Today’s newsletter is presented by AddressSD.
Good morning, San Diego ☀️
Here’s what we have for you today:
- A staff member at The San Diego LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest has won a Stonewall Award for leadership in the transgender community.
- The DMV is set to share data with an outside group — despite concerns that this risks exposing vulnerable immigrants.
- Officials said mosquitos tested around San Carlos tested positive for West Nile virus.
Tessa Balc
Audience engagement producer
Top story
LGBTQ+ seniors shaped by AIDS crisis grapple with new wave of loss – from aging
Aging is a condition of life, and some find themselves down that path for longer than others.
There’s a particular group of seniors who are especially attuned to that fact. As LGBTQ+ seniors age, watching friends-turned-family pass away one by one, it harkens back to the AIDS crisis.
It’s a painful reminder, but for some who stepped up to care for the sick when the government and hospitals failed to, there’s a preparedness entering old age.
“We have certain experiences that are unique to our generation,” said Mike Sloothaak, a resident of North Park Seniors, which was the city’s first LGBTQ-affirming housing community. “We started to take care of each other long before we became seniors, so we know how to do that. So when we get older, … it’s not a shock to us that we have to take care of each other.”
A survey found that LGBTQ+ seniors are four times less likely to have children than the rest of the elderly population. So, in some cases, friends step in to fill that gap.
But that also comes with its own challenges. Especially when you factor in trying to make a hospital visit, or find out which hospital someone is at without legal documentation of being a family member. One senior told our Drew Sitton that it was a moment like that, when they had no idea where a neighbor had gone to get care, reminded them of the AIDS crisis all over again.
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Stories you should know about
⛪ Santee United Methodist Church wins Light of Pride Award for uplifting LGBTQ+ voices: The award is given to a religious organization, community or individual for their role in affirming the LGBTQ+ faith community, according to San Diego Pride.
📴 California schools must follow new cell phone, bathroom, safety laws: This school year, every school district, county office of education and charter school must have a policy limiting device use during the school day.
⚽World Cup 2026: Mexico breaks curse, but will momentum carry team past perennial powerhouse England?: The altitude at Estadio Azteca continues to benefit Mexico, led by head coach Javier Aguirre, as El Tri breaks down opponents with mounting pressure.
🐟Many California fishermen are nearing retirement — can the industry save its graying fleet?: Despite its coastal locale, San Diego’s fishing industry and seafood supply are more tenuous than you might imagine.
👑Opinion: How the pamphlet ‘Common Sense’ turned Americans against a king
Times of San Diego thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.
In case you missed it…
Weekdays get busy—we know. And with so much from Times of San Diego, good stories can slip by. Here are a few worth your time:
🚒 A new fire station is coming to Webster. But will the community get a say in where it goes? Read it here.
🗳️ Rep. Issa mum on his California lawsuit after Supreme Court rules in favor of mail-in voting. Read it here.
🚲 San Diego joins growing list of cities to approve restrictions on e-bikes. Here’s how to sort out what’s banned and where. Read it here.
🇺🇸 U.S. vs. Bosnia: Fans glory in sun, sand, celebration — and statistics too — in U.S. World Cup win. Read it here.
🇲🇽 After 2-0 victory over Ecuador, Mexico, filled with pure hope, charges into Round of 16 in World Cup. Read it here.