After a quarter century behind bars, convicted killer James Lowell discovered a changed world.
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, Maine, New England
‘No hunting ground left — the moose, the deer and beaver are all gone’
A newly discovered 1839 letter spotlights the poverty and powerlessness of a Penobscot Nation trying to survive.
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Posted inAndroscoggin County, Schools & Education
Poland Community School slammed by sickness
POLAND — Poland Community School canceled its popular Friendsgiving event Tuesday because so many students were ill officials thought it wasn’t safe to proceed. In a message to families, Principal Brandi Comeau said “an enormous number of students” were home ill Monday and “a large number” of others had to be sent home during the […]
Posted inElection 2022, Lewiston-Auburn
Brakey’s win in state Senate race confirmed by recount
After a seven-hour recount by the Secretary of State’s Office on Monday, officials reaffirmed Republican Eric Brakey’s victory in Maine Senate District 20. The recount trimmed 16 votes off Brakey’s tally while adding two votes to the total for Democrat Bettyann Sheats. But Brakey won by a 146-vote margin out of 18,243 votes cast, according […]
Posted in175th anniversary, bPlus, Lewiston-Auburn
Lewiston Falls Journal went daily for first time to cover trial
During its coverage of the case in the winter of 1857, a decade-old weekly called the Lewiston Falls Journal rebilled itself as The Daily Journal, if only for 27 days. At the time, Nelson Dingley Jr., fresh out of Dartmouth College, owned half the paper. He recalled later in life that when Knight’s trial got […]
Posted in175th anniversary
Chapter 27: Lowell seeks a pardon
Arguing he was only guilty of manslaughter, convicted killer James Lowell begged for a pardon that would free him.
Posted in175th anniversary, bPlus
‘Cold-blooded and atrocious’ murder in Poland transfixed community
The death of Mary Knight in Poland in 1856 became the talk of the nation and led authorities to put her husband behind bars.
Posted inAndroscoggin County, Election 2022, Lewiston-Auburn
Recounts slated for two Auburn legislative races and one in Windham
Officials to review ballots in state Senate race between Eric Brakey and Bettyann Sheats.
Posted inElection 2022, Maine
Bruce Poliquin accepts defeat, urges Mainers to ‘relax, decompress’
After losing his congressional race, the ex-lawmaker advised Democrats to ‘work with Republicans’ to lower heating costs.
Posted inElection 2022
Completed count shows Rep. Jared Golden won big in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
In the final ranked-choice voting tally, the Lewiston Democrat emerged with 53% of the vote