THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014 INTERNATIONAL ‘Prince of Pot’ back in Canada from US prison

OTTAWA: Canada’s self-proclaimed the pro-pot movement. US justice drug trafficking. Uruguay, the first small amounts of , instead never charged him with drug “Prince of Pot” Marc Emery returned officials said he sold more than four country to fully legalize production, of laying criminal charges. An esti- offenses-should not have handed home Tuesday, vowing “political million marijuana seeds over the sale and distribution of marijuana, mated one million out of a total 35 him over to the United States. As revenge” after spending more than Internet, three fourths of which meanwhile called for bids this million regularly smoke well, he criticized the ruling Tories four years in a US prison for selling were mailed to customers in the month from private growers who marijuana, according to recent sur- for delaying his return to Canada. marijuana seeds by mail across the United States. During his incarcera- want to farm cannabis in a public veys. Opposition Liberal leader “My own government betrayed me border. The ardent advocate of tion, however, calls for softening field. The US attorney who drew up Justin Trudeau, who admitted smok- and I’m going to wreak an appropri- legalizing marijuana was met by his marijuana laws across the Americas the indictment against Emery has ing pot since being elected to ate amount of political revenge wife, Jodie, and supporters in have grown louder, including a New also come out in favor of legaliza- Parliament in 2008, has said he when I get home,” he told public Windsor, before embarking York Times editorial last month com- tion. “It was annoying at first,” Jodie favors legalizing marijuana use. He broadcaster CBC earlier this year. At on a speaking tour. “It does smell paring the US federal ban on Emery told Maclean’s magazine. “But is now leading in the polls ahead of the Windsor press conference, like a party,” Emery said as smoke cannabis to Prohibition. This year it’s nice to have your enemy admit next year’s elections. Emery said he Emery sounded a battle cry. “So appeared to waft at a televised the US states of Colorado and that they did wrong.” will campaign over the coming year help me God, we are going to bury press conference. “I will say I fought Washington became the first to against the Conservative govern- this prohibition next year in this fed- long and hard for that.” allow recreational pot sales. Canada pot politics ment of Prime Minister Stephen eral election coming up,” Emery The US Drug Enforcement That prompted the presidents of In Canada, the attorney general Harper, while Emery’s wife Jodie said. “And I want to remind every- Administration heralded Emery’s ini- Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica and has said is considering seeks a Liberal nomination. body, legalizing it (means) no one tial arrest in Canada almost a Belize to demand a UN review by amending the law to allow police to In jailhouse interviews Emery ever goes to jail for marijuana, decade ago as a “significant blow” to 2015 of current strategies against fine pot smokers for possession of contended that Canada-which has including for selling seeds.”—AFP More thunder, lightning complicate NW wildfires Wildfire threatens homes in southern Oregon

GRANTS PASS: Oregon Gov John Kitzhaber parts of Whitman and Adams counties, lead- thunderstorm whipped up the flames at a has authorized the state fire marshal to send ing to numerous traffic accidents, especially Northern California blaze were released structural firefighters and equipment to help in the Ritzville area southwest of Spokane. unhurt from a hospital Tuesday. local fire crews battle a new wildfire that is Washington gets a dust storm like this every Corey Wilford, a spokesman for the Beaver threatening more than 130 homes in south- couple of years, said Matt Fugazzi, a National Fire, said there was no immediate word ern Oregon’s Jackson County. The Rogue Weather Service meteorologist in Spokane. whether an investigation will be conducted, River Drive Fire between Eagle Point and Winds of 40 to 50 mph kicked up a wall of but they are usual in cases like this. The fire- Shady Cove started Monday and has grown dust in advance of the thunderstorms as the fighters’ names were not released. Beaver Fire to about 300 acres, the governor’s office said weather front moved up through Eastern officials said westerly winds aided firefighters Tuesday night. A storm system that moved Washington and western Idaho and kept on the fire’s western edge on Tuesday, slow- through the area Tuesday afternoon helped heading north, he said. The effect on ing its advance. However, the same winds the fire gain momentum and cross contain- Washington’s major wildfires wasn’t immedi- that slowed it in the west prevented fire ment lines, a Jackson County sheriff’s spokes- ately clear late Tuesday. crews from working on tactical fire opera- woman said. Four buildings, including one home, were tions on the northeast edge. Those opera- Both mandatory evacuation notices and destroyed in a fire that burned across 10 tions were delayed in the mountainous area less serious advisories have been issued for acres in Mead, north of Spokane, shortly after of Siskiyou County, about 15 miles northwest residents on several roads in the area. the thunderstorm moved through, KHQ-TV of Yreka. Elsewhere in Oregon, the Central Oregon reported. The cause of the fire was not imme- About 150 rural homes have been evacu- Interagency Dispatch Center says 7,000 light- diately determined. Fire officials at the Devil’s ated. The fire was 30 percent contained after ning strikes blanketed central Oregon on Elbow Fire complex on northeastern burning across 45 square miles of the Tuesday. Fire crews responded to 14 new Washington’s Colville Indian reservation said Klamath National Forest north of the Klamath fires but all were tiny. In Washington, a mas- that after a week, nearly 800 firefighters had River. At a news conference at a fire coordina- sive, dramatic dust storm of the type more encircled the 32-square-mile fire with con- tion center in Redding, California, Interior often associated with the Southwest blew tainment lines. They expected their work to Secretary Sally Jewell called on Congress to through Eastern Washington and north be tested by the winds accompanying enact legislation allowing federal disaster Idaho on Tuesday evening in advance of Tuesday’s new thunder and lightning storms. funds to be spent on the biggest wildfires, thunderstorms, lightning and rain. Residents of more than 30 homes have been and CalFire Chief Ken Pimlott said three years CALIFORNIA: US Forest Service, firefighters watch near a controlled burn as Washington state troopers said the dust told to leave. Meanwhile, three firefighters of drought have contributed to explosive fire they fight the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park, Calif. —AP storm or “haboob” reduced visibility to zero in who deployed emergency shelters when a conditions across Northern California.—AP Dead 100-year-old woman found in flooded basement

WARREN: The body of a 100-year- more than 6 inches of rain in some Romulus, breaking the previous old suburban Detroit woman was places in and around Detroit, the record for Aug. 11 at the airport of found in her flooded condominium state warned commuters against 2.06 inches in 1964. “This was simply basement Tuesday, a day after heavy driving in affected areas Tuesday a record event of rain,” Gov. Rick rain swamped much of the area and morning. Snyder said. “We just need to work stranded motorists on water- Tiffany Gatewood said Chrysler’s through it,” Snyder told reporters at clogged streets and freeways. The Sterling Heights Assembly plant near Lansing’s airport before boarding a woman’s daughter was concerned Warren sent her and other workers state police helicopter to tour the about her welfare and went to the home early Monday night. On her way affected areas. Wayne County home to check on her, said Warren home, Gatewood’s Jeep stalled on a Executive Robert Ficano declared a Mayor James Fouts. Fouts said the flooded entrance ramp to Interstate state of emergency and said he woman appears to have drowned. A 696 and she had to swim to safety. asked Snyder to push for federal resources. A state of emergency dec- laration by Michigan allows a variety of resources to potentially be made available including support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Ficano said in a release. Fouts also declared a state of emergency for Warren. “I spoke with Snyder and told him we were in need of help clearing roads of abandoned vehicles and basement flooding,” Fouts said. “Now it’s time for the state and federal govern- ment to give back what we’ve been giving. Right now, there are thousands of people in Warren who need help.” In the suburb of Royal Oak, the Detroit Zoo was closed after heavy rains and flood- ing damaged facilities and equip- ment, including the Arctic Ring of Life exhibit that houses polar bears, seals and arctic foxes. “All animals are secure and there are no concerns with animal welfare at this time,” the zoo said in a state- MICHIGAN: Vehicles sit submerged in water along I-75 in Royal Oak, ment. Michigan. Severe rain from yesterday’s storm flooded local streets, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said highways, and homes in the Detroit Metropolitan area experienc- crews were crisscrossing the city to ing the worst flash flooding in decades. —AFP identify flooded streets that needed cause of death was not immediately “I’ve never seen anything like this,” the clearing after the rain overwhelmed available, and Fouts did not release 27-year-old said. “It’s like the world is the sewer systems. Authorities the woman’s name. coming to an end.” Warren Fire Chief closed portions of Interstates 75, 94, Her death was the second David Frederick said bystanders pulled 696 and the Lodge and Southfield blamed on storms that dumped 5.2 a Sterling Heights woman from her car freeways Tuesday. Other roadways inches of rain on Warren on Monday. after seeing her suffer seizures. They remained under water, while mud, A 30-year-old woman suffered carried her into a nearby business and debris and vehicles blocked traffic seizures and died after her vehicle called firefighters who waded through else where. Motorists were stranded became trapped in high water. chest-deep water to get her to an on flooded roads in the Flint area. Roughly 1,000 vehicles had been emergency vehicle. She was pro- Michigan State Police troopers assist- abandoned in floodwaters in the nounced dead at a hospital, Frederick ed other stranded motorists and suburb where many roads were said. National Weather Service mete- towed abandoned vehicles. The state closed. “This is going to go down as orologist Dan Thompson said the Department of Transportation the great flood of 2014,” Fouts said. rainfall peaked in suburban Detroit assessed damage to roadways and Fearing more drivers could become at 6.25 inches. He said 4.57 inches used front-end loaders to clear mud stranded after a storm dumped fell at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in from some freeways.—AP