by Karen Pearlman | May 12, 2026 7:17 pm
Photo by Trystan Loucado
East County News Service
May 12, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diego’s BalletCenter Studios[1] is set to to debut its latest production, “Snow White,” at the end of the month for three performances at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre inside The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center[2] in Rolando.
Scheduled for Saturday, May 30 (1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) and May 31 (2 p.m.) the production will transform the Joan B. Kroc Theatre into a whimsical forest, bringing to locals a classical ballet interpretation of the story.
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Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/snow-white-coming-to-joan-b-kroc-theatre-on-may-30-and-31/
by Karen Pearlman | May 12, 2026 6:39 pm
Photo courtesy CDC
By G. A. McNeeley
May 12, 2026 (California) — Health officials in six states are currently monitoring residents who recently traveled on the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak.
No cases tied to the outbreak have been reported in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the overall risk for Americans is low, according to USA Today.
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Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/california-and-other-states-monitor-passengers-on-cruise-ship-for-hantavirus/
by Karen Pearlman | May 11, 2026 8:04 pm
Photo courtesy Jamul Casino Resort
East County News Service
May 11, 2026 (Jamul) — Just one year out from debuting a 16-story luxury hotel tower, Jamul Casino Resort[1] has been awarded the AAA Four Diamond[2] designation.
The AAA Four Diamond Award is a prestigious designation recognizing hotels and restaurants in North America that provide upscale, stylish accommodations and elevated dining options, featuring a high degree of hospitality and attention to detail.
Only about 6 percent of AAA-inspected hotels and 2 percent of restaurants receive this rating, marking them as superior to typical establishments. The rating places the East County property in the top echelon 23,000 AAA-inspected lodgings across North America. About 1,750 hotels currently hold the Four Diamond level.
Throughout the year, AAA Inspectors visit hotels and restaurants across North America, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica unannounced to objectively verify the 4 Cs of AAA Diamonds: Cleanliness, Comfort, Cuisine and Consistency.
(more…)[3]
Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/jamul-resort-honored-with-aaa-four-diamond-designation/
by Karen Pearlman | May 11, 2026 7:03 pm
Photo courtesy Santee Kiwanis
East County News Service
May 11, 2026 (Santee) — A coalition of East County community service organizations led by Santee Kiwanis will debut Santee Summer Knights[1], a new regional medieval festival, next month.
The three-day event from June 5-7 will be held on the grounds of the Historic Barn, 9200 Magnolia Ave., in Santee. A public-private collaboration, it is being designed to fund local youth, family and senior programs.
The festival aims to address a local demand for historical reenactment events. Unlike for-profit ventures, the event functions as a community fundraiser with a $10 weekend participant fee.
(more…)[2]
Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/santee-to-transform-into-medieval-kingdom-for-summer-knights-community-festival/
by Karen Pearlman | May 11, 2026 4:05 am
Map courtesy United States Geological Survey
East County News Service
May 10, 2026 (Brawley) — A prolific seismic swarm in Imperial Valley reached a peak in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 10, sending some light shaking into San Diego County and triggering mobile alerts for some residents.
The largest event of the sequence so far — a magnitude 4.7 earthquake — struck at 12:10 a.m. on Sunday. This followed a significant magnitude 4.5 quake on Saturday evening.
(more…)[1]
Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/imperial-valley-seismic-swarm-rattles-san-diego-county/
by Karen Pearlman | May 11, 2026 12:54 am
Photo of reunion of Honey, rescued from Villa Chardonnay, and her original owner, along with San Diego Humane Society workers, courtesy of San Diego Humane Society
By Karen Pearlman
May 10, 2026 (Julian) — Amid the logistics of looking into the needs of more than 700 animals seized from an animal sanctuary in Julian, stories of heartbreak and hope are beginning to emerge.
Just over a week since rescue operations began at Villa Chardonnay, Horses With Wings, LLC, the San Diego Humane Society on Sunday, May 10, announced that reunions of animals and their families are officially underway.
SDHS reports that at least one dog, one cat and six horses have returned to their rightful owners as of this past week.
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Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/reunions-part-of-massive-rescue-operation-of-700-animals-at-villa-chardonnay/
by Karen Pearlman | May 10, 2026 4:12 am
East County News Service
May 9, 2026 (Alpine) — Lions Tigers & Bears, Southern California’s premier accredited big cat and bear sanctuary, is holding its signature fundraising gala, Wild in the Country later this month.
The event is set to take place from 2 to 6 p.m., Saturday, May 30 at 24402 Martin Way, the organization’s 142-acre ranch in Alpine.
As the only fully accredited facility of its kind in the region, LTB serves as a lifelong haven for more than 60 animals rescued from lives of abuse, neglect and the exotic animal trade.
The annual event brings critical financial assistance to the nonprofit. Ticket prices ranging from $165 to $375.
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Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/lions-tigers-bears-wild-in-the-country-event-is-may-30/
by Karen Pearlman | May 10, 2026 3:36 am
East County News Service
May 9, 2026 (La Mesa) –The San Diego & Imperial Small Business Development Center Network will host the Small Business Expo La Mesa on Thursday, June 11 at the La Mesa Community Center.
The half-day event is designed to support local entrepreneurs, is scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at 4975 Memorial Drive.
The expo will serve as a hub for networking, education and resource allocation for local small businesses For an entry fee of $10, attendees will gain access to a comprehensive morning program featuring professional panels and direct connections to industry experts.
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Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/sd-imperial-small-business-development-center-network-hosting-expo-june-11/
by Karen Pearlman | May 10, 2026 2:09 am
East County News Service
May 9, 2026 (San Diego County) — If you receive a text message about a missed court date or a phone call from someone saying they are a “law enforcement officer” demanding payment for a warrant, take a breath before you take out your wallet.
It’s likely a trap, say leaders from the Superior Court of California – County of San Diego.
San Diego Superior Court officials issued an urgent warning[1] Thursday, May 7 following a surge in increasingly sophisticated scams designed to frighten residents into sending money to fraudsters. In just the past week, two distinct and highly convincing schemes have been reported to court officials.
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Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/sd-superior-court-warns-of-sophisticated-new-scams/
by Karen Pearlman | May 10, 2026 1:48 am
East County Magazine
May 9, 2026 (Boulevard) — Don’t look now (or maybe definitely look) but the Mountain Empire is about to get a little more eccentric.
Community members in Boulevard on Sunday, May 17 will host the inaugural “Bizarre Bazaar.” The plan, according to Boulevard community spokesperson Mara Harris, is to continue this event and have a quarterly “Art and Oddities Fair” that is designed to showcase the region’s creative spirit and stimulate the local open commerce economy.
The event, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., will transform the grounds of the Backcountry Resource Center into a vibrant marketplace of the unusual.
Harris said that the Bizarre Bazaar is modeled after the successful Jacumba Bathhouse Bazaar, which takes place the first Saturday of every month. Like its Jacumba model, the Boulevard event offers free space to vendors — no registration fees and no booth costs — in an effort to lower the barrier to entry for local makers.
“If there were more venues organized throughout the region, it could enliven our local economy by offering regular outlets for free commerce,” Harris said.
(more…)[1]
Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/boulevard-bazaar-coming-to-backcountry-may-17/
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