Welcome to Self-Reliant News: Why I Am Done Waiting for Permission to Report
Independent, local, gonzo journalism from Old Town, Maine. One reporter covering what others won’t touch.
Evan W. Houk
Old Town Cut 17 City Jobs to Plug a $1.5M Budget Hole. Who Made That Call?
Old Town eliminated 17 city jobs in 2025 to plug a $1.5M budget hole. Were residents told? Who made the call? We’re digging in.
Who’s Funding Maine’s New Vaccine Bills? Following the Money in Augusta
Three new vaccine-related bills are moving through the Maine Legislature. Who is bankrolling both sides of this fight? We follow the money in Augusta.
Maine Medicaid Whistleblower Fired After Alleging $45M Fraud at State Health Provider
A whistleblower inside one of Maine’s largest Medicaid providers says he was fired after raising alarms about tens of millions in fraudulent billing. Maine DHHS has suspended payments and the AG is investigating.
How I Stay Functional While Covering Things That Would Break You
People ask me how I do it. How I read the police reports, sit through the hearings, file the records…
Where Does the Money Go? A Look at Local Government Spending in Penobscot County
The budget document was 214 pages long. Nobody in the room had read it. I know because I asked. Not…
Welcome to Self-Reliant News: Dispatches From the Middle of the Journey
I am not here to tell you how it all turns out. I do not know yet. What I can…