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

IN THE WEATHER

At 9 a.m., it was 49 degrees and overcast in downtown Portland. A cloudy, perhaps rainy, day ahead for us southern Mainers. There is a slight chance of rain in southern Maine. Grab an overcoat. Temps stay in the mid 40s.

From Shawn in YARMOUTH: At 6:30 in Yarmouth it was 50 degrees, overcast and dampish feeling. Maybe we will get some rain today. My lawn and plants are thirsty.

From Bill in ROCKLAND: At 5:30, Rockland has clear sky overhead, but clouds departing to the east and an ominous sense of gray to the west. 45 degrees and calm at the moment, but a sense of change to come.

From Mark in BRUNSWICK: The skies are saying rain, yet we haven't had any here yet this morning. Another cool morning with 49 degrees and no wind.

From Karen in STEEP FALLS: It apparently rained last night. Everything is wet outside. It's a chilly 50 degrees here at 7:20am. No breeze as of yet. Happy Wednesday! We're half-way there!

ON THE ROAD:

• MaineDOT has started two road improvement projects in the Rockland/Rockport area, and weather permitting, they are scheduled to be completed before the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

On a section of Route 17 known as Maverick Street, crews will repave with a shim of asphalt, then will resurface the road from the Route 1A intersection to just beyond the Old County Road. Crews will also be shimming and repaving a section of Route 1 that begins just south of the Glen Cove Rest Area and continues for 2.6 miles north.

Prior to the paving on Maverick Street, the town of Rockland will be working on drainage in the construction area, and a new water line will be installed. On parts of Maverick Street, guardrails will be replaced. On Route 1, guardrails will be upgraded, excavation work will be done on inslopes and some curbs will be replaced.

Paving on these projects will be done at night. When paving is done on Maverick Street, there will be a detour around the paving. Weather permitting, paving is expected to occur on May 27 and 28, and then June 1 through June 5. All other work and all work on the Route 1 portion of this project will be controlled with flaggers and two-way traffic will be maintained whenever possible.

• Work continues through the week during the overnight hours in the vicinity of the exit 51 off-ramp and toll plaza in Gardiner. This work will be done nightly from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. During this time, the ramp will remain open and there will be single lane traffic exiting the toll plaza area.

Crews will continue the milling and paving procedure in one lane until the lane is complete. During this period, there will be single lane traffic from the Route 126 overpass to just beyond the Exit 49 off-ramp during day and night. Currently crews are scheduled to work in the left lane. Once complete, the lane will be reopened to traffic and the other lane will be closed to conduct similar work.

Paving, however, is contingent upon night temperatures above 50 degrees and favorable weather conditions. And unfavorable conditions could make the paving take longer.

Overall, drivers are advised that there will be several crews working simultaneously on several projects this week and should be aware of changing traffic patterns, slow-moving construction vehicles and construction personnel.

Speed limits will be reduced to 55 mph for the safety of the public as well as workers. The public is asked to curtail all cell phone use and concentrate on travel through this work zone.

ON THE OCEAN:

Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots, becoming 10 to 15 knots late this morning and afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to 3 feet this afternoon.

High tide today in Portland is 1:03 p.m. Tide will be lowest at 6:50 a.m. and again at 6:47 p.m.

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A 52-year-old Buxton man is in custody following a shooting incident that drove a family of six from their home in Buxton.

Police say a man fired shots at the home on River Road shortly before 10 o'clock Tuesday night, prompting four adults and two children to flee through a window. The family hid in an adjacent shed until police arrived.

After a six-hour standoff, the Maine State Police Tactical Team entered the home and took Thomas Walsh into custody.

Police said Walsh, who was drunk, has been transported to the York County Jail. He was charged with terrorizing and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. (AP)

A Keene, N.H.-based company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have voluntarily recalled about 74,000 children's blankets because of a potential strangulation hazard.

Douglas Co. said the blanket's satin edge can come loose. The firm has 18 reports of the satin separating from the blanket, though no injuries have been reported.

The recalled children's blankets are called Lil Snuggler. They are 14 inches square with an animal head sewn in the middle. The company said they were made in China and sold in specialty stores and online from April 2005 through December 2007 for about $12 each.

Style numbers 1327 through 1330 are included in the recall, and include blankets with a cream lamb, cream/tan horse, green frog and pink horse design.

Consumers should contact Douglas Co. at (800) 992-9002, or visit the firm's Web site at Douglas Co.
(AP)
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A Lubec man who won last weekend's nearly $10 million Tri-State Megabucks lottery says the winnings are going to his twin sons' college educations.

Sixty-two-year-old Larry Burns moved to Lubec in 2006 from Connecticut after his retirement as a boiler operator. He moved to be closer to his 18-year-old sons, Timothy and Douglas, who have lived with Burns' former wife since the couple's divorce in 1994.

Burns said it looked "iffy" that his sons could attend college without a lot of debt. But with the money from the $9.8 million jackpot, Burns says he plans to see them through to their graduation.

He added that he might even go to college himself. When he was younger, he took some courses at the University of Hawaii, but he never finished. (AP)

A 39-year-old man from Wells is looking for love — in the classifieds.

Charles Haeberle hasn't been able to find Miss Right since moving to Maine six years ago, so he's taken out a newspaper ad offering $5,000 to the woman he marries. Actually, he says he'll pay $400 after the fourth date, $1,100 at the engagement and $3,500 at the wedding.

Haeberle manages a hotel in Kennebunk, travels widely and likes to hike, kayak and stay physically active.

He knows his ad sounds silly, but says it costs no more than an online dating service. He hasn't had much luck with those, so he figures he's simply cutting out the middleman.

In the ad, Haeberle says he's no Brad Pitt, but he's "not the elephant man, either." The ad says he already has a four-carat engagement ring and a one-year anniversary gift.

He put the ad in the York Weekly, and he's also running it on the Craigslist classified ad Web site. (AP)

Those dedicated to reducing injuries and saving lives throughout Maine communities were honored Tuesday at a ceremony celebrating EMS achievements and ongoing efforts to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes.

Ten EMS services received Maine HeartSafe Community designations and, for the 21st year, EMS providers were recognized with individual awards for excellence in emergency medical services.

Seven individuals who have made significant contributions to the EMS system were presented awards at the ceremony.

Ten local EMS services also received the HeartSafe designation.

Maine EMS Awards 2008

GOVERNOR'S AWARD - Dr. Paul Liebow (Bucksport) and Carol Pillsbury, EMT-P (West Farmington) The Governor's Award is conferred to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the EMS system at the state, national, or system-wide level and who have demonstrated involvement and contributions in multiple areas of EMS activity.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Craig Bowden, EMT-B (Bucksport), Bruce Cook, EMT-I (Burnham) and Percy Thibeault, EMT-P (Frenchville). The Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred to those who have had extensive involvement with EMS for at least 10 years, consistently performing above and beyond expectations in system development, patient care, service involvement, and/or community involvement.

EMS MERIT AWARD - Freeman Dyer, EMT-P (Fort Fairfield) and Gerard Pineau, EMT-I (Lewiston): The EMS Merit Award is conferred to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the EMS system at the local or regional level and who have demonstrated involvement and contribution in one or more areas of EMS activity.

2008 HeartSafe Designees

SILVER
Downeast EMS
Madawaska Ambulance Service
Patten Ambulance
Van Buren Ambulance Service

GOLD
Ambulance Service Inc.
Bath Fire and Rescue Department
Houlton Ambulance Service
Island Falls Ambulance
Sebasticook Valley Hospital Ambulance Service
Westbrook Fire and Rescue

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