A Wide Load
Photo: Nikki Davis
The former City of Woodbine storage building was moved to its new home Oct. 6-7. See page 6 for the story.
Look for the Fall Health and Fitness Section! Optimist’s Halloween
Halloween Woodbine Optimist’s p.m. Oct. 29. Parade will be at 4 ll More information wi be given at a later time. Hope to see all spooks and goblins on Halloween.
The Woodbine Twiner The Official Newspaper of Woodbine, Harrison County, Iowa
www.woodbinetwiner.com
SHORT
Using Precinct Atlas
TAKES Red Hats The Red Hat Society will meet for a dessert luncheon at 1 p.m. Oct. 18 at Everything Ellen (The Flower Shoppe). Door prizes and local entertainment. A short skit will be offered. Call Jeanelle Barry at 6472773 or Jodi Hickey 647-2288 with questions.
“Harrison County precinct election officials do a superb job of conducting the elections.” ~Harrison County Auditor Susan Bonham
Regional Volleyball Woodbine has been selected to host the Regional Volleyball Tournament game on Oct. 26. Due to the situ a t i o n , P a r e n t / Te a c h e r Conferences and the 2:30 p.m. dismissal have been moved to 48 p.m. Oct. 25. Thursday night conferences will remain the same.
MARY DARLING For The Twiner
American Legion Auxiliary The American Legion Auxiliary will meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at Rose Court. Members: Please note change of regular meeting date. Hostesses will be Nancy Baker and Lavonne Stenzel with a program on music.
Optimist’s Halloween W o o d b i n e Optimists Halloween Parade will be 4 p.m. on Oct. 29. More information will be given at a later time. Hope to see all spooks and goblins on Halloween. See SHORT TAKES Page 6
$1.00
October 13, 2010
Volume 132, Issue 42
The Man Behind the Metal NIKKI DAVIS Editor Merril McElwain’s handywork may be more obvious than you’d think. Some of it, yes, is hidden in the confines of his own garage. Such as the “Can Opener” sculpture that won him first place in an art competition years ago. And the “Sails” sculpture in the McElwain yard – once bright blue and vibrant, but now weathered and worn back down to the metal. And Merril even hides a metal harp in the garage – one that’s incredibly detailed, but not complete. And probably won’t be. But he won’t sell it. His artwork shouldn’t dis-
SWAIN REALTY Woodbine, Iowa
credit his other handywork, though. Such as the garage full of tools he built himself to help him get his jobs done. And picnic tables, chairs, tables, home handrails and more. Merril retired in 1990 from Paxton Vierling Steal in Omaha, Neb., but was unable to give up his love for the craft. “He worked there for a long time,” his wife, Loie McElwain said. “He actually built the overpass bridge over by UNO while he was at Paxton. Every time we drive under it, he says, ‘I built that.’” And even after that retirement in 1990, the building didn’t end. And he began to
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design. Some projects simple, some more complicated. “I built a lot of the handrails by the downtown businesses,” he said, as he walked down the street, pointing to Eby’s rail, Swain’s rail and Peachy’s. “And I think I built about four spiral staircases.” But he was to modest to admit he was the actual designer of those complicated staircases as well. Three of those staircases are believed to still be in existence in private residences in Woodbine. One was in the former Woodbine bakery on Walker Street, which was torn down. “It was such a shame,” Loie See MERRIL Page 6
Harrison County was among more than 20 counties in the state to use the Precinct Atlas for the school elections in September 2009 and will use the program again for the general election Nov. 2. “Precinct officials have all been trained and will be offered a refresher course prior to the election,” Harrison County Auditor Susan Bonham said. The program is an electronic poll book that helps precinct election officials effectively and consistently process voters on Election Day. The system is free to election officials in the state, though each county had to supply the laptop computers and label printers needed to run it. The system consists of a laptop computer with the “Precinct Atlas” software and an attached label printer. According to Bonham, the laptops are never connected to the Internet. Before each election, voter registration information is loaded into the program from the statewide voter registration and election management system. The electronic poll book allows precinct election officials to follow an on-screen step-bySee ATLAS Page 6 Motivated Seller
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