On all things Iditarod. Plus: What does Anchorage's ombudsman do?

Plus: Tentative contract agreement reached, potentially ending Mat-Su school bus worker strike by Monday Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Friday, March 3. In today's newsletter: - From past champions to rookies, here are the 33 mushers participating in the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race that starts this weekend. - The ADN Politics podcast hosts the Anchorage municipal ombudsman, who has been at the center of several recent news stories about turmoil within city government. - The school bus worker strike in Mat-Su that’s stretched on for more than a month could end Monday if a new contract is ratified over the weekend. Humans, sled dogs and reindeer will take to the streets of [Anchorage this weekend]( with continued Fur Rondy festivities, First Friday art shows and the kickoff of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. While the Iditarod ceremonial start is sure to dominate, there's a plethora of other events going on, from a beard contest and carnival to the Alaska Cornhole Championships. 🌤️ Anchorage weather It's mostly sunny today with a high near 14 degrees. Saturday will be sunny but cold, with a high of 12 degrees. Mostly sunny skies are forecast to last into next week, and daytime temperatures will rise back up into the 20s. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Meet the mushers of the 2023 Iditarod]( [Meet the mushers of the 2023 Iditarod]( Thirty-three mushers are set to launch from the starting line in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race to Nome. Here's a look at who's running, where they're from and how much Iditarod experience they have. • Related: [Here are the best places to watch the 2023 Iditarod ceremonial start in Anchorage]( [Read More]( [ADN Politics podcast: An interview with the man investigating Anchorage city government from the inside ]( [ADN Politics podcast: An interview with the man investigating Anchorage city government from the inside]( What exactly is an ombudsman? And how does the position fit into the recent turmoil in Anchorage city government? In this episode of the ADN Politics podcast, host Elizabeth Harball sits down with Anchorage Ombudsman Darrel Hess to answer those questions and more. [Read More]( [Tentative contract agreement reached, potentially ending Mat-Su school bus worker strike by Monday ]( [Tentative contract agreement reached, potentially ending Mat-Su school bus worker strike by Monday]( Durham School Services and Teamsters Local 959 say they've reached a tentative contract agreement. If the contract is ratified, striking workers could go back to work as early as next week, both sides say. [Read More]( ADVERTISEMENT [5 questions for David James, editor of the Alaska literary collection ‘Writing on the Edge’]( [5 questions for David James, editor of the Alaska literary collection ‘Writing on the Edge’]( With contributions from more than 30 Alaska essayists, journalists and novelists, the new collection “Writing on the Edge” attempts to represent the state from the inside — real stories straight from the mouths, pens and keyboards of its inhabitants. [Read More]( [Countdown to Iditarod 2023: Tributes, jokes and celebrations as mushers pick starting order]( [Countdown to Iditarod 2023: Tributes, jokes and celebrations as mushers pick starting order]( As the clock ticks down to this weekend's Iditarod start, mushers and Iditarod superfans gathered for the race’s first in-person banquet and bib drawing since March. On the menu: a tribute to the late, great Lance Mackey; a steak dinner; and reflections on the race. [Read More]( ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [‘We want to do it all’: The Screaming Females are ready for Alaska in first-ever tour visit]( [‘We want to do it all’: Indie-punk group The Screaming Females are ready for Alaska in first-ever tour visit]( [Read More]( [Getting to Willow for Sunday’s 2023 Iditarod restart]( [Getting to Willow for Sunday’s 2023 Iditarod restart]( [Read More]( [Fatal Nevada crash is third in recent years for Guardian Flight medical air service]( [Fatal Nevada crash is third in recent years for Guardian Flight medical air service]( [Read More]( [Man charged with murder in downtown shooting fled Anchorage, police say]( [Man charged with murder in downtown shooting fled Anchorage, police say]( [Read More]( [Black Vietnam veteran finally gets his Medal of Honor]( [Black Vietnam veteran finally gets his Medal of Honor]( [Read More]( [Treat yourself to a comfort food classic with this luscious French chicken stew]( [Treat yourself to a comfort food classic with this luscious French chicken stew]( [Read More]( [Get digital access to the ADN for as low as $1.99 for the first month]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. 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