KALALOCH - Motorists can expect pilot-car led, one-way alternating this week on a 14-mile stretch of US 101 near Kalaloch beginning Thursday, Aug. 6.

Drivers can expect delays while crews prepare the roadway for a month-long chip-seal project that improves and preserves the pavement on US 101 from the Olympic National Park to the Lost Creek Bridge in Jefferson County.

The week of Aug. 17, actual chip-sealing work begins and WSDOT lowers the speed-limit from 55 to 35 mph. A speed-limit reduction is necessary during the chip-seal process to increase safety for motorists and workers. The speed-limit returns to 55 mph after project completion in September.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - August 2-8 is "Washington Farmers Market Week," an official nod to the farmers who set up booths and sell their wares to individual consumers. If you want to see a booming business in Washington, make plans to visit one.

There are now 140 farmers markets around the state, and sales have risen from $38 million in 2006, to $55 million last year. For customers, it may seem like farmers go to a lot of effort just to sell a few dollars worth of produce here and there. But Patrice Barrantine, direct marketing coordinator for the Washington Department of Agriculture, says it is the primary source of income for many small farms.

OLYMPIA - Visitors and residents of the Olympic Peninsula don't often associate high fire danger with that region, but this year's conditions are drier and hotter than normal. Due to this high fire danger, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in cooperation with officials from Clallam, Jefferson and Grays Harbor counties, is reminding the public that burn bans are in effect on DNR-protected land.

Currently, there are seven fires in the Olympic National Park in federal jurisdiction. Two of these fires are visible from Port Angeles.

Aberdeen - The Bonneville Power Administration's increase to wholesale power rates will increase Grays Harbor PUD's costs by more than six million dollars over the two-year rate period. Following last Tuesday's announcement of the BPA increase, the PUD conducted a financial analysis on the local impact of the 7% average increase to wholesale power rates. The analysis determined the actual rate increase for Grays Harbor PUD is about 5% based on the type of contracts the District has with BPA.

"While we were pleased to see the BPA increase is lower than the originally proposed 9.4 percent, this is still is a significant increase for Grays Harbor PUD," said Rick Lovely, General Manager of Grays Harbor PUD. "Most of our power comes from BPA, which means any increase in BPA rates will always have a direct impact on our costs."

Bellevue-based Tri-State Construction, Inc. recently landed a $31.1 million WSDOT contract to extend the Interstate 5 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) network south from the King County line. This two-year project adds about three miles of carpool lanes on northbound and southbound I-5 from the King County line to the Port of Tacoma Road interchange in Fife. Total construction costs on this project in Pierce County are about $42 million - about $35 million of which is paid for by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

"The federal stimulus dollars have allowed us to advance our Pierce County HOV construction, which enhances the movement of people and goods, and help get our economy back on track by putting people to work," said Washington State Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond. "We continue to live up to our end of the bargain by having our projects and our state's contractors able to take full advantage of the ARRA funds."