Boys who perished in blaze identified

Arlington

Two boys who died in an Arlington house fire Nov. 21 have been identified as Kyler Opstrup-Williams, 11, and Tyler Emory, 10, according to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office.

The fire, in the 22800 block of 19th Drive Northeast, generated unusually intense heat. Investigators so far suspect a wiring problem in a kitchen as the cause. The manner of the boys' death is still being investigated, medical examiners said.

Their foster parents, Mark and Susan Lee, two other adults and four children escaped the blaze.

A relief fund has been opened at the Bank of America branch in Arlington, and the Lees are also getting help from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Olympia

DOL tries out fundraising inserts

Drivers getting their license-renewal notices from the state Department of Licensing will see something new in the envelope.

The department is including a special insert from the Living Legacy, the fundraising arm of LifeCenter Northwest, the Bellevue organization that runs the organ-donor program in Washington, Alaska, Montana and northern Idaho.

The insert asks for money to promote awareness of organ donation.

After a three-month test with the flier, the Department of Licensing says it may allow other public-service inserts.

Monroe

New chickenpox case suspected

Another suspected case of chickenpox would make 18 since October reported at Salem Woods Elementary School in Monroe.

School and Snohomish Health District officials declared an outbreak of the disease last week at the school, which has 507 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

A school-district spokeswoman, Rosemary O'Neil, said that of the 411 students who needed a vaccination, all but 22 have been cleared to return to school.

Quilcene, Jefferson County

Boat capsizes, three are rescued

A Coast Guard helicopter Friday rescued three people from a capsized boat in Dabob Bay near Quilcene.

The Coast Guard received a call from Jefferson County emergency dispatchers at 1:38 p.m., saying a 10-foot aluminum boat had capsized with three people on board.

A MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from the Coast Guard's Port Angeles station recovered the three, who were wearing life jackets.

Emergency medical personnel were on shore and took the three to a hospital. The boaters' identities and the extent of any injuries were not immediately available.

Dabob Bay branches off from Hood Canal about 25 miles northwest of Seattle.

Olympia

4-day workweek progress report due

The state Department of Community Trade and Economic Development says it should have some information next month about whether a four-day week for some workers is saving money.

The agency's Olympia headquarters switched to the shortened week in October as Gov. Christine Gregoire asked agencies to save money.

A spokesman for the Office of Financial Management, Glenn Kuper, told The Olympian working four 10-hour days is popular among workers.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Heidi Audette, says the shift to four-day weeks has gone smoothly, without much feedback from the public.

Seattle

Utility exceeds conservation goal

Seattle City Light says it has exceeded its energy conservation goal for 2008.

The utility says it saved enough electricity to power 8,500 Seattle homes for a year.

The conservation was achieved by customers' upgrading heating and cooling systems, buying energy-efficient light bulbs and taking steps to reduce electricity use.

Lloydminster, Alberta

Meteor fragments found in Canada

Scientists said Friday they had found remains of a meteor that illuminated the sky before falling to Earth in western Canada this month.

University of Calgary scientist Alan Hildebrand and graduate student Ellen Milley found several meteor fragments near the Battle River along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border late Thursday.

They said there could be thousands of pieces strewn over a 7-square-mile area.

Residents in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have been buzzing about the huge fireball that lit up the night sky over the three provinces on Nov. 20. Witnesses reported hearing sonic-boom rumblings and said the fiery flash was as bright as the sun.

Hildebrand, who also coordinates meteor-sighting reports with the Canadian Space Agency, estimated the meteor could have been seen from as far as 434 miles away, into the northern United States.

Widely broadcast video images of the meteor showed what appeared to be a speeding fireball that became larger and brighter before disappearing as it neared the ground.

The meteor contained about one-tenth of a kiloton of energy when it entered the earth's atmosphere, roughly the equivalent of 100 tons of the chemical explosive TNT.

"It would be something like a billion-watt light bulb," said Hildebrand.

Roseburg, Ore.

U.S. seeks $5 million in drug-sale assets

The man who prosecutors say led a drug ring started by high-school buddies three decades ago in Roseburg has been ordered to give up land in three states, two boats, vehicles and financial assets.

In all, the government is seeking $5 million in assets derived from drug sales as it proceeds against Kent Jones in U.S. District Court.

Federal agents said the operation began with marijuana, branched out to cocaine and methamphetamine, and took in more than $20 million over the years.

Jones has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. He faces up to 35 years in prison.

Times staff and news services