Herald staff
BREMERTON — Two teen-age sisters died early Sunday after a fire broke out at their home.
Investigators believe the fire was accidental.
The Kitsap County coroner’s office identified the girls as Crystal Dickinson, 16, and Amanda Dickinson, 15. The cause of death was asphyxia, the coroner’s office said.
A 13-year-old sister and a man who was a friend of the family were treated for smoke inhalation at Harrison Memorial Hospital and released.
The parents were not home at the time of the fire, investigators said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Firefighters said the house did not have any working smoke detectors.
Judge admonished for courtroom conduct: A Municipal Court judge in Tukwila has been was admonished by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct for his "rude and demeaning" treatment of defendants. Judge Peter Lukevich, who received the formal, written admonishment on Friday, has been a judge for three years, presiding over traffic and misdemeanor criminal cases. He was accused of humiliating and intimidating defendants by repeatedly interrupting them and using an angry tone of voice. Lukevich said he was only trying to ensure compliance with court rules and convey the seriousness of the proceedings. But in hindsight, he said, he sees that his comments could be perceived as harsh and inappropriate.
No talks planned in strike: There were no plans for new talks in the city’s newspaper strike Sunday, as the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild walkout at the Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer went into its 13th day. Federal mediator Jeff Clark he wasn’t holding out hope that the Guild and the papers will be able to find common ground or even come back to the bargaining table anytime soon. Meanwhile, the two strikebound dailies are getting closer to normal size. Times officials will probably decide this week when to resume charging for the papers, Times President H. Mason Sizemore said Sunday. The papers have been free since the strike began Nov. 21.
Carriers offer individual policies again: Insurance companies are again offering individual health-insurance policies to people who aren’t covered by group plans in Washington state, about a year after sales were halted on grounds that the policies were too expensive for carriers. Premera Blue Cross and Group Health Cooperative began offering individual health coverage Friday, and Regence BlueShield will begin taking applications Monday.
Interest might be tapped for financial aid program: Oregon’s largest financial aid program for college students is suffering from a $1.1 million shortfall. The total individual reductions would range from $86 for community college students to almost $150 for students at private universities. The $1.1 million deficit in the financial aid program was caused by about 1,000 more students than expected claiming their need grants this year.
