Maine Politics & Government: Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner kept drawing national attention after a Washington trip to meet Senate Democrats amid fresh scrutiny over alleged sexting and other past controversies, with leaders like Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders publicly standing by him while dodging details. Energy & Courts: Maine joined a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s deal to pay TotalEnergies about $1 billion to cancel offshore wind leases off New York and North Carolina, arguing the move was unlawful and would harm jobs and clean-energy goals. Federal Policy Watch: In a Senate hearing, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said more than 200,000 H-1B applicants paid a $100,000 fee to speed processing to about 15 days—an issue Maine Sen. Susan Collins raised after concerns about rural hospital staffing. State & Local Finance: The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) announced leadership hires/promotions and approved new markets tax credit financing for Bangor YMCA’s $57.8 million expansion. Community & Service: The Maine National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force hosted Auburn Middle School students for leadership and resilience activities. Health & Safety: A U.S. Chemical Safety Board probe into a deadly Washington paper mill implosion faces proposed steep budget cuts that critics say could slow or weaken investigations.