CHICAGO — NBA star Dwyane Wade’s cousin was shot and killed in Chicago while pushing her baby in a stroller near a school where she intended to register her children. Wade lamented on Twitter what he called another “act of senseless gun violence.”
Nykea Aldridge, 32, had recently relocated to an area on the city’s South Side, her family said.
On Friday, Aldridge was near the school, which is about a mile and a half southwest of the University of Chicago, when two males walked up and fired shots at a third man but hit Aldridge in the head and arm. She wasn’t the intended target, police said.
Family provided this pic of Nykea Aldridge, shot at 63/Calumet this afternoon, while pushing a stroller. @nbcchicago pic.twitter.com/jXfnwzTtrR — Katie Kim (@KatieKimNBC) August 27, 2016
Police are questioning witnesses in the shooting but had no suspects in custody.
Wade, a native of Chicago who signed with the Chicago Bulls in July after 13 years with the Miami Heat, posted on Twitter: “My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughISEnough.”
My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough — DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 27, 2016
Chicago has been plagued by gun violence for years, especially in a few South and West Side neighbourhoods. This July alone, there were 65 homicides — the most that month since 2006.
A day earlier, Wade had participated via satellite in a town hall meeting in Chicago on gun violence hosted by ESPN, along with his mother, pastor Jolinda Wade. Dwyane Wade’s charitable organization, Wade’s World Foundation, does community outreach in the Chicago area.
Outside the emergency room where Aldridge was pronounced dead, Jolinda Wade clutched her sister and spoke for the family as mourners stood in a circle holding hands and praying. She said she’d participated in the ESPN town hall meeting “never knowing that the next day we would be the ones that would actually be living and experiencing it.”
“We’re still going to try to help and empower people like the one who senselessly shot my niece in the head,” Jolinda Wade said. “We’re going to try to help these people to transform their minds and give them a different direction.”
It is not the first time Dwyane Wade’s family in Chicago has been affected by gun violence. His nephew, Darin Johnson, was shot twice in the leg on the South Side in 2012 but recovered.
Chicago had recorded 381 homicides by the end of July, up 30 per cent from the same period of 2015. Its murder rate is higher than the more populous cities of New York and Los Angeles.
Family members are caring for Alridge’s baby, who wasn’t hurt.

Dwyane Wade’s cousin shot dead while pushing baby in stroller


NBA star Dwyane Wade’s cousin was shot and killed in Chicago while pushing her baby in a stroller near a school where she intended to register her children.


Dear Amy: I am a 24-year-old woman. My 18-year-old boyfriend doesn't make enough money and won't save.
The age difference between us doesn't bother me, but his money management does.
We split all the shared bills, but he lost his job and in the three-week gap before getting a new one he managed to borrow $1,200 from me (which he wants to pay back).
He says he wants a second job, but just comes up with excuses. I hate feeling like I'm nagging him to make more money.
He's an amazing and sweet guy that I love, but I've started resenting him.
I have taken him out and paid for movies, dates, etc., but I want to feel financially stable. I want a man who can take care of me (more than just emotionally).
I want to talk to him about this, but he gets so defensive. Am I being ridiculous?
He did nothing for me on my birthday last month, and when I confronted him that it hurt that he couldn't even write me a love note, or buy a $1 card, or do anything cheap (or free), he just made excuses.
I told him I knew he spent money on weed instead of on me. Normally it doesn't bother me when he smokes weed, but it hurts to know he's spending money he doesn't have on pot, rather than paying my money back, or celebrating my birthday.
Am I becoming my boyfriend's sugar mama? -- Disappointed
Dear Disappointed: It is shocking that -- knowing how you feel about money and what you know about your boyfriend -- you would give him $1,200. You will NEVER see that money again.
Your boyfriend should not have to "take care of you" financially. You are obviously capable of taking care of yourself. If you resent bankrolling him, then you shouldn't do it.
He is 18. He is handling his money the way many 18-year-old people do, and making choices that immature people make. If he is a heavy pot user, it will naturally soak up a fair amount of his income, as well as affect his initiative. Maybe he will grow out of this phase -- maybe not.
You are 24. If you want someone who is more mature, financially stable and grown-up, you should probably find someone who matches your maturity and initiative. Stability is obviously an important value to you, so choose to be with someone who fulfills this value.
Also -- I highly recommend being on your own for a while. Being alone is much more preferable to baby-sitting and bankrolling your romantic partner's weed habit.
Dear Amy: As a smartphone user, I have been guilty of using my phone at inappropriate times, but the more I am around people on their phones the more I am seeing the rudeness of people using them.
I was with some family members and an older friend when two of the family members, (both over 60) were talking on their phones and texting while at dinner.
It was embarrassing! They were upset and defensive when I made a comment about it. -- Sick of Cells
Dear Sick: Would these family members go out to dinner and then invite another person to come over and sit in the middle of the table to converse with them during the meal? Probably not. But this is what they are doing when they talk and text during the meal.
My casual observation is that adolescents do this, and then the distraction wanes until people hit the age of 60 or so. Older people seem to be very heavy smartphone users, and also oblivious to the impact on others.
The next time you go out with them, ask your companions if they would be willing to play a game: The first person to reach for their phone pays for dessert.
Dear Amy: Regarding "T," who said his wife was having secret chats with an old flame after many years of marriage ... family members should please consider that she might have early onset dementia.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which can strike when people are young (in their 40s and 50s), has a few variants. The behavioral variant causes people who have it to exhibit behaviors like T described, including the apathy for his emotional distress.
It is an awful disease. -- Been There
Dear Been There: FTD is relatively rare. Hooking up with a former flame is relatively common. But I agree with you that dementia is a possibility, and thank you for the suggestion.

Age gap and wage gap frustrate girlfriend


Dear Amy: I am a 24-year-old woman. My 18-year-old boyfriend doesn't make enough money and won't save.


In their hysterical reaction to the “burkini ban” in France, bleeding-heart liberals in the West demonstrated again how gullible they are and how easy it is for the worldwide Islamist movement to manipulate them.
In carefully staged theatre, the Islamists pulled off a stunt by making Muslim women out to be victims of white, male, armed police.
They tugged at our outrage whenever we see the state trampling on individual liberty, especially if the victim is a female.
Thus a video of a woman being beaten by a gang of Muslim men, somewhere in Europe or North Africa, barely raised an eyebrow, and didn't make it to the front pages of any newspaper or TV network.
However, the sight of a middle-aged Muslim woman napping in full body attire in 35 Celsius heat, with cameramen, being asked to leave the beach, or take off one layer of her burkini wrap, was enough to raise cries of racism, misogyny, bigotry and every possible human rights violation in the UN Charter.
One image, circulated on the micro blogging and social networking website Tumblr, best captured the logic of the left.
It showed two women in almost identical full-body swimsuits, with the title:
“French Muslim in Burkini French Catholic in Wetsuit.”
Below the picture, the caption read:
“Only one will be asked to remove her swimming gear at gunpoint.”
To the defenders of the burkini, the picture illustrated Western racism and double standards.
To me, the picture raised a question:
“If both swimsuits provide head-to-toe cover, why don’t these Muslim women wear the wetsuit? Why do they insist on the burkini?”
After all, the wetsuit would meet all the silly requirements imposed by man-made sharia laws that have forced the Muslim world to be permanently anchored in medieval times.
That is when I had a eureka moment in understanding why the burkini is being pushed upon Muslim women, when for a good 1,400 years, we Muslims had no use for it.
The burkini is supposed to be many things, but above all it is a tool to “slut shame” western women, and Muslim women, who wear traditional beach wear, be it bikinis or a single piece swimsuit.
The objective is to project devout Muslim women as pious and pure females who are the guardians of the family’s honour, and to contrast them to non-Muslim or non-observant Muslim women who are of “loose character”.
As this twisted logic goes, the latter are sexually bound to a culture of immorality, cursed by Allah to, as infidels, burn in hellfire, for exposing their skin to entice men and trigger their sexual arousal.
American Muslim reformist Shirin Qudosi made a scathing attack on the burkini in a Fox News column.
She wrote, the burkini is an extension of the burka, which was “a totem of feminist oppression”.
The burkini, she said, was the result of “an abusive cultural conditioning” of Muslim women.
As for those who believe in the notion of “choice”, well, I’m sorry, but nudists should not have the choice to roam naked on Toronto’s lakefront or Vancouver’s shores; white supremacists should not have the choice to wear KKK bath wear while sun tanning, and neo-Nazis should not have the choice to have swastikas stitched on to their briefs or bikini tops.


In their hysterical reaction to the “burkini ban” in France, bleeding-heart liberals in the West demonstrated again how gullible they are and how easy it is for the worldwide Islamist movement to manipulate them.


Jimmy Fallon shocked at the MTV Video Music Awards by dressing up as Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte.
The talk show host was tasked with presenting the Video of the Year award at the annual ceremony on Sunday night, but stole the spotlight himself with a controversial impression of the disgraced athlete.
Jimmy, 41, stepped out in a tracksuit, a gold medal around his neck and a bleach blonde wig, then proceeded to make a series of risky jokes while pretending to be Ryan, who hit headlines when he claimed he was robbed at gunpoint at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
"Is it too late now to say sorry?" Jimmy quizzed the audience, citing Justin Bieber's hit track Sorry to mock the sportsman.
He continued to list various spoof lies as Ryan, who on Friday was charged with a false report after admitting he was in fact intoxicated when he claimed he and his teammates were held at gunpoint by criminals in Brazil.
Jimmy joked he was responsible for all the videos up for the Video of the Year gong, adding, "I had a 30-way with Kanye West. I made Lemonade with Queen Bey. I'm Reezy with the good hair!", in reference to Beyonce's famous lyric which hinted at her husband Jay Z's infidelity.
It didn't stop there though as Jimmy even made comments aimed at Ryan's exaggerated claim by asking the audience who had the best video of the year.
"I can't tell you that," he quipped. "I couldn't tell you even if there was a gun to my head, which there isn't, but I still couldn't choose."
Fellow Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who presented earlier in the evening, couldn't hide his shock at Jimmy's performance as he was caught on camera saying, "Oh my God!" However he appeared to see the funny side of things, even taking his phone out to document the shenanigans.
"I couldn't tell you even if there was a gun to my head." 🙊#VMAs https://t.co/L55barVLKU — MTV (@MTV) August 29, 2016

Jimmy Fallon shocks with his Ryan Lochte impression at MTV Video Music Awards


Jimmy Fallon shocked at the MTV Video Music Awards by dressing up as Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte.


When it came time to write and record their third record, Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley wanted to collaborate with some of the country duo’s biggest influences.
“The record is called Dig Your Roots and we’re honestly digging our roots with how we approached our collaborations,” Hubbard tells Postmedia Network during a mid-afternoon chat in Toronto’s entertainment district.
The new LP features a reggae-tinged track with Ziggy Marley on Life Is a Honeymoon, the ballad God, Your Mama, and Me with Backstreet Boys and May We All, a collab with Tim McGraw that will follow the album’s first chart-topping single, H.O.L.Y.
“All these artists were huge influences in our life and huge influences in our music and they’re people that we look up to and respect,” Hubbard adds. “It was a dream come true for BK and I to work with all of them.”
The party vibe FGL kicked off with their 2012 hit Cruise continues on Dig Your Roots, but the duo wanted to take their brand of country music in different directions.
“We wanted to show the fans a different side of who we are,” Hubbard says.
Hubbard and Kelley told us why FGL plans to stay in their own lane, how playing with Backstreet was a bucket list moment and revealed who they want to collaborate with next. Hint: he’s the king of the 6ix.
Love, faith and family are big themes on Dig Your Roots. How did you guys want to shake things up for the new record?
Hubbard: Just like our other albums, we wanted to be real with where we’re at. We’ve grown up a lot over the last few years and we’ve evolved and our music is doing the same as well. It’s FGL, they’re still some good party songs on there and really something for everybody — just like the rest of our records — but we feel like this is the strongest record we’ve done.
What sets FGL apart from the rest of the country music scene these days?
Kelley: For those that aren’t familiar with Florida Georgia Line, I think we do offer something for everybody, particularly because of our influences. We like to do our own thing. We’re in our own lane and we don’t like to mess with anybody else. We like to keep it fresh and just focus on FGL.
What was your first big break?
Kelley: I think we’re getting big breaks every day. God is so good to us and our fans are amazing. We’re living out our dreams constantly.
You guys are big fans of Backstreet Boys, what was it like to collaborate with them on God, Your Mama, and Me?
Kelley: It’s crazy, to be honest with you. I was in sixth grade and I went to see them with a friend at the House of Blues. But we’re big believers in the motto ‘You have to dream big and put that energy out there.’ I don’t know how Nick (Carter) came across us, but we connected and we started passing songs back and forth and he ended up on our bus in Nashville during CMA week and we played him the song and he loved it. There’s a lot of respect there and there’s a friendship.
You’re playing across Canada throughout the fall. What are you looking forward to seeing the most?
Kelley: One of our favourite things about being in Canada and touring is it’ll give us time to get out in nature and do some hiking. Canada has some amazing landscapes and the weather is probably going to be great... Hopefully we get to hike a little bit, get outdoors.
Hubbard: If we pass through Banff I know we might try and stop there. We’ve heard amazing things about that area, so we might try and check that out.
When you play in Toronto’s Molson Canadian Amphitheatre this week, the CNE will be happening across the way. Got any favourite rides or fair food you hope to try?
Hubbard: I like roller-coasters. If I get a chance to ride a roller-coaster, I’m always jumping at the opportunity. Fair food? I really like funnel cakes.
Kelley: I’m pretty simple. I don’t like anything too crazy like a fried donut or whatever they do — they do some crazy stuff at some fairs — but I like to keep it simple. A good hot dog would be nice. I don’t have many hot dogs, so if they have a nice hot dog, I gotta have it.
Who do you want to collaborate with next?
Kelley: I’d say Rihanna. Justin Timberlake would be cool. Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne. Drake, obviously. Drake’s amazing. Is he in town?
Twitter: @markhdaniell
MDaniell@postmedia.com

After Backstreet Boys, Florida Georgia Line want to work with Drake


When it came time to write and record their third record, Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley wanted to collaborate with some of the country duo’s biggest influences.


The scene near Dundas St. E. and Munro St. where a woman died after multiple gunshots were fired on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016. (Pascal Marchand/Special to the Toronto Sun)
Susan Bryant, an area resident, leaves flowers at the scene Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016 a day after Peggy Ann Smith, 61, was shot dead in a Riverside laneway. CHRIS DOUCETTE/TORONTO SUN)
Toronto Police at the scene Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016 a day after Peggy Ann Smith, 61, was shot dead in a Riverside laneway. CHRIS DOUCETTE/TORONTO SUN)
Toronto Police at the scene Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016 a day after Peggy Ann Smith, 61, was shot dead in a Riverside laneway. CHRIS DOUCETTE/TORONTO SUN)
Toronto Police at the scene Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016 a day after Peggy Ann Smith, 61, was shot dead in a Riverside laneway. CHRIS DOUCETTE/TORONTO SUN)
Toronto Police at the scene Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016 a day after Peggy Ann Smith, 61, was shot dead in a Riverside laneway. CHRIS DOUCETTE/TORONTO SUN)
Peggy Ann Smith, 61, of Toronto, was fatally shot Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016 in the Don Mount Court and Kintyre Avenue area of Riverdale.
TORONTO -
For the third time in recent months, gunfire erupted in a Riverside neighbourhood Saturday evening.
But unlike the first two shootings where nobody was hurt, this time, a 61-year-old grandmother was killed.
"It's just horribly sad," longtime area resident Susan Bryant said Sunday. "It just feels like my neighbourhood is ruined, it's been tainted."
She said the victim often visited her daughter, who lives on Munro St., to help care for her grandchildren.
Toronto Police say the gunshots rang out on Don Mount Ct., the laneway behind the row of government housing near Dundas St. W. and Broadview Ave., just after 6 p.m.
"Officers located a woman, with an apparent gunshot wound, in an alley at the rear of a home," Homicide Det.-Sgt. Hank Idsinga said. "She was pronounced at the scene."
The victim, identified as Peggy Ann Smith, is the city's 48th murder victim of the year.
One area resident, who asked not to be named, said he heard what sounded like two guns firing close to a dozen shots, "Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang."
He said the shots all seemed to be fired directly at the back steps of a home.
The man and several other area residents said the laneway is often teeming with people sitting in lawn chairs behind their homes.
Idsinga said there was a birthday party for a young teenager not far from where the bullets were fired and a BBQ at a nearby townhouse.
"Needless to say, with the number of people out and about in the area on a warm summer night, there was a strong possibility of further injuries or fatalities," he said.
The back porch and windows of two townhouses were still riddled with bullet holes as forensics officers gathered evidence at the scene Sunday morning.
No arrests have been made.
Two young men were seen fleeing the area, heading north towards Dundas St. E.
On May 5, gunshots were fired at the back of a townhouse just a few doors down from where Smith was killed, narrowly missing the residents inside.
Another townhouse just south of Saturday's murder scene was shot up on April 20.
Anyone with information regarding the deadly shooting is urged to call police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
cdoucette@postmedia.com


For the third time in recent months, gunfire erupted in a Riverside neighbourhood Saturday evening.


A helmet-cam video shot last Friday of a confrontation between an Ottawa motorcyclist and a distracted SUV driver has gone viral, with more than 1.1 million views since being posted on Facebook.
Erik Hanna, who was riding his Yamaha R3 near Woodroffe Avenue and Baseline Road on Friday afternoon, shared the video after a woman driving in front of him in an SUV with Newfoundland license plates had failed to advance through a green light, opting instead to attend to matters on her mobile phone. When she became similarly distracted at the next set of lights, Hanna began recording.
In the video, Hanna drives up alongside the woman’s Toyota FJ Cruiser and taps on the car window. The woman can be seen locking the door, but otherwise ignores Hanna as she continues to use her phone. Hanna then pulls ahead of her and passes through the intersection on the green. But moments later, the SUV enters the frame again as the woman accelerates from behind and cuts Hanna off.
Hanna, who has faced criticism in online comments for both approaching the woman and passing her in the lane she occupied, defended his decision.
“I pulled ahead because in my mind it was the safest thing to do,” he said Monday. “I’d rather not be behind her when someone else doesn’t notice that she’s not going through the green.
“But then I guess she decided to use my lane to pass by me, to prove some sort of point. She came within about three inches of hitting my side-view mirror. It was a scary moment, and just gut instinct that kicked in to go follow her.”
Hanna managed to get the woman to pull over and roll down her window. When he informed her that he had recorded the incident on camera and intended to follow up with the police, she replied: “Don’t you have something better to do?”
“No,” he said. “That’s dangerous to my life. It’s dangerous to other people’s lives. This is the best thing I can do right now.”
Hanna asked the woman to accompany him in finding a police officer, but she ignored him and drove onto Highway 417, where Hanna followed her briefly before giving up the chase. “She started weaving in and out of traffic, and I’m not doing that,” said Hanna.
He filed a police report online Friday night. According to Ottawa police, the matter has been sent to traffic investigators.
Hanna notes he regularly motions distracted drivers to put down their phones. In this instance, he’d like to see the woman charged with distracted driving. “I don’t want this woman to come under any harassment. I really don’t want to see anything like that happen, but I do want to see charges laid. What she did endangered my life and the lives of others.
“I’d like to bring awareness to motorcycle safety and why something like that is not OK to do. If I’m stuck behind her and she decides not to go on a green light … and I get rear-ended, that’s my life, gone.”
You can view the video on Facebook here.

Helmet-cam video of distracted driver attracts more than 1M views


A helmet-cam video shot last Friday of
a confrontation between an Ottawa
motorcyclist and a distracted SUV
driver has gone viral, with more than
1.1 million views since being posted
on Facebook.


Drake has stunned his rumoured girlfriend Rihanna by buying a Los Angeles billboard to congratulate the singer on her MTV Video Music Awards honour.
The Umbrella hitmaker is slated to open the ceremony on Sunday, and will also receive the prestigious Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, and Drake wanted to let everyone know how proud he was of her achievement by having the billboard unveiled on Friday.
“Congratulations to Rihanna from Drake and Everyone at OVO (his record label),” it read.
Rihanna proudly shared a photo of Drake’s over-the-top gift on Instagram on Friday, with the caption, “When he extra”, alongside a heart and trophy emoji.
The Hotline Bling hitmaker’s grand gesture has further fuelled rumours the pair is secretly dating. The couple was romantically linked for a brief period in 2010, but the stars have been spending more time together over the last few months, and have shared several steamy sessions on stage together as they performed their collaboration Work during Rihanna’s ANTI World Tour. The singer even bared her breasts for the risque video shoot for the track, in which she danced seductively against Drake wearing a sheer mesh top, leaving little to the imagination.
Meanwhile, Drake, who is continuing his Summer Sixteen tour with fellow rapper Future, is reportedly looking to cash in on the success of musicians releasing short films to accompany their albums, following in the footsteps of Beyonce and Frank Ocean.
A project called Please Forgive Me will feature music from his recent album Views, as well as an original soundtrack by his longtime producer Noah Shebib, reports PageSix.com.

Drake congratulates Rihanna on MTV Video Music Awards honour with billboard


Drake has stunned his rumoured girlfriend Rihanna by buying a Los Angeles billboard to congratulate the singer on her MTV Video Music Awards honour.


PARIS — The French tennis federation has provisionally suspended Kristina Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia and Benoit Paire for “damaging” its image at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Paire, who was seeded 16th at the Rio Games, was sent home after being kicked off France’s team.
The 27-year-old Paire, ranked 34 in the world, broke “team rules,” the FFT said in its statement Sunday. He reportedly sometimes stayed away from the village, or came back late. He also made dismissive comments about the importance of the Games because there are no ranking points.
Mladenovic and Garcia “sharply criticized” the FFT following their defeat in the first round of the doubles over a clothing mix-up, saying that they were not informed by their federation that, as doubles partners, they had to wear the same colours.
The pair was told just before going on court that they could lose by default if they did not change their clothing, and Mladenovic had to lend Garcia some spare gear.
Mladenovic was particularly angry, posting five tweets in which she lambasted what she called the “incompetence” of the FFT, blaming it for “ruining” their match.
The FFT said all three showed an “unacceptable attitude,” adding that they are provisionally suspended from selection until a final decision is made on Sept. 24.
Mladenovic and Garcia are key players in France’s Fed Cup team that will contest the final against the Czech Republic in November.
France plays away to Croatia in the Davis Cup semifinals from Sept. 16-18, meaning that Paire is ineligible to play.
However, he has yet to represent France and was not expected to be selected.
The FFT added that the three will receive no help from the FFT during the suspension period.

Tennis players suspended for 'damaging' France's image with clothing faux pas fa


The French tennis federation has provisionally suspended Kristina Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia and Benoit Paire for “damaging” its image at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.


Vito Rizzuto made a serious effort to find the man suspected of killing his eldest son and wanted him captured alive to make him suffer, a recently released court document alleges.
The document, part of an affidavit prepared to help police obtain search warrants in a recent investigation into organized crime, reveals what police learned from an informant sometime in August 2014, shortly after street gang leader Ducarme (Kenny) Joseph, 46, was fatally shot the night of Aug. 1, 2014.
For years, police sources had described Joseph as a suspect in the murder of Rizzuto's eldest son, Nick (The Ritz) Rizzuto. Vito Rizzuto was incarcerated in the U.S. in December 2009 when his son was killed. The Mob boss returned to Canada in 2012 and died of natural causes on Dec. 23, 2013.
Joseph was fatally shot eight months after Vito Rizzuto died, but according to the informant quoted in the affidavit: "Kenny's death was a contract from the (Mafia)."
"Vito wanted him alive to make him suffer," the same informant, who is identified only as J, told a police investigator during a telephone call. "There were about 10 teams that were searching for Kenny."
Several other parts of what the informant told the police detective in August 2014 have been redacted from the copy of the affidavit that was recently made public following a request by several media. A publication ban on what is contained in the document was partially lifted by Quebec Court Judge Thierry Nadon.
Joseph was killed near the intersection of St-Michel Blvd. and Michel-Ange St. in northern Montreal — reportedly close to his mother's home — and no one has been charged in connection with the slaying.
Before he died, the influential street gang leader appeared to keep a very low profile in Montreal after an attempt was made on his life just months after Nick Rizzuto was killed.
The possible motive behind Nick Rizzuto's murder has never been made clear, but Joseph was also alleged by police sources to have been a suspect in the murder of Frederico Del Peschio, a 59-year-old close associate of Vito Rizzuto's who was gunned down near Del Peschio's restaurant in Montreal on Aug. 21, 2009.
According to evidence presented during a court hearing in 2010, Joseph was informed, by a police detective, on Sept. 9, 2009, that investigators had credible information there was a contract on his life.
pcherry@postmedia.com

Vito Rizzuto wanted suspect in son's murder to suffer: affidavit


Vito Rizzuto made a serious effort to find the man suspected of killing his eldest son and wanted him captured alive to make him suffer, a recently released court document alleges.


GREENSBURG, Pa. -- A Pennsylvania man who had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl as part of a vampire role-playing game that included drinking her blood must spend 10 years on probation, the first two confined to his home.
Westmoreland County Richard McCormick Jr. imposed the probation sentence for Jonathan Ryan Davis on Thursday despite calls by prosecutors that he be imprisoned. Davis, of Vandergrift, pleaded guilty in November to statutory sexual assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors for a December 2014 incident with the girl in a church stairwell after both had been drinking.
Davis told police he, the victim, and two other girls drank blood drawn from their arms as part of a role-playing game he read about online. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for the blood-drinking episodes.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Flanigan wanted Davis to spend more than two years in prison. Davis previously was convicted in juvenile court for impregnating a 12-year-old girl. He didn't seem to learn anything from the probation he received in that case, Flanigan said.
But defence attorney Adam Gorzelesky argued that Davis' behaviour and co-operation with police since his arrest warranted probation, which would allow him to continue receiving counselling. Two psychologists testified Davis would benefit from continued counselling.
McCormick's sentence was a compromise that the judge said "will meet the requirements of punishment, rehabilitation and the protection of the community."
While on probation, Davis can't go online for recreational purposes, view pornography, drink alcohol or go to bars and clubs. He also cannot have unsupervised contact with minors.

Vampire role-playing, teen sex net Pennsylvania man 10 years probation


A Pennsylvania man who had sexual
contact with a 14-year-old girl as
part of a vampire role-playing game
that included drinking her blood must
spend 10 years on probation, the first
two confined to his home.


More NFL players and head coaches are weighing in on Colin Kaepernick’s controversial decision to continue not standing at attention during the pregame playing of the U.S. national anthem.
Most say they support Kap’s right to do it but either don’t agree, or don’t necessarily agree, with his decision to do it.
Rookie New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo, for instance, said, “I’d be disappointed if one of our guys chose not to stand. It’s their choice, it’s not mandatory, but we feel it’s important.”
For a short time on Monday afternoon, Kap’s former head coach on the San Francisco 49ers -- Jim Harbaugh, now the University of Michigan’s head coach -- became the first to criticize Kaepernick’s motivation for the boycott. Which is to protest how minorities are treated in the U.S.
“I acknowledge his right to do that,” Harbaugh said at his team’s Week 1 news conference, “but I don’t respect the motivation or the action.”
Many construed that as, at best, racially insensitive. Twitter exploded. Within an hour, however, Harbaugh walked it all the way back, tweeting:
“I apologize for misspeaking my true sentiments. To clarify, I support Colin’s motivation. It’s his method of action that I take exception to.”
I apologize for misspeaking my true sentiments. To clarify, I support Colin's motivation. It's his method of action that I take exception to — Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) August 29, 2016
One of the NFL’s most thoughtful, intelligent and also outspoken players, Seattle CB Richard Sherman, on Monday offered this insightful take, after summarizing the history of oppression of African-Americans:
“There is some depth and some truth into what he was doing. I think he could have picked a better platform and a better way to do it, but every day they say athletes are so robotic and do everything by the book. Then when somebody takes a stand like that he gets his head chopped off.”

More coaches, players weigh in on Kaepernick's anthem protest


More NFL players and head coaches are weighing in on Colin Kaepernick’s controversial decision to continue not standing at attention during the pregame playing of the U.S. national anthem.


EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. -
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went down with an injury in practice on Tuesday, causing the team to cut short its session after 25 minutes.
Bridgewater dropped back to pass during a drill, planted his foot and immediately went down. He grabbed his left knee while concerned teammates and athletic trainers huddled around him.
Coach Mike Zimmer eventually called off practice, and the rest of the team walked off the field while Bridgewater was being attended to. Moments later, a siren-blaring ambulance pulled into the team’s Winter Park headquarters, stayed for about 10 minutes and then pulled away.
The nature of Bridgewater’s injury was not immediately clear. The team said Zimmer would address the situation at a later time.
Players were visibly distraught as they exited the field, some hurling expletives into the air. A small group remained behind, huddled around him in prayer as team athletic trainers worked to immobilize his leg.
Ambulance arrives at Winter Park after #Vikings Bridgewater goes down with injury in practice. pic.twitter.com/H6Uohrs9gL — Shari L. Gross (@ShariStrib) August 30, 2016
If Bridgewater is unable to return in a timely manner, there is little behind him on the depth chart. Shaun Hill is the primary backup, but he’s 36 years old and has played only sparingly over the last five years.
Bridgewater is entering his third season in the NFL and the Vikings were counting on him to take some major steps forward after a promising start to his career. He helped lead the Vikings to the NFC North championship last season as more of a game manager, but Zimmer and offensive co-ordinator Norv Turner have said that they expected him to be much more of a playmaker in 2016.
You could hear a pin drop on field as Bridgewater was tended do on ground -- silence only broken by several F-bombs players screamed#Vikings — Brian Murphy (@murphPPress) August 30, 2016
Bridgewater missed the second preseason game with a sore shoulder, but was very sharp on Sunday against San Diego. He went 12 for 16 for 161 yards and a touchdown in two quarters of work, leaving Vikings players and fans fully confident as the team starts to prepare for the season opener at Tennessee on Sept. 11.
The Vikings host the Los Angeles Rams in their final preseason game Thursday night, though Bridgewater and most of the starters were not expected to play.

'Doesn't look good:' Bridgewater has 'significant' knee injury


Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a


WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- How do you steal 500 cows?
Probably not all at once. That's according to New Zealand police, who said Tuesday that they were investigating reports of the unlikely crime at a South Island farm.
Locals said they'd never before heard of cattle rustling on such a massive scale. And that's in a nation that's home to some 10 million cows, more than double the number of people.
The farmer involved is feeling too sheepish to talk about what happened, according to friend Willy Leferink.
"He's absolutely gobsmacked, and deeply embarrassed," Leferink said. "If you had three-quarters of a million dollars go missing, you wouldn't want to talk about it either."
Leferink said each milking cow was worth about 1,500 New Zealand dollars ($1,090) and weighed more than half a ton. He said the cows could have been taken from the herd of 1,300 near the town of Ashburton anytime between early July, when they were last counted, and late August.
He said the cows weren't being milked because it was winter, but the farmer did notice they weren't chewing through as much feed as normal.
Police said the incident came as a reminder to farmers that they should be checking their fences and counting their stock regularly.
"It's unlikely the theft of hundreds of animals could be completed at once, and is more likely that multiple thefts could be carried out over a period of time," Senior Sgt. Scott Banfield said in a statement.
Leferink said a trailer-truck would need to be loaded 13 times over to move all the cattle.
"There have to be a number of people involved," Leferink said. "That's the biggest chance we have, of somebody cracking at some stage."
He said the thieves would face a tough time trying to fence the cows, because each one comes with an electronic identification tag in its ear. He said the tags could be removed, but that an honest dealer wouldn't buy a cow without a tag.
Leferink said farmers can sometimes be relaxed about security.
"They're good-natured and haven't got evil thoughts in them," he said. "This is very hard to deal with."

500 cows stolen from New Zealand farm in unusual case


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century is scheduled to fly from Fort Lauderdale to the central city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War.
JetBlue Flight 387 was set to take off at 9:45 a.m. EDT for a 72-minute journey that will open a new era of U.S.-Cuba travel, with about 300 flights a week connecting the U.S. with an island cut off from most Americans by the 55-year-old trade embargo on Cuba and formal ban on U.S. citizens engaging in tourism on the island.
"Seeing the American airlines landing routinely around the island will drive a sense of openness, integration and normality. That has a huge psychological impact," said Richard Feinberg, author of the new book "Open for Business: Building the New Cuban Economy."
The restart of commercial travel between the two countries is one of the most important steps in President Barack Obama's two-year-old policy of normalizing relations with the island. Historians disagree on the exact date of the last commercial flight but it appears to have been after Cuba banned incoming flights during the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Secretary of State John Kerry said on Twitter that the last commercial flight was in 1961.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes and a specially selected five-member crew of Cuban-Americans were slated to be on board the 150-seat Airbus A320.
"It's a positive step and a concrete contribution to the process of improving relations between the two countries," Cuba's vice minister of transportation Eduardo Rodriguez told journalists Monday.
U.S. travel to Cuba is on track to triple this year to more than 300,000 visitors in the wake of the 2014 declaration of detente. Cuba's cash-starved centrally planned economy has been bolstered by the boom in U.S. visitors, along with hundreds of thousands of travellers from other nations hoping to see Cuba before more Americans arrive.
Commercial flights are expected to significantly increase the number of American visitors, although it's not clear by how much. Many of the air routes are currently used by expensive charter flights that are largely expected to go out of business with the advent of regularly scheduled service from the U.S.
Hundreds of thousands of Cuban-born Americans fly to the island each year with the chaotic, understaffed charter companies, which require four-hour check-in waits and charge high rates for any luggage in excess of restrictive baggage allowances. Americans without ties to Cuba have found it hard to negotiate the charters, most of which don't accept online bookings or help travellers navigate the federal affidavit still required for U.S. travellers to Cuba.
Cuban officials insist the continuing U.S. ban on tourism will limit the impact of commercial flights to Cuba, but some experts believe the drastic reduction in the difficulty of flying to Cuba could turn the surge in U.S. visitors into a tidal wave. Americans are allowed to visit the island on "people-to-people" cultural and educational visits, among other reasons.
Americans who fit one of 12 categories will now be able to fill out a federal affidavit by clicking a box on an online form and, in many cases, buy their Cuban tourist visa near the check-in counters of U.S. airports. Within weeks, Americans will be able to fly direct from cities including Chicago, Philadelphia and Minneapolis, Miami and Fort Lauderdale to eight Cuban cities and two beach resorts.
The final announcement of routes to Havana, which could be announced Wednesday and start before December, is slated to include flights from Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles and Houston, among others.

Historic flight from U.S. to Cuba set to take off


The first commercial flight between
the United States and Cuba in more
than a half century is scheduled to
fly from Fort Lauderdale to the
central city of Santa Clara on
Wednesday morning, re-establishing
regular air service severed at the
height of the Cold War.


JACUMBA, United States — An American border guard steps out of his vehicle onto a dusty desert road, seeking to chat with the strangers he sees milling about the mesquite bushes a few metres from Mexico.
His team catches a dozen migrants crossing here illegally each day, he says. A few dozen others slip through, he figures. Evidence lies in the sand, in the discarded bits of cloth desert-walkers placed under their shoes to hide their footprints.
The conversation turns to Donald Trump. He’s asked whether Trump’s proposed border wall would halt the flow of migrants crossing through California’s Yuha Desert. He doubts it. There’s already a wall across almost one-third of the border — people still get over.
“You’d need to get rid of all the ladders in Mexico,” he says.
“If you build a bigger wall, they build bigger ladders... They’ve got fine engineers in Mexico, I have no doubt.”
Trump is now wrestling with difficult realities for his immigration plan. Some are political. His new attempt to soften his message for a general-election audience risks fracturing his own base, which was largely built on his immigration stance.
Some involve practical questions: Does Trump plan to cut off U.S. access to the Rio Grande? A wall already covers part of the border; the rest is mostly river. Does he actually intend to deport 11 million people in the U.S. illegally? If so, what’s the plan to prevent the collapse of industries that rely on migrant labour? And, if not, does that mean breaking his pledge against granting legal amnesty?
A sombre monument nearby belies the idea of simple solutions here.
A cemetery of unmarked graves is filled with people who perished crossing the border. Thousands have died — their numbers grew the last time politicians tried fixing the border, during the Clinton administration in the 1990s.
A partial wall went up in the populated areas near San Diego and Tijuana by the ocean, built from old scraps of metal that belonged to the military. As steel sheets and poles rose in the west, migration routes moved east, toward new threats: the desert, the river, and the human smugglers.
Enrique Morones leads a group praying in the cemetery. They’re volunteers with his organization Border Angels, which deposits jugs of water in the desert to keep people from dehydrating or roasting to death in the scorching desert sun.
Migrants generally cross when it’s cooler, he says — especially at night. Yet accidents happen constantly. People get lost and disoriented. The water bottles run empty — sometimes vandals cut them.
“When we say, ’I’m dying of thirst,’ it’s just an expression. For them it’s real,” says Morones, who used to work in marketing for baseball’s San Diego Padres before turning to full-time work as an activist and public speaker.
“Every summer there’s more deaths because of that wall than in the entire history of the Berlin Wall.”
Hugo Castro is among the volunteers dropping water. He usually works in the fields — numerous crops grow in the valley near the Holtville cemetery, including cantaloupe, lettuce, watermelon and cabbage.
He said many workers go back to Mexico at night because they can’t afford lodging in California. He said many make $40-$50 for a 10-hour day in the field, head south, wake up before 2 a.m., and return in the morning: “They cross daily.”
He said many workers have legal papers to cross — himself included.
Many don’t.
The effect of undocumented labour extends all the way to Canada’s kitchen tables. Whether or not they’re aware of it, Canadians have a distant personal connection to the migrants who’ve become a major U.S. election issue.
In a literal sense, Canada eats the fruits of their labour. Dennis Nuxoll of the Western Growers farming association said of the 400,000 farm workers in California alone, the majority are believed to have falsified work documents.
They pick delicate crops that can’t be harvested by machine — especially grapes, tomatoes, strawberries and lettuce.
“If these workers disappeared tomorrow, we could not harvest many of the crops that Canadians consume,” Nuxoll said.
These workers are unnerved by the election.
The sound of a transistor radio crackles in the vineyards, in an elegant winery near Napa. The owner says staff have been listening to Spanish-language political radio lately, not music, while they work.
She admits she’s unsure whether they all have legitimate documents. There’s such a labour shortage in the area, she says, that she’s grateful for the workers she has: “I don’t know what we’d have to do if we had to hire.”
Trump’s immigration plan, meanwhile, is in flux. Where he once promised to deport all illegal migrants. he now says he would force them out — then allow an unspecified number back in, require them to pay back taxes, and grant legal status.
A shift in tone won’t mollify Morones.
“I don’t want anything to do with him,” he said of Trump. “He represents the worst of the American spirit, and in my eyes he’s not welcome here.”

'You’d need to get rid of all the ladders in Mexico'; Donald Trump’s border wall


An American border guard steps out of his vehicle onto a dusty desert road, seeking to chat with the strangers he sees milling about the mesquite bushes a few metres from Mexico.


Stan Lee seems as invincible as the Marvel superheroes he’s been instrumental in creating.
But at 93 years old, an age when most folks have been retired for decades (if they’re lucky enough to still be kicking around at all), the man who helped give birth to Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers is letting himself slow down a bit.
So brace yourselves, true believers: this year’s Fan Expo Canada, running Sept. 1 to 4 in Toronto, will likely be Stan Lee’s last Canadian convention appearance.
“I’m really trying to take it easier,” a chipper Lee told Postmedia Network in an interview this week. “I want to go to Toronto, and then after that I have one in New York. And I do think those will be the last, except for some that are closer to home.”
But just as thousands of Canadian fans will be seeking autographs and photos with Lee during his appearance at Fan Expo Canada, Lee is hoping for a particular signature to add to his own collection: that of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau will appear on a variant cover of Civil War II: Choosing Sides #5, in stores next week, which shows the grinning, tank top-clad PM sitting in the corner of a boxing ring, surrounded by members of the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight.
“I would love to meet the prime minister and get my copy personally signed,” said Lee, who himself will be featured on a Fan Expo-exclusive variant cover of The Amazing Spider-Man #17 – with the CN Tower in the background, no less – on sale at the convention.
“That would be one of the highlights of my trip,” Lee said. (Memo to the Prime Minister’s office: make it happen, eh? Excelsior!)
Along with artist and Marvel luminary Jack Kirby, Lee’s superhero journey began when he co-created the Fantastic Four in 1961, a response to rival DC Comics’ popular Justice League series. The quartet of heroes were different from anything comic books had seen before: they were flawed, they were frightened, they fought amongst themselves. Despite the incredible powers bestowed on them by a blast of cosmic radiation, they were remarkably human.
That humanity came to define the Marvel credo, and has carried all the way through to the blockbuster Marvel Studios films of the last decade and a half, including this year’s Captain America: Civil War. Next up is November’s Doctor Strange, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sorcerer Supreme, followed next year by new standalone instalments in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor franchises. Black Panther – a hero who Lee said has been “too long” in making his big screen solo debut – arrives in July of 2018.
But after the next two Avengers films in 2018 and 2019, currently entering production under the guidance of Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo, what then? What becomes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe when this epic movie saga reaches a natural endpoint with the fourth Avengers film?
“I can’t tell you where it will go after that, because I won’t be making that decision,” said Lee, who currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of Marvel but isn’t directly involved in the company’s creative processes.
“But I can certainly tell you that it will have places to go. Because as long as human beings have imaginations, they’ll never run out of story ideas for these characters.”
And while Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. might choose to hang up his crimson and gold armour after the next Avengers movies run their course, Lee really hopes both Downey and Captain America actor Chris Evans keep playing the parts until, well, the end of time.
“I think those two men were born to play their roles. As long as they will continue to play them, I think we’ll be very lucky,” Lee said. “In fact all the people – (Chris Hemsworth’s) Thor, every one of them – they are so perfectly cast and I hope we stay with them forever.”
There’s been some controversy over the years as to how many of these iconic superheroes Lee actually created. Kirby, who died in 1994, claimed that the many of the heroes’ stories came from his own imagination. Lee has respectfully refuted Kirby’s assertions.
Ever the unflappable optimist, Lee isn’t one to court controversy or take swipes at his competition. When asked how DC Comics and Warner Bros. might get their movie properties back on track after the critical beatings laid on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, he was characteristically diplomatic.
“Just look at the Marvel films,” Lee said with a chuckle. “That’s the best advice I could give them.”
He also refuses to pick a favourite among his cinematic superhero children, saying he’s excited for all of the upcoming films. “I can’t wait to see Black Panther, I can’t wait to see Doctor Strange, I can’t wait to see the new Spider-Man – I could name every one of them.”
But as for comic books, the medium he helped define, it’s ironic – and maybe a little tragic – that Lee can no longer enjoy them.
“I don’t read as much as I did, because my eyesight isn’t as good as it was,” Lee said. “So mostly I just talk to people about the books and about the movies, see what they think, try to find out as much as I can, and try to stay ‘au courant’ as much as possible. Unfortunately, I don’t see or even hear as well I did, so it makes it a little tough for me.”
But even though he might not be doing the convention circuit as rigorously as he has in the past, he’s not quitting yet. No sir.
“I love what I do. In fact, I don’t consider it work, I consider it play,” Lee said.
“When you’re involved in stories and you’re working with artists and writers and actors and directors, and your whole objective is to entertain the public – that isn’t working. That’s the greatest play there could be.”
LEE SAYS THREE UPCOMING CAMEOS WILL BE MEMORABLE
If you were to tally the box office earnings for the movies that Marvel maestro Stan Lee has appeared in, the results would be in the billions of dollars. Literally, billions.
By our reckoning, Lee has made a staggering 27 cameo appearances in Marvel superhero movies and TV shows, from 2000’s X-Men (as a startled hot dog vendor) to this year’s Captain America: Civil War (as a FedEx driver dropping a package off for “Tony Stank.”)
“To me, every cameo is memorable, because each cameo is the most important part of every movie, we all know that,” a jovial Lee joked in an interview this week, ahead of his appearance next month at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto.
One fascinating fan theory suggests that Stan Lee’s cameo characters are different human forms assumed by Uatu, also known as the Watcher – an all-seeing, all-knowing, otherworldly being keeping tabs on the mighty Marvel heroes.
“Oh, dammit, the secret’s out,” said Lee with a guffaw. (Sadly, we’re quite certain he’s joking. Although if Stan Lee were the Watcher, it would mean every one of the Marvel movies exist in the same shared universe. Now that’s an exciting notion.)
Lee won’t pin down his favourite cameo – he’s been a strip club emcee in Deadpool, a retired general in Captain America: The First Avenger, a suave womanizer in Iron Man and even Willie Lumpkin, the Fantastic Four’s ear-wiggling mailman.
Earlier this year, Lee visited the Pinewood Atlanta Studios set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to film his cameo for that movie, which hits theatres next April. But being the master of efficiency that he is – and, let’s face it, the fact that he’s 93 years old – Lee actually filmed three Marvel movie cameos in a row.
“The day that I did Guardians, I did two others – (this November’s) Doctor Strange and (next year’s) Spider-Man: Homecoming,” Lee said.
Who does he play? He won’t say. But he promises they’ll be memorable moments.
“These three that I did are very special,” Lee said. “When you go to the movies, you’ll see why I say that.”
For further info on Fan Expo, visit fanexpocanada.com.
STilley@postmedia.com
@stevetilley

Stan Lee: Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans should never quit Marvel


Stan Lee seems as invincible as the Marvel superheroes he’s been instrumental in creating.


OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has left for his first official visit to China, with both countries expressing hope they can improve their economic connection.
Trudeau, who is accompanied by his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, said last week that he hopes the visit will be a reset in the relationship between the two countries.
Trudeau will be kept busy, with a host of business-related meetings during stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
He'll also attend the G20 leaders' summit in Hangzhou.
The Chinese government moved last week to take the sting out of a potential irritant during the visit, the issue of human rights.
China's ambassador to Canada said in an interview with The Canadian Press that his country has made progress in addressing international concerns in recent years.
Luo Zhaohui acknowledged China has a long way to go to further improve the situation.
Trudeau has said he will continue voicing Canada's human rights concerns to China's leadership.

Justin Trudeau leaves for first official visit to China


Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has left
for his first official visit to China,
with both countries expressing hope they
can improve their economic connection.


TORONTO — No winning ticket was sold for the $45 million jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw.
It means the jackpot for the next draw on Sept. 2 will rise to $50 million.
There will also be eight MaxMillions prizes of $1 million dollars each up for grabs.


No winning ticket was sold for the $45 million jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw.


SEATTLE -- Authorities say the husband of Heart lead singer Ann Wilson is being held on investigation of assaulting two relatives during the group's show in suburban Seattle.
The Seattle Times is reporting that 65-year-old Dean Stuart Wetter appeared in King County District Court on Monday. Bail was set at $10,000.
The paper says that according to court records, the two boys were watching the show from backstage when they left to walk around. They were walking past the tour buses when they saw Ann Wilson's new tour bus and wanted to look inside.
Documents say Wetter started yelling after they left the door open and allegedly punched one of the boys in the back of the head before grabbing him by the throat.
When the other boy stepped in, Wetter allegedly also grabbed his throat.
Wetter is scheduled to appear in court again Wednesday. He married Ann Wilson in 2015.

Husband of Heart singer Ann Wilson arrested for assault


Authorities say the husband of Heart lead singer Ann Wilson is being held on investigation of assaulting two relatives during the group's show in suburban Seattle.


Naming Sidney Crosby captain of Team Canada was pretty much a given.
But having Claude Giroux fully healthy for the World Cup of Hockey certainly wasn’t.
That’s why the revelation from Canadian general manager Doug Armstong Thursday that Giroux, of the Philadelphia Flyers, is fully fit and ready to go for the start of training camp in Ottawa on Sept. 5 was a boost for a squad that saw banged-up players Jamie Benn and Duncan Keith bow out of the tournament earlier this week.
“What Jamie and Dunc were dealing with, we were on top of right from the get-go and we were trying to give those guys as much time as possible,” Armstrong said during a conference call. “The other player that was dealing with some post-season surgery was Giroux. We’ve stayed in touch with him and I’ve talked to the Flyers and he’s on board and ready to get going.
“We think this will be the group and we’re comfortable this will be the group that we’ll take into Ottawa a week (from) Sunday.”
Benn is coming off core muscle surgery while Keith is rehabilitating his ailing right knee. As for Giroux, he underwent a hip operation to address a painful injury that limited him to just an assist during the Flyers’ six-game first-round elimination at the hands of the Washington Capitals in April.
With Benn and Keith replaced by the San Jose Sharks’ Logan Couture and the St. Louis Blues’ Jay Bouwmeester, the Canadian roster is now pretty much set. And it’s one that will feature Crosby wearing the 'C'.
With apologies to Shea Weber and Jonathan Toews — the two men who will serve as the alternates — Crosby was a slam dunk for the honour.
He captained Canada to a gold medal at the 2014 Olympics and at the 2015 world championships. He has hoisted the Stanley Cup twice as the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, most recently two months ago. And last (but not least), you might remember that golden goal he scored in overtime against the USA that won Canada the 2010 Olympic title in Vancouver.
Keep this in mind, too: Crosby, Weber and Toews wore those same letters in Sochi, a team coached by Mike Babcock, Canada’s bench boss this time around as well.
“They’re great, great men who have distinguished themselves not only with their ability but with their relentless drive to get better and for success, and to help both their individual games and help Canada medal in the past or win Cups, for that matter,” Babcock said.
“They’re fantastic guys. They know me. I know them. They know what’s expected. And probably the thing that separates them from a lot of players is, they play their best in the biggest moments. So for them to lead a bunch of leaders — because everyone on our team is capable of being a captain — is going to be important for our group to have success.”
DON’T I KNOW YOU?
With teams having less than two weeks to prepare for the tournament, picking players who are familiar with each other's games is vital.
As such, Team Canada’s efforts in that regard were further augmented when Couture and Bouwmeester were chosen to replace Benn and Keith.
Couture and Joe Thornton are teammates with the Sharks and could see time on the same line as well as on the power play. So, too, could defencemen Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, potentially giving Canada a four-man unit of Sharks when Canada has the man advantage.
On the back end, Canada now has three sets of teammates, including Burns and Vlasic.
Bouwmeester could immediately slide in beside Blues teammate Alex Pietrangelo, although Babcock warned that such a defence pairing is not a given. The Canadian blueline also features Los Angeles Kings teammates Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin, who have played together at times out on the left coast.
Meanwhile, up front, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin were all members of the 2011 Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. Seguin has since been traded to Dallas.
When you break down Team Canada, there are four Sharks, three Kings, two Hawks, two Bruins, two Blues — in other words, 13 of 23 players, more than half of the roster.
Don’t think it’s by coincidence either. No matter how much the naysayers might criticize some of the picks made by the Team Canada hierarchy, there certainly is method to the madness here.
CROSS CHECKS
In justifying Bouwmeester’s selection, Armstrong stressed two points: 1) He is a left-handed shot, a commodity needed on Canada’s blueline; 2) He won gold in Sochi under Babcock. “We just came back (from debating about Keith’s replacement) with Bouwmeester’s resume internationally, what he did with our group in Sochi,” Armstrong said. “Obviously he’s familiar with Mike and the staff could decide to use him with Pietrangelo — they play together in the NHL. So it just felt that that was the player that gave us the best opportunity to come out and quickly and have success.” ... Armstrong was asked about the fatigue factor of Crosby and the four Sharks since Pittsburgh and San Jose went all the way to the final, making for a short summer. “I’m sure if you talk to anyone from San Jose or Pittsburgh, they wouldn’t want to have it any other way,” Armstrong said. “Everyone wants to play as deep as they can and win the Stanley Cup. That’s our ultimate goal.”
mzeisberger@postmedia.com

News of Grioux's good health a breath of fresh air for Team Canada brass


If winning games comes as easy as naming a captain for the upcoming World Cup, Team Canada will have an excellent chance of having a successful tournament.


There are two things Millennials love the most; a quick and easy dating app and getting immediate access to information.
That is why it is no surprise that a new political app called Voter is making headlines.
Voter-Matchmaking for Politics is an app that combines the user interface of dating apps such as Tinder, Grindr and Bumble, by replacing the picture of potential matches with questions on political and social issues.
After swiping left or right on some of the most contested debates in the U.S election, users are then immediately matched with a party, candidate and political influencer who best aligns with their views.
Automatically generated, with detailed imaged-based results, all calculated within minutes.
Genius, right? Such technology could be the solution to low voter turnout rates and apathetic attitudes that have plagued Canadian politics.
There’s just two problems.
One, the app is not yet available in Canada.
Two, our political landscape seems to be allergic to technology.
When it comes to political technology and innovation Canadians are severely lagging behind.
Living in close proximity to the U.S, we can’t help but be reminded that our political environment is less of a celebrity showdown and more like a straw-blowing competition at your local fair -- long, tedious and unnecessary.
Our political system is slowing dying, with no one showing interest in delivering a cure.
That cure is technological innovation.
It’s the wave of the future and the future is now.
Technology allows for greater efficiency, wider reach, and serves as the gateway to a generation that has not lived without it.
No longer can we afford to have a political system detached from technological innovation that has the power to connect with young voters.
However, little effort is being made to ensure this is fulfilled. Instead, we rely on the same old methods to increase voter engagement.
If Canadian politics is to survive beyond the fanfare of Justin Trudeau mania, it will need the integration of political technology, engaging a new demographic of voters who are fluent in emojis, communicate through gifs and prefer to have information delivered through a device of their choosing.
When it comes to getting these voters to the polls, the process needs to be easier and more accessible.
Most recently, a representative from Hillary Clinton’s team spilled the secrets behind the technology of her campaign.
Her team created an online app that allowed users to display their support for her on social media platforms and receive polling information directly to their phones.
Such information on the fingertips of the soon to be largest voting demographic, will remove the archaic ambience that plagues Canadian politics.
However, instead of being proactive in Canada, we idly wait and hope innovators and companies will expand their services here.
Relying on the U.S to fill in our technological gaps is not sustainable.
Their will or desire to expand into the Canadian market is not a lucrative one.
We have a completely different political system, with a different set of needs and relationship to our constituents.
That is why we need to invest in developing our own technological solutions that prioritize the realities of our political environment.
My question is, how long do we keep on waiting?
-- Andrew-Amofah is is a radio host on CJRU 1280AM, where she discusses Canadian social justice and political issues. She is a Master’s in Political Management Candidate at Carleton University.


There are two things Millennials love the most; a quick
and easy dating app and getting immediate access to
information.


OTTAWA -- Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk says Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have reached tentative agreements, averting the prospect of a labour dispute that has loomed over the talks for months.
In a statement, Mihychuk says the agreements were reached "voluntarily," but provides no other details about the deals themselves.
The negotiations were extended twice since the weekend, when a deadline expired on a 72-hour job action notice issued last Thursday by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
The two sides were in talks nearly around the clock at the request of a special mediator appointed Friday by Mihychuk.
Canada Post described the tentative agreements as short-term. It said they are for two years and that four-year contracts were typically negotiated in the past.
"The agreements will avert a work disruption, bringing much-needed certainty in the postal system for our employees and customers," said Canada Post in a statement. "Canadians can now use the postal system with confidence."
The tentative agreements, however, still must be ratified by the members.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is Canada Post's largest union, representing more than 50,000 postal workers.
The tentative settlement came the same day that calls for direct federal government action in the matter had grown louder.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had again been asked to get personally involved, this time by a group of prominent women from across the country who called on the prime minister to direct the Crown corporation to live up to its legal obligations on pay equity.
A day earlier, small businesses that rely on web-based sales were encouraged to write Trudeau and demand legislation to break the impasse.
The issue of differences in paycheques for rural mail carriers -- most of whom are women -- and urban letter carriers has been at the forefront of contract talks between Canada Post and its biggest union.
An open letter sent to the prime minister Tuesday called on Trudeau to keep his promise to support equal pay for work of equal value.
"We are asking you to use your influence to ensure that rural and suburban mail carriers achieve pay equity with (urban) letter carriers."
It is not known what the tentative deals contain in regards to the pay equity issue.
Trudeau is in China this week for a formal state visit.
Tuesday's letter was signed by 200 women primarily from English-speaking Canada, including actress Sarah Polley, author Naomi Klein and social activists Maude Barlow and Judy Rebick.

Canada Post, postal union avert job action, reach tentative deals


Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk says Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have reached tentative agreements, averting the prospect of a labour dispute that has loomed over the talks for months.


Singer Miranda Lambert is set to meet the soldier who brought her to tears at a concert in Connecticut last week.
The country star had just started singing her hit The House That Built Me at the Xfinity Center when she spotted Jeff Tudisca’s handmade sign in the crowd and had to stop the show.
The U.S. serviceman’s placard read: “3 combat tours. (Your) voice was the last thing I listened to EVERY NIGHT! THANK YOU!!!”
Many fans assumed the soldier was invited backstage to meet Miranda after the show, but when a local radio DJ discovered that didn’t happen, he decided to set up a meet-and-greet between the pair. It will take place on Friday night, before Lambert’s show at Gillette Stadium in New England.
In an interview with Broadway’s Electric Barnyard, Tudisca admitted he’s very excited to meet the country music superstar, but he’s not quite sure what he’ll say to her.
He also lost it during his emotional connection with Miranda at the Xfinity Center.
In footage from last week’s gig, the singer took Tudisca’s powerful sign and propped it up near her microphone stand while attempting to finish The House That Built Me. She eventually gave up and told fans, “I gotta get a drink. Y’all, I gotta do it!”
She then asked fans to take over and complete the song for her.
Her emotions were also tested the following night in East Rutherford, New Jersey when a cute six-year-old fan named Sebastian asked Miranda to marry him.
“I got engaged today!” Miranda, 32, told the audience at the MetLife Stadium, where she was opening for Kenny Chesney. “There’s a little six-year-old boy here named Sebastian. He asked me to marry him. I said yes - in 25 years.”
The singer then showed off a pink ring on her finger, adding, “Look at this beautiful ring! He got on one knee. He was such a gentleman. It may be my favourite proposal ever.”

Miranda Lambert to meet soldier she sang to sleep


Singer Miranda Lambert is set to meet the soldier who brought her to tears at a concert in Connecticut last week.


WWE is reporting that Mr. Fuji -- Harry Fujiwara -- has died. He was 82 years of age, and had been in poor health for a number of years.
While many remember Mr. Fuji as the devious manager of the likes of Demolition and Magnificent Muraco, he had a storied wrestling career well before becoming a manager.
As for his colleagues, they remember his ribs.
No one was safe from Fuji.
"Fuji's were nonstop: in the arena, in hotels, in airports, in restaurants. And Fuji was an instigator. He'd find weak-minded wrestlers and have them do ribs for him, just to wreak more havoc. The man was incorrigible," wrote Classy Freddie Blassie in his autobiography, Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks. "If you were sitting across from Fuji, drinking a cup of coffee, he was liable to slip in some laxatives when you weren't looking. It would be time to go to the ring, and you'd be on the toilet, shitting your guts out. If he heard you on the phone, making airplane reservations, he'd call up the airline after you hung up, and cancel your trip. You'd miss a booking, lose money, and Fuji would think it was funny."
There was the occasional payback, though, said Larry Zbyszko. "We used to put him in some sort of leg hold, because they didn't wear shoes with that gimmick, and we'd grab his ankle and tickle his feet and he'd go apes---," recalled Zbyszko, a frequent foe, with a chuckle.
Jules Strongbow said he did the same thing as revenge against Fuji.
"Fuji tried to get silly in the ring with me one night. I let him get away with it because I figured somewhere down the line, I'm going to find out something about Fuji and I'm going to use it against him in a rib," said Strongbow, a WWWF tag team champion with Chief Jay Strongbow. "Well, I found out that he had very ticklish feet. So one night me were in, I think it was Baltimore, and I grapevined his legs, and I started tickling him. I kept it up for about 10 minutes. To the crowd, it looked like he was in pain, absolute miserable pain. But he wasn't, and I just kept it up, and kept it up. And after that, he never did anything to me. He never pulled a rib on me outside the ring."
"I liked Fuji. We got along good," said Randy Colley, who was Moondog Rex. "He never did give me a hard time, but I knew some guys he'd just do things that were awful. It was always a situation usually when he'd done something that nobody knew for sure it was him, but a lot of people suspected it was him. But he was a good guy too. He was one of them you had to know."
For all the ribs played against his colleagues, Fuji was also a wonderful performer. He held the WWWF tag team titles three times with Professor Toru Tanaka and twice with Mr. Saito. As well, he was a star in many territories, from Portland to San Francisco, from Hawaii to Australia.
It all started for Fujiwara in Hawaii in 1962, but really didn't start full-time until about 1966. He said that he knew "a lot of guys wrestling, who wanted me to become a wrestler because I was big." At 5-foot-10, and 235 pounds, Fujiwara was a decent size, and comparable to other stars in Hawaii, most of whom trained at the gym run by Dean Higuichi, who himself would find his way into the business as Dean Ho.
Ed Francis, the promoter in Hawaii, gave Fujiwara and chance, and he never looked back.
His first mainland promotion was Don Owen's Portland territory, and it was there that he first had to buy proper shoes instead of sandals -- it was "Tough" Tony Borne who helped him find a pair. In his early years, Fuji spent a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest territory, teaming with Haru Sasaki and Tony Borne for tag gold, and having success as a single too.
Fuji and Tanaka were brought back together in 1972. "I was wrestling in Texas and he saw me. He talked to Vince McMahon Sr. and that was it," said Fuji about his entry into the WWWF. Assigned The Grand Wizard (Ernie Roth) as their manager, Fuji and Tanaka immediately struck gold, winning the WWWF tag belts on June 27, 1972 from Sonny King & Chief Jay Strongbow. A few months later, they wrestled in the main event against the dream team of Pedro Morales & Bruno Sammartino in Madison Square Garden. Two more WWWF title reigns would follow, as well as regional titles until their split in 1979.
What worked for the team? "We were both big, for one, and I was a flyer and he was a ground worker," Fuji said. "We clicked real good. At one time, they said we were the best tag team of the '70s."
Zbyszko can still vividly recall their look, the way their filled the ring. "Fuji was probably 270, and then he teamed with Tanaka. Tanaka had one of the most fantastic looks in the business -- 300 pounds with that 25-inch neck of his. He looked like a giant fireplug. They both would put fear in you," he said. "You'd look at those guys—especially Tanaka -- and you'd say, 'Jesus Christ, I wouldn't mess with him. He'd kill you.'"
Fuji would have another successful run as WWWF tag champion with Mr. Saito (who was legitimately from Japan), and by 1985 had transitioned into a manager in the expanding WWF, handling the likes of Demolition, the Moondogs, Killer Kahn, Orient Express, Don Muraco and Yokozuna. "I enjoyed it. I really did. I wanted to be the best, and I think I did become the top manager there too," Fuji said. "I still wrestled too, I wrestled a little, maybe eight, 10 matches a year."
In recent years, Fuji lived a quiet life out of the business in Tennessee.
-- With files from Steven Johnson and The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams

Wrestler-turned-'manager' Mr. Fuji dead at 82: WWE


WWE is reporting that Mr. Fuji -- Harry Fujiwara -- has died. He was 82 years of age, and had been in poor health for a number of years.


Embattled star Chris Brown was arrested late Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
Police Lt. Chris Ramirez confirms to The Hollywood Reporter that the Forever singer is currently in custody at a police station in downtown Los Angeles, following a lengthy search at Brown’s Tarzana, California home.
The drama began early Tuesday, when beauty queen Baylee Curran called the police and accused the singer of pulling a gun on her during a heated argument at his Tarzana house.
She told TMZ.com Brown flew into a rage after noticing her admiring a piece of jewellery. She and a friend managed to escape unharmed, and when cops arrived on the scene to investigate, they were denied entry into Brown’s mansion to look for the alleged weapon.
Detectives filed papers for a search warrant, which was granted hours later, allowing them to enter the R&B star’s home around 1pm local time, following a stand-off Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Bob Green described as “long and protracted”.
At least six members of the star’s entourage exited the property as cops gained entry, and Brown’s attorney, Mark Geragos, arrived just before the warrant was served, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The 27-year-old eventually surrendered peacefully and was spotted talking to authorities outside his home, and hours later, Brown was officially taken into LAPD custody on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, which is a felony.
Brown, who took to Instagram prior to his arrest to insist he had done nothing wrong, has had a myriad of legal troubles over the years.
Among the long list of charges is his infamous conviction of felony assault in 2009 after violently attacking then-girlfriend Rihanna.
He received five years probation, which finally ended in 2015 after a number of violations for drugs and altercations prompted officials to extend the sentence.

Chris Brown arrested on on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon


Embattled star Chris Brown was arrested late Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.


Don Bradway, shown at his home in Hayden, Idaho, moved from California five years ago to join the American Redoubt, among the most motivated of a broader survivalist movement that advocates preparedness and self-reliance. (Matt McClain, The Washington Post)
Chris Walsh of Revolutionary Realty stands in the cellar of an unfinished home for sale in Spirit Lake, Idaho. (Matt McClain, The Washington Post)
Don and Jonna Bradway go for a walk with their dog, Moose, near their home in Hayden, Idaho. (Matt McClain, The Washington Post)
This sign is seen on a property that is for sale in Athol, Idaho. (Matt McClain, The Washington Post)
Todd Savage, a retired Marine who moved to north Idaho from San Francisco and opened American Redoubt Realty, displays a firearm that he routinely carries with him in Sandpoint, Idaho. (Matt McClain, The Washington Post)
Jacob Clad, 22, performs a flip into Lake Pend Oreille near a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Sandpoint, Idaho. (Matt McClain, The Washington Post)
HAYDEN, Idaho - Don and Jonna Bradway recently cashed out of the stock market and invested in gold and silver. They have stockpiled food and ammunition in the event of a total economic collapse or some other calamity commonly known around here as "The End of the World As We Know It" or "SHTF" - the day something hits the fan.
The Bradways fled California, a state they said is run by "leftists and non-Constitutionalists and anti-freedom people," and settled on several wooded acres of north Idaho five years ago. They live among like-minded conservative neighbours, host Monday night Bible study around their fire pit, hike in the mountains and fish from their boat. They melt lead to make their own bullets for sport shooting and hunting - or to defend themselves against marauders in a world-ending cataclysm.
"I'm not paranoid, I'm really not," said Bradway, 68, a cheerful Army veteran with a bushy handlebar moustache who favours Hawaiian shirts. "But we're prepared. Anybody who knows us knows that Don and Jonna are prepared if and when it hits the fan."
The Bradways are among the vanguard moving to an area of the Pacific Northwest known as the American Redoubt, a term coined in 2011 by survivalist author and blogger James Wesley, Rawles (the comma is deliberate) to describe a settlement of the God-fearing in a lightly populated territory that includes Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the eastern parts of Washington and Oregon.
Those migrating to the Redoubt are some of the most motivated members of what is known as the prepper movement, which advocates readiness and self-reliance in man-made or natural disasters that could create instability for years. It's scenario-planning that is gaining adherents and becoming mainstream in what Redoubt preppers described as an era of fear and uncertainty.
They are anxious about recent terrorist attacks from Paris to San Bernardino, Calif., to Orlando, Fla.; pandemics such as Ebola in West Africa; potential nuclear attacks from increasingly provocative countries such as North Korea or Iran; and the growing political, economic and racial polarization in the United States that has deepened during the 2016 presidential election.
Across the U.S., dozens of online prepper suppliers report an increase in sales of items from water purifiers to hand-cranked radios to solar-powered washing machines. Harvest Right, a Utah company that invented a US$3,000 portable freeze dryer to preserve food, has seen sales grow from about 80 a month two years ago to more than 900 a month now, said spokesman Stephanie Barlow.
Clyde Scott, owner of Rising S Bunkers, said pre-made, blast-proof underground steel bunkers are in big demand, including his most popular model, which sleeps six to eight people and sells for up to $150,000.
"Anybody with a peanut-sized brain," he said, can see that the U.S. economy is in perilous shape because of the national debt, the decline of American manufacturing and the size of the welfare rolls.
Some people worry about hurricanes, earthquakes or forest fires. Others fear a nuclear attack or solar flare that creates an electromagnetic pulse that knocks out the nation's electric grid and all computers, sending the country into darkness and chaos - perhaps forever.
"The list is long; the concerns are many," said Glenn Martin, who lives in north Idaho and runs Prepper Broadcasting Network, an online radio station. "Imagine a societal collapse and trying to buy a loaf of bread in Los Angeles or New York and stores are closed down."
Martin's programming emphasizes gardening, farming and how-to shows about sustainable living more than "doom and gloom," he said, and his audience has grown from 50,000 listeners a month two years ago to about 250,000 a month now.
Online interest in prepper and American Redoubt websites is increasing. Tools that measure online readership show that monthly search traffic to Rawles' survivalblog.com has doubled since 2011; an estimate from SimilarWeb, a Web analytics firm, shows that the site had about 862,000 total visits last month.
Rawles's guidebook, How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It, and his post-apocalyptic survival novel, Patriots, have sold about 350,000 copies, according to Nielsen BookScan. They are among hundreds of available survivalist books.
In response to all the uncertainty, more and more preppers are not simply stocking up at home. They are moving their homes - to the Redoubt, a seldom-used term for stronghold or fortress.
It is impossible to know exactly how many people have come over the past few years, but newcomers, real estate agents, local officials and others said it was in the hundreds, or perhaps even a few thousand, across all five states.
Here, they live in a pristine place of abundant water and fertile soil, far from urban crime, free from most natural disasters and populated predominantly by conservative, mostly Christian people with a live-and-let-live ethos and local governments with a light regulatory touch and friendly gun laws.
The hearty and adventurous, or those seeking an escape from modernity's leading edge, have long made a new life for themselves in Idaho; Ernest Hemingway came here to live and to die.
The locals regard the newest transplants as benign if odd, several said in interviews.
"The mainstream folks kind of roll their eyes," said state Sen. Shawn Keough, a 20-year veteran Republican legislator who represents north Idaho.
Many drawn to the Redoubt are former police, firefighters and military. Most said they would vote for Donald Trump as the "lesser of two evils," and they said Hillary Clinton would make an already bloated and ineffective government even bigger.
"I don't want to be one of the guys waiting for help," said Patrick Devine, 54, a former paramedic in Los Angeles who moved two years ago at a friend's urging.
Devine said he had firsthand knowledge of chaos and government failure, earned from working numerous shootings and earthquakes, particularly in Haiti in 2010.
"I can't stop it. But I can prepare myself to the best of my ability for anything that does come and be helpful to other people," said Devine, who works at a local gun range and wears a 9mm pistol on his hip.
"I love this place," said Chris Walsh, as he buzzed low over sparkling Lake Coeur d'Alene in his mustard-coloured Beechcraft Bonanza airplane.
A Detroit native, Walsh, 53, runs Revolutionary Realty, which specializes in selling real estate to those moving to the American Redoubt. He said he has sold hundreds of properties in the last five years.
He lives off the grid in a house high on a hill overlooking a lake, producing his own electricity from 100 solar panels. But he is also a few miles from restaurants and shopping in Coeur d'Alene, a popular tourist destination.
Walsh said most of the prepper properties he sells generally have key features: at least two sources of water, solar panels or another alternative energy source, ample secure storage space for a few years' worth of supplies, and a defensible location away from main roads and city centres.
Such amenities don't come cheap; the average property sells for between $250,000 and $550,000, he said, but some go for more than $2 million. Walsh said a basic solar array can cost around $15,000, while more elaborate systems can cost 10 times that.
Walsh said most of his clients regard moving to safer territory as a prudent step against a reasonable fear. But just as important, he said, they get to live a simpler life in a safe, beautiful place.
"What they are doing when they come here is relearning things that their great-great-great-grandfathers and mothers already knew," Walsh said. "What's going on here is a pioneering spirit."
Much of the Redoubt migration is motivated by fears that President Barack Obama - and his potential successor, Hillary Clinton - want to scrap the Second Amendment, as part of what transplants see as a dangerous and anti-constitutionalist movement toward government that is too intrusive and hostile to personal liberties.
"This is a bastion of freedom," said Todd Savage, 45, a retired Marine who moved to north Idaho from "the urban crime-scape" of San Francisco and opened American Redoubt Realty after meeting Rawles a few years ago.
"The bottom line is that our clients are tired of living around folks that have no moral values," Savage said. "They choose to flee tyranny and leave behind all the attributes of the big city that have turned them away."
Savage spoke as he drove his Chevrolet Suburban with an AR-15 rifle tucked next to the driver's seat, a handgun between the front seats, and body armour and more than 200 rounds of extra ammunition in the back - along with a chain saw to move fallen trees and two medical kits, just in case.
"You have GEICO; I have an AR-15," Savage said.
Trevor Treller, 44, who carries a small Smith & Wesson pistol on his hip, moved to north Idaho last year from Long Beach, Calif., and recently paid a little less than $400,000 for a defensible three-bedroom house on five wooded acres.
Treller, a sommelier at a local resort, said Obama was a key factor in his decision. He said the president has inflamed racial tensions in America, presided over a dangerous expansion of the national debt, been "hostile" to Second Amendment rights and failed to curtail the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran.
Treller said any one of those factors could lead to crippling chaos, so he and his wife have laid in food, weapons and ammunition and are installing an iron gate across their long gravel driveway.
"I think there's a very good chance that these things won't happen in my lifetime, but I also think there's a chance that they will," Treller said. "It's extreme collective hubris to think that we're exempt from everything that happened to every single society before us throughout history."
Treller said he settled on Coeur d'Alene after scouring city-data.com, a website where he looked for his ideal mix: conservative election results, low crime rates, solid incomes, low population density, affordable house prices - and few illegal immigrants, because he said they erode "American culture."
Utah is about 83% white, and its three northernmost counties are more than 90 percent white, according to Census Bureau data. Those interviewed in the American Redoubt insisted they are not trying to segregate themselves by race. And while the Aryan Nations white supremacist group was headquartered near Hayden Lake in the 1980s and 1990s, Rawles has described the Redoubt movement as "anti-racist" and said like-minded folks of all races are welcome.
Walsh, the real estate agent, said he saw far more racism in Detroit, where he was raised, than in north Idaho.
"Here, a black person, they're a novelty," Walsh said. "You'll see people walk up to black people here sometimes and just talk to them because they've never spoken to a black person before. In terms of them walking around [saying racist things], you never see it."
Treller's wife, Christina Treller, 38, a critical care nurse at a local hospital, said she initially resisted her husband's proposal to move to Idaho. Now she loves their new Victorian-style house in the woods, with its fresh well water and clean air, and fruit and nut trees that they recently planted.
Having lived through the 1992 riots after Los Angeles police were acquitted in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, she said she views society as more fragile than most people realize.
"I'm being wise," she said.
In north Idaho, the narrow panhandle that stretches to the Canadian border, many people on the streets of pretty towns such as Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry have never heard of the American Redoubt.
That's mainly because of the prepper ethos of privacy - most don't even tell their neighbours they have years' worth of food in a safe room.
Several locals did express unease about their new ammo-stockpiling neighbours.
"I don't have a problem with preppers, but it's the extremists people don't want around - the fringe, the radicals. That's the concern I hear from people," said Mike Peterson, a real estate agent in Bonners Ferry and retired Los Angeles firefighter and EMT.
Keough, the state senator, recently fought off a tough GOP primary challenge in which she was labelled a "progressive traitor" by Alex Barron, a blogger who calls himself the Bard of the American Redoubt.
"We're certainly not oblivious to the turmoil in the world and not oblivious to the huge challenges we have at the national level," Keough said. "But those who subscribe to the 'world is coming to an end' theory, people tend to shake their heads at those folks. They come across as paranoid."
State Rep. Heather Scott, a Republican who represents north Idaho, said the newcomers have adapted smoothly.
"I have met many people, especially recently, who have moved here after being inspired by the idea of the American Redoubt," she said. "I haven't heard any of them speak about the 'end of the world' but rather the appreciation for a simpler and safer life."
Scott said preparing for a natural or man-made disaster was "simply prudent," because, "Economic experts are consistently saying that global markets are at risk, and they are telling people to take precautions to weather through an economic crisis."
Don Bradway dug into a plate of homemade enchiladas in the kitchen of the cozy house he and Jonna bought for $259,000in 2010.
What they have looks like an idyllic retirement experience: his and hers recliners in front of a big-screen TV, a "side-by-side" all-terrain vehicle in the barn, an art studio for retired nurse Jonna, a carpentry and machine shop for retired firefighter and EMT Don, and a sweet-natured dog named Moose.
Their 30-year-old son, who moved to Idaho with them, lives nearby.
Don, who's a member of the GOP Central Committee of Kootenai County, won't say exactly how much food and supplies they have on hand.
"There are some things you don't talk about," he said. "But the Bradway motto is that it's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."
As Don sees it, you need look no further than the economic chaos in Venezuela, with its hungry people storming grocery stores, to see that a society-ending economic collapse could easily happen anywhere.
"We pray to God that it never happens," he said, finishing his refried beans.
But if it does, he said his "fellow thinkers" in the American Redoubt are prepared.
"They know they can depend on the Bradways to help them," he said.

Preparing for the end of the world in Idah


Don and Jonna Bradway recently cashed out of the stock market and invested in gold and silver.


Charlize Theron has split fans on social media by letting her adopted son dress up as Frozen queen Elsa.
The Mad Max: Fury Road star and her kid Jackson hit the streets of Los Angeles on an errand run earlier this week when snappers caught the boy in his Disney costume.
His look, which featured a blue dress and braided blonde hair, won Charlize applause from some forward-thinking parents, who congratulated her for allowing her son to wear the outfit of his choice, but other Twitter users weren't quite so kind.
One user raged: "How is this legal", while another wrote: "Is @CharlizeAfrica crazy?? What kind of parent does this to a child?? Why would you adopt this young black boy and then degrade him??", and one more added: "Why did Charlize Theron have her little 5 year old boy in a dress and wig? He's too young to know what a transgender is. She's confusing him."
Who think this is ok?? Why?? What kind of mother are you??@CharlizeAfrica pic.twitter.com/8o9P1dQtKi — Lesboja78 (@lesboja1978) August 24, 2016
Why did Charlize Theron have her little 5 year old boy in a dress and wig? He's too young to know what a transgender is. She's confusing him — Mama Nibiru (@MadamSophie88) August 24, 2016
One of the more positive reactions came from @sixmyths, who tweeted: "Here's a thought: maybe Charlize Theron's son WANTED to wear the dress? Crazy, I know. Letting him have his own identity and all", while another fan wrote: "Everyone's upset wit Charlize Theron for letting her adopted son wear wigs/dresses..let them live.'".

Charlize Theron criticized for letting her son wear a dress


Charlize Theron has split fans on social media by letting her adopted son dress up as Frozen queen Elsa.