New bill would fund more experts and programs to combat the invasive bug that strips trees and causes people to itch all over.
Steve Collins
Columnist
Steve Collins became an opinion columnist for the Maine Trust for Local News in April of 2025. A journalist since 1987, Steve has worked for daily newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Maine and served as the State House reporter for the Sun Journal since 2016. The Maine Press Association named him Maine's Journalist of the Year in 2022. Among his other awards are the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2016 Ethics in Journalism Award, the I.F. Stone Whistle-Blower Award in 2015 and the Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award from the New England Newspaper & Press Association. Steve is a founder and board president of Youth Journalism International, a charity that teaches students around the globe about news writing, media literacy and issues of the day. His wife, Jackie Majerus, serves as its executive director. Born in Massachusetts, he grew up in a military family that took him to Norway, Ohio and Virginia, where he earned a degree in history from the University of Virginia. He and Jackie live in Auburn. They have two adult children, two collies and not enough time.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Bates College union vote count on hold
National Labor Relations Board must decide who is eligible to unionize.
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Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Bruce Poliquin and Jared Golden locked in a close fundraising race in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
The two frontrunners each had nearly $1.5 million in their campaign treasuries at the end of 2021, far more than other congressional hopefuls in the district
Posted inLocal & State
Stop invasive species from infesting Maine lakes, advocates urge lawmakers
A legislative committee is weighing how best to beef up the battle against plants and animals that don’t belong in Maine.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Schools and Education
Legislature eyes a simplified, expanded student loan credit to help Mainers pay student debt
About 25,000 more would likely benefit from the proposed annual tax credit change to offer up to $2,500 to most Mainers who have student debt
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Republican congressional candidate drops out to ‘throw popcorn and tomatoes from the sidelines’
The departure of a long-shot contender from Newburgh leaves three Republican candidates for the 2nd Congressional District primary on June 14.
Posted inLocal & State
Changes eyed to strip ‘prisoners’ and ‘inmates’ from Maine’s statute books
Lawmakers aim to replace language considered stigmatizing with gentler alternatives such as ‘resident of a jail.’
Posted inNews, Schools and Education
Bates College tells students they must wear high-quality masks
As Bates College shifts back to in-person classes, it mandates mask upgrades to help thwart COVID-19.
Posted inLocal & State
New report says Maine’s goal of ending hunger by 2030 is ‘within reach’
A legislative hearing will get an update on the draft report next week as officials eye solutions to address ‘a breathtaking level of suffering’ by hungry Mainers
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Clerks seek to shift municipal campaign finance filings to Maine Ethics Commission
Municipal officers say the state agency has the expertise to deal with reports required for local political campaigns.