Former governor said he would love to see the ex-lawmaker from Wilton jump into the 2022 gubernatorial race, but it’s not clear what will happen.
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 inElections, Local & State, News, Politics
After COVID-19 nearly killed him, Mike Perkins drops out of Republican primary
Four contenders are vying for Republican backing in Maine’s 2nd District primary for the right to face Rep. Jared Golden next year.
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Posted inLocal & State, News, Schools and Education
Bates College now requires booster shots for students in a bid to keep college safer from COVID-19
Bates aims to avoid the campus closures that have hit other colleges as omicron variant takes hold.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Development centered on Maine’s forests may get up to $100 million from U.S. program
A University of Maine proposal to accelerate growth of the forest bio-economy is a finalist for possible funding from a federal agency
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Schools and Education
Booster shots encouraged but not required for Bates College students
The Lewiston college says more COVID-19 restrictions may be needed next semester, but not yet and maybe never.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Max Linn, a colorful candidate, dead at 62
Linn privately speculated in 2020 that he may have caught COVID-19 during a trip to Wuhan in late 2019.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local & State, Politics
Jared Golden tells Democrats to favor workers, not millionaires in revised relief bill
The 2nd District Democrat calls for changes to Build Back Better bill to reduce tax cuts for the wealthy.
Posted inElections, Local & State, Politics
Term limits find favor among 2nd District candidates
Congressional hopefuls from both major parties support term limits for Capitol Hill lawmakers.
Posted inElections, Local & State, Politics
Bangor Republican announces he will run against Bruce Poliquin
Garret Swazey is the fifth Republican to jump into a congressional primary to choose a challenger to face Democrat Jared Golden
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local & State
The only elephant in America in 1816 once frolicked in the Androscoggin River
Old Bet appears to have toured the eastern U.S. and may have lived to a riper old age if it wasn’t for fateful visit to Alfred, Maine.