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

IN THE WEATHER

At 9 a.m., it was a sunny, but breezy 56 in downtown Portland.

Hmmm. Well ... the forecast was calling for mostly cloudy skies today with chances of showers, but you wouldn't know it in downtown Portland, where the sun is bright and the sky is blue.

There's a stiff breeze flapping the flags atop Portland's Central Fire Station, though. And it should stay that way for certain. The chilly, whipping wind will keep temps down in the low to mid 60s.

Whatever happens today is probably less important that what happens over the next few days, which look good. The gloom moves out in time for Sunday, definitely Monday, which will make for a nice, sunny day for holiday-ing with the gang. Temps in the mid to upper 60s with a cool breeze.

From Bill in ROCKLAND:45 degrees here in Rockland at 5:45 this morning with scattered clouds moving east and a slight breeze. Some of the clouds are gray and sort of foreboding, but they're interspersed with patches of bright blue.
From Shawn in YARMOUTH:It is 50 degrees and pretty gray. I see a few bits of blue sky breaking through the cloud cover, but it is far off in the distance. There is also a breeze shaking the leaves. As I understand, it is trying to move the current front out so we can enjoy some warm sunny weather for the long weekend.
From Mark in BRUNSWICK: 50 degrees and sunny right now, but we also have gray clouds overhead and it looks like the clouds are going to overwhelm the sun shortly. I'll take that trade in exchange for a sunny weekend.
From Karen in STEEP FALLS: It's a chilly 48 degrees this morning but the skies are crystal clear and bright blue so far. It's also a bit breezy this morning. Enjoy the holiday weekend!!!

ON THE ROAD:

• Here we are again! Can you believe it is the start of Memorial Day weekend. And those who live in Maine know what that means -- our summer visitors return. Expect more troopers on the road this weekend keeping an eye, and a radar gun, on the traffic. Expect turnpike travel to be slow later today (peak between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.) and Monday (12 p.m. and 7 p.m.) And remember, you can get a ticket now just for not wearing your seatbelt. A first-offense can cost up to $50. So buckle up.

• Speaking of turnpike traffic, there is some construction to know about at the Route 126 service plaza project in West Gardiner, where eastbound traffic will be shifted away from the work zone to conduct the installation of water and sewer mains on Route 126. The lane shift is scheduled from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thirty mph work zone speed limits will be in effect. Traffic may be reduced to one lane of alternating traffic for certain periods throughout the day to accommodate crews and equipment in the work zone.

• Also, on I-295 southbound, several road crews will be working in the Topsham/Brunswick vicinity.

The work will be on the Exit 31A and B off-ramps and the Exit 31 on-ramp in Topsham, as well as on the Exit 28 off-ramp, which connects to Route 1 in Brunswick.

Travel will be slow going, with speed limits reduced to 55 miles per hour.The public is asked to curtail all cell phone use and concentrate on travel through this work zone.

ON THE OCEAN:

Northwest winds blowing 10 to 20 knots today, with gusts up to 20 knots. A chance of showers. Seas around 2 feet.

High tide at 2:18 p.m. Low tides at 8:02 a.m. and then exactly 12 hours later at 8:02 p.m.

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FORT KENT — Gov. John Baldacci plans to visit this town and its surrounding area again today beginning at 9 a.m., to view the remaining damage from the recent floods there.

His schedule is as follows:
    • 9 a.m.: Gov. Baldacci will land at the University of Maine at Fort Kent soccer field and from there visit homes in Fort Kent that were damaged by flooding over the past month.

    • 10:30 a.m.: Gov. Baldacci lands at a farmer's field, off Sly Brook Road, to visit homes in the towns of Soldier Pond and Wallagrass that were damaged by flooding.

    • Noon: A tour of the homes in Portage that were damaged by flooding. The governor will also visit the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center there.

    • 2 p.m.: Gov. Baldacci lands at the Department of of Conservation on Route 2 and visits homes in Island Falls that were damaged.

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AUGUSTA — There will be less antler-less deer permits issued for the 2008 season, Maine wildlife officials decided in a vote taken yesterday, in hopes of helping deer populations rebound from a difficult winter.

The state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will issue 14,425 fewer antlerless-deer permits this year than in 2007 — a 21 percent reduction to hunters. In total, 51,850 any-deer permits will be issued this year as opposed to the 66,000 permits given out in 2007.

Officials on Thursday also elected to continue allowing doe hunting on the day reserved for young people. (AP)

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AUGUSTA — Just in time for Memorial Day, a time when we honor those who have served our country, for better or for worse, the Maine Veterans' Home will celebrate its 25th birthday.

A ceremony is scheduled at 2 p.m. today at the original home in Augusta, 310 Cony Road. The event will feature a flyover by the U.S. Navy, music provided by Maine's 195th Army National Guard Band and other notable events. The public is invited to attend.

There are now six veterans' homes around the state. They offer elder care for men and women who served in the military.

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BIDDEFORD — A man going the wrong way on the turnpike was stopped by Maine State Police troopers around 5 a.m. today, a strange incident that slowed morning traffic down on the southbound side just beyond the Biddeford exit.

The bizarre situation began around 2 a.m., when state police dispatchers received a call about a car going the wrong way on the turnpike. Police searched but did not find the vehicle. However, a few hours later, police dispatchers received a second call from a traveling trucker about a car stopped on the southbound side of the turnpike heading in the wrong direction.

Dispatchers say the truck driver got out of his vehicle, knocked on the person's window, but the man inside did not respond. Instead, he turned his car around and proceeded down the turnpike, slowly, about 20 miles an hour, say officials.

A trooper caught up with the car and pulled the driver over. State police say the man told the trooper he was looking for 95. He was informed that he was already traveling on 95.

Then the man drove off. Police followed and around mile marker 30, on the southbound side of the turnpike, they were able to box him in and stop him. One state police car did make contact with the man's vehicle, but there was minimal damage and the pursuit never reached speeds of more than 60 miles an hour.

Police handcuffed the man and got him on the ground after pulling him from the car.

After assessing the situation, police officials say they believe the man was confused due to being off his medication and mental distress. He was transported to Southern Maine Medical Center. Officers do not expect charges to be filed.

The turnpike, which was slowed for about an hour, is now back up to regular speed.

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WINDHAM — The Manchester Elementary School hosts the Federal Law Enforcement Officer's Association today to observe National Missing Children's Day, which falls on May 25, a Sunday.

But today, the elementary school kids will learn more about protecting themselves from becoming missing children. They will do fingerprints, because officials say that having a child’s fingerprints recorded is often vital to law enforcement efforts in the tragic event that a child is abducted or missing.

The event in Windham is not a public event. However, to learn more about National Missing Children's Day, click the icon at right.

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PORTLAND — The NAACP Portland Branch and a number of community leaders invite the public to a Congressional Town Hall Meeting this evening at the University of New England.

All the candidates for Maine's 1st District Congressional race plan to attend the question and answer session, which begins 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the university's Ludcke Auditorium, 176 Stevens Ave. Voter registration will be available during the "town hall" style meeting.

The following candidates are confirmed participants: Mike Brennan (D), Adam Cote (D), Mark Lawrence (D), Steve Meister (D), Chellie Pingree (D), Dean Scontras (R), Ethan Strimling (D), and a representative for Charlie Summers (R).

For more information, contact the NAACP at 253-5074.

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