Paloma Aguirre sworn in as 5th county supervisor

The long road to a new San Diego County District 1 Supervisor has finally come to its destination. Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre was officially sworn in yesterday after handily winning a special election for the seat that was abruptly vacated by Nora Vargas late last year. Although the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is technically an apolitical entity, Aguirre’s presence on the board tips the balance from two Republicans and two Democrats to two Republicans and three Democrats.

The Board wasted no time after that, voting 4-1 in favor of a program to train owners and employees of small businesses about their rights in the event of an immigration raid.

Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer said she was prompted to craft the proposal after the ICE raid on popular South Park restaurant Buona Forchetta in May became a national story.

In another local-turned-international story, the Tijuana River Valley sewage pollution crisis, Scripps scientists have unveiled a new tool to tackle the issue and offer a layer of protection to residents. It also judges a swimmer’s likelihood of getting sick at different South Bay beaches. The model is intended to supplement advisories.

And finally, the San Diego Comic-Con long weekend has officially arrived and the parties have begun. If you don’t have an idea of what’s to come downtown and spilling over into surrounding areas, check out our preview of the event by Luis Monteagudo. With more than 150,000 fans descending on the region this week, it’s bound to be a spectacle, if you like that sort of thing. But if you’re hoping to avoid traffic this weekend, I personally recommend staying as far away from downtown as possible. But if you get caught in con traffic, it’s best to remain philosophical and enjoy the sights. There will, at least, be plenty of sights to see.

Thoughts? Opinions? Let us know what you think by emailing news@timesofsandiego.com.