Clayton Spencer said ‘anti-Asian bias has reached disturbing levels’ and called on Lewiston college ‘to act for justice.’
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
Maine lawmakers debate over allowing people to kill nuisance beavers
Lawmakers are discussing whether to drop or revise a law that makes it a felony to kill a nuisance beaver in Maine.
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Posted inMaine, Politics
Bangor Democrat seeks to challenge Jared Golden in a primary
Michael Sutton filed paperwork last week to take on the incumbent in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District in 2022.
Posted inMaine
Maine lagging on road to high-speed broadband
State’s bid for better access has been stymied by high cost, misleading maps and Maine’s rural nature.
Posted inBusiness, Maine, Oxford Hills
Maine senator calls for crackdown on ‘snake oil and fine print’ payday loans
State Sen. Rick Bennett of Oxford calls for limits on how much lenders can charge for short-term loans to hard-pressed Mainers.
Posted inAndroscoggin County, Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, Schools & Education
Bates College plans a traditional graduation ceremony in May
After canceling commencement last year because of COVID-19, college officials happy to see seniors off in person this semester.
Posted inAndroscoggin County, Lewiston-Auburn
Bates suspended a security officer after complaints about his handling of an incident last weekend
The officer, a 25-year veteran, also told students that Black students ‘get away with a lot more’ because security is afraid to deal with them.
Posted inAndroscoggin County, Lewiston-Auburn, Maine
‘Completely changed my life:’ A year of COVID
We talk to area residents about the losses and the lessons one year after COVID hit Maine.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston might be getting some extra transit money from the federal COVID-19 relief bill
A U.S. senator from Pennsylvania congratulated Lewiston and Bangor for being among six cities that would benefit from COVID-19 relief funding if a $1.9 trillion is adopted.
Posted inMaine
New bill that targets press is part of a nationwide push
Proposed Stop Guilt by Accusation Act introduced in Augusta follows failed efforts to pass the measure in other states.