East County News Service

Photo: “Cabrillo Lighthouse”

April 3, 2016 (San Diego) -- The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation (MTRP) is pleased to present an exhibition featuring an award-winning artist Marilyn Hallam.

East County News Service

April 2, 2016 (Alpine) – The Alpine-Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce will host a “Hot Topics” breakfast on April 12 at 7:15 a.m. at Mike Place, 1620 Alpine Blvd. Suite 101.

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ, by clicking the audio link.

We thank the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Grant supporting Destination East County.

East County News Service

April 1, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes Mozart, an Old West Art Fest, the Garden Native Tour, Padre’s Opening Day and more.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including the Spring Garden Festival at Cuyamaca College, Chaldean Nights at Sycuan in El Cajon and an El Monte Flume Trail Hike.

So scroll down for all of these events and more.

East County News Service

March 30, 2016 (San Diego) -- On April 15, 2016 at 7:30 PM, San Diego State's top orchestral and premier wind ensembles join forces with the 120-voice chamber and concert choirs on the stage at the Jacobs Music Center at Copley Symphony Hall to present a mega-concert experience. Downtown features more than 250 musicians performing works by Wagner, Vaughan Williams, and Beethoven from the School of Music and Dance, this is a program that Jim Chute of UT San Diego called a "powerhouse."

East County News Service

March 27, 2016 (Alpine) --The Alpine Woman’s Club Victorian Tea has been compared to the teas at the Hotel Del Coronado and Westgate Hotel. This is the perfect venue to showcase your finest hat, share good conversation with good friends and introduce your daughter or granddaughter to their first Victorian Tea. What a wonderful experience for any young lady ages 8 years and up. Entertainment will feature piano music by William D. Young, playing songs from yesteryear. There will also be a raffle, door prizes and other surprises. Period attire is recommended but not required.

East County News Service

March 25, 2016 (Lakeside) – Lakeside’s Western Days Parade will roll out along Maine Street on April 23 starting at 9:35 a.m.  Celebrating its 51^st year, this year’s parade hosted by the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce will feature the theme “America Strong, Lakeside Strong.”

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audio link.

We thank the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Grant supporting Destination East County.

East County News Service

March 17, 2016 (San Diego's East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes unplugged at Parkway Plaza, open house at Oasis Camel Dairy, the Borrego Garden Tour, Snoopy the musical and an a cappella quartet at the Joan Kroc Theater.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including the Spring Harpfest, Santee Lakes Eggstravaganza and a Water-wise Garden tour.  So scroll down for all of these events and more!

April 1 in Spring Valley, April 10 in Point Loma

March 13, 2016 (Spring Valley) - The 2015-2016 performance season of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale continues with a special choral/orchestral project in honor of the 260th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  The concert opens with his operatic overture to Don Giovanni and ends with a performance of his Requiem—a bookending of works that share a common theme: the first recognizing a man’s judgement by God for his many sins, and the last asking God for entrance ofone’s soul to Heaven.

The program is contrasted with a piece of chamber music that the composer wrote for flute and string trio: Mozart’s Flute Quartet in A Major, K. 298 as performed by GSO principal flautist, Kay Van Tassell, and members of the Grossmont Symphony String Quartet.

East County News Service

March 11, 2016 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Conversations invites you to a forum on The Future of Transportation in La Mesa on Wednesday, March 23 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge (4731 Date Ave., La Mesa).

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audio link.

We thank the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Grant supporting Destination East County.

East County News Service

March 10, 2016 (San Diego's East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a Gatlin Brothers concert, a St. Patrick’s Day fun run, a Circle of Art Show in Borrego Springs, and live theater including Mack and Mabel, set in the silent movie era of yesteryear.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including Tomatomania for garden lovers, Lake Jennings spring carnival,  garden tours galore and the Spring HarpFest in La Mesa. So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

By Liz Alper

March 9, 2016 (El Cajon) - District 4-L6 of Lions Club International invites you to come recycle your eye glasses.

By Liz Alper

March 9, 2016 (Alpine) - The Alpine Woman's Club cordially invites you to their 23^rd annual Victorian Tea.

Expert Panel to Discuss Oak Borer Beetle Tuesday March 8, 6 p.m. at Julian Library.  Public invited free.

Photo, left:  Gold Spotted Oak Borer

By Jim Madaffer

March 4, 2016 (Julian) -- Suspecting we had dead or dying oak trees on our property in Wynola Estates, my wife and I hired an arborist to inspect and inventory our trees.  The verdict: out of 80 trees, 10 oak trees are dead and must come down – all thanks to the Golden Spotted Oak Borer Beetle, or GSOB.

March 4, 2016 (Ocotillo) – The Jacumba Hikers and Walkers will lead a Desert Wild Flowers hike this Saturday, March 5^th. Meet at 8 am at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum  (11 W. Frontage Road, Ocotillo).  The hike begins at the trailhead to   

Mountain Palm Spring off S2, then traveling to a Palm Oases and along the you may encounter wild flowers: Ocotillo, Blooming Creosote Bush, Salton Milk-Vetch, Poppies, Mariposa Lilly, Pink Phlox, Primrose, Desert Paint Brush, Verbena, Dasies and Yellow Cups just to name a few.

East County News Service

March 3, 2016 (Santee) - Santee Lakes invites you to bring the kids for its annual Eggstravaganza on Saturday, March 26^th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This fun-filled event features continuous egg hunts, live entertainment, a petting zoo, craft booths and carnival rides, all hosted by the Padre Dam Municipal Water District and the City of Santee.