Bill in Rockland says: A starry sky and very little wind at 5:40 this morning make the 22 degree temperature seem less than threatening for a change. I believe this is called the calm before the storm.

Shawn in Yarmouth says: This morning in Yarmouth, it is 22 degrees. The sky is a deep black with diamond-like stars sparkling in its rich backdrop. No wind, but it is cold. Enjoy the quiet before the storm.

James in Cape Elizabeth says: At 6:15, we had clear skies, no wind, and a temperature reading of 19 here in Cape Elizabeth. I talked with our snow plower yesterday and he expects to be plowing tomorrow. We shall see. Have a great day all!

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ON THE ROAD:

The break occurred near 1054 Bridgton Road (This area of Route 302 in Westbrook is called Bridgton Road) in the area of a water main break that occurred last month.

• ON THE MAINE TURNPIKE: Between miles 35 in Saco and 44 in Scarborough, north and southbound lanes will be closed from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. for test boring.

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ON THE OCEAN:

High tide in Portland: 5:41 a.m. and 6:21 p.m. Low tide: 12:10 p.m.

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IN THE NEWS:

OHIO -- Two men from Maine were among three people arrested along the Ohio Turnpike for carrying nearly 3 pounds of marijuana in their cars.

The Plain Dealer identifies the two Mainers as Aaron S. Gile, 19, of Gorham and Will P. Clark, 20, of Windham.

For the full report, click this link, which will redirect you to the Plain Dealer story.

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SPRINGVALE -- A four-family apartment complex was heavily damaged by fire this morning after firefighters spent nearly three hours getting the wild blaze under control.

The complex at 20 Mill St. was called in around 4:30 a.m. and prompted the evacuation of the apartment building and at least three buildings nearby.

At 5:45 a.m., a fire dispatcher said it was still burning strong, and the building was fully involved. Neighboring departments aided Sanford with the fight. By 6:45 a.m., the fire was knocked down, but hot spots will keep firefighters busy for a while. As of 9 a.m., they were still on the scene, but only for precaution and investigation.

The fire was in a building that is tucked in closely among other buildings, necessitating the evacuation of neighboring buildings.

It is not clear how the fire began but firefighters are investigating.

View Larger Map
This Google map gives a visual idea of the area where crews were busy fighting a fire.

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BANGOR -- Two cases were acted on in U.S. District Court here yesterday. They are:

    • Ben Dionne, 29, of St. David pleaded guilty to "conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana." He faces up to 10 years in prison for the crime, which occurred between 2003 to 2006. Court records say that during those years, Dionne was working for another man, identified as Michael Pelletier, bringing in mass quantities of pot from Canada and distributing it in the states.

Dionne was arrested in September 2006, but fled to Canada where he was finally caught and sent back to the states to face a failure to appear charge, to which he also pleaded guilty in court yesterday.

    • Nicole Martin, 26, of Bangor was sentenced to 110 months in prison for possessing - with intent to distribute - heroin, cocaine and Oxycontin. She pleaded guilty to the charge on July 5, 2007. She also admitted at that time to violating the conditions of supervised release for a previous federal conviction.

Court records reveal that in March of 2007, Martin was driving from Portland to Bangor with a load of drugs when she was stopped by Bangor police. Martin admitted to having the drugs in the car - 21 bags of heroin, 4.4 grams of cocaine and 25 1/2 40mg Oxycontin pills. She admitted she'd been selling the drugs for a month at these prices: $80 for a gram of cocaine, $15 for a bag of heroin and $40 per Oxycontin pill.

Her sentence was exaggerated because of previous state and federal narcotics convictions. She was sentenced as a "career offender."

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COMING UP:

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS said she will accompany Vice President-elect Joe Biden on a fact-finding visit to southwest Asia later this week.

Biden is the outgoing chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has invited Collins, including a few of her Senate colleagues, on the trip.

When they leave, though, is a mystery.

"For security reasons, details of the Congressional Delegation's itinerary will only be released as the trip progresses," said a statement from Collins' office.

So, more to come, I guess...

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IN AUGUSTA -- Gov. John Baldacci swears in Maine's constitutional officers during a 2 p.m. ceremony today at the state house.

The four officers were elected to the legislature last month.

They are: Neria Douglass, state auditor; Matthew Dunlap, secretary of state; David Lemoine, treasurer and - possibly the most notable appointment - Janet Mills as the first woman to serve as the state's attorney general.

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IN SOUTH PORTLAND -- Just in case you haven't had enough of the excitement surrounding South Portland resident Bob Crowley, the man better known as the latest $1 million winner of Survivor, there is yet another chance today to cheer him on.

The South Portland City Council on Monday declared today, Jan. 6, 2009 as "Bob Crowley Day."

When he isn't fending for himself in an African wildlife reserve, Crowley is a physics teacher at Gorham High School. At 7 p.m. tonight, there will be a public gathering at the South Portland Community Center.

Crowley will talk about his experience, show items he brought back with him from Gabon and take questions from the public.

But don't come thinking you might be able to outwit, outlast, and outplay Mr. Crowley. He's been there. Done that.

Copyright 2008 Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.