Maine News Updates

Welcome to the Sunrise Herald with Giselle Goodman, the place to go to get the news from overnight and onward...

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IN THE WEATHER:

SUNRISE: 5 a.m. SUNSET: 8:27 p.m.

At 8 a.m., it was 62 degrees in downtown Portland and raining.

You
know. If we were going into our fourth straight day of warm, sunny
weather, there would not be a frowny face on this Sunrise Herald. But
we are going into our fourth straight day of cloud cover, wet air, rain
showers and cool temps.

Maybe a break tomorrow? If so, you'll see a different weather icon. Until we get a break - one big frowny face.

THE SUNRISE HERALD WEATHER WATCHERS REPORT:

• Bill in Rockland says:   More of the same: misty,
  nothing falling out of the sky at this precise moment but very damp,
  still a little breezy from the northeast, and sixty-two degrees. Almost
  a cut and paste of yesterday (and the day before, etc.). Ah well, this
  too shall pass - I guess.
• Jim in Cape Elizabeth says:
  Well, so much for dry mornings. At 5:45, it was a mild 64 here in Cape
  Elizabeth with what sounds like consistent rainfall.  However it 
  appears upon walking outside that it is really only wind blown water 
  off the trees.  There is also a mistiness in the air that just seems 
  to hang there.  What do we have to do for a dry spell????  On the good 
  side, those with irrigation systems in their property should see a 
  decline in their next water bill.  Am I growing gills?  Have a damp 
  Wednesday all!  Cheers.
• Mark in Brunswick says: I feel like I live in Seattle, except our baseball team is in first place.  Anyway, it's raining. Again. And it's 63.

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ON THE ROAD:

IN PORTLAND
-- Construction work on Washington Avenue will mean only one open lane
of traffic with alternating inbound and outbound traffic flow. This
work will be underway for the remainder of the week from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m.
Commuters may want to seek an alternate route as there will likely be delays and traffic.

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If you'd like to know where other lane closures and sticky traffic spots are, visit either of these links:

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ON THE OCEAN:

On the open ocean, a small craft advisory for today. Not so in the
shelter of Casco Bay. But still, winds are going to be blowing a
healthy 10 to 15 knots, gusting to 25 knots, with seas 4 to 6 feet.
Showers. Again. Through the day. 

IN PORTLAND: High tide at 1:01 p.m. Low tide at 6:46 a.m. and 6:54 p.m.

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IN THE NEWS:

AUGUSTA
– Maine Attorney General Janet T. Mills says the state, and 39 others,
have reached an agreement with the company that owns TJ Maxx,
Marshall’s and HomeGoods stores.

The settlement resolves
an issue of whether TJX Companies had insufficient security measures in
place to protect customers' personal data. A group of state attorneys
general cried foul after the company announced a massive data breach in
2007. Seems somebody (who has not been found) obtained unauthorized
access to the company's computer systems and stole thousands of credit
cardholders' data and other personally identifiable information.

Mills
said in a prepared statement that TJX agrees to pay $9.75 million to
the states where the breaches occurred. Maine, she said, will receive
$38,675 of that money, which will be used "to aid consumer protection
enforcement and efforts to protect consumers’ personally-identifiable
information."

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YORK -- Police say three people were injured in a two-car collision that tied up traffic at 77 Organug Road.

The crash occurred at 9:20 p.m., last night. Two cars collided head-on after one veered into the other's lane.

Three
people were sent to the hospital, one man with a broken arm, and
another man with a broken collarbone. A woman, who was the most badly
hurt, suffered a head injury.

Police say no charges were filed
and the cause seems to be driver inattention. Alcohol does not appear
to be a factor, said Officer Shaun Darrow.

(Letter A on the Google map at left is 77 Organug Road, where the crash occurred. Click on the map to see a larger version.)

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SOUTH
PORTLAND -- Sales of single-family homes in Maine went down 9.5 percent
in May 2009 as compared to the previous year, according to the Maine
Association of Realtors.

By the numbers it looks like this: In May 2009, 877 existing homes were sold. In May 2008, 969 existing homes were sold.

But,
on the flip side, more homes sold in May 2009 than April 2009 - from
610 to 877. That's a 44 percent increase in sales over one month.

The
realtors association, meanwhile, expects that number to increase
because of Maine's Gift of Green program announced earlier this month. (Click this link to get the background). That program can provide up to $5,000 cash and energy audit coupons for first-time homebuyers.

Might be a good time to go house hunting. Plus, with all this rain, you can really find out if the roof leaks!

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HAPPENINGS TODAY:

IN WASHINGTON D.C. -- Today's the day!

Today
10-year old Hannah Ryder of Cumberland gets to meet the
heart-fluttering handsomeness (to a pre-teen girl) that is Nick Jonas. 

Hannah lives with Type 1 diabetes. She was diagnosed three years
ago. And tomorrow, she will get to testify before a congressional panel
(that includes Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins) about her disease.

Also testifiying at the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)'s  “Children’s
Congress” is Jonas - a member of the "The Jonas Brothers."

Hannah
will also get to meet actress Mary Tyler Moore, international chairman
of JDRF, and boxing legend “Sugar” Ray Leonard. They will also be at
the hearing. One more Mainer, 8-year old Cole Buchanan of Falmouth,
will attend the event.

It gets underway at 9 a.m. in Washington, D.C. Wonder if Nick's bringing his rekindled girlfriend....

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A BIT 'O GOOD NEWS:

An occasional Sunrise Herald feature, combating the harmful rays of too much bad news.

Leon Gorman, chairman of L.L. Bean, has been honored in a way that he describes as prestigious as any other honor he's received.

The title: Volunteer of the Year at the Preble Street, for all his years of service at the Preble Street Breakfast Soup Kitchen.

In
addition, he was given the thumbs up for all the "sound counsel" he's
given the  Preble Street leadership team over the years.

According
to Joel Reed, soup kitchen manager, “Leon’s compassion, experience, and
commitment to serving others are an inspiration to all who work with
him.” 

That's Leon, on the right, holding his award. He attended the ceremony in Bean boots and a flannel hunting shirt. Just kidding!
 
There were other awards given out, too:

• The Community Partner's award went to state Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Cumberland County, Bob Rowe, executive director of New Beginnings
  in Lewiston and Carol Whitney, for their support of LD 1127; “An Act to
  Define Services for Maine Runaway and Homeless Youth.” 
• John
  Marshall, creative director of WPXT and WPME, was honored with the
  Force for Good award for his work to help raise awareness and promote
  advocacy for ending homelessness for women in Maine.
• Donna
  Yellen, community initiatives and advocacy coordinator for Preble
  Street, was presented the Joseph D. Kreisler Community Impact Award.
• John Heald, retired paper industry executive, was recognized as Board Member of the Year.

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