Another day in Lewiston brought yet another cascade of questions, contradictions, and controversies, from nonprofit leaders refusing to comment, to a school bus driver using a non-residential address on his state-issued license, to an indicted city councilor-elect insisting he will take office despite lingering residency concerns.
The day began, for this reporter on Tuesday, with a stop at Gateway Community Services, the Lewiston nonprofit now making national headlines for alleged MaineCare overbilling. Staff appeared visibly unhappy at the sight of this reporter and declined to assist in arranging an interview. A request for comment was dismissed, and contact information was left behind with little expectation of a return call.
From there, the next stop was MEIRS at 256 Bartlett Street, an address now firmly at the center of an unfolding transportation and documentation scandal. MEIRS, which describes its mission as uniting immigrants and refugees with their new communities by providing “skills, support, engagement, and opportunities,” is not a residential property, yet its address appeared on a state license belonging to a substitute school van driver involved in a high-profile incident last week.
A special-needs child from Fryeburg was supposed to be driven to a school in Augusta, but instead the driver ended up in Lewiston. His driver’s license listed 256 Bartlett Street as his home address, despite the fact that it is a business office.
That same address has surfaced repeatedly in questions about newcomer residency, state ID issuance, and voter registration. Local residents have raised ongoing concerns about non-residential addresses being used on official state documents.
Adding to public frustration, a viral video circulating this week appears to show an individual calling the DMV and successfully obtaining both a driver’s license and voter registration for a friend — without any in-person verification.
The Maine Wire has filed FOAA requests seeking to learn how many Maine driver’s licenses and voter registrations are linked to the 256 Bartlett Street address.
Meanwhile, in Oxford County, parents in MSAD 72 continue demanding answers after a Fryeburg special-needs student went missing for more than five hours during a district-arranged transport, prompting a police search. District officials have offered few clear explanations for how a student expected in Augusta ended up in Lewiston. The Maine Wire is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The day concluded at Lewiston City Hall, where incoming officials attended an orientation session. Among them was Iman Osman, a sitting school committee member and councilor-elect who was indicted last week on gun-related charges. Osman has repeatedly refused to clarify where he actually lives, a legal requirement for serving as the Ward 5 city councilor.
Despite the indictment, despite unresolved residency issues, and despite growing calls for him to step aside, Osman confirmed he fully intends to take his seat on the Lewiston City Council.
From nonprofits under investigation, to questionable state documents, to a missing child, to the city’s newest elected official facing criminal charges and residency complaints, Lewiston remains a city where every visit raises more questions than answers.
And by all indications, the next visit will be no different.
