The Columbian from Vancouver, Washington • 19

TVi Viir- The Columbian UlR! i A i rti Government has refused to fund feasibility studies Proposed Highway 504 extension Volcano Watch northern part of toe lava dome created in toe 1960s and no deformation of toe outer flanks of toe wkaro Field crews did not go out Sunday due to poor weather Hazard statue: Volcano remains at Alert Level 2 on a tores point serfs a volcano advisory The USGS says processes are under way torf could cufmrato to hazardous volcanic activity On the Web: vuicanwrusgsgovVoicanoes CascadesCurrentActivilycurrant updateshtmf wwwfsleduspontomlcanocame AnrfV By KAT1I1E DURBIN Columbian staff writer Mount SL Helens' dramatic reawakening over the past three weeks has not killed rural county officials' dreams of a road connection between Cojdwater Ridge and Windy Ridge north of the mountain' But a spokesman for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest which administers the Mount SL Helens National Volcanic Monument said if time fiw those dreams to die On Oct 6 mudflows from the crater triggered by rain and snowmelt crossed the pumice plain near where the proposed wtwinnn of statu Highway 504 would go Forest Service spokesman Tom Knappen-beyger said the new mudflows should end discussions about extending the highway seven miles across the pumice plain Nature has given us an exclamation point about why we should not build a cross Update: Growth of the new lava dome inside MountSL Helens' crater continued Sunday Under current condffions smal Sahara or volcanic debris lows could suddenly descend the TouOe River wibey I they are triggered by heavy rain or by interaction of hot rocks with snow or glacier ice Such lahars represent a negligible hazard below the sediment retention dam but could pose hazard to people working or recreating along the river channel upstream of the dam Seismic activity increased sSghtiy over the weekend but remains rf a low level Global Positioning System measurements continue to kticate only minor deformation of toe mountain Knappenbeyger said that the route you want to be escaping on in front of an active Forest Supervisor Claire Lavendel and scientists conducting longterm research on the mountain vehemently oppose the project In April of 2001 Lavendel warned in a letter to a state transportation department consultant that a $10 million investment in hundreds of ongoing research projects could be lost if a road is built across the barren pumice plain crosa-Monument road would pose unacceptable safety risks to the public given the unpredictable geological hazards inherent with a recently erupted volcano she added Last April Gov Gary Locke vetoed a bill approved by both the House and Senate transportation committees that would have appropriated $400000 for an economic feasibility study of EXTENSION back page 1 the perfect Pumpkin Underdogs face off Left: Brannon Stevens 15 months of Vancouver rides in a wheelbarrow with the pumpkins at the BUI Farms pumpkin patch Sunday Uka nearly everyone else Brannon got a fitUe muddy in the pumpkin-picking Below: Three year-old Anna Stevens of Vancouver tests the of a pumpkin as she looks for the I for state House seat By DON JENKINS Columbian staff writer Rich and measured the Southern-raised voice of Jim Dunn says his election opponent Fat CampbelL not what it once was But a beautiful voice" aays Campbell 17m DISTRICT who brings up HOUSE what Dunn sounds like in hopes of drawing attention to what Dunn says not the voice of Campbell asserts just a Dunn laughs at the observation TVe never had anyone tell me I'm Usually people tell me Tm too argumentative which is probably Dunn a Republican and Campbell a Democrat are running against each oth- for an open House seat in east Vancouver's 17th District It's an underdog vs underdog matchup They both defeated primary opponents who were for better financed Dunn held a House seat for six years before losing two years ago to Democrat Deb Wallace The Republican Party did not hail his comeback In the GOP primary Dunn brought out his old signs taped over the in "Reelect Dunn" and beat Vancouver businessman Paul Harris who had a party-paid eumpaipn manager Dunn explained did good things for the people during my six In the Democratic primary Ridgefield electrician Dene Ferrell enjoyed haridrtg from labor When gubernatorial candidate Christine Gregoire came to Vancouver for a pre-primary reception Ferrell got invited to walk in with Gregoire and local Democratic legislators Campbell who ran unsuccessfully for the same office just two years ago as a Republican still won Victorious in their primaries Dunn and Campbell say their 17TH DISTRICT backpage Photos by JANET MMNEWSTh Cotumbiwi If you go What Bi-Zi Farm Harvest Festival and pumpkin patch When: Open weekends In October from 2 pm to 6 pm Friday and from 10 un to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday i i nCost $6inciudeeone pumpkin per person and i admission to al activities inducing com maze and a I couple of tries at toe pumpkin launch Chidren 2 and younger are free Where 9504 ne ii9th SI a ExtriK A nighttime com maze ia open from 6 pjn to 10 pm Friday and Saturday nights admission ia $4 Remember to bring a flashight Store The form More setts a variety of produce inducing peare apple green beans and winter squash nhfonnaSoii 19 At local Harm visitors get to be chairman of the gourd A i VJ i mp i By MARGARET ELLIS Columbian staff writer Bi-Zi Farms has an answer for the autumn urge to crush pumpkins Instead of getting that satisfying crunch from the do it with the Pumpkin Launch A row of giant slingshots near the entrance of the farm provides the power and big wooden boxes hold a supply of orange ammo Each slingshot is made up of a pouch attached via bungee cords to tall posts Visitors pull back a small pumpkin in the pouch and watch it fly then crash into an empty pasture Despite the offand-on rain Sunday there was a line at the launch sometimes made up of more adults than children said Jessie Harrison She has been working on the farm this year and was setting up visitors with pump- PUMPKINS page C3 r' VI rt Humanitarian pooch wins national award CoCn Brown roads to Gentle Ben while Michael Anderson gives a pat to their guest at Gaiser Middle School 165-pound Newfoundland has wide range of clients By TOM VOGT Columbian staff writer There are all kinds of heroes Some help kids improve their reading skills some help people learn to walk again some help troubled teens Gentle Ben helps all of those heroes a hero too official: The 165- pound Newfoundland has been named co-winner of this US Canine Heroes Award The therapy dog and trainer Pat Dowell are familiar faces in a lot of places around Vancouver A few days ago Ben was a reading buddy in a classroom at Gaiser Middle School But the 7-year-old Newfoundland also wmks at local nursing homes in the hos- GENTLE BEN back page DAVE OLSON Tlw Cokanbian Today is the deadline to register to vote on Nov2C3 Coming Tuesday: your Guide: Opinion Leonard Pitts: iNewsprogram -xv is nothing of the a sort C7 Art on display at the arts school and other news of local i schools C3 Sam Velazquez is back I serving in Iraq Cl AmI1 wtj: W--fcii.