OLYMPIA - Are those two wheels just not enough to turn the light green? Let us know.

WSDOT is looking for comments from bicyclists and motorcycle drivers who notice when traffic detection systems at state-operated traffic signals do not "detect" them.

Traffic signals keep traffic moving with various vehicle detection systems that work in conjunction with programmed timing intervals. This provides more "green" time to travelers in the high-volume direction during morning, midday, and evening peak traffic. The detection systems make sure travelers in the opposite direction also get through.

WALLA WALLA - The Washington State Penitentiary today received the "Above and Beyond" award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Committee for its exceptional support of staff members who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

The ESGR is a Department of Defense agency that was established to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve members and their employers and to assist with conflicts that arise during an employee's military commitment.

Aberdeen- Grays Harbor PUD plans to conduct a planned overnight power outage estimated to last about five-and-a-half hours on Wednesday, August 5, 2009. The planned outage is scheduled from 12:01am Wednesday morning (just after midnight) until approximately 5:30am Wednesday morning. The outage is necessary for crews to replace and relocate power poles along Highway 109 and to replace equipment as part of system maintenance along Highway 115.

Customers that will be affected are those located south of Highway 115 and west of North Beach High School (the high school will NOT be impacted by the outage). The outage area includes all of the City of Ocean Shores.

ASTORIA, Ore. - The Coast Guard is searching for an overdue 39-foot boat with three people onboard Friday.

The fishing boat Kay Ann departed Newport, Ore., Saturday, July 18, 2009, to fish for tuna. The boat was due to return to Warrenton, Ore., Wednesday.  The co-owner of the Kay Anne reported the boat overdue late Thursday at Coast Guard Station Coos Bay, Ore.

The Coast Guard Cutter Mellon, homeported in Seattle, was diverted 70 miles due west of Siuslaw River, Ore., to help in the search.  A C-130 Hercules search plane crew was launched from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, Calif., to assist.

The Kay Ann is described as having a white hull with red and blue trim.  Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the Kay Ann and its crew should contact the 13^th Coast Guard District command center at (206) 220-7001.

OLYMPIA - With the black bear hunting season opening throughout most of the state Aug. 1, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reminds hunters and others recreating outdoors to be safety conscious. 

"A variety of people, including hunters, hikers, anglers and campers, share the outdoors in Washington," said Bruce Bjork, chief of WDFW enforcement. "We all must do our part to stay safe, as well as ensure the safety of others." 

While fatal hunting incidents involving non-hunters are rare, last August in Skagit County a hiker was shot and killed by a hunter who mistook her for a bear. That incident was the state's first hunting-related fatality involving a non-hunter in at least a quarter-century.