2024-2025 Impact Report
Recognition and Partnerships
Excellence in providing oversight of local government and institutions while reflecting Maine communities and Maine values is core to who we are. We are humbled to be honored for that work through awards and fellowships that enhance our journalism.
Awards of note:
Sawyer Loftus
Journalist of the Year
Maine Press Association, 2024
Larry Mahoney
Inductee into Hall of Fame
Maine Press Association, 2024
Callie Ferguson
Local Investigations fellow New York Times, 2023-2024
Sawyer Loftus
Local Reporting Network fellow ProPublica, 2024-2025
BDN
awarded a two-day “Total Newsroom Training,” Investigative Reporters & Editors, 2025
Lori Valigra
Maine Public Health Journalism Award
Maine Public Health Association, 2025
Erin Rhoda
The inaugural Erin Rhoda Excellence in Reporting Award, for “her dedication to informing the public about sexual violence with nuance and sensitivity and for working to lift the quality of all reporting on this issue in Maine.” The Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, 2025
Partnerships that Sustain Us
The Bangor Daily News has a long history of partnering with fellow publishers to extend the reach of each other’s journalism. Today, leading news organizations, community institutions and funders from Maine and beyond join us in our journey to sustain accountability and community journalism for Maine.
We have great appreciation for our local and national funders and partners:
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: PROPUBLICA
Through the Local Reporting Network fellowship, BDN’s Maine Focus and ProPublica journalists had already built a working relationship when Maine found itself under sudden scrutiny from the federal government.
Recognizing the importance of getting a fast-moving statewide story done well, ProPublica asked BDN staff to partner on this quick-turn investigation, which has been republished by multiple news outlets regionally and nationally.
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Reporting with Care
Marjorie Aspega felt empowered by the domestic violence advocates she had worked with, and realized it’s OK to own your story and share it to help others.
Photo by Linda Coan O’Kresik
Sometimes reporters’ stories center on accounts of human suffering, such as the one from Marjorie Aspega, featured in Erin Rhoda’s story “She escaped with the help of Maine victim services that now face ‘catastrophic cuts.’” Our job as journalists is to honor the bravery of the people who share their experiences with us. We are deeply grateful when they trust us to tell their story well.
We know that when we take a respectful approach to reporting, others suffering in silence can tell. That’s why, again and again, readers with uncomfortable truths reach out to our reporters in hopes that their story will, in turn, help others.
Thank you for having the courage to share your story.”
– BDN commenter
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
“All I can do as a reporter is reach out to the grieving family and the grieving friends and let them know I am willing to hear their stories if they want to share them. Some people don’t want to talk because they want to keep their grief private and not share it with others.
This year, Washington County suffered the tragic loss of a father and son, both commercial fishermen, when their scallop boat Sudden Impact went missing in rough seas. We knew every shred of new information would ricochet around the community quickly, and our role was to provide factually reliable updates — never publishing anything we had not verified. Our role was also to honor the hopes held and grief borne by the fishing community.
But others want to talk, undoubtedly because it helps them grieve and preserve memories of the person who passed. I always tell people that, even though I have to mention how someone died, I want the story to be more about how that person lived and what they were like. Some people want to talk or to help preserve the memory of the person who died, and by approaching interviews with appropriate sensitivity, reporters can help them with those things.”
- Bill Trotter Hancock County Reporter
Protecting Vulnerable Mainers
Bangor Daily News reporter Sawyer Loftus is partnering with ProPublica as part of its Local Reporting Network to provide a first-of-itskind look at evictions in Maine.
As part of Loftus’ first story, which was also supported by the Fund for Investigative Journalism, he wrote about how a new eviction prevention program in Maine excludes thousands of people who live in federal public housing despite the dire consequences they are likely to face if evicted.
He focused on the account of one woman, named Linda Gallagher-Garcia, pictured above left, who became homeless after being evicted from public housing. She owed just $955 in back rent and utilities when she got her eviction notice — an amount the new eviction prevention program could have covered if it had been in place and if she had been living in a privately owned apartment. Instead she stayed at a local homeless shelter for two years, which cost state and federal governments $55,000.
Loftus also analyzed court and housing data, and learned that public housing authorities were disproportionately filing to evict their low-income tenants: The eviction filing rate for public housing authorities in Maine was more than twice the rate of all rental housing in 2023.
“I wouldn’t have known this aspect of homelessness without such great reporting. It is a crime to be poor in America. And who would have known that public housing, a refuge for poor working people, would have a higher eviction rate than private landlords.” – BDN commenter
Photo by Linda Coan O’Kresik
Accountability Reporting that Maine Needs
Jake Brown, the Maine excavation contractor accused of taking money upfront for shoddy or undone work (left) works with two crew members at a housing development in Litchfield.
Reasons why it’s hard for Mainers to spot a bad contractor
Accountability reporting can lead not only to justice, but to connecting readers with information.
When Bangor Daily News housing reporter Zara Norman broke the story about a contractor accused of bilking clients, he was arrested the next day. Since the BDN first reported these claims, 15 additional people reached out over the next four days to say the contractor owed them money, further strengthening the story and highlighting why it is hard to vet contractors in Maine. BDN reporters across the state coordinated to pull court records at court houses, and in December Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey filed a lawsuit to prevent Brown from doing business in Maine.
It’s unreal what you uncovered
Thank you again – we were people without a voice
This was a great start for all of the victims. It gives us all hope that he might be held accountable for his actions finally
“It’s crazy how it took the Bangor Daily News to finally get justice.” – BDN commenter
Photo courtesy of Miles Hafner
Illustration by Paul Koenig
Investigations that Reveal Solutions
Brandy Walsh, alternative education teacher, and Lucas Brower, ed tech, teach the students in the alternative education program at Oceanside Middle School in Thomaston.
Maine significantly cut the number of young offenders in the state’s only youth prison but created few therapeutic alternatives — with dire consequences for Maine kids and their families and communities. Reporting as a New York Times Local Investigations fellow, BDN investigative reporter Callie Ferguson not only made it impossible for state and federal leaders to ignore the state’s failure but was able to find glimmers of light for troubled youth in Rockland.
Her investigation, covering more than 100 interviews over more than a year into Maine’s juvenile justice crisis, marked the first time a reporter had attempted to show in great depth the harm of shrinking numbers at the youth prison without a corresponding increase in alternative programs.
The impact from this work is sprawling:
More than one lawmaker cited this investigation in speeches on the floor of the Maine Legislature while advocating for a bill aiming at connecting kids accused of breaking the law with community-based programs. The bill passed by a single vote.
This investigation preceded a major federal lawsuit against the state of Maine for overinstitutionalizing kids in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Legal practitioners in Aroostook County have begun discussing how to bring local juvenile justice outcomes into better alignment with the rest of the state.
Through her reporting, Callie gained insight into a community-coordinated effort in the midcoast to divert kids from the justice system that is showing promise if it can maintain its funding. The work stands as an example for other communities to potentially follow.
Photo by Linda Coan O’Kresik
Rockland Deputy Chief Alex Gaylor chats with a kid during a youth mentorship night at the Rockland Flanagan Center.
Photo by Ashley L. Conti for the New York Times
Celebrating Shared Experiences
Whether it’s the annual MPA High School Basketball Tournament, a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse, cheering on Cooper Flagg, braving whitewater rites of spring or following UMaine Hockey’s remarkable run, BDN reporters are along for the ride right alongside our readers.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
“Over my career I’ve learned that I’m good at building connection. It’s easy to interview a winner; it’s not so easy to interview someone whose season has just come to an untimely end.
“It’s so exciting to have so much happening in Maine sports! Between BDN’s excellent coverage and the loyalty and support of fans, it’s been absolutely wild.” – BDN commenter
I try to find humor in everything — it can be so helpful in all circumstances. I get tremendous joy out of making someone laugh or chuckle because I know for at least a split second I’ve taken them away from some of life’s problems and put a smile on their face.”
- Larry Mahoney Sports Reporter
Giving Back
Supporting Maine’s students
Since 1964, Bangor Daily News has provided scholarship support to deserving University of Maine students as a small but meaningful way to contribute to strengthening Maine. The funding goes to students who demonstrate a need and live in Aroostook, Hancock, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo or Washington counties. This year’s scholarship winner is Abigail Look, a junior majoring in secondary education from Brewer who attended Brewer High School.
Supporting mission-driven organizations
Pulse on Pulse Award:
Awarded to an organization with a community-driven purpose, pursuing a large-scale project potentially requiring a range of Pulse’s services
Recipient: Waterfall Arts, Belfast
BDN sister company Pulse Marketing Agency awarded free marketing services to three mission-driven organizations through its competitive “Pulse on Purpose” initiative, dedicated to fostering enduring community change through pro bono marketing support.
Bangor Publishing Co. Impact Award:
Awarded to an organization that works to alleviate a significant underlying contributor to inequity: poverty
Recipient: Community Care –Shaw House Youth Homeless Services, Bangor
Awareness Award:
Awarded to an organization promoting an event or services with a direct community impact
Recipient: National Digital Equity Center, Wiscasset
Join Us and Make an Impact
Bangor Daily News readers are a smart bunch. You value being informed about the world around you. You care deeply about your community and life in Maine. And you recognize that the BDN is your ally for both. Thank you for letting us illustrate how the professionalism that BDN journalists bring to their jobs every day leads to real world results for Maine communities.
With more than two newspapers closing every week in the United States and new threats to the freedom of the press emerging, local journalism is at risk. We all know the cost when newspapers fail: Democracy and civic life suffer.
Not on our watch.
Your support helps our journalists keep reporting for you, keep telling the stories of our communities and keep holding those in power to account.
Whether you join us as a donor, subscriber, sponsor or funder, your investment in sustaining and strengthening local journalism in Maine makes a difference.
I hope you will support the BDN this year by making a contribution at donate.bangordailynews.com, or by sending a check to Eastern Maine Development Corporation at 40 Harlow St., Bangor ME 04401 with “BDN donation” in the memo line.
With gratitude,
Jo Easton Director of Development, Bangor Daily News
PS - Thanks to EMDC’s fiscal sponsorship we can also accept contributions from donoradvised funds and charitable accounts, including required minimum distributions. Learn more at bangordailynews.com/support or by emailing donations@bangordailynews.com.
Thank You, BDN Donors!
Thank you to every friend of the Bangor Daily News for your generosity in support of our journalists. You are part of a growing movement to secure the free press in Maine! We are especially grateful for supporters who give year after year, no matter the dollar amount.
Longtime contributors include:
Paul Brown
Charles Burger
Sally Burke
Lee Chick
Theodore Coladarci
Sue Erich
Oskar Feichtinger
David & Sally Field
Ryan Hews
George Jacobson
Jerry (Clifford) Mansfield
Pamela Taylor
Robert Ackley
Karin Anderson
Caroline Andrews & David Zuk
Joseph Baldacci
Amy Bargeron
Richard Barnes
Kate Beard-Tisdale
Katherine Carter
John Clark
Susan Clement
Pamela Coffey-Paine
Mary Costigan
Corliss & Rick Davis
Shirley Davis
Christina Diebold
Doug Dunbar
G Clifton Eames
Gretchen Elsner
Richard Ferguson
Frank Geagan
Robert Gott
Virginia Green
Faith Griffith
Duane Hanselman
Alan Hess
Maggie Hoffman
Mary Frances & Tim Hudson
Danny Johnston
George Knightly
Ann Lanford
LaPlante Farms
Richard Lawrence
Scott Low
Jan Luke
John Marshall
Susan & Bernard McMann
Lorenzo Mitchell
James Miller
Lewis Miller
Glenn Montgomery
Richard Pooler
Robert Porter
Alan Richins
Jan & Dwight Rideout
Nathaniel Rosenblatt
Ken Rozeboom
Christa Schwintzer
Mary Jane Searles
Bill & Ruth Shook
Evelyn Silver
Ann Simmons
Ann Sinclair
Constance Smith
Lynn Soucy
Winfred Stevens
Debby Willis
Clair Wood
Steve Albin
Mary & Earl Coombs
Dale Douglass
Raymond Durkee
Ted Fleischaker
Jeff Gammelin
Amanda Hancock
Rosemary Hede
Leslie Hudson
Steven Krautkremer
David Larrabee
Harriet Lightner
Margaret Logan
Ralph “Skip” Luken
Floyd Miller
Cathy Mingo
Stephen Norton
Richard Patch
Clare Payne
Steve Pennell
Susan Pennington
Richard Pepin
Al Pickering
Ann Rea
Michael Schiller
David Sewall
Iris & Gerald Simon
Lewis Sirois
Patricia Sprague
Christine Stevens
Caroline Swett
Suetta Tenney
Clifford Vaux
Jane Veeder
Linda Washburn
Thomas Watson III
David Wildes