SPRING GARDEN AND BUTTERFLY FESTIVAL RETURNS MAY 3
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 24, 2025 (El Cajon)—On May 3, the Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival returns at the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College. The event features plant sales nurtured by Cuyamaca College Nursery students as well as butterflies, live music, specialty garden-related vendors, food trucks, and family-friendly activities. The festival coincides with the college’s Coyote Music Festival, with live bands in the amphitheater at the Garden. In addition, Heritage of the Americas Museum next door will be hosting an arts and crafts fair. The Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival, along with the other activities, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 3. Admission and parking are free. Cuyamaca College is located at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in El Cajon. Printer-friendly version
EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS
Printer-friendly versionApril 24, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s round-up stories include: LOCAL Her newborn baby died after a hospital refused to treat her, now she is suing for change (CBS 8) Updated state maps show San Diego County’s areas at ‘very high’ risk for fires (10 News) Loved ones of El Cajon murder victim make appeal for information (10 News) San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson arrives in Mideast, launches airstrikes against Houthi rebels I(Times of San Diego) San Diego County loses $40M in funds just before new public health lab opens (Fox 5) Community rallies around (La Mesa) baseball coach diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (10 News) SDSU to Award Honorary Degree to Controversial Corner Store Figure (Voice of San Diego) Federal safety board lists Coronado Bridge as potentially at risk of ‘catastrophic collapse’ if hit by a vessel (CBS) CalTrans to invest $24 million in San Diego area infrastructure (10 News) Supreme Court rules against San Diego-based marijuana dispensary in CBD suit (Reuters) 5 UC San Diego students have F-1 visas revoked, 6th student deported (10 News) STATE California economy now the world’s fourth-largest, overtaking Japan (Los Angeles Times) Peril And Rescues Spike Along Pacific Crest Trail In Wake Of Federal Cuts Sea lions are attacking people in the waters off California’s coast. Here’s why (CNN) A loophole in California law makes it hard to prosecute threats against schools. Will lawmakers close it? (Cal Matters) As the California.-Mexico land border tightens, focus turns to dangerous sea crossings (Mercury News) California’s water reservoirs on track as winter storms may boost snowpack (KPBS ) California needs $3.4 billion loan to cover Medi-Cal expenses (CBS) Dead fish stink up the Newsom-Trump truce on water (Politico) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. LOCAL Her newborn baby died after a hospital refused to treat her, now she is suing for change (CBS 8) Nurses at Sharp Grossmont told 29-year-old Hannah Michaelis she needed to go to another hospital. She gave birth to her baby in her car. Updated state maps show San Diego County’s areas at ‘very high’ risk for fires (10 News) The Office of the State Fire Marshal released new maps that indicate which parts of San Diego County are in a very high-risk zone for fires. For the first time in 15 years, Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps were updated for San Diego County, and they show a 26% increase in acreage now designated as “very high” fire risk. Loved ones of El Cajon murder victim make appeal for information (10 News) Loved ones of a 46-year-old man gathered at Wells Park in El Cajon to make an appeal for information, nearly a week after he was fatally shot in the park’s parking lot. Wearing shirts bearing his face, family members of Deandre Bryant came together near the spot where he was struck down… San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson arrives in Mideast, launches airstrikes against Houthi rebels I(Times of San Diego) The San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson has arrived in Mideast waters and is launching air strikes on Houthi rebels ahead of the next round of talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. San Diego County loses $40M in funds just before new public health lab opens (Fox 5) San Diego County will not receive $40 million of public health funding promised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), County Supervisor and acting Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer announced Thursday in a news release…. “We built the lab. We planned responsibly. We kept our end of the deal. Now the federal government is walking away from theirs — and San Diego families are the ones paying the price,” said Lawson-Remer. Community rallies around (La Mesa) baseball coach diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (10 News) … Nick Di Zinno is the manager of the Athletics and has been coaching the team since 2019. SDSU to Award Honorary Degree to Controversial Corner Store Figure (Voice of San Diego) Mark Arabo has a history of documented lies and a checkered past — but that won’t stop San Diego State University from awarding him an honorary doctorate degree next month. Arabo came to prominence locally advocating for other Iraqi Christrians a decade ago. He was a major political player, supporting several local candidates, and he counts the governor and former President Joe Biden as close associates. Federal safety board lists Coronado Bridge as potentially at risk of ‘catastrophic collapse’ if hit by a vessel (CBS) Coronado Bridge is one of 68 bridges identified by the National Safety Transportation Board in need of assessment for risk of collapse. CalTrans to invest $24 million in San Diego area infrastructure (10 News) Six projects in San Diego County were part of a $1 billion investment from the state transit agency Supreme Court rules against San Diego-based marijuana dispensary in CBD suit (Reuters) The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday against Medical Marijuana Inc in its bid to fend off a lawsuit by a commercial truck driver who was fired for failing a drug test after taking cannabidiol, or CBD, that he said was falsely sold as lacking the psychoactive ingredient present in marijuana. 5 UC San Diego students have F-1 visas revoked, 6th student deported (10 News) A campus-wide notice said school officials received no prior warning and that “the federal government has not explained the reasons behind the terminations.” STATE California economy now the world’s fourth-largest, overtaking Japan (Los Angeles Times) If California were its own country, its economy would now rank as the fourth-largest of any nation in the globe, Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week, a new milestone that comes at a time of major economic turbulence. California has long been a global powerhouse, fueled by a variety of sectors including technology, agriculture, services and entertainment. The new ranking comes as the state is facing challenges from a trade war
ENGAGED COUPLE SEEKS PHOTOGRAPHER WHO SHOT THIS PHOTO IN BORREGO ON MARCH 16, 2024
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ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS
Printer-friendly versionApril 24, 2025 — As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include: U.S. Lawsuits and key court rulings Supreme Court temporarily pauses deportations under Alien Enemies Act (CNN) Judge in Abrego Garcia case indicates she’s weighing contempt proceedings against Trump administration (NBC) Supreme Court allows Trump to deport Venezuelans under wartime law, but only after judges’ review (AP) Rightwing group backed by Koch and Leo sues to stop Trump tariffs (Guardian) Supreme Court Pauses Order Requiring Trump to Reinstate Thousands of Federal Workers (Democracy Docket) Trump officials face records lawsuit over Signal chat (The Hill) Judge blocks Trump from enforcing ‘chilling’ order against law firm (NPR) Judges threatened with impeachment, bombs for ruling against Trump agenda (NPR) US judge orders Trump administration to restore legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children (AP) Judge blocks Trump effort to expand proof of citizenship requirement for voter registration (CNN) Economy, business and labor U.S. consumer sentiment falls for third straight month amid tariff, inflation worries(UPI) Concerns about espionage rise as Trump and Musk fire thousands of federal workers (AP) Florida debates lifting some child labor laws to fill jobs vacated by undocumented immigrants (CNN) Signalgate ‘Amateur hour’: Washington aghast at Trump administration’s war plan group chat (Politico) 5 revelations from the Trump administration’s war plan texts (Politico) Flight data show Steve Witkoff was in Russia during group chat on Signal (CBS) Immigration Trump Finds Another Country to Accept His Mass Deportations (New Republic) Japanese Americans react to Trump’s plans to invoke Alien Enemies Act (KGTV) Immigration officers are becoming ‘extreme’ in how they vet travelers entering the U.S. (NPR) IRS acting commissioner is resigning over deal to send immigrants’ tax data to ICE, AP sources say (AP) US citizens getting pulled aside: Travelers fear scrutiny at the border is rising (USA Today) ‘I was a British tourist trying to leave the US. Then I was detained, shackled and sent to an immigration detention centre’ (Guardian) Diversity, equity and inclusion Is planting trees ‘DEI’? Trump administration cuts nationwide tree-planting effort (NPR) Museums and parks must remove some items related to race and gender: Executive order (ABC) FEMA funding for disaster recovery Noem said she plans to eliminate FEMA (The Hill) Economy and political corruption Trump administration halts funding for two cybersecurity efforts, including one for elections (AP) ‘Something stinks’: Elon Musk, congressional Republicans target Democrats’ main fundraising machine (CNN) This Republican tried to impeach a judge. Guess which billionaire cut him a check? (Arizona Central) Other National News Trump Claims Nazis Treated Jewish Prisoners With “Love” (New Republic) Trump Will Get His Showy (And Likely Expensive) Military Parade in D.C. (Washington City Paper) WORLD US allies express alarm at Trump’s plan to let Russia keep most of the land it seized from Ukraine (CNN) Canada Announces Bombshell Break With U.S. Over Trump (New Republic) Earthquake rocks Thailand and Myanmar, triggering the collapse of a Bangkok high-rise (AP) Anthrax kills 50 hippos in Congo’s Virunga National Park (Newsweek) As the World Turns on Trump, Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum Has Other Plans (Newsweek) Who are the Houthis and why is the US targeting them? (BBC) The US lifts bounties on senior Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, says Kabul (AP) Mexicans searching for missing relatives uncover possible mass killing site (NPR) Some European countries and Canada issue advisories for travelers to the U.S. (NPR) Parisians vote to ban cars from 500 more streets (The Independent ) Turkey’s opposition urges peaceful protests over Istanbul mayor’s arrest despite bans (AP) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. U.S. Lawsuits and key court rulings Supreme Court temporarily pauses deportations under Alien Enemies Act (CNN) The Supreme Court early Saturday morning paused the deportation of immigrants potentially subject to the Alien Enemies Act, freezing action in a fast-developing case involving a group of immigrants in Texas who say the Trump administration was working to remove them. Judge in Abrego Garcia case indicates she’s weighing contempt proceedings against Trump administration (NBC) The judge presiding over the case of a man who was mistakenly deported by the U.S. government to a prison in El Salvador suggested Tuesday that she was weighing contempt proceedings against the Trump administration. Supreme Court allows Trump to deport Venezuelans under wartime law, but only after judges’ review (AP) … In a bitterly divided decision, the court said the administration must give Venezuelans who it claims are gang members “reasonable time” to go to court. But the conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom. Rightwing group backed by Koch and Leo sues to stop Trump tariffs (Guardian) New Civil Liberties Alliance says president’s invocation of emergency powers to impose tariffs is unlawful Supreme Court Pauses Order Requiring Trump to Reinstate Thousands of Federal Workers (Democracy Docket) The Supreme Court Tuesday paused a lower-court court order that reinstated thousands of probationary federal workers fired by the Trump administration earlier this year… the court said some of the nonprofit organizations challenging the dismissals lacked standing. Trump officials face records lawsuit over Signal chat (The Hill) A government watchdog group is suing national security leaders for their use of Signal to discuss military actions, saying the move violated the Federal Records Act (FRA). / The suit from American Oversight, which routinely files public records requests, said the move obstructs their ability to access government documents. Judge blocks Trump from enforcing ‘chilling’ order against law firm (NPR) A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked parts of President Trump’s executive order targeting a prominent law firm for its representation of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign and for causes unpopular with his administration…. [U.S. District Judge Beryl] Howell said the president’s order against Perkins Coie is clearly intended to punish the firm, and likely violates its First, Fifth and Sixth amendment rights… While the executive order takes aim at Perkins Coie, Howell said
Our guide to restaurants in San Diego’s inland region
Printer-friendly version San Diego’s East County is a wonderful destination for discovering dining adventures. For decades, our region has taken in refugees and immigrants from around the world, bringing culinary delights with international flair to our local restaurant scene. Our inland region has a wide assortment of restaurants and eateries to choose form, including cuisines from around 40 countries spanning six continents, as well as many varieties of American cuisine such as barbecue, Cajun, soul food, steaks and seafood, burgers, salads and more. East County Magazine’s dining guide also includes specialties such as bakeries, healthy and vegan options, ice cream and frozen yogurt shops, and more. You can search by cuisine type, location, or alphabetical listings. Bon appétit! Find great restaurants by clicking the headlines below for all restaurants (arranged alphabetically), restaurants specializing in American cuisine, those serving international cuisine, or sweets and treats for delicious desserts–all in San Diego’s inland communities. ALL RESTAURANTS AND FOOD OUTLETS Alphabetical listing with locations: Click here. AMERICAN CUISINE (View all: click here) American-general Barbecue Breakfasts Breweries serving food Burgers Cafes and diners Cajun California cuisine Cheese shop Chicken Delis Farm to table Fruits and juice bars Hawaiian Health foods Jewish deli Pubs, bars and taverns serving food Puerto Rican Salads Seafood Soul food and Southern Steak Tea houses Vegan and vegetarian Wine bars with food Wraps INTERNATIONAL CUISINE (View all: click here) Afghan African Asian Australian Brazilian British Burmese Cambodian Chinese Dominican Republic Egyptian Ethiopian European Filipino French German Greek Guatemalan Indian International Iraqi Irish Italian Italian-pizza Jamaican Japanese and sushi Korean Laotian Lebanese Mediterranean Mexican Middle Eastern Mongolian Nepalese Persian (Iran) Peruvian Salvadoran Somali Spanish Syrian Thai Turkish Vietnamese SWEETS AND TREATS (View all: click here) Bakeries (cakes,pies, cookies and breads) Candy shops Donuts Ice cream Puddings Yogurt, frozen East County Magazine thanks the Conrad Prebys Foundation for its generous grant to fund our series of guides to East County’s many attractions and activities, benefiting residents, visitors, and our local economy. Printer-friendly version
SUSPECT ARRESTED IN JACUMBA BURGLARY SERIES; STOLEN PROPERTY RECOVERED
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 23, 2025 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Miguel Sua, 31, has been arrested on suspicion of burglarizing multiple homes in Jacumba Hot Springs. After obtaining a warrant, deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Rural Command station searched Sua’s home Monday morning, where they found stolen property, guns, over a quarter pound of fentanyl, and burglary tools. He is charged with multiple counts of burglary. The Sheriff’s department is working with the District Attorney to add charges of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of fentanyl for sale, and additional burglary counts, says Lieutenant Jeff Ford. Some stolen items have been returned and the Sheriff’s department is working to return other property to its rightful owners. Printer-friendly version
KALASHOS IN COURT OVER CODE VIOLATIONS, ALLEGED ILLEGAL ADDITIONS AT THEIR EL CAJON HOME
Printer-friendly versionFile photo of Bessmon (Ben) Kalasho in his Fletcher Hills home By Karen Pearlman April 23, 2025 (San Diego) – Former El Cajon City Council member Bessmon (Ben) Kalasho and his wife, Jessica Deddeh Kalasho, were in San Diego Superior Court this week facing a slew of municipal code compliance violations and civil penalties related to the couple’s Fletcher Hills home. Myriad code compliance violations for unpermitted and illegal additions to the Kalashos’ home on Cliffdale Road were part of the discussion at the trial that came in response to a lawsuit filed in 2023 by the city of El Cajon. Some of the fines that started at $200 per violation have now escalated to several thousands of dollars per day. The suit filed by the city names as defendants Kalasho, his wife, and several others, including Maximilian Von Ayers, listed as a trustee of the residence, and Israel Moses Sieff LLC. Neither Von Ayers nor Sieff appeared in court. After two-plus days of testimony, Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil on April 23 ruled that closing briefs regarding the issue will be shared next month. Wohlfeil gave El Cajon’s attorney Steven Boehmer until May 9 for the city’s closing briefs, and Ben Kalasho, who represented himself during the trial, until May 23 for his closing briefs. Boehmer asked the court to craft a way to get the fines paid in “a reasonable period of time” and offered to share more details and timelines to assist with the remedies the city seeks. He said he looked to the court to apply “the appropriate level of fines as a deterrent to Mr. Kalasho.” “The long-short of it is I don’t have a high degree of confidence at this juncture over the years that have transpired… and ways (Kalasho) has handled this matter,” Boehmer told Wohlfeil. According to the original complaint, the city is seeking injunctive relief, which includes the removal of the unpermitted dwelling unit and the sale of movable properties within it under the supervision of a court-appointed receiver. If the proceeds from rents and the sale of movable items do not cover the amount owed, the city has requested that the court order sale of the home. The complaint by the city said Kalasho and the other named defendants had allowed for unpermitted construction of an outdoor staircase and deck, and built an unpermitted second kitchen in the A-frame home which Kalasho had advertised as the “Chamber House” bed and breakfast inn. During the trial, in which a former building inspector and a current building inspector with the city testified on what they saw at the Kalashos’ home, Boehmer said that the home also had unpermitted plumbing and electrical work done in two added bathrooms, an unpermitted garage conversion, an unpermitted gas line in a kitchen renovation and the addition of windows that do not meet specific egress and safety requirements. Boehmer said the work Kalasho had done in the home, some of it by unlicensed workers — as Kalasho admitted to the court — could put anyone living in the home and neighbors in jeopardy — especially in the case of a fire. During closing arguments, Kalasho surprised many in the courtroom by telling the judge that there was currently a family living in the home, a fact that had not come up during the trial. That prompted Boehmer to raise concerns about those tenants and their safety. Castle Life and Code Compliance Concerns The code compliance violations for the home have been adding up through the years since 2019, around the time Kalasho and his wife moved to the East Coast following Kalasho’s resignation from the City Council. Although Kalasho would not share information about where he moved, when or where they are now, he said they have lived in both North Carolina and South Carolina as well as Tennessee and Florida since leaving El Cajon. In a February hearing on contempt of court charges in an unrelated civil case, Ben Kalasho told that judge, “I live half the year in North Carolina and half the year in Dubai.” He has been been working under the pseudonym Chef Benjamin Epicure at Smithmore Castle, a luxury hotel and wedding venue in North Carolina. According to a Facebook page for Benjamin Epicure, he is also currently employed at the Dubai Creek Gold & Yacht Club Residences in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Code compliance officers in September 2019 first “observed and took photographs of unpermitted construction of an outdoor stair and a deck and an unpermitted second kitchen in the primary dwelling,” according to the city’s complaint. City of El Cajon building official Andre Sanchez testified as to what he found during a visit to the home last year. Retired city building and fire safety inspector LC Wright also appeared remotely to explain what he had seen at the Fletcher Hills home. The city of El Cajon conducted more code compliance investigations at the Kalashos’ home in 2021 and 2022, finding multiple violations. Despite the city sending multiple warning letters, the Kalashos continued to fail to address these issues, leading to fines accumulating exponentially. Ben Kalasho said during the trial that he didn’t receive any of the letters from the city, which the judge said he found hard to believe. The Past in the Present Kalasho several times talked about his time on the City Council starting with his election in 2016, and where he said he was on the losing side of many 4-1 votes. He said he understood the city’s inner workings and that he knows “how the sausage is made.” As for the complaint about code violations and fines, Kalasho said that he felt singled out with “selected enforcement,” and told the judge that he wanted to be treated “like a normal person” by the city. While the
IN TOWNHALL MEETING, CONGESSWOMAN SARA JACOBS WARNS THAT NATION IS IN A “CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS”
Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J. Schorr Photo: Congresswoman Sara Jacobs speaks before a crowd of parents, teachers, community and union members about “stateof the union.” April 23, 2025 (El Cajon) – In a live town hall meeting last night at Grossmont College’s Performing and Visual Arts Center, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-51) presented her own “State of the Union” address in which she warned that our nation is experiencing a “constitutional crisis.” She spoke of numerous bills she has introduced seeking to push back against actions of the Trump administration. In addition, she fielded written questions from constituents over issues including budget cuts, mass firings, human rights violations, the looming constitutional crisis, and a potential recession on the horizon. Jacob says the constitutional crisis is due in part to the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling which enabled President Donald Trump to act as he pleases without consequences. She illustrated that civil protests can prove effective. Jacobs said that while she and others in the Capitol were working on litigation against the Trump administration for mass firings and ignoring judicial orders, “public pressure does actually work.” She used the example of the freezing of federal funding. Because “there was a huge outcry against that, they pulled that back,” she said of the administration. Congresswoman Jacobs discussed her participation in local events including hosting a roundtable discussion with Scripps Institute of Oceanography about cuts to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). She also interviewed students at USD about impacts from federal cuts to the Department of Education and student loan assistance. She outlined several key bills she has authored or coauthored, though they will likely face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled Congress. Her Protect U.S. National Security Act, aims to halt dismantling of the USAID Department by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The bill reiterates that any USAID reform should be in line with existing laws and cannot harm U.S. “soft power.” Additionally, it requires the Department of State to certify compliance with this law, and prohibits funds from being used to eliminate USAID. Jacobs is coauthor of The Disaster Recovery Efficiency Act, which would guarantee a more immediate and direct response to devastated areas of the state of California, particularly those areas in the San Diego and Los Angeles regions affected by flooding and wildfires. The legislation intends to provide impacted people in the affected communities greater access to the resources they need after a disaster, as well as improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal government’s disaster recovery efforts. She has introduced the “Delete DOGE Act, ” which would prohibit federal funds from being used for DOGE’s work, rescind unobligated funds currently available to DOGE, and restrict any future expenditures or transfers of federal funds for DOGE-related projects or personnel. Elon Musk’s DOGE has been tasked by the President with slashing spending and shrinking the size of the federal government. The initiative has faced heavy scrutiny and criticism after cutting critical staffing and programs concerned with veteran benefits, food assistance, flight safety, and right to privacy. Jacobs also spoke of leading a bipartisan effort with Representatives Anna Paulina Luna, Brittany Petterson, and Mike Lawler to ensure new parents can do their jobs and vote remotely after they or their spouse has given birth. Referencing the inhuman conditions for migrants including those deported to foreign prisons under the Trump administration, Jacobs said that the migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay has cost American taxpayers $16 million. Photo: Audience at Grossmont College An audience member questioned the practical and moral issues centered around deported immigrants now imprisoned in El Salvador, where torture and unlawful imprisonment have been alelged. Jacobs stated that individuals such as Abrego Garcia (a Maryland immigrant whom the Trump administration admitted was deported in error to El Salvador) are the names we know, but that there are “many that we don’t know about” who have been flown down without due process, as the Supreme Cour recently held. She believes that Congress should not allow this, but since there is a Republican majority, there is very little that Democrats could do to enforce a push back. Jacobs spoke of a global “democratic backsliding” on democracy, but emphasized that the more people stand up, the more people can protect themselves. She reiterated that the country “is in a constitutional crisis as a result of the executive branch,” referencing instances of the administration ignoring court orders and judicial rulings, deporting and imprisoning civilians and immigrants without due process, and weaponizing the justice department against critics. “Why we see the executive branch take so much power away over time from Congress is because Congress is unwilling” to work together. She referenced Article One of the constitution, which shows that the founding fathers believed that Congress “was the closest to the people.” Jacobs referenced her role in influencing Representatives Scott Peters and Juan Vargas to send a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The effort was done to try and assure that due process is being followed and that migrants detained during an ICE raid on a business in unincorporated El Cajon . were provided their legal rights. The meeting was permitted to extend to p.m. to allow additional questions. One constiuent voiced concerns over threats and dangers of physical violence against lawmakers and representatives. The public asked why some of their appointed representatives and lawmakers would actively vote to take away human rights or strip them of their financial support and livelihood. The Congresswoman expressed concerns about bigotry and persecution leveled against the LGBTQ+ community, particularly conceptions about the transgender in the country at the time of the 2024 presidential election. Jacobs said this issue is personal to her because she has a family member who is transgender and gender-non-confoming. She emphasized that there “are some in our party who had a fundamental misunderstanding of what was happening in our election.” She went on to say, “People don’t hate trans-people, it’s that when