Morning News Round-Up -- 3.22.10: Making NIMBYs and naysayers irrelevant...

Something strange is happening in Atherton. Are you surprised? This is actually a pretty weird story with a few twists, so read carefully.

• Part 1: A guy was arrested in his Atherton home on alleged domestic violence charges. He got those charges dismissed and was found "factually innocent." He then sued the Atherton Police Department and now wants Atherton to start a Police Citizens Oversight Committee. The City Council said no.
• Part 2: After the suit was filed, but before the Citizens Oversight Committee idea came to the Atherton Council, the guy that filed suit against Atherton was asked by Councilmember Charles Marsala for a $500,000 loan. (We guess this stuff happens all the time in Atherton?) The guy said no to Marsala and then Marsala voted against the Citizens Oversight Committee.

The guy is claiming Marsala voted no because Marsala didn't get the $500,000 loan. Perhaps the US Attorney is interested?

We know that nearly every hamlet and village in San Mateo County is concerned about High-Speed Rail, even though County residents voted overwhelmingly for it... we also know that some developers and property owners are concerned about the impacts of construction. But we learned this weekend that San Mateo Union High School District is concerned because of how close Burlingame High School is to the rails. The concerns are vibration, noise, safety, etc. Of course, the fact that Burlingame High is also about as far from 101 as it is from the train tracks, hasn't (apparently) concerned anyone ever. Or perhaps the good folks in San Bruno Park School District could share with the Burlingame High folks real concerns with vibration, noise, and plane exhaust...


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All you Coastsiders... don't take Devil's Slide on Wednesday because it's going to be closed for part of the day. Someday someone will tunnel through the gigantic mountain and we'll be able to drive through no problem... Go John Henry...

From the budget file:

The County is trying to fix $150 "structural deficit"...

One of the items dogging State government is escalating pension costs... and Joe Simitian would like to cut down on "spiking," the practice of jacking up your salary in the last few years of work in order to increase you pension. That will make Joe even less popular in Sacramento than he already is...

Even though times are tight for local government, Redwood City is finding $300K+ to hire a PR firm (Davis Public Affairs) to fight the new County jail proposals for its city. Ironically, Davies Public Affairs' website states: Davies makes NIMBYs and naysayers irrelevant...

Perhaps the wrong side of this issue hired a PR firm...

Also worth noting about Davies is this: Too often, people fight mining and industrial operations based on a fear of the unknown. Until this fear is addressed, the benefits of jobs, tax revenue, and economic stimulus will fall on deaf ears. We demystify complex processes and present them simply, while telling your proactive environmental story. Any PR firm that can spin mining...

While Redwood City spins... Hillsdale High School plans some real-life protests. They will be holding an anti-anti-gay rally when they put on the play "The Laramie Project."