May 04, 2009
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Welcome to the Sunrise Herald, with Giselle Goodman, the place to go to get the news from overnight and onward...
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IN THE WEATHER:


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SUNRISE: 5:29 a.m. SUNSET: 7:47 p.m.

At 9 a.m., it was 52 degrees in downtown Portland.

A rather typical May day in Maine -- partly cloudy, cool breeze, temperatures in the low to mid 60s. But, any thing outside you want to keep dry should go in tonight. There is a 100 percent chance of precipitation tomorrow, according to the National Weather Service.

THE SUNRISE HERALD WEATHER WATCHERS REPORT:

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Mark in Brunswick says: Mostly cloudy skies here in Brunswick with 45 degrees this morning.

Jim in Cape Elizabeth says: Another weekend has passed but it left behind some nice weather. At 6:15 it is currently 44, calm, and sunny. With highs in the 60's today, enjoy it while we can as cooler temps will return tomorrow along with rain. Have a great Monday!

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ON THE ROAD:


A number of traffic snags throughout the state can be found in the links below. Nothing unusual, though.

    • The Maine Department of Transportation has a useful map which shows you where traffic is disrupted. Check that out by clicking this link.
    • The Maine Turnpike Authority always posts its planned traffic advisories on its website in a day-by-day format. You can visit that web page by clicking here.

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ON THE OCEAN:

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A tame day out there on Casco Bay, with a southwestern wind blowing around 5 knots, that will change from out of the south this afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet.

High tide at 7:54 a.m. and 8:31 p.m. Low tide at 2:10 p.m.

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IN THE NEWS:

In AUGUSTA AT 9 A.M. -- The Maine Legislature's Appropriations Committee has scheduled a public hearing for this hour on this day, regarding new budget proposals by Gov. John Baldacci.

The session is being held at the the State House in Augusta. It is the public's chance to weigh in on Baldacci's plan to bridge a $569 million budget gap in his pending two-year general fund budget package.

In January, Baldacci had presented a budget plan that reduced General Fund spending for the two-year budget from $6.3 billion in 2008-09 to $6.1 billion for 2010-11. With the current proposed revisions, the General Fund budget will be reduced to $5.8 billion.

Baldacci's original two-year budget package envisioned the elimination of more than 300 positions, yet officials said no additional layoffs were being proposed with the new arrangement.

Want to educate yourself on Baldacci's plan? This link will help you with the information and the numbers.

And if you want to get an idea what the hearing will discuss, specifically, click this one.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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YORK COUNTY -- A school in Kennebunk will remain closed today, as a probable case of swine flu, also known as H1N1, was confirmed in a student who attends the school.

But a day care in Arundel will reopen, after a child there, a sibling of the Kennebunk Elementary School student, was found to be free of the virus.

As of last night, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention had identified a new case of H1N1 influenza, involving an adult who lives in York County. But David Farmer, spokesman for the governor's office, did not specify where the person lived. All that was known as of last night was that the newest case will not result in further school closings.

The new case brings the total number of flu cases to seven in Maine. Two adults in Kennebec County, three adults and one youth in York County (as mentioned above), and one youth in Penobscot are all recovering from the flu and have not had to be hospitalized.

The closure of the Kennebunk Elemetary School, in SAD 71, developed earlier in the week when two children who live in the same household as an adult with the flu exhibited symptoms.

Also affected by the development were the town of Kennebunk's pre-school program, Beyond Tots Adventure Club, which as of this morning remained closed until May 7, and a private gymnasium which canceled its programing, as a precaution, through the weekend.

The Portland Press Herald has a comprehensive section online, that might help you get through the swine flu. Check it out by clicking here.

The state also has a lot of good information about the outbreak on it's website, which can be accessed by clicking this link.

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AUGUSTA (AP) -- The Maine Green Independent Party is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The party held a 25th anniversary dinner on Saturday night ahead of its annual convention on Sunday at the Senator Inn in Augusta.

The party says it was founded in 1984, six months before the national Green Party was established. The party says it has about 31,000 members in Maine.

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FROM OUR NEWS PARTNERS:

THE SUN JOURNAL IN LEWISTON REPORTS: An officer with the Livermore Falls Police Department is being credited with persuading a suicidal man to surrender on Sunday afternoon after he held police at bay for more than three hours.

Livermore Falls Police Chief Ernest Steward Jr. said the man's family called authorities at 1:15 p.m. to report that he had a weapon and threatened to harm himself. When officers arrived at the Route 17 residence, the 39-year-old man had barricaded himself inside the home with a gun and refused to come out. No one else was in the residence.

Click here to continue reading this report.
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FYI:

Hey, Turkey, lurkey, doo. There's a Maine hunter out there, looking for you.

In other words, spring turkey season opens today, and hunters (with the proper license) can head out to their favorite spot and bag one bearded wild turkey.

Lately, though, it seems you don't even need a gun to catch one. Just a car and somewhere to go on the Maine Turnpike. (Car and turkey collisions increase in spring, during the mating season).

But, should you prefer the traditional way of bagging a gobbler, click this link for some helpful tips for spring hunting season from the Maine department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The season ends Saturday, June 6.


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NEWS FROM OUR REGION:

BOSTON (AP) -- Two unions representing Boston Globe workers say they've reached agreements on concessions with management as negotiations with the newspaper's largest union continue.

Mary White, president of Teamsters Local 1, which represents 245 mailers, says a tentative agreement was reached at around 4:30 a.m. Monday. It includes $5 million in concessions and changes in lifetime job guarantees. In a report on the Globe's Web site, White says the concessions were "necessary in closing the deal."

A union representing 210 delivery drivers also reached agreement Monday. Official Ralph Giallanella says the union agreed to about $2.5 million in concessions.

The New York Times Co., the Globe's owner, has said it will shut the paper unless it gets $20 million in concessions.

Copyright 2009 Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Posted at 08:57 AM

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