TIJUANA: The commander of Navy Region Southwest pledged closer cooperation with Tijuana's municipal government yesterday on a range of issues, including emergency management, security, transportation and the environment.
In a City Hall ceremony, Rear Adm. Len Herring and Tijuana Mayor Jorge Ramos signed an agreement reaffirming ties between the city and the six-state naval region, with 75,000 active-duty personnel and 15,000 reservists.
“We need to establish those relationships that have not been as strong in the past couple of years,” Herring said after the agreement's signing at the mayor's offices. “This has far exceeded my expectations.”
Ramos said the accord also reinstates a community service program that brings service members to work on projects in needy sections of his city.
Herring said Navy personnel regularly visit Tijuana, and some make their homes in the city. Herring's staff has been communicating regularly with Tijuana officials, but the agreement serves to strengthen and formalize the relationship.
The signing preceded festivities for Tijuana's 119th birthday at City Hall, where the admiral and his staff were guests of honor. –S.D.
Sexual-harassment suit
against Aguirre dropped
SAN DIEGO: A sexual-harassment lawsuit filed by a former city employee against City Attorney Michael Aguirre has been dropped.
Amy Lepine, a former deputy city attorney, will receive no money from the city and agreed not to seek or accept employment in the City Attorney's Office as long as Aguirre is city attorney, according to the settlement agreement. Each side will pay its own legal fees.
Lepine, who challenged Aguirre in last month's election, had accused her boss of a hostile work environment in which women are considered inferior to men. She said he referred to his management of women as “herding kittens.”
“I just didn't want to put my energy toward (the lawsuit) anymore,” Lepine said yesterday.
The agreement, dated Tuesday, says the city is prohibited from suing Lepine for malicious prosecution.
Aguirre, a Democrat, faces Superior Court Judge Jan Goldsmith, a Republican, in a Nov. 4 runoff to keep his job. They were the top two vote-getters among five candidates in the June 3 primary. Lepine, a Democrat, finished fifth. –C.G.
Boil-water order given
for Camp Oliver system
EAST COUNTY: County environmental health officials issued a boil-water order for the Camp Oliver drinking-water system in Descanso.
The order was issued after water samples showed the presence of total coliform bacteria and E. coli bacteria.
E. coli indicates the water might be contaminated by human or animal waste, officials said. Total coliform bacteria is not necessarily harmful but can indicate contamination.
The camp's water system is at 8761 Riverside Drive in Descanso. The boil-water order will remain in effect until the system had been disinfected and retested.
Camp Oliver officials have been directed to notify the families of 68 children who attended the camp in the past week. –L.N.
5K walk to educate public
on autoimmune diseases
SAN DIEGO: The Greater San Diego Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation and the Lupus Foundation of Southern California will host their first 5K walk together tomorrow in an effort to raise money and educate the public about the autoimmune diseases.
The walk is to begin in front of the Shelter Island fishing pier along Shelter Island Drive in San Diego. Registration will start at 8 a.m., and the walk will begin at 9 a.m. Participants are asked to make a $25 donation to one of the organizations.
For more information, call (619) 448-6301 or visit firstgiving.com/scl-SanDiego or lupussocal.org. –M.C.
Drop off e-waste items
for free at two locations
The San Diego-based Electronic Disposal Group, a state-approved collector of e-waste, has scheduled two free drop-off events this month.
Accepted items include computers, TVs, phones, wires and radios.
The first event will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Vista Grande Church, 10881 Tierrasanta Blvd., San Diego. The second will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 26 at Lemon Grove Christian Church, 6970 San Miguel Ave., Lemon Grove.
For more details, including updates on future e-waste recycling events, visit electronicdisposalgroup.com. –M.L.
City awards $6.4 million
to aid arts, culture groups
SAN DIEGO: The city of San Diego's Arts and Culture Commission gave $6.4 million to support about 80 arts and culture organizations last year, according to an impact report released Thursday.
The money comes from transient occupancy taxes collected by the city and helped support more than 5,500 jobs in the local arts community.
Mayor Jerry Sanders praised the commission's work at a news conference Thursday at the Museum of Contemporary Art. –C.G.
Staff writers Sandra Dibble, Liz Neely, Michele Clock, Mike Lee and Craig Gustafson contributed to this report.
