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

IN THE WEATHER

At 9 a.m., it was 31 degrees with clear skies in downtown Portland.

Well, yesterday certainly was a nice surprise. And we'll get a little more of that today. A mostly sunny day, with noticeable wind by the coast. The rest of the week is really uncertain, so let's just focus on the good stuff while it lasts.

FROM OUR WEATHER WATCHERS

• At 6:34 a.m. SHAWN in YARMOUTH said: "29 degrees outside and the clear blue sky is back. I can even hear a few birds singing this morning. Maybe Spring is here after all."

• At 6:05 a.m. BILL in ROCKLAND said: "Doesn't seem to have sprung Spring yet at 26 clear calm degrees in Rockland."

ON THE OCEAN:

A small craft advisory this morning until 10 a.m., with gusts of up to 25 knots expected. Seas 3 to 5 feet, subsiding later at 1 to 3 feet.

Tide comes up today in Portland at 3:49 p.m. Low tides at 9:35 a.m. and 9:40 p.m.

ON THE ROAD:

• Broadway in South Portland is open today after being shut down for most of yesterday due to a water main break. However, the problem is repaired and the road is cleared for travel.

• ON THE MAINE TURNPIKE: At mile 7 in York, a northbound lane closure is scheduled between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. for road work. --- Between mile 26 in Kennebunk and 38 in Saco, north and southbound lane closures are scheduled between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. for road work. --- Between mile 38 in Saco and Exit 53 in Falmouth, north and southbound lane closures are scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. for road work.

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THE NEWEST NEWS

THE SUNRISE HERALD JUST LEARNED of a breaking development in the Cape Elizabeth high school vandalism case.

According to a page on Facebook, the senior class of Cape Elizabeth High School is planning to make food and baked goods for the teachers of the school to apologize for having to work on a Saturday, due to the school being closed on Monday after vandalism was discovered.

Ten students, all of them seniors, have taken responsibility for the damage, claiming that they were playing a light-hearted prank as they near the end of their high school careers. That prank, however, caused the school to shut down for an entire day as school officials and police tried to figure out what happened.

The page "It's NOT too late to 'pologize," asks the senior class to "get together to make FOOD for the teachers Saturday to apologize and make up for them having to come into school." The page also details a letter the senior class would give each of the teachers. It says:

"We would like to apologize and to thank you for taking the time out of your weekend to come and teach. We are sorry for the situation created by members of our grade and will do everything in oour (sic) power to ensure that this does not occur again.
Sincerely,
The Class of 2008"

As far as the students who admitted to their role in pulling ceiling tiles from the library and barricading doors with desks, were suspended and are facing expulsion, as well as possible criminal charges. The Cape Elizabeth Police Department has turned the case over to the Cumberland County District Attorney to decide.

A RACCOON WHO JUMPED ON A WOMAN'S CAR IN OLD TOWN and chased her and a police officer before being shot, tested positive for rabies.

The raccoon is the second confirmed rabies case this week. In Sanford, police say a rabid fox was located and destroyed after it attacked a dog and a cat.

In classic Stephen King "Cujo" style, (which was set in fictitious Castle Rock, Maine, after all) the raccoon in question jumped on the car of a woman who had just returned from work. Old Town Police Sgt. Mike Hashey said the woman remained in the car and called police. The raccoon then proceeded to chase both the woman and the officer before the officer shot and killed it.

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 86 animal rabies cases in 2007. That included nine bats, 38 raccoons, 31 skunks, four fox, three cats and a woodchuck.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A GROUP THAT HELPS AT-RISK YOUTHS by teaching them to build boats got a $25,000 gift yesterday from the JTG Foundation of Maine.

The Compass Project out of Portland "provides the essential connection between at-risk youth and the marine industry: a first step to good, paying jobs and the possibility of post-secondary training in the marine industry."

It is in its sixth year of working with Maine kids. The JTG Foundation focuses on funding organizations from the State of Maine which aid underprivileged residents and disadvantaged children while enhancing community services.

THE HAROLD ALFOND FOUNDATION WILL MAKE an announcement this afternoon about a financial gift, upward of millions of dollars, to the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville.

The announcement will be made at the youth center (Boys & Girls Club and YMCA at 126 North Street) at 2:45 p.m.

WHO CAME UP WITH THE BEST LOGO DESIGN FOR PORTLAND'S SKATE PARK? That question will be answered today, after last night's meeting of the city's Skatepark Committee, where a winner was announced.

The competition was announced on March 12. The planning committee will use the winning logo as a tool in its campaign to raise $325,000 to build the skate park at Dougherty Field on Douglass Street. The city has set aside $75,000 for the project, said Sally DeLuca, Portland's recreation director.

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DAY PLANNER

FROM 4-7:30 P.M. IN PORTLAND Homeowners and commercial property owners can come to the O'Naturals Restaurant at 83 Exchange St. in Portland
and meet with The Portland Society of Architects for a free 10-Minute Architect design clinic.

Skilled architects will offer free design advice on any building project. Walk-ins are welcome.

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