GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CXII, NO. XIV
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2026
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
County approves Action Plan, HUD-funded projects
Woman ordered to stand trial in election fraud case Self-represented candidate Gaea Powell faces nine charges tied to disputed residency and voting in 2022 and 2024 mayoral races
Adult Day Center in Paso Robles, Atascadero youth scholarship, and homeless services among the recommended recipients
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
By MIKE CHALDU michael@atascaderonews.com
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — An Arroyo Grande woman accused of multiple election-related offenses has been ordered to stand trial following a preliminary hearing in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. Gaea Edde Powell, 62, represented herself during the multiday preliminary hearing, which concluded Thursday, April 2, before Judge Timothy S. Covello. At the conclusion of the hearing, Covello ruled there was sufficient evidence to uphold the charges and allow the case to proceed. Powell faces nine criminal counts stemming from alleged conduct during the 2022 and 2024 Arroyo Grande mayoral election cycles, in which she was a candidate. The charges include voter registration fraud, filing a false declaration of candidacy, fraudulent voting, failure to file campaign finance reports, and perjury by declaration. Of the nine charges, eight are felonies and one is a misdemeanor. The case was filed by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office in June 2025. District Attorney Dan Dow previously stated the charges reflect the office’s commitment to protecting the integrity of local elections.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — In its Tuesday, April 7, regular meeting, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors moved forward staff recommendations to the 2026 Action Plan and federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded projects. Among those receiving funds in the latest plans include the county’s Adult Day Center in Paso Robles, Atascadero youth scholarships, and other countywide services for the homeless. The Action Plan describes the specific activities planned for the upcoming program year funded by HUD grant funds provided to the Urban County of San Luis Obispo to achieve goals outlined in the Consolidated Plan, which contains the San Luis Obispo Countywide Plan to Address Homelessness 2022-2027. The Urban County refers to six cities (Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo) and the County of San Luis Obispo partnering to meet population thresholds to ensure annual entitlement funds from HUD are available to serve the community. The City of Grover Beach is not part of the Urban County and competes separately for HUD funding at the State level, and HUD allocations are omitted for the City of Atascadero, which has requested specific project-level adjustments. County Social Services Program Manager Marge Castle presented the item to the board and identified the allocations to county organizations and services aimed at assisting the homeless or housing-challenged, funded by Community Development Block Grants (CDBG; $1,365,067 available after administration costs), the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG; $135,681) and HOME Investments Partnership Program (HOME; $869,961). Among the North County recipients were the CAPSLO Adult Day Center in Paso Robles ($19,483), Atascadero and Paso Robles shelter services through the El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO; $64,284), Atascadero youth scholarships ($15,000), and additional funds for ECHO facilities in Atascadero and Paso Robles totaling $155,858. The funds for the Adult Day Center in Paso Robles, which
The witnesses During the preliminary hearing, multiple witnesses testified for both the prosecution and the defense. Testifying for the prosecution were Jessica Matson, a clerk for the City of Arroyo Grande; Carolyn Moffatt, identified as the landlord of Powell’s residence outside Arroyo Grande city limits; David Marquis, Powell’s prior employer who owned the residence where she registered to vote; and Fred Pflum, a senior district attorney investigator. The prosecution’s case focused heavily on Powell’s residency. Moffatt testified that Powell had lived continuously since 2018 at a rural Heritage Lane property outside city limits. Moffatt said she had no reason to believe Powell lived elsewhere and recalled raising concerns in both 2022 and 2024 about Powell running for mayor while residing outside the city. According to Moffatt, Powell responded that she had received legal advice confirming her eligibility. Testimony from Matson, indicated Powell was informed that candidates must be city residents CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Officer Ryan Goudy and K-9 Maverick, along with Officer Ramon Hernandez and K-9 Pomic, continue a decades-long program rooted in community support and defined by discipline, loyalty, and service. Photo by Hayley Mattson/ATN
Atascadero Police K-9 teams strengthen public safety
Officers Hernandez and Goudy, alongside K-9 partners Pomic and Maverick, carry forward a decades-long program supported by community and built on discipline, loyalty and service
ATASCADERO — In Atascadero, public safety extends beyond patrol cars and radios. It is built on partnership — a bond between officer and canine that relies on trust, discipline, and constant training. At the center of the Atascadero Police Department’s K-9 unit are two teams carrying forward that legacy: Officer Ramon Hernandez and K-9 Pomic, and Officer Ryan Goudy and K-9 Maverick. The department’s K-9 program dates back to 1987, when it was established through a donation from a local realtor association. Police Commander Robert Molle, a former
handler, said the program has remained a steady and valued part of the department for decades. Aside from a brief pause between 1995 and 1998, the department has maintained at least one active K-9 team — and often two. Today, Pomic and Maverick serve as the department’s 11th and 12th K-9 officers, continuing a program that has evolved alongside modern policing while remaining rooted in its original mission. K-9 units themselves have a long global history. Dogs have been used in law enforcement roles for centuries, with formal training programs emerging in Europe in the late 1800s. In the United States, widespread adoption began in the mid-20th century, as
departments recognized the advantages dogs bring — including advanced scent detection, agility, and the ability to track suspects or locate missing persons. Those capabilities are only possible through intensive training. Hernandez was paired with Pomic in September 2021. The duo completed a fiveweek, 200-hour patrol school designed to build communication and trust between handler and dog. Even after certification, training continues. The pair completes at least 20 hours of training each month to maintain readiness. Goudy and Maverick underwent a similar process, completing a six-week patrol and
ELAINA CANO
GAEA POWELL
VANESSA ROZO
By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Chief
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Clerk-Recorder candidates address election integrity, modernization, and public trust at forum
League of Women Voters event at Ludwick Community Center highlights contrasts on elections, transparency ahead of 2026 race By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Chief
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Three candidates for San Luis Obispo County clerk-recorder outlined differing views on election integrity, modernization, and public trust during a candidate forum hosted April 7 by the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County. The forum, held at the Ludwick Community Center and streamed online via SLO-SPAN and YouTube, brought together candidates Gaea Powell, Elaina Cano, and Vanessa Rozo for a wide-ranging discussion on elections, property records, and voter access. The event
COMMUNITY
was moderated in partnership with AAUW Atascadero and AAUW Five Cities–Pismo Beach. Each candidate opened with remarks highlighting their experience and priorities heading into the 2026 election. Gaea Powell, a business consultant, framed her campaign around election reform and accountability, describing herself as a “constitutional candidate.” She said she supports voter identification requirements, proof of citizenship, and improved voter roll maintenance as measures to strengthen public confidence in elections. “My leadership philosophy is rooted in constitutional governance, measured performance,
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and principled public service,” Powell said. Powell, who has been accused of multiple election-related offenses, appeared in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court on April 2 for a preliminary hearing. Representing herself, she was ordered to stand trial on charges of voter registration fraud related to the 2022 and 2024 Arroyo Grande mayoral elections. The case is expected to proceed in the coming months. At this time, the charges do not disqualify Powell from running for San Luis Obispo County clerk-recorder. Read the full story on A1. Cano, the incumbent clerk-recorder, emphasized her experience in the role and the importance of maintaining
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trust and accuracy in administering elections and safeguarding public records. “The county clerk-recorder’s office and my job specifically is built on public trust and transparency, accuracy, and, of course, most importantly, experience,” Cano said. Rozo, a paralegal and small business owner, focused on restoring public confidence through community engagement, noting she has spent months listening to residents’ concerns. “The biggest thing … is the word ‘trust,’” Rozo said. “I have been out listening to the community.” One of the first questions addressed the validity of the CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
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