Brent Sass mushes to 1st Iditarod win; Anchorage Assembly leaders want to question former police chief

Also, ConocoPhillips says it still hasn’t determined the exact source of a natural gas leak at its Alpine oil development. Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Anchorage School District]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Tuesday, March 15. In today's newsletter: - Brent Sass has won the 50th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, cruising first into Nome at 5:38 a.m. Tuesday. - Anchorage Assembly leaders are seeking more information about events preceding the departure of former Police Chief Ken McCoy. - After more than 10 days, ConocoPhillips is still trying to identify the exact source of a gas leak at its Alpine oil development on the North Slope. A story in the Arctic Sounder describes an extraordinary group of volunteers. When people die in the North Slope village of Utqiaġvik, families rely on a team of community members to dig graves in the permafrost for burial. A core group of about five people help dig almost every gravesite, even when the deceased might be a relative or someone who harmed a family member. Read more of this amazing story [here](. ☀️ Anchorage weather Expect sunny skies this afternoon, with a high near 30. There’s a chance of snow tonight, with an accumulation of less than a half inch. On Wednesday, snow is forecast before 4 p.m., then a chance of rain and snow. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Victoria Barber, vbarber@adn.com [Brent Sass holds off Dallas Seavey to seize his first Iditarod victory]( [Brent Sass holds off Dallas Seavey to seize his first Iditarod victory]( New Iditarod champion Brent Sass had ice in his beard when he stepped off his sled in Nome, and a massive grin on his face. Winning the Iditarod is a dream come true, he said, and he’s “super, super, super proud” of his sled dog team: “It’s all on them. They did an excellent job the whole race.” [Read More]( [Anchorage Assembly leaders say they want to question former police chief after release of emails preceding his departure]( [Anchorage Assembly leaders say they want to question former police chief after release of emails preceding his departure]( Documents released by Mayor Dave Bronson's administration confirmed some details of an anonymously sourced report about events that preceded the departure of Ken McCoy, but did not corroborate others. [Read More]( [After more than a week, gas is still leaking on the North Slope, ConocoPhillips says ]( [After more than a week, gas is still leaking on the North Slope, ConocoPhillips says]( ConocoPhillips continues to report no danger to the employees or the neighboring village of Nuiqsut, but the cause of the leak has not been determined. The company has also reported saltwater flowing out of three well houses at CD-1. [Read More]( [Big Lake Elementary School in stay-put mode after body found outside]( [Big Lake Elementary School in stay-put mode after body found outside]( A spokesman for the Alaska State Troopers said there is no danger to students or staff and no known connection between the school and the person found dead. [Read More]( [Woman and man found dead in Soldotna cabin after propane oven was left on, troopers say]( [Woman and man found dead in Soldotna cabin after propane oven was left on, troopers say]( “A preliminary investigation by troopers determined that a propane oven had been inadvertently left in the on position while it was not lit filling the cabin with propane,” troopers wrote. [Read More]( More from the ADN [UAF’s men’s basketball team’s improbable run ends in NCAA Tournament]( [UAF’s men’s basketball team’s improbable run ends in NCAA Tournament]( [Read More]( [Iditarod racing regrets, uncharted miles and a veterinarian volunteer: More moments from Unalakleet]( [Iditarod racing regrets, uncharted miles and a veterinarian volunteer: More moments from Unalakleet]( [Read More]( [Woman dies in Mat-Su when shots fired into camper]( [Woman dies in Mat-Su when shots fired into camper]( [Read More]( [Kotlik man fatally strangled girlfriend after she called 911 to report threats, charges say]( [Kotlik man fatally strangled girlfriend after she called 911 to report threats, charges say]( [Read More]( [Pfizer and BioNTech to seek authorization of second coronavirus booster shot for people 65 and older]( [Pfizer and BioNTech to seek authorization of second coronavirus booster shot for people 65 and older]( [Read More]( The ADN relies on readers like you. [Get digital access to the ADN for about $4 per week]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News 300 W 31st Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99503