Maine News Updates

Welcome to the Sunrise Herald with Giselle Goodman, the place you used to go for news from overnight and beyond.

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IN THE WEATHER:

SUNRISE: 5:01 a.m. SUNSET: 8:27 p.m.

At 9 a.m., it was 62 degrees in downtown Portland.

It's one of those mornings where the humidity is so thick you can smell the ocean up here at the top of the Old Port. 

And
that humidity, combined with an approaching cold front, is setting us
up for some wicked strong thunderstorms today.. Currently, there are a
few lingering over Washington County. But the strongest are just south
of us, seen at right (click the picture for a larger weather map). And
those are on their way here.

Some of these contain SEVERE lightning and driving heavy rain.  Do not mess around. If you see one coming, get inside.

THE SUNRISE HERALD WEATHER WATCHERS REPORT:

• Bill in Rockland says:   Not that foggy and not that
  gray either, but nothing to write home about, only the Press Herald. In
  other words, it is not a super summer day, but it's not actively awful.
  The temperature is 56 degrees and there's no wind yet. Have a great
  weekend and look forward to July which has GOT to be better.
• Jim in Cape Elizabeth: Well it's Friday and a foggy one at that.  Portland Head Light is 
  audible
  in the still morning air.  It is currently 61 degrees in town centre of
  Cape Elizabeth but I am sure it is a few degrees cooler along the
  immediate shoreline.  This sun will try a breakthrough today  but
  beware of thundershowers later.  This seems like the perfect weather
  given all the news that has broken in the last 24 hours. I hope
  everyone has a chance to get out and enjoy the weekend including what
  is really one of the kick-offs of the Summer season: The Annual Greek
  Festival in Portland.  So on this day, may your Retsina be flavorful
  and your Greek coffee be bitter and strong. OPA!
• Shawn in Yarmouth says: It was a gorgeous ending to our day yesterday, but alas, the clouds are
  back! 
  It is 62 degrees here in Yarmouth this morning.  The sky is covered in
  gray clouds, but there is no precipitation falling, yet.  Some lawns
  did get mown yesterday.  Let's hope for some additional breaks to see
  the blue sky and sun.  It would help lift spirits.

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ON THE ROAD:

IN PORTLAND: Two important traffic notes for you this morning:

• FIRST: The Veranda Street Bridge in Portland (the one that takes you to and from Falmouth) is now CLOSED
  in order for construction crews to start replacing the bridge. (Map at
  right from google is clickable and will show you the area I'm talking
  about.)  Maine Department of Transportation recommends that drivers who
  rely on the Veranda Street bridge should now use I-295 exit 9.
  Motorists should allow for extra time or take an alternate route during
  the peak morning and evening commutes. The new bridge should be open by
  the end of September.

• SECOND: 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 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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ON THE OCEAN:

Winds will be from the south, blowing around 10 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet.

Heading to the beach? Keep an eye out for those thunderstorms. And if you see them creeping up, find some shelter ASAP.

IN PORTLAND: High tide at 2:51 p.m. Low tide at 8:33 a.m. and 8:50 p.m.

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IN THE NEWS:

AUBURN -- Auburn Police say a serious traffic accident occurred on Route 4 at 5:12 p.m. yesterday.

According
to a release, a van operated by a Jill Welch of Wayne was making a left
hand turn in to Roy’s Hamburger stand when it was rear-ended by a
motorcycle. The driver of the bike, Steven Elwell of Lewiston, was
thrown and pinned underneath the van.

Elwell was transported to
Central Maine Medical Center where he is listed in serious condition.
The crash remains under investigation, though speed and alcohol do not
appear to be factors in the accident. The occupants of the van were not
injured.

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BETHEL -- Volunteers
today will join the Maine Warden Service, State and Bethel Police to
continue searching for a Bethel woman who has not been seen since
Tuesday. 

Kim
Vanderlaan, 40, disappeared from her Route 26 house sometime during the
day Tuesday.  Her boyfriend, John St. Hilaire of Bethel, reported
Vanderlaan missing Tuesday night when he discovered her gone from the
home, with her purse, keys and cell phone left behind.  

St.
Hilaire notified Bethel Police Tuesday evening.  Maine Wardens searched
an area around her home on Wednesday and Thursday and a larger
organized effort was to start at 7 a.m. today. Several tracking dogs
will also be part of the today's search.

Vanderlaan is 5'3", 130
pounds with light brown hair.  Anyone with any information on her
whereabouts should call State Police in Gray at 1-800-228-0857 or 911
on any cell phone.

PORTLAND
-- The brother of a woman shot by a Biddeford Police officer in March
is still in critical condition this morning after harming himself last
night.

A nursing supervisor at Maine Medical Center said Jim Stewart was still in critical condition.

Stewart
is the brother of 47-year-old Barbara Stewart, a Biddeford woman who
was shot and killed by a police officer outside her Main Street home.
The night she was killed, she had threatened a police officer with a
gun, saying she was going to kill herself or somebody else.

Late
yesterday, State Attorney General Janet T. Mills issued a statement
Thursday saying that Sgt. Jeffrey Greene acted in self-defense.Just
before the attorney general's
statement was released; however, police were called to the same
apartment where Barbara and her brother lived at 356 Main Street.

You can read the full Portland Press Herald report by Dennis Hoey by clicking this link.

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ON A PERSONAL NOTE:

Today
is the last day I will be with you at such early hours of
the morning. The Sunrise Herald goes offline as of Monday.  No more
having to get up at 4 a.m., although I did it gladly for you, dear
reader, for nearly two years now.

Instead,
I'll be moving on to a new role at the Press Herald, in which I'll be
focusing on writing stories about interesting people and happenings
around southern Maine. (I'll also still be helping post early news and weather on pressherald.com.)

Are you one of those interesting people?  Contact me at ggoodman@pressherald.com. Or call me. 207-791-6382.

Just don't do it at 5 a.m. anymore. Ok?

Honestly. Thanks. For letting me become part of your morning routine. -- Giselle

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