News Briefs

Fire marshal warns gas station owners
The Office of the State Fire Marshal has ordered about 3,000 gasoline stations statewide to remove the “hold-open latches” on certain gas-dispensing nozzles.
Some Vapor System Technologies nozzles have sprayed gasoline before the nozzles are put in the gas tanks. To date, 13 spraying accidents have been reported by the California Air Resources Board, and in seven cases, consumers were doused in gasoline.
Station owners must remove the latches by Oct. 15 if they want to stay open.
The air resources board is working with the nozzle manufacturer to make replacement nozzles.
Stuff the Bus measured a success
The San Lorenzo Valley Girl Scouts’ Stuff the Bus school supply drive Saturday, Aug. 21, was deemed a success by Girl Scout troops 11003, 11010 and 11085.
The back-to-school collection day brought in about $3,000 in combined donations and cash gifts.
McClish preliminary hearing starts
A preliminary hearing for Michael McClish, a Ben Lomond man accused of killing a pregnant woman in 2006, started this week. The hearing will determine whether the case goes to trial.
McClish, 41, of Ben Lomond, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of Joanna “Asha” Veil, a 28-year-old Polish immigrant, and her 7-month fetus.
Veil was hit in the back of the head and then strangled with a rope.
McClish and Veil had worked together at Ben Lomond Market and reportedly also had a personal relationship, though both were married to other people.
McClish’s defense attorney is Tom Walraff, and the prosecutor is Assistant District Attorney Jeff Rosell.
In a separate matter, McClish is serving an 18-year prison sentence after he was convicted of raping and sodomizing a San Lorenzo Valley woman and threatening her with a hatchet. He professes innocence in that case and has tried to appeal the verdict.