5TYNTK March 17 – Arson Escape, School Deadline, Irish Facts, Paddy Plunge, Taco Skincare

1. A man in Portland is recovering after a dramatic escape from an early-morning apartment fire police say was intentionally set. Firefighters responded to Huston Commons on Bishop Street around 2:40 Monday morning. Officials say the man tried to escape from a third-floor window using tied bedsheets but fell, suffering non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators are calling the fire arson, and police say charges are pending as the investigation continues. (WMTW)

2. Saint Dominic Regional High School in Lewiston is facing a critical deadline to determine if it will reopen this fall. School leaders needed at least 50 students enrolled and 900-thousand dollars in donations by Monday. A final decision on whether the independent school will move forward is expected after the board meets today. If the goals aren’t met, enrollment deposits and recent donations will be refunded. (WMTW)

3. St. Patrick’s Day! A day where everyone is a little Irish! It’s a time for celebration, wearing green, and enjoying the spirit of community and good times.

* Blue was the original color of St. Patrick’s Day. It’s thought that Ireland’s nickname, “The Emerald Isle,” inspired the shift to green.

* Legend says that each leaf of the clover has a meaning: Hope, Faith, Love, and Luck. Your odds of finding a four-leaf clover are about 1 in 10,000.

* There are 34.7 million U.S. residents with Irish ancestry, which is seven times the population of Ireland itself!

* The real St. Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was born in Britain around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family.

* Chicago dyes their river green for a few hours every St. Patrick’s Day.

4. Dozens took the icy plunge at 5:30 this morning at East End Beach for Portland’s annual St. Patrick’s Day “Paddy Plunge.” The 17-year tradition raises money for the Portland Firefighters Children’s Burn Foundation, which supports young burn victims. Organizers say the event has raised about 375-thousand dollars so far. (WMTW)

5. Taco Bell announced its entry into the skincare business. During the restaurant’s Live Mas menu unveiling last week, Taco Bell revealed Mountain Dew Baja Blast undereye patches. The treatment will contain caffeine and citrus to help combat sagging. (Complex)

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