Happy Friday! Check out the top stories from Daybreak this morning:
- Fire crews training in Arroyo Grande: San Luis Obispo County firefighters will be doing live fire training exercises in Arroyo Grande from Tuesday through Friday next week. People near Arroyo Grande High School may notice smoke, flames, and fire engine activity throughout the day, and crews are asking the public to avoid the area if they can.
- Teens losing sleep to late-night scrolling: A new study found that more than half of U.S. teens spend at least an hour on their phones overnight during school nights instead of sleeping. Experts say all that late-night scrolling, plus constant notifications, can seriously disrupt sleep, which is why pediatricians recommend setting healthy screen-time habits at home.
- Two arrested in Santa Barbara County child crime investigations: The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says 27-year-old Nathan Abruzzese of Ventura and 61-year-old Martin Luis Rojas were arrested in separate investigations involving alleged online crimes against children. Detectives say Abruzzese allegedly exchanged explicit messages and images with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl, while Rojas was accused of attempting to upload a video containing lewd images of a child; both investigations are still ongoing.
Central Coast law enforcement agencies are warning drivers to be extra careful as rainy weather moves through the area. Officers say wet roads combined with distracted driving can quickly lead to dangerous crashes. They’re reminding drivers to slow down, stay off their phones, and leave extra distance between vehicles during wet conditions.
A Santa Barbara County winery has filed a lawsuit challenging the county’s mandatory wine district fee that recently took effect. The lawsuit claims the fee unfairly requires wineries to contribute to a regional marketing program. Supporters of the fee argue the funding helps promote local wine tourism and benefits the industry as a whole.
Hundreds of students across Santa Barbara County are receiving scholarships to support their college and career education goals. The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara awarded millions of dollars in financial aid this year. Organizers say the scholarships help students and families deal with the rising cost of higher education.
