Marshall Anstandig, MediaNews Group’s in-house lawyer for labor matters, has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the city council in Monte Sereno, a town of about 3,400 people about 10 miles southwest of San Jose next to Los Gatos. The online Los Gatos Observer reports that Anstandig, 59, was appointed by council in a 3-1 vote to replace a councilman who stepped down due to medical reasons.

The Observer says Anstandig has lived in Monte Sereno for about 10 years. He received his jurisdoctorate from Detroit College of Law in 1974 and served as senior labor counsel for Knight Ridder. He was appointed to the town’s Site and Architecture Commission in January 2007.

The two papers that cover Monte Sereno, the Mercury News and the weekly Los Gatos Weekly-Times, are owned by MNG’s California Newspapers Partnership, where Anstandig is senior vice president and general counsel.