Northwest

Three separate incidents of burglary, criminal mischief and theft occurred in the community of Emmonak on Nov. 11.

Alaska State Troopers in Emmonak were notified of a burglary at Ryan Air. A door to the building had been pried open, and someone had entered the facility during Friday evening, Troopers said.

Troopers also received word from Grant Aviation that their front door had been kicked that same evening, causing minor damage.

In a third and separate incident, a Honda ATV was reported stolen. After a search, the vehicle was found by the owner without damage.

All three events are currently under investigation.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Alaska State Troopers in Emmonak at 907-949-1300.

No injuries are reported Sunday after three buildings caught fire in the community of Kobuk.

Alaska State Troopers were initially notified at 12:51 a.m. Sunday morning, Oct. 30, that a grocery store in Kobuk was engulfed in flames.

Further reports state the fire spread to the store’s storage building and a house located next to the store.

Troopers said all three buildings are considered a “total loss.”

Alaska Fire Marshals are joining Troopers in Kobuk to investigate the cause of the blaze.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact State Troopers in Kotzebue.

A suspect is in custody after a robbery and alleged assault in the community of Aniak.

Alaska State Troopers in Aniak received a report of a possible robbery at the A.C. store at 10:10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29.

Glen Morgan, 33, of Aniak allegedly entered the store and demanded cigarettes, producing a large kitchen knife during the interaction.

Morgan left after an employee handed over the product.

After an initial investigation, troopers contacted Morgan at his Aniak residence, where he was arrested on two counts of third-degree assault and one count of first-degree robbery.

Morgan was remanded to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center in Bethel while the investigation continues.

Hillary Clinton is campaigning in the south this week, pushing for voters to come and vote early at the polls. While many urban voters are doing so nationally, people in rural communities may be finding that more difficult.

In the last election, the Obama campaign encouraged voters to come out and participate in early voting, which they did, so the Democrats are trying it again. In Bethel, in-person absentee voting numbers are up this year, according to Lori Strickler, Bethel’s City Clerk.

“We’ve had 66 in-person voters. I normally see 30 or 40,” Strickler said.

Strickler has been talking to people who’ve tacked absentee voting onto their trips to Bethel.

“The opportunity arose to come out and do my early voting, so I thought ‘Okay, I’ll take advantage of it,'” said Peter Hjem, who came out on Thursday afternoon to do what he thought would be early voting, but was actually in-person absentee.

The difference between the two ballots is that absentee ballots cast after October 28 are counted after Election Day, while actual early votes are counted the day they are cast. Lauri Wilson, an official with the State Division of Elections in Juneau explains:

“The national polls, of course, do their polling on election night and they typically like to report who they would like to call as the winner,” Wilson said.

Unlike absentee voting, early voting can only be done in person at regional hubs: Nome, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Wasilla, and Juneau.  Wilson says that those offices have computer access that other locations don’t.

“The early voting locations are available in our regional office locations because we have to have access to our voter registration data base in order to pull up the voter’s record at the time that they’re in front of us voting,” Wilson said.

The idea that he would have to buy a plane ticket to Fairbanks, Anchorage, or Nome in order for his early vote to be counted on Election Night doesn’t sit well with Mr. Hjem.

“Access to early voting should be across the board,” Hjem said.

However, it’s not.

Residents in the community of Grayling recovered the body of a missing man last week.

Alaska State Troopers were alerted at about 12:15 p.m. Oct. 19 that Stanley Milton Walker, 43, was missing and that his jacket had been discovered frozen to Grayling Creek.

With efforts of community members chipping through the creek ice, Walker was found underwater about 6 p.m., an estimated 100 feet from where his jacket had been located.

Walker’s body has since been transported to the Anchorage Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.

Next of kin has been notified of the incident.

Troopers state alcohol was not a factor and foul play is not suspected.

Aan arrest was made late last week after a man escaped custody in the community of Holy Cross.

George Darren Peters Sr., 41, of Holy Cross had two warrants out for his arrest for third-degree assault.

A Holy Cross Tribal Police officer made an initial arrest at about 11 p.m. Oct. 20, but Peters fled custody before Alaska State Troopers out of Aniak were able to acquire him Oct. 21.

After searching, Peters was located at about 4:15 p.m. Oct. 22, by the TPO and community members.

He was arrested on one count of second-degree escape, and has since been transferred to the Aniak jail.