Houston councilman-elect dies
ANCHORAGE -- A 63-year-old City Council candidate who won a tight election in Houston, north of Anchorage, died of a heart attack the day before he was to be sworn in.
Carl Burnett, who had defeated incumbent Kim Kasper by six votes, died Monday. He collapsed after pulling into the driveway of a friend's house in Anchorage and never regained consciousness.
Burnett's death leaves a vacancy on the Council and was the latest twist in one of most closely contested elections in city history. Three of the five races were decided by six or fewer votes, and one of the other races ended with a tie.
On Tuesday, City Council members held a prayer for Burnett, then watched as the two candidates in the tied race flipped a coin to decide the results.
Incumbent Angela Rosas and Dan O'Brien were tied with 68 votes each after a recount Monday turned up an additional vote for Rosas. Rosas called tails and won.
Paintball perp seeks house arrest
ANCHORAGE The attorney for a man convicted of videotaping paintball attacks on Alaska Natives in Anchorage wants a judge to let his client serve the rest of his jail time on electronically monitored house arrest.
Charles Wiseman, 20, has spent 40 days in solitary confinement to protect him from other prisoners. His attorney, Robert Herz, said this is excessive punishment for a first offender doing six months for a misdemeanor. Wiseman was sentenced on Aug. 31 to serve six months, pay a $6,000 fine and do 300 hours of community service. He could be eligible for release after serving 120 days.
The paintball attacks were carried out in January by Wiseman, his younger brother and a third boy. Wiseman pleaded no contest to three counts of misdemeanor assault under a plea agreement.
Department of Corrections spokesman Bruce Richards said Wiseman will remain in solitary confinement at the downtown jail for his own protection, the Anchorage Daily News reported.