SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - For 117 years, the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse has been a fixture on the South Portland waterfront and it's in need of serious repairs.

The trust overseeing it is facing a hefty repair bill after a structural study found a lot of deterioration. Over time the ocean water has eaten away at the base of the lighthouse building. Water has gotten inside of the cracks that have formed, causing even more damage.

"It's going on every day, of every week, of every year and it doesn't get better with age," said Keith Thompson, director of the lighthouse trust.

While the building is still structurally sound, trustees said they must begin making repairs. The bill could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The repairs are needed at a time when the lighthouse is more popular than ever with tourists.

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- South Portland's police chief is calling for more oversight of the medical marijuana industry in Maine.

He said since the state's medical marijuana program has expanded in the past few years, his department has had to investigate what, at first, appears to be illegal activity, but ultimately turns out not to be.

"They are cropping up several times a year now, where they were not an issue before," South Portland Police Chief Edward Googins said.

In late January, South Portland Police responded to a disturbance call at a house on Southwell Avenue. Once at the home, officers noticed cooking equipment and other materials they believed could be used to make methamphetamine, or crystal meth.

"We had to get obviously resources in there to find out just what the heck was going on," Googins said.

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A South Portland Police K-9 named Zak is receiving a bullet and stab protective vest from the nonprofit Vested Interest in K9s.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides vests for law enforcement dogs all around the U.S. Each vest is worth $950 and has a five year warranty. The vest for Zak comes from a donation from Maine resident Madeline Hamersley.

The South Portland Police Department and Zak's handler Shane Stephenson said they are thankful for the donation.