RUTLAND CITY — Vermont argued in federal court Tuesday that the Trump administration’s lawsuit demanding the state’s voter roll data should be dismissed because the administration has not provided a sufficient reason for its request.

The Trump administration sued Vermont’s secretary of state, among many other states, last year after she refused the department’s demand to turn over voter data, including voters’ addresses, drivers license numbers and the last four digits of their Social Security numbers. 

Following the hearing, Federal Judge Mary Kay Lanthier will issue a ruling to dismiss or move forward with the case. 

Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said she had grounds to deny the request because Vermont Law barred the state and local government officials from sharing personally identifying voter data with federal agencies. 

Copeland Hanzas said in an interview before the hearing that the Trump administration’s requests for states’ unredacted voter rolls undermines public trust in elections and points to broader concerns with privacy rights. 

“We don’t want the federal government to have that level of information about individual Vermonters,” Copeland Hanzas said. 

The state of Vermont’s lawyer Samuel Stratton, representing Copeland Hanzas, argued the case should be dismissed because the Department of Justice did not provide a factual basis and purpose for the request and therefore does not comply with the Civil Rights Act. 

“We are proud to defend Secretary Copeland Hanzas in this case, and we will continue working to protect our elections from federal interference,” the Attorney General Charity Clark wrote in a Tuesday statement.

The Department of Justice attorney Brittany Bennett argued that the federal government has broad authority under the Civil Rights Act to seek voter data in order to determine whether the state of Vermont’s elections are in compliance with federal law. 

The hearing comes after judges recently dismissed similar cases in California, Michigan, Oregon and Massachusetts. A federal judge in Massachusetts dismissed the case last week, asserting that the department failed to comply with Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 by not sharing in detail how the department will use voter information. 

The Department of Justice has brought similar lawsuits against 30 states for withholding voter rolls, while 12 states have complied or said they would comply with the Justice Department’s request, according to a tracker run by the Brennan Center for Justice. 

“​​We certainly hope and expect that the outcome of ours will be similar to what’s happened with the states that have gone before us,” Copeland Hanzas said. “But if the motion to dismiss isn’t approved, then we will continue to fight, and we will have our day in court.”

Disclosure: VTDigger reporter Greta Solsaa worked in summer 2022 as a paid canvasser for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, which filed several motions in the case.

Running the storied Boston Marathon is probably every runner’s dream. But for Jessica Johnson, a Biddeford resident and Massabesic Middle School teacher, it wasn’t an overwhelming desire that prompted her. It was boredom.

“I was bored during COVID,” she said. “I was just bored, so I laced up my sneakers, and off I went.” 

The other reason, and one of her biggest motivators for running marathons, is her mother, who died of brain cancer in 2002.

All of Johnson’s races have been in her honor.

This year, Johnson is running in partnership with Dana Farber Cancer Institute raising money for cancer research. 

“My mom would’ve been my biggest cheerleader,” she said. “I always think of my mom.” 

Johnson’s mom often shows up in mysterious ways on marathon courses. Two years ago, Johnson got very sick on the Boston Marathon course. 

“I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I probably shouldn’t have kept going, but I did.” 

At Mile 15, Johnson stopped at a bus that was there to pick up runners who needed to step away from the course. 

She asked her mom for a sign to keep going. 

“Her favorite song came on the bus radio,” Johnson said. “I finished the race for her.” 

Johnson started running at the end of 2021, and by 2022, she qualified for her first half marathon. Since then, she has completed marathons across the country, including three Boston Marathons.

Johnson’s young daughters meet her at the finish line each year. (Courtesy of Jessica Johnson)

Next week, on April 20, she will run the Boston Marathon for the fourth time on its 130th anniversary, alongside 30,000 fellow runners. 

Founded in 1897, the Boston Marathon is one of the pinnacles of racing for marathon runners. It was one of the first to allow women to compete, and the first to feature a wheelchair division. 

Each year, over 500,000 spectators line up along the course to cheer on runners — from Hopkinton, to Natick, to Newton and finally, the finish line in Boston’s Copley Square, where Johnson’s daughters will be waiting for her. 

Johnson’s daughters have motivated her to finish the race every time, she said. 

“I’m always looking to set an example of what hard work does,” Johnson said. “But it’s also about body positivity. I work really hard to get out there, and that’s what I want to show them.” 

Each year, Johnson runs the marathon in honor of her mother, who passed away from brain cancer. (Courtesy of Jessica Johnson)

Johnson also runs to honor others who have lost their lives to cancer. Year after year, she asks her community who they would like to honor, and writes their names on her arms. 

“Why not find a way to honor other people’s memories too?” she said. 

While each of her marathons has been powerful and uplifting, next week’s race will be her last. 

She hopes to run a different marathon each spring, something she can’t do while running in Boston. 

“I want a personal record on this one. That will give me closure,” she said. “I’m going to go out with a bang.” 

Johnson is still fundraising for the race, and donations can be made through her Venmo, @RunForResearch. All proceeds will benefit Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have played great baseball throughout 2026 and people across the sport are taking notice.

The Pirates moved up two spots in the latest power rankings from The Athletic, going up to No. 11 from No. 13, just one spot outside of the top 10 just three weeks into the season.

It’s not surprising to see the Pirates so high up, as they’re 10-6 so far, tied for the second-most wins in baseball and on top of the National League Central Division.

The Pirates are coming off of a 2025 campaign where they finished with the fifth-worst record in baseball and last in the NL Central, but have completely turned things around to start this season, which is due to work in the offseason internally and externally.

Pirates Offense Dominating in 2026

The Pirates had a great pitching staff last season, which led baseball with 19 shutouts, but were terrible from the plate and the worst hitting team in MLB in most categories.

Pirates Hitting Rankings in MLB

General manager Ben Cherington and the front office went out and added via the trade market and in free agency to make their lineup better, which have made for one of the better hitting teams in baseball.

Trading for second baseman Brandon Lowe and signing free agent Ryan O’Hearn gave the Pirates power and veteran bats that they desperately needed

Lowe leads the Pirates with six home runs, while O’Hearn has slashed .321/.403/.536 for an OPS of .939, playing both in right field and at first base.

The Pirates have also gotten great production from players that have needed bounceback seasons in center fielder Oneil Cruz and left fielder Bryan Reynolds.

Cruz has an MLB-long 12-game hitting streak, the longest of his career, and has the best slash-line on the Pirates, .355/.429/.645 for an OPS of 1.074, with 22 hits, three doubles, five home runs, 16 RBI and seven stolen bases.

He has also greatly improved against left-handed pitchers, going from just a .102 batting average in 2025 to a .471/.526/1.000 slash line for an OPS of 1.526 with three home runs.

Reynolds has slashed .290/.375./484 for an OPS of .859, with three home runs and 12 RBI, after hitting below .200 at this point last season.

The Pirates also locked up top prospect Konnor Griffin to a record nine-year, $140 million contract, who will serve as their shortstop for the long-term and will eventually bring great power and a top bat overall.

Pitching Staff Continues Dominating for Pirates

The Pirates ultimately need their pitching staff to perform at the best of their abilities if they are going to make it to the postseason.

Pittsburgh has had general success with their pitcher so far, particularly from the starting rotation, but the overall staff has been dominant in different ways.

Pittsburgh has gotten great showings from their starting rotation, featuring Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, veteran Mitch Keller, rookies in Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler, plus reliever-turned-starter Carmen Mlodzinski.

Skenes, surprisingly, has the highest ERA of the staff at 4.00, thanks to giving up five runs vs. the New York Mets on Opening Day in less than an inning, but has posted a 1.56 ERA in his past three starts.

Keller has been excellent at just a 1.00 ERA and three quality starts, Ashcraft is showing he’s no rookie on the mound, Chandler has some of the best pitches on the team and Mlodzinski has worked out of some jams and kept the Pirates in good shape in his second try in the rotation.

The Pirates have had issues with their bullpen, who have issued too many walks and struggled at times in 2026, but there’s reason that they can turn it around as well.

Pittsburgh has an excellent set-up/closer combo in left-hander Gregory Soto and Dennis Santana, who have a 1.04 ERA and 1.13 ERA, respectively.

Right-hander Yohan Ramírez is the biggest surprise out of the bullpen with a 1.86 ERA, fellow right-hander Isaac Mattson is back to his great form from last year at a 2.08 ERA and left-hander Mason Montgomery regularly throws a 100 mph fastball.

The Pirates will also get a boost from right-hander Jared Jones returning towards the end of May, early June from season-ending surgery last season too.

If Pittsburgh can keep up their great hitting and get better outings from their bullpen, then they should continue pushing for a spot in the postseason for the first time in a decade.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!

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