If you’re local ABC affiliate broke into “One Life to Live” and/or “General Hospital” today, you might have missed all or part of today’s episodes due to a 5.9 magnitude Earthquake that hit the east coast just before 2:00 PM. Thankfully, SOAPnet and ABC.com are here to save the day for those markets affected by the quake.

As reported back in June, the Disney/ABC Television Group has hired Katie Couric to host a new daily syndicated talk show that is expected to air on virtually all ABC affiliated stations, including the eight owned and operated stations that have already signed off on the deal. The show currently titled “Katie” will debut in September 2012 during the 3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM PT time slot currently occupied by ABC’s “General Hospital,” which will be forced to relocate to an as yet to be determined timeslot on the network.

Is there something special happening on this coming Thursday’s episode (August 25) of “One Life to Live?” We’re wondering because whatever was supposed to happen got changed and now everything about the episode is being kept tight lipped by the network. Other than it being Robin Strasser’s last airdate as Dorian Lord and a big storyline about to kick off with some interesting (that’s saying it lightly) twists, we just can’t imagine what could actually be happening in the episode that would make it such a big secret.

You’ve known her as Lulu Spencer on ABC’s “General Hospital” since October 2005, but you may not have known that Julie Marie Berman is also a big pet lover. The two time Emmy Award winning actress has joined together with husband Michael Grady and business partner William Busch in launching Better Buddies, Inc., which was designed to help pet owners find the best quality products with an eco-conscious mind. The company’s mission is to help with the adoption of pets by pet lovers.

On Thursday, July 21, ABC Soaps in Depth reported that Kelly Sullivan had been hired as a recast Kate Howard after more than a year since we last saw the character (last played by Megan Ward). Now Soap Opera Network has learned when you can catch your first glimpse of the actress.

Rebeka Montoya, best known for her role as Gina in the online series “Heroes: Going Postal” alongside former “GH” and “Port Charles” actor Kiko Ellsworth, is joining the cast of “General Hospital” in the recurring role of Delores Padilla.

Monday, September 5, 2011 will mark the final Labor Day repeat airing of ABC’s canceled daytime dramas “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” and likely the second to last time “General Hospital” will air one during its current 3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM PT timeslot as Katie Couric takes over “GH’s” slot beginning in September 2012.

“One Life to Live” star Kassie DePaiva (Blair Cramer) had many fans in attendance at last weekends “One Life to Live” Fan Club Weekend Luncheon scratching their heads when she said “I was told by our executive producer [Frank Valentini] yesterday, that on Wednesday [August 10] we tied with ‘Y&R.'” Considering “The Young and the Restless” is daytime’s #1 soap, we thought she may have made a mistake too, but it turns out she wasn’t wrong at all.

With today’s news that Prospect Park has officially begun making offers to actors in hopes of them joining “All My Children” 2.0 in time for its January 2012 debut, it’s only fitting to get an insiders perspective on the innerworkings of a canceled soap opera. Cameron Mathison, who portrays the role of Ryan Lavery on the soap, spoke with Soap Opera Network during the “All My Children” Fan Club Weekend and he shed some light on Prospect Park, being a contributor on “Good Morning America” and even dancing on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Just weeks before the Prospect Park deal to pick up the production and distribution rights of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” from the Disney/ABC Television group was announced, ABC revealed that they had decided to move “One Life” head writer Ron Carlivati to “General Hospital” as a script writer once production wrapped on the soap in November. Is that still the case two months later?