TOWN OF OREGON, Wis. (AP) – Randy Way had a pretty good idea about the outcome of the referendum when the polls closed. He was the only one allowed to vote.

As expected, Way approved a plan by the village of Oregon to annex 80 acres from the town.

He’s the only person living in the annexed area, so he’s the only one who could sign the petition requesting the referendum and the only one allowed to vote Tuesday.

Town Clerk Denise Arnold printed two ballots, just in case.

“We gave him two just in case he read it wrong and made a mistake,” Arnold said. “This is probably not the norm. It’s pretty weird.”

Three paid poll workers were required to be on duty for 13 hours for the election after town officials said they were unable to find anything in state law that would allow the polls to close early after Way had voted just 17 minutes after the poll opened at 7 a.m.

Way bought pizza for the poll workers to show his appreciation.

Parking meters get cell phone link

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) – Drivers lacking coins now may use cell phones to feed parking meters in Coral Gables.

The automated system allows drivers to simply dial in from their cell phone and punch in the number assigned to their parking spot. The meter fee, plus a 25-cent usage fee, will be billed to the driver’s credit card.

When leaving, drivers call back and end the billing cycle.

The Miami suburb began offering the system this month on its 4,573 meters. So far, more than 250 people have subscribed.

“It’s innovative,” said Mari Molina, executive director of the Gables Business Improvement District.

“People come down and they start meandering and they forget about their parking meters, and we certainly don’t want them to get parking tickets.”

PayMint, the Toronto-based company that offers the service, e-mails users copies of their transactions and allows subscribers to track their usage online. The service already is being used at several locations in Ontario and British Columbia.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – It wasn’t death that parted them – so now the casket has to go.

Dixie Fisher is selling the casket her soon-to-be ex-husband planned to use when he died. She placed a classified ad last week in The Columbus Dispatch that said: “Marriage died before husband did.”

Fisher and David Budd, who are divorcing, bought the gray casket a year ago from a friend who works at a metal salvage business. Fisher plans to be cremated, but the couple thought the casket would come in handy for Budd.

“I told my husband that, if nothing else, it was a good investment for the future,” said Fisher, of suburban Columbus.

Fisher’s asking for $980 and hopes to use some of the money for attorney fees.

Budd said he agreed Fisher should sell the casket, and having it in the garage never bothered him.

“When it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go,” he said.