Remote Surveillance Trailer in Rocklin, CA

Rocklin Unified School District has recruited a nonprofit law firm to represent it in its ongoing legal fight with the state surrounding its policy that forces teachers and school staff to out transgender students to their parents.

Since the district trustees voted to implement a policy requiring school staff to inform a student’s parents if a student requests to go by a name or pronoun that is not aligned with their biological sex in Nov. 2023, the district has faced challenges from various state agencies, its teachers union and members of the public.

In response to a complaint filed by the Rocklin Teachers Professional Association, the California Public Employment Relations Board ruled in January that RUSD’s implementation of its forced outing policy constitutes an unfair labor practice because it asks school staff members to violate external law.

District trustees voted 4-1 Wednesday to enlist the pro bono legal services of the Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center, a nonprofit law firm that represents conservative institutions and causes, to appeal the PERB decision. Trustee Michelle Sutherland was the lone nay vote, as she was in the board’s original vote to institute the policy.

Sutherland spoke against the appeal prior to the vote, saying that the district’s fight to uphold the policy is fruitless as long as Assembly Bill 1955, which made forced outing policies like RUSD’s illegal, is in place.

“Right now we’re up here fighting teachers on a policy that has never seen the light of day in Rocklin Unified,” Sutherland said. “It just hurts me that the community is being dragged through this divisiveness once again when there are options available that we could discuss.”

The law firm is also representing the district in its ongoing legal battle with the California Department of Education, which filed a writ of mandate against the district in April requiring that RUSD revoke the policy. The proceedings are ongoing with the next hearing scheduled for May 28.

Teachers union President Travis Mougette addressed RUSD Trustees at Wednesday’s meeting, challenging their choice to pursue an appeal over allocating resources to classrooms.

Mougette ran through a number of issues facing district schools — including aging facilities, the rising cost of benefits for staff and growing class sizes — and questioned why board members were willing to risk potential penalty costs should they lose the appeal.

“If it’s okay for Rocklin Unified to gamble with district resources for political culture wars, why don’t we gamble and then double down on a guaranteed win and actually invest in our students and the resources that support them better than they can in the courtroom,” Mougette said.

In response, Superintendent Roger Stock said that it is rare for cases between public agencies to result in an attempt to recover attorney fees and that he expects the cost to litigate the matter to be under $10,000.

“To me, one dollar not going to a class when it could is enough to be discussing,” Mougette said.

Trustee Tiffany Saathoff said that it is the board’s business to protect “parents’ constitutional rights.”

“I do not consider a parent’s constitutional right to be a personal culture war or anything to do with politics,” Saathoff said.

This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 3:09 PM.

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Jennah Pendleton is The Sacramento Bee’s education reporter. She previously covered schools and culture in the San Francisco Bay Area. She grew up in Orange County and is a graduate of the University of Oregon.

A Powerball ticket sold in Rocklin won $5,717,713 but just missed the $483 million jackpot, lottery officials say.

The ticket matched five winning numbers but not the Powerball in the drawing Wednesday, March 26, the California Lottery said.

The ticket was sold at Rocklin Mini Mart at 4505 Pacific St., lottery officials said.

Lottery prizes in California are adjusted based on the number of tickets sold and number of winners.

Tickets sold in New York and Washington, D.C., won $1 million each.

Nobody won the grand prize, which rises to an estimated $515 million, with a cash value of about $242.7 million, for the next drawing Saturday, March 29, the national Powerball site said.

The winning numbers were 5, 20, 29, 39 and 53, with a Powerball of 6, the lottery said. The Power Play multiplier was 3x.

More than 590,000 other Powerball tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $4 to $150,000, the lottery said.

The Powerball jackpot was last won Jan. 18, when an Oregon player hit the $329 million grand prize, lottery officials said.

To score a jackpot in Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.

The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338.

Tickets can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times and price vary by state.

Drawings are broadcast Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

ROCKLIN, Calif. —

A life-changing moment happened at the Rocklin Mini Mart, where a winning Powerball ticket worth an astonishing $5.7 million was sold.

While the lucky winner has yet to claim their prize, excitement is buzzing in the community as people flock to the store, hoping to capture a bit of that luck for themselves.

The winner matched five out of six numbers, earning them the massive prize. The owner of Rocklin Mini Mart learned the exciting news from her son's girlfriend.

"Last night, we couldn’t even sleep because we found out someone won here. I was tossing and turning,” said Eng Ea, owner of Rocklin Mini Mart.

The Rocklin Mini Mart has been in the community for over 30 years—and it isn't new to selling winning tickets. Back in 2020, one lucky customer won $2 million from another ticket sold at the store.

The shop’s reputation for luck keeps customers coming back.

“My wife won a $500 scratcher here six months ago. It just feels like a lucky place," said Tom Hofmeister, who was buying a Powerball ticket Thursday.

It's not just the winner who will celebrate. The store is also reaping some rewards—the Rocklin Mini Mart is set to receive $28,500 in commission for selling the winning ticket. Customers say it couldn’t happen to a better business.

"I always want to support them. They’re the best place to go if you want anything," said Garrett Carter, also buying a Powerball ticket.

With this recent jackpot adding to their lucky streak, the energy at Rocklin Mini Mart feels electric. As one customer optimistically said, “I think lightning can strike twice.”

For now, the wait is on for the winner to come forward—but one thing is certain: Rocklin Mini Mart continues to be a beacon of hope and luck for the community.

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