BREAKING NEWS: Pop Warner Football, Atherton NIMBYism, and the Civil Grand Jury

Yes...the following story seems crazy...but sometimes crazy stories can capture our attention. (As an example, let me tell you a story about a small-state, inexperienced Governor being named a VP candidate...)

The story also has a Watch Dog scoop at the end...so read all the way through.

There is no shortage of NIMBYism in San Mateo County. Just this week there have been stories of neighbors not liking housing projects in the County because of "density," "parking," and "traffic." Not to mention the explicit NIMBYism Watch Dog has covered about Menlo Park and Atherton not being please with the proposed high-speed rail running in their backyards.

But the Pop Warner (youth football) issue in Atherton is really the kicker. Some residents in the Lindenwood neighborhood of Atherton don't like Pop Warner playing at Menlo-Atherton High School fields because of the noise. (Because the sound of kids playing games is so annoying and so antithetical to Atherton's peace and quiet. While we are at it, let's get rid of those pesky birds too. And, hey kid, get the hell off my lawn!) And this has been going on for sometime.

In 2006, then-Mayor Charles Marsala had a letter to the Editor published on this issue talking about how Pop warner is an "...integral part of our community...".

In April of this year, the issue boiled over again. The Pop Warner folks and the Lindenwood neighborhood folks faced off at the line of scrimmage...a.k.a. the Atherton City Council meeting. After the "lively" meeting, the Pop Warner folks and the Lindenwood folks got in a shouting match outside the meeting. (Lively is in quotes because the linebacker of the Lindenwood crew is none other than Phil Lively, the star of this Watch Dog story in mid-October as a campaign volunteer for Kathy McKeithen. Same overly "lively" guy, different episode.)

...and the next chapter of this episode is about to be written.

The San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury is letting potential witnesses know that they will be called to be interviewed related to the series of Pop Warner episodes -- some as early as today.

Watch Dog wonders if Mr. Lively will be called. Perhaps his candidate Kathy McKeithen as well? Will voters find out before Tuesday if she is?