By Lauren McCauley | Editor
“We’ve got to know what we’re doing here, and I don’t think we really do. And that, in this old lady’s mind, raises a question about who’s going to be paying the cost of what gets broken along the way.” - Jackie Elliott, sharing concerns during the Maine Data Center Advisory Council’s public listening sessions.
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Troy Jackson takes a selfie with supporters at a campaign event in Brunswick on Aug. 26, 2026. (Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
ELECTION 2026
By Emma Davis
Wearing a Red Sox hat and jeans in a supporter’s backyard in Brunswick, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Troy Jackson did not mince his words. “They’re gonna outspend us,” he told Maine Morning Star of incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ campaign and the dark money groups blanketing the airwaves with favorable ads.
ENERGY
By Kaitlyn Budion
The vast majority of speakers said they had many concerns about data centers, but there were some speakers who also pointed out the potential benefits of the development. Much of the discussion mirrored earlier debates on the issue in the state Legislature, including concerns about the impacts on Maine’s water and environment, as well as energy use and noise pollution.
EDUCATION
By Eesha Pendharkar
The biggest reason for the growth is the 250% increase in international students enrolled online, according to preliminary data from Fall 2026. An overwhelming majority of those students will never attend Maine’s public universities in person and thus are not impacted by President Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign students and immigration.
GOVERNMENT
By Emma Davis
Despite being eligible for the “affordability checks,” which were a cornerstone of the latest state budget, Mainers who are solely reliant on Social Security or disability will not receive them unless they file taxes, which they otherwise aren’t required to do.
OTHER TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
Task force warns of worsening drought on track to match last year | Kaitlyn Budion
Trump’s newest order on birthright citizenship blocked in federal court | Ariana Figueroa, States Newsroom
Thanks for reading Star Weekly Digest. Did you know our daily morning newsletter is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.