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 48 degrees with a clear sky in downtown Portland.

Today starts cooler than yesterday, but the trade-off is less wind for later. Another pretty day to end the week, temperatures in the upper 60s near the coast, where the breeze will persist. Warmer inland, with temps in the 70s. No rain today, which keeps the fire danger with us. See below for more information.

From Bill in ROCKLAND:: Another clear calm quiet morning in Rockland. 41 degrees and all's well, as far as I can tell.

From Shawn in YARMOUTH: Another gorgeous morning. The sky is blue, no wind, 38 degrees and it's Friday!!! I feel like I have been doing weather in southern California this week, other than the temps. Sunshine and blue skies almost daily.

From Mark in BRUNSWICK: A little cooler here this morning with 38 degrees, but the lack of winds and clear skies mean yet another great morning. Let's hope for another tomorrow as I will be out at daybreak with my son on Youth Turkey Hunting Day.

From Karen in Steep Falls: Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Bright sun and 44 degrees this morning. Happy Friday!

ON THE ROAD:

• Between mile 67 and mile 68 in New Gloucester, a southbound lane closure is scheduled between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the Mayall Road Bridge for bridge work. A 50 mph speed limit will be enforced.

• At mile 35 in Saco, a northbound double-lane closure is scheduled between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for road work. Motorists may incur delays.

• Nighttime work begins at 7 p.m. on the turnpike between Exit 46 and Exit 47 in Portland. There will be both north and southbound lane closures until 6 a.m. at the Congress Street Bridge for bridge work. Fifty mph speed limits will be enforced.

ON THE OCEAN:

The wind will be out of the north, blowing 5 to 10 knots and then will switch this afternoon, coming from the southeast. Seas stay small, 1 foot or less.

High tide today in Portland at 3:21 p.m. Tide is low at 9:05 a.m. and 9:09 p.m.

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NEWS NOW: YORK COUNTY RESIDENTS MIGHT SEE THE SMOKE of a large woods fire burning in Alton, N.H., which is about 30 miles away from Springvale, as the crow flies.

The fire is calling out dozens of firefighters, as it has already spread to about 27 acres and is not yet contained.

The fire started yesterday and crews took a break from fighting the spreading blaze overnight. A helicopter was dispatched to the area to pour water and foam on the flames yesterday, yet it continues to burn.

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WHICH LEADS US TO REMIND MAINERS that the danger of fire, especially in and around Portland, is still very high today.

Our area, as seen in the chart below as Number 1, is at Class 3 danger, or "High." It was upgraded from yesterday's Class 4 due to decreased winds forecast for today. Still, please do not drop cigarette butts out windows, especially in brushy, grassy areas, or start debris fires in your yard. It could set us back to 1947. Clicking on the chart below will bring you to the Maine Forest Service's fire danger page.

IN OTHER FIRE NEWS, FIREFIGHTERS IN FREEPORT had their hands full last night, fighting a blaze that badly damaged a mobile home and spread to the woods nearby.

The fire started around 5:30 p.m. at 51 Varney Road. The home was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, and it spread into the woods nearby.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about an hour and were able to knock out the fire before it became uncontrolled in the woods. No one was injured.

Crews from Brunswick, Pownal, Durham and Cumberland assisted firefighters from Freeport.

The home was built in 1962 and is owned by Alice Gardner, according to town records.

A CONVOY OF TRUCKS WILL LEAVE LINCOLN on Sunday en route to the nation's capital to protest the high price of diesel fuel.

Belinda Raymond of the Coalition to Lower Fuel Prices says the 15 sponsored trucks planning to make the trip were paid for through fundraisers. Raymond said other vehicles will join the caravan as it heads south along Interstate 95 toward Kittery.

The coalition is Maine's representative to a national rally in Washington, D.C., that organizers say could eventually involve tens of thousands of trucks.

The Maine protesters say diesel prices as high as $4.48 a gallon are crushing the state's forest products industry. They fear that a continued spike in energy costs will force mills to close and affect other industries as well. (AP)

A MONMOUTH WOMAN DIED YESTERDAY IN A CRASH that closed Route 126 in Wales for four hours. Two others, including her husband, were injured.

A 1994 Oldsmobile, four-door sedan traveling west on Route 126 collided with a Chevrolet Silverado pickup at about 11:15 a.m. yesterday, Sgt. Jim Jacques of the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office said.

The accident occurred when the pickup truck failed to stop at a stop sign while turning onto Route 126 from Avenue Road Extension, Jacques said.

The Oldsmobile's driver, Diane M. Heald, 56, of Monmouth, was killed. She died from injuries either while being transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston or upon arrival at the hospital, according to Jacques.

Heald's passenger, her husband Charles, was listed in critical condition at Central Maine Medical Center Thursday evening. The driver of the pickup truck, Martin Card, 46, of Leeds, was treated at Central Maine Medical Center and later released, Jacques said.

The road was shut down to allow Maine State Police investigators to reconstruct the accident scene. It reopened at approximately 3 p.m., Jacques said.

The Sabattus and Monmouth Police Departments assisted state police and sheriff’s deputies at the scene.

A MAINE MAN NOW HOLDS THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD, after being presented with the honor this week.

Albert E. Sandecki, chairman of Holbrook Island Sanctuary and Friends of Holbrook Island, received his award on Earth Day in Boston.

His accomplishments include volunteering to ensure successful reclamation of a tidal estuary impacted by the past operations of an open pit mine at the Callahan Mine Superfund site in Brooksville.

EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson presented Sandecki with the award, which is available to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours.

What a way for Sandecki to kick of National Volunteer Week, which is April 27 – May 3.

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