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By Giselle Goodman October 16, 2008 09:02 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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IN THE WEATHER:

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

I don't know about you, but I LOVE not having to scrape my windows in the morning when I wake up. This unseasonable spell of weather is just fine with me. But, alas, it ends today, as wet heavy clouds move over and dump some rain on us. The system is dragging some colder temperatures with it. Tomorrow morning: You and I might need the scraper.

FROM THE SUNRISE HERALD WEATHER WATCHERS:

Shawn in Yarmouth says: It is a damp Thursday morning here in Yarmouth. It is a warm 50 degrees, overcast, foggy and damp. Sounds like we are going to get some rain today....guess no soccer for today.

James in Cape Elizabeth says: Cape Elizabeth has a temperature of 52 degrees; it is cloudy and it actually smells like rain. We shall see what the day brings. May one and all have a great one, no matter what you do! Cheers.

Mark in Brunswick says: A drier start to the day and markedly cooler her in Brunswick as we have scattered clouds among the blue skies and 45 degrees.

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ON THE ROAD:

• TRAFFIC ALERT: 8 A.M. A crash between a tractor-trailer truck and an oil truck is causing some traffic troubles on the Maine Turnpike at mile marker 60 on the northbound side (between the Falmouth and Gray exits). Some fuel was spilled during the crash, requiring lane closures for cleanup. There were no injuries. It's just messy. But now you know why there were so many police on the turnpike during your commute to work.

• THE CUMBERLAND SERVICE PLAZA SOUTHBOUND is open this morning, after being closed a few hours shortly around midnight for what was initially described as a haz-mat situation. Turns out it was a mix of bleach and cleaning solution at Starbucks that caused some alarm from employees. For precautionary measures, the service plaza was closed. It is now open for business again.

• ON THE MAINE TURNPIKE IN BIDDEFORD AND SACO - THE STRETCH FROM MILE 32 TO 36, north and southbound double lane closures are scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for pavement repair. Drivers could run into some slower traffic here, although the shoulder will be open for travel.
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ON THE OCEAN:

South winds winds blow 5 to 10 knots, becoming southeasterly late this morning and afternoon; seas 2 to 3 feet.

High tide in Portland: 12:25 p.m. Low tides: 6:13 a.m. and 6:48 p.m.

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THE NEWEST NEWS:

News you need to know, now:

WINTERPORT -- A single mother of five here lost her home to a fire yesterday, just shortly after going for a walk to grab some breakfast.

The story is in today's Bangor Daily News which can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

Bangor Daily News Photo by Kevin Bennett
Firefighters from Winterport, Hampden and Frankfort work to extinguish a stubborn fire at 709 Main St. in Winterport around noon Wednesday as homeowner Cindy Hogencamp (second from right) is comforted by her boss, Julie Buzzell (right).

FRYEBURG -- A South Portland man suspected of stealing antiques from a Stanley Hill Road home jumped out of a second-floor window to escape police as an officer and the homeowner pulled guns on him Wednesday afternoon.

Our news partner, the Lewiston Sun Journal, has the full story this morning which can be viewed BY CLICKING HERE.

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BRUNSWICK -- A woman was arrested last night after police responded to a fight on Swett Street.

When Brunswick police officers arrived, they found a yet-to-be-named 25-year-old man with a non-fatal stab wound in his belly.

Danika-Leigh Chapman, 23, was charged with elevated aggravated assault for stabbing the man.

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NEW ENGLAND -- It's a good day for picking apples...and maybe even a president.

If you live in New England and haven't quite decided whom to vote for next month, there are some rare opportunities to hear both sides in person.

In Maine, as we've reported, Republican John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin will drop in for a visit today, attending a rally beginning at 11 a.m. in Hangar 11 at Bangor International Airport.

But also in New England today will be Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. He will hold a rally in a Londonderry, N.H., apple orchard, Mack's Apples. The time has not been set, but the gates will open at 10 a.m. You must have a ticket to attend - available on a first-come, first-serve basis - by contacting Obama's campaign headquarters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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PORTLAND -- A Jefferson woman accused of failing to pay nearly $200,000 in federal income taxes has been found guilty of tax evasion and impeding the investigation.

Shirley St. Pierre, 55, faces up to eight years in prison and a $500,000 fine after a jury found her guilty on one count of federal income tax evasion relating to her 2002 federal income tax return and one count of impeding the enforcement of the Internal Revenue Laws, U.S. District Attorney Paula Silsby said Wednesday.

St. Pierre was acquitted of two additional counts of tax evasion relating to her 2000 and 2001 federal income tax returns.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that St. Pierre failed to reflect about $460,000 of income she earned through her business, the Staab Agency, on her personal 2002 income tax return, Silsby said. That resulted in an underpayment of about $183,000 in federal income taxes.

Prosecutors also successfully argued that St. Pierre provided false and fraudulent documentation to an IRS agent conducting an audit of St. Pierre and her business in 2003, Silsby said.

St. Pierre will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation prepared by the U.S. Probation Office in Portland.

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OF NOTE TODAY:

Events coming up you might want to know about:

IN PORTLAND Gov. John Baldacci will be at the University of Southern Maine to participate in the grand opening celebration for the Wishcamper Center. The Wishcamper Center will serve as the new home for the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service and the Osher Lifelong Learning Center.

The event is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. at USM on Bedford Street.

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THE GOOD NEWS:

A Sunrise Herald feature, combating the harmful rays of too much bad news. A healthy dose of the good stuff for you.

MAINE BEACHES -- Turns out it wasn't such a bad year to be one of these guys:

The Maine Audubon Society said the piping plover surprised everyone this summer by successfully raising 42 chicks, five more than last year.

This was unexpected because only 22 pairs of piping plovers returned to Maine this year to nest - the fewest in nearly 20 years.

But it seems the little birds, who are on the threatened and endangered species lists in Maine, were busy.

Piping plovers that did return to Maine, though, bred successfully - nearly doubling last year's productivity rate - when 35 pairs of birds fledged only 37 chicks. Of 30 nests laid this season, none were lost to storms (compared to nearly a third last year) and only a few were abandoned or lost to predators.

Despite these challenges, the birds successfully raised their young on eight beaches this year. Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport produced 15 chicks, followed by Crescent Surf Beach in Kennebunk with nine, Wells Beach in Wells with six, Ferry Beach in Scarborough with four, Goosefare Brook in Saco with three, Ram Island in Cape Elizabeth with three, Parsons Beach in Kennebunk with one and Reid State Park in Georgetown with one.

Event thought the breeding and rearing season is done, continue to keep out of the dunes and beach grasses along Maine's beaches, as that is where these sweet little birds make their nests and come back to roost in the spring.

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