. Catalyst Tree Service owner Seth Wilkie says they've been called to remove dead trees that could pose dangers in windy, wet conditions. Certified arborist Sean Whitlock urges homeowners to check the structure of their trees and call for help sooner rather than later.
- Santa Maria man sentenced for co-worker’s death: Andrew Frederick Rodriguez of Santa Maria has been sentenced to eight years in prison for killing his co-worker, Jonathan Campbell Perez, in Pismo Beach last year. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. The sentence was doubled due to a prior strike conviction.
- Season of Hope update: We're collecting non-perishable food and new, unwrapped toys for families in need this holiday season. Today, meteorologist Vivian Rennie will be live at Five Cities Fire on Traffic Way, stop by to say hi and donate.
Four people, three undocumented Mexican workers and one U.S. citizen, were arrested in a Santa Maria ICE raid tied to a visa fraud investigation. ICE alleges a labor recruiter named Jorge Vasquez charged illegal fees (up to $8,000) for H-2A work visas, deducted from the workers’ pay, and threatened them with violence or deportation if they complained. The operation caused panic in the neighborhood: federal agents used flash-bangs to disperse a crowd that had gathered in protest, and some bystanders say ICE took personal items like laptops and cell phones.
The U.S. Treasury has officially ended the production of the penny, ending a 230-year run, though the coin still remains in circulation. Locals in San Luis Obispo generally support the change: many say pennies are no longer useful, especially as more people pay digitally. Business owners say very few transactions are cash-based now, and some worry this move is another step toward a cashless society, noting that when small change is needed, they’ll just round to the nearest nickel.
