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By Giselle Goodman August 15, 2008 09:30 AM

Sunrise Herald is the early morning news update feature at
pressherald.com. It is updated at 6, 7, 8 and 9 on weekdays.

Welcome to the Sunrise Herald with Giselle Goodman, the place to go to get the news from overnight and onward...
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What IS IT about the women's gymnastics individual competition?? I can say don't really care that much about it until I'm blue in the face. But, the second they play the national anthem for super awesome gold-medal winners like U.S.A.'s Nastia Liukin, it's just Niagara Falls for me. Maybe it's because I still remember watching Mary Lou Retton win her gold in 1984 and was truly inspired.
Either way, inspiration is found aplenty in Beijing and our own Mike Lowe is there to experience it first hand and share it with you, by clicking here.

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IN THE WEATHER:

At 9 a.m., it was 64 degrees in downtown Portland.

All things considered, not a terrible day ahead. The day starts foggy in some spots, like it did here, in downtown Portland. The sun has already come out, though. Unfortunately, so will some scattered showers, or thunderstorms through the day.

But, it could be a whole lot worse for the folks getting ready to celebrate the Great Falls Balloon Festival in Lewiston, which runs through the weekend.

From Bill in Rockland: Much foggier than yesterday at 5:40 a.m., though with a very slight breeze. Fifty-nine degrees makes the air seem clammy: kind of daunting just at the moment.
From James in Cape Elizabeth: Here in Cape Elizabeth at 6:10, we have 62 degrees and fairly heavy fog. May one and all have a tremendous weekend no matter what the weather brings.
From Shawn in Yarmouth: It is Friday, finally, but guess what, it is foggy and drizzling here in Yarmouth. It is 60 degrees, overcast and damp. One of my friends said he thought that global warming was switching our weather with Seattle. I am beginning to think he might be right, what a strange summer.

ON THE ROAD:

Heading north on the Maine Turnpike today? You should be aware of these traffic advisories:
     • Between miles 67 and 68 in New Gloucester a northbound lane closure is scheduled between 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Mayall Road Bridge for bridge work. 50 mph work zone speed limits are in effect.

     • At mile 70 in New Gloucester a northbound lane closure is scheduled from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Royal River for bridge work. 50 mph work zone speed limits are in effect. Oversized loads (in excess of 10 feet wide) are required to exit at Gray (Exit 63) and may re-enter in Auburn for northbound travel until further notice.

     • Contractors at the Route 126 service plaza project in West Gardiner will use a double lane shift to keep traffic away from the work zone and alternating one way traffic will be used as necessary during paving operations. The double lane shift is scheduled 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 30 mph work zone speed limits will be in effect.

ON THE OCEAN:

Southwest winds blow around 5 knots and then come from the south late this morning and this afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Foggy this morning. A chance of thunderstorms through the day.

High tides in Portland: 11:03 a.m. and then again at 11:07 p.m. Low tides: 4:53 a.m. and then again at 4:42 p.m.

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THE NEWEST NEWS:

CHARLESTOWN, R.I. (AP) _ Three harbor seal pups rescued here, in Maine, are being released back into the water in Charlestown later today.

The three seals were rescued in the spring and were then nursed back to health at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. Officials say each of the pups was thin and they suspect the seals were abandoned by their mothers.

Now that they are well, and healthy, they're being set free to go back to the water from Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown.

Think they know the way back to Maine?

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NORWAY (AP) -- A loud boom that jolted western Mainers awake may have been a sonic boom from an aircraft, but an official says it wasn't caused by a plane from the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

People in parts of Androscoggin and Oxford counties say they heard the explosion-like noise Thursday morning just before 9.

An Oxford County police dispatcher says several calls came in from Oxford and Hebron, but there was no official determination of the source of the noise.

Spokesman John James of the Brunswick Naval Air Station says he's unaware of any military training exercises in the area. James also says the noise was not created by aircraft from that base because it's impossible for any of its aircraft to go supersonic.

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MECHANIC FALLS -- An update now on the fire which Sunrise Herald reported yesterday morning from Mechanic Falls, which broke out during the dark early morning hours Thursday and gutted a home.

It turns out the home belonged to Jennie Friree, an emergency medical technician and firefighter for the town of Mechanic Falls. Friree was alerted to the blaze by a smoke detector. She got her two children out of the house before it became engulfed in flames. Her husband, a trucker, was working.

The two had just bought their century-old house a year ago. Friree says she knew every firefighter who came to put out the blaze. She says all she could do was watch as her home went up in flames.

Initial reports indicated that the fire was caused by a faulty electrical wire.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON D.C. -- Amtrak released figures yesterday that show an increase in ridership through July, including a boost in riders on the Downeaster train, which runs from Portland to Boston.

Overall, Amtrak reports that ridership was up 14 percent in July -- 2,750,278 riders, which marks the most passengers carried in any single month in Amtrak's 37-year history.

The Downeaster carried 48,438 of those passengers in July, which shows a 33.6 percent increase over the previous July.

"Increasing fuel prices, highway congestion, airline issues and environmental awareness continue to make intercity passenger rail extremely relevant and popular," Alex Kummant, president and CEO of Amtrak, said in a prepared statement. "Our record-setting ridership and ticket revenue in the month of July alone indicate we will end the year with approximately three million new passenger trip in FY09."

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PORTLAND (AP) -- Backers of independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader say later today, they will submit petitions in Augusta to place his name on the November ballot in Maine.

Campaigners for Nader and running-mate Matt Gonzalez say they'll file more than 5,500 signatures, or 1,500 more than the required minimum.

The Nader campaign says Maine will be the 30th state in which the longtime consumer advocate has filed for a ballot line.

Nader, who's still loathed by many Democrats who accuse him of costing Al Gore the 2000 election, announced his latest candidacy in February. The 74-year-old maintains that most voters are disenchanted with the two major parties because of the shaky economy and the prolonged war in Iraq.

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DOVER, N.H. (AP) -- The police chief here says two men have been arrested after a firefighter from Maine found a device resembling a bomb in his car parked at a bank.

Richard Twombly, 41, of East Wakefield, N.H., and Thomas Page, 49, of Newington, N.H., were charged with placement of simulated explosives and disorderly conduct.

Both men were arraigned in Dover District Court and released on $50,000 bail. They are scheduled for a hearing on Aug. 26.

Downtown Dover was shut down for four hours Saturday as police removed what looked like an authentic pipe bomb from the car of Patrick Gorman, who lives in South Berwick.

Officials later determined that Gorman knew the men, who work together at Gove Construction in Portsmouth, and that the incident was intended as a prank.

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OF NOTE TODAY:

AUGUSTA -- Governor John Baldacci will host a press conference today at his office in the state house to discuss his administration's short-term energy strategy.

Members of the Democratic Legislative leadership will be attending the announcement, details of which are being kept under wraps.