And the Good Neighbor of the Year Award Goes To . . .

Forget tribal warfare and religious schisms. Nothing matches the ferocity of conflict between neighboring homeowners.

Case in point: the corner of West Upas and Union streets in Middletown, just east of Interstate 5, overlooking Lindbergh Field.

Once-friendly neighbors are now feuding over a scrubby slice of land that the city has owned but ignored for decades.

Since the 1950s, Jerry and Dorothy Rundle, who live on West Upas, have used the land to plant flowers, green beans and strawberries. Jerry, a retired plastics salesman, poured a concrete slab to park his car.

Then a year or so ago, Helen and Thomas Bandy bought a house on Union. He’s a foreign service officer on loan to the Department of Commerce.

The Rundles say the Bandys’ 10-year-old daughter became a pest. She allegedly tracked mud into their house without knocking, trampled flowers, etc.

The Bandys say the Rundles are grouches who want to stop kids from using public property to reach a nearby canyon. They say Mr. Rundle took photographs like a private eye.

Mr. Rundle: “Mrs. Bandy tells lies.” Mrs. Bandy: “Mr. Rundle has been increasingly nasty.”

Mrs. Bandy complained to City Hall. Mr. Rundle received a letter from the city saying he was encroaching on city land and warning of legal action.

Mr. Rundle asked the city to relinquish the land. Denied, under open-space rules.

He sought a use permit. Denied, unless he moves his parking pad and chops down a tree.

The Bandys say the tree blocks their view of downtown and hurts their property value.

Neither side speaks to the other. Each side thought I was a spy and made calls to check my credentials.

Now comes Councilman Ron Roberts, who knows both sides. He’s leaning to the Rundles.

He tells me this is the everyday stuff of city government: “We’ve got other neighborhood complaints working that make this one seem quite tame.”

The horror of it.

It Takes Brains Not to Run

Thinking and other things.

* Proof that the brainy are different.

There are two candidates for president of the San Diego chapter of Mensa, the high-IQ group.

One of the candidates used space alloted to him in the group’s monthly magazine to urge: “Don’t vote for me.” He also refused to submit his picture.

* Here we go again.

The art-shy Board of Port Commissioners is advertising for an art consultant. Applicants are limited to a one-page resume.

* Plus ca change . . .

San Diego Police Chief Bob Burgreen, on the Light Up the Border demonstrations: “The last thing we need is a group of people stirring up problems in an area where we already have a problem.”

Gee, doesn’t that sound a lot like San Diego police officials of two decades ago talking about demonstrations on campus and in the streets?

Conclusion: The political winds may shift, but the urge to blame outside agitators remains constant.

* More Betty.

Los Angeles Times reporter Bella Stumbo says she may write a book on the Betty Broderick murder case.

* Voluntary water conservation in San Diego remains safely double-digit, but an unseasonal downpour makes it hard to compare with past years.

“The rain really muddied the waters,” grumbles one water watcher.

The Future for Hedgecock

Speculation in certain San Diego legal circles:

The California Supreme Court will uphold Roger Hedgecock’s conspiracy conviction, reject the jury-tampering allegations but overturn the 12 perjury convictions on the technical issue of “materiality.”

The one-year jail sentence, meted out for the conspiracy conviction, will stand. The district attorney retains the right to retry the 12 perjury counts.

If I’m right, remember you read it here first.

If I’m wrong, remember the columnist credo: Often in error, but never in doubt.