A Year to See the Record: Berwick Police Footage, an “Unfounded” Finding, and New Questions About What the Town Produced
A Town-provided Berwick Police surveillance recording does not contain dialogue captured by a contemporaneous recording of the same lobby encounter. The Maine Mirror examines the recordings, Chief Timothy Towne’s 2025 “unfounded” finding, and the public-record trail that followed.
What Does “Reasonable Distance” Mean? The Maine Mirror Opens Records Investigation Into Maine’s Child Care Law
Maine law allows some child care providers to operate without on-site outdoor recreational space when a public recreational space is within a “reasonable distance.” The Maine Mirror has filed a public records request seeking to learn how DHHS defines, documents and applies that standard.
Campaign Promises Meet a Real Problem: A Question for House District 149 Candidate Timothy Towne
Berwick Police Chief and House District 149 candidate Timothy Towne has been presented with a real, documented government accountability concern. Before Election Day, voters now have an opportunity to observe how he responds.
Two Public Roles, One Police Chief: Timothy Towne Plans to Serve Berwick and the Maine Legislature
Berwick Police Chief Timothy Towne plans to remain police chief if elected to Maine House District 149. Public records show how the Select Board approved the dual-role arrangement and reveal Towne’s statement that he originally agreed to run “only as a placeholder.”
After Maine’s $45.6M Medicaid Audit, CMS Required Corrective-Action Updates — New Records Show What Happened Next
Newly obtained records show what happened after Maine’s $45.6 million Medicaid audit, including CMS’s demand for corrective-action updates, Maine’s four response plans, and the unresolved questions surrounding a recommended $28.8 million federal refund.
🎙️ Maine Mirror Deep Dive – Episode 007: Maine DHHS CES Restructuring — Follow-Up Analysis
In Episode 007 of the Maine Mirror Deep Dive Podcast, we take a closer look at the internal records behind the Maine DHHS Children’s Emergency Services (CES) restructuring, analyzing the Department’s stated rationale, frontline employee concerns, performance data, and the unanswered questions that continue to shape this ongoing investigation.
🎙️ Maine Mirror Deep Dive – Episode 006: Inside the Maine DHHS CES Restructuring
Episode 006 of the Maine Mirror Deep Dive Podcast examines the internal documents behind the Maine DHHS Children’s Emergency Services (CES) restructuring, including restructuring data, performance metrics, correspondence with House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, and frontline employee concerns. Join us as we follow the documentary record, separate documented facts from competing claims, and explore the questions that remain unanswered.
The Record | Story Update: Internal Documents Reveal Competing Narratives Behind DHHS Children’s Emergency Services Restructuring
A review of internal DHHS documents, restructuring data, performance metrics, correspondence with House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, and communications from frontline Children’s Emergency Services employees reveals competing narratives surrounding Maine’s CES restructuring, raising new questions about the data, methodology, and decision-making process behind the changes.
THE RECORD: STORY UPDATE | DHHS Has Not Responded to Maine Mirror’s Request for Comment on CES Restructuring
The Maine Mirror requested comment from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services regarding its reporting on the OCFS Children’s Emergency Services (CES) restructuring. As of July 11, 2026, the department has not responded. Read the original reporting and see the request for comment.
Introducing the TRACE Initiative: A Citizen Proposal to Strengthen Transparency in Maine’s Administrative Appeals Process
The TRACE Initiative is a citizen-led proposal to strengthen transparency in Maine’s administrative appeals process by requiring significant department-wide decisions affecting appeals to be documented, periodically reviewed, and communicated to affected individuals. Learn what the proposed TRACE Rule would do, why it was created, and how you can review the full proposal.