Legislators weigh whether to mandate annual audits of many Maine private schools whose finances are mostly secret.
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 inMaine
Bill would hide home addresses of congressional candidates
Maine lawmakers consider measure to keep residential addresses off campaign paperwork for contenders for U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
Bates College names its first Black president
Law school dean Garry Jenkins from Minnesota tapped to succeed Clayton Spencer in Bates’ top job.
Posted inMaine, Nation & World
Jared Golden pushes for Ukraine to get F-16s soon
Maine’s 2nd District Democrat is leading a bipartisan effort to convince President Biden to deliver modern fighters to counter Russia.
Posted inMaine
Legislature considers big hike in fines for distracted driving
A proposal would hike penalty for drivers using mobile phones from $50 to $500 for a first offense.
Posted inMaine
Taking nothing for granite, lawmakers consider endorsing a state rock
Legislature weighs bill to honor Maine’s crystal-laden granitic pegmatite.
Posted inSchools and Education
University of Maine at Farmington may slash most of its part-time faculty
After laying off nine members of its full-time faculty last spring, the university is eyeing a plan to eliminate ‘most adjunct faculty at the undergraduate level.’
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
‘Reprehensible comment’ to Black tenant lands Auburn Housing Authority in hot water
Maine Human Rights Commission rules that the authority and one of its workers discriminated against a Black tenant amid a dispute over her water-damaged, mold-filled apartment last summer.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
An Auburn forum tackles a big question: ‘What if we go on this way?’
Three community leaders oversee a community discussion on the future of education, incarceration and housing.
Posted inBusiness, Maine
Efficiency Maine may add electric bikes to its rebate program
Boosters say more e-bikes will help Maine meet climate action goals and help Mainers get around.