A Happy New Year does start on January 1st!

With 2009 rapidly coming to a close, we look ahead with hope and best wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year.

If you need a little inspiration to set a better course for yourself in 2010, WSBE Rhode Island PBS features programs on January 1st that can help lift and empower you:

Achieving Your Dreams with Ken Blanchard (12:30 P.M.)

Achieving Your Dreams: with Ken Blanchard is more than a prescription for success for business-minded folks. His inspirational message and humorous personal stories, served up with the wit and infectious charm that is uniquely Ken's, are invaluable to anyone who wants to live a more fulfilling life. Ken shares insightful tips and tools for leading a life of balance and purpose, gaining peace of mind, personal satisfaction, and accomplishing noble goals.

Michael Bernard Beckwith: The Answer is You (1:30 P.M.)

In this 60-minute PBS special, Michael Beckwith addresses a sold out audience in downtown Los Angeles at L.A. Live. He speaks to universal questions faced by people of all and any faith, regarding connection to the divine, manifesting goodness and health for you and your loved ones, the nature of prosperity, understanding a larger purpose in life and adopting the mind set and spiritual attitude that empowers individuals to live rich, fulfilling, positive lives.

Dr. Wayne Dyer: Excuses Begone! (3 P.M.)

Learn once and for all how to change your thoughts to improve the quality of your life: no more excuses! In this exciting live presentation recorded in Maui, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer reveals a powerful seven-step paradigm that will allow you to drop your excuses and change the lifelong thinking habits that prevent you from living at your highest levels of happiness and success. Listen as Wayne explains how you can actually change your brain chemistry, align your thoughts to a higher place where excuses do not exist, and use the power of contemplation to attract and fulfill your desires.

Unstuck with Dr. James Gordon (6 P.M.)

UNSTUCK with James S. Gordon is designed to help those experiencing stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction, as well as millions of Americans who are diagnosed with clinical depression. Dr. Gordon demonstrates his approach in a way that's easy to understand and gives people the tools to help themselves, without antidepressants or other drugs. The groundbreaking, inspiring program, which he has successfully used in the U.S. and around the world, offers easy but powerful exercises that reduce stress and uncover the joy in life.

Science of Healing with Dr. Esther Sternberg (7:30 P.M.)

Author and medical researcher Dr. Esther Sternberg examines the role the brain plays in healing. The program addresses some critical questions: What is healing? Is there a mind/body connection? What happens in the brain when healing occurs? What role does emotion play? Dr. Sternberg uses her own story of illness and recovery as a parallel to her investigation of what scientists are learning about the mind/body connection.

Gov. Don Carcieri and Sid the Science Kid on the H1N1vaccine

Special Thanksgiving Programming

Before, between, and after all of the meeting, greeting, heating, seating, and eating you may be planning for Thanksgiving Day, WSBE Rhode Island PBS has ideal family entertainment. We're ready when you are!

Wednesday, November 25

8 P.M. AMERICAN MASTERS Carol Burnett: A Woman of Character
(Re-broadcast on Thanksgiving Day at 3:30 P.M.)

9:30 P.M. James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
(re-broadcast on Thanksgiving Day at 2 P.M.)

The program salutes one of Hollywood's best-loved actors. Stewart, who started his career as a magician and accordionist, rose to stardom portraying ordinary men who called on their interior strengths to accomplish extraordinary things. Produced and directed by David Heeley and hosted by Johnny Carson, James Stewart: A Wonderful Life features interviews with Hollywood luminaries and visits to the sets of Stewart's most popular films, creating a moving tribute to a truly unforgettable actor.


Thursday, November 26 (Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!)

2 P.M. Re-broadcast of James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

3:30 P.M. Re-broadcast of AMERICAN MASTERS Carol Burnett: A Woman of Character

5 P.M. Full 6-hour series Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America


Friday, November 27

1 - 6 P.M. Wishbone marathon.  
#201 “Halloween Hound: The Legend of the Creepy Collars" The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Part 1
#202 "Halloween Hound" Part 2
#203 “The Prince of Wags” Henry IV
#204 “Groomed for Greatness” Great Expectations
#205 “A Bone of Contention” The Courtship of Miles Standish
#206 “War of the Noses” The Black Arrow
#207 “Moonbone” The Moonstone
#208 “Barking at Buddha” Monkey
#209 “Pup Fiction” Northanger Abbey
#210 “The Roamin’ Nose” The Aeneid

8:30 P.M. MASTERPIECE CLASSIC Wuthering Heights
The Earnshaw children expect gifts from their father when he returns to Wuthering Heights after a trip, but are instead greeted with the arrival of Heathcliff, a young Gypsy boy who has come to live with them. Quiet and mysterious, Heathcliff is befriended by Cathy Earnshaw, and the two become inseparable. In adulthood, their bond deepens to love, but a forced absence opens Cathy to the affections of a different suitor — Edgar Linton. Given the choice between a life of comfort and a profound love, Cathy's actions have repercussions for multiple generations in this haunting story of turbulent passion and revenge. Tom Hardy (Oliver Twist) stars as Heathcliff, with newcomer Charlotte Riley as Cathy. Watch behind-the-scenes video here.

Tale of a Monarch

My father passed in March 2006. What my brother and I thought might be a bad cold or even pneumonia was actually a massive coronary that unexpectedly but quite efficiently swept our dad from our lives. Stunned, I remember standing outside the hospital and saying to my brother, "We're orphans." An odd reaction to be sure, especially for a grown woman with 4 college and high school children of her own. Having lost my mother a little more than a year before, the sense of loss and abandonment was overwhelming.

About a year after my dad passed, monarch butterflies started to appear around me in greater frequency than I considered usual, and in places I considered odd. I was not looking for butterflies, mind you - but each seemed to make sure I noticed it, fluttering close enough to demand my attention.

One of the oddest places was right on the beach at Scarborough. Not the grassy area where wildflowers grow, but the breezy sandy beach. I've seen plenty of sea gulls there, but never the elegantly fragile orange and black wings of a monarch butterfly. Yet that summer, it happened a few times.

The other oddest place was right here at work. On the north side of the station building is storage with double garage doors. The "driveway" area is completely paved with aging asphalt, and abuts another commercial property's paved driveway. There is a tall steel microwave tower, a dumpster, and chain link fencing. The only thing remotely green are weeds invading cracks in the pavement.

One pleasant afternoon that summer of 2007, I was outside enjoying the weather as I edited some material. Sitting on a low concrete platform near the door, I was visited by a monarch butterfly. I had never seen butterflies in that area before - moths and other insects, maybe, but not butterflies, and certainly not monarchs. This one didn't just flutter by. It actually landed on my knee! It perched, opened and closed its wings a few times, then fluttered off.

And thoughts of my dad immediately washed over me.

I share this very personal story with you because I just watched the full version of 41, a remarkable story about the Station nightclub fire's youngest victim, Nicholas O'Neill.WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs this documentary tonight at 8 P.M. I invite you to watch the film, too, and hear the way this young man touched - touches - lives of those around him in unexpected and lingering ways.

Your comments about the film and stories of your own experiences are most welcome.

- Lucie Raposo Houle

Solve Your Holiday Gift-Giving Dilemmas

We all have at least one. You know, the one who "has everything" and the one for whom finding a Christmas gift causes a twist of anxiety.

Or maybe you'd like to stuff those stockings with something more interesting than candy canes and extra batteries.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS opens its studios for its first ever Holiday Sale all this week. Click here for my earlier blog. Here are more items I just found for sale when I toured the bustling studio. Please remember that quantities are limited and some items are one-of-a-kind, so I suggest you get here early in the week.

Listed in no particular order:

Music CDs and audio cassettes

John Denver
Andre Rieu
Bob Dylan
Jerry Lee Lewis
Charlotte Church
Hayley Westenra
Three Tenors (Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo)

DVDs and VHS of full programs:

(includes a few from the list above, plus)
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Peter Paul and Mary
Fleetwood Mac
The Clash Live

Broadway's Lost Treasures
Italian Americans
Visions of Greece
Ghost & Vampire Legends of Rhode Island

"Coffee Table" Books (those beautiful, large, hard covered books you like to browse and leave out for others to browse, too)
Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers: Early Maritime Civilizations, by Rhode Island's Bob Ballard
American Passenger Trains
Daniel O'Donnell's Ireland
Great Restaurants and Recipes of Nantucket

Hard- and Soft-Cover Books by
Nicholas Perricone (The Wrinkle Cure, and more)
Suze Orman (Women and Money, and more)
Rick Steves (travel guides for Rome, for Europe, for Italy, and several other destinations)
Ciao Italia cookbooks

There is also unclaimed art from past art auctions. Available pieces are of various shapes, sizes, subjects, and include some photography.

Sale hours:

Monday, November 16th from 1:00-5:00
Tuesday, November 17th from 9:00-5:00
Wednesday, November 18th from 9:00-8:00*
Thursday, November 19th from 9:00-5:00
Friday, November 20th from 9:00-8:00*

*Open late for your convenience

At Times Heartwarming and Heartbreaking, "41" Will Touch You

Yesterday, I had the pleasure to meet the two filmmakers of 41, Christian De Rezendes and Christian O'Neill, at an event at the elegant Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket. It's not surprising that these two talented and charming young men created such a good film as 41.

What is 41?

It's a remarkable story of The Station nightclub fire's youngest victim, Nicholas O'Neill (Christian O'Neill's brother). It paints a portrait of Nicky's 18 years - packed full in so short a time with prolific writing, composing, acting... and an obsession with the number 41. But what makes the film so remarkable is the story after the story: what happened - and continues to happen - after the deadly fire took his life on February 20, 2003. Signs are everywhere that Nicky's spirit continues to move among his family and friends. Even strangers.

41 is a story of uplifting hope, insight, and comfort. And it may change the way you think about life and death.

41 airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Wednesday, November 18 at 8 P.M.

The Rhode Show (on WPRI-TV 12) did a story this morning about the documentary, including an interview with Nicky's father, broadcaster Dave Kane. Here is the video from WPRI.com

Click the link below to view the documentary trailer. And for more information, go to http://www.41themovie.com/index2.html

Holiday Sale Blends Bounty with Bargains

With money as tight as is it, we all need to spend wisely to stretch our dollars during the upcoming holiday gift-giving season. But frugal doesn't have to mean cheap. That creative "just right" gift idea (found at the right price) will bring smiles to the faces of recipients and gift-givers alike! That's where the Rhode Island PBS Holiday Sale steps in.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS – RI's viewer-supported public television station – will open its studios November 16 through 20 for a sale of rare (limited quantity) and one-of-a-kind items, offered at a fraction of their retail value.

The variety of items is wide, but quantities are limited. DVDs, VHS tapes, CDs, and audio cassettes of PBS programs feature a variety of subjects, including self-help, finance, lifestyle, inspiration, and humor. Music artists include PBS favorites Andrea Bocelli, Chris Botti, Daniel O'Donnell, Lawrence Welk, and Bruce Springsteen (yes, Bruce Springsteen). Those names alone should provide a pretty clear indication of the wide range of music to suit almost anyone's taste - even the toughest person on your gift list.

Books, books, books! They cover an array of subjects and include some companion books to popular PBS specials.

There are also some children's videos, Ciao Italia cookbooks, gift certificates, and holiday items.

Perhaps the most intriguing items are the unclaimed auction goods and works of art. It's an opportunity to pick up unique items at a bargain price.

Holiday Sale Hours:

Monday, November 16th 1:00-5:00
Tuesday, November 17th 9:00-5:00
Wednesday, November 18th 9:00-8:00 *
Thursday, November 19th 9:00-5:00
Friday, November 20th 9:00-8:00 *

*Open late for your convenience

Rhode Island PBS studios are located at 50 Park Lane in Providence. Cash, checks, and all major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover) are accepted. For more information please call 401-222-3636 x209 or x 204.

H1N1 (Swine) Flu: What You Need to Know

Did you miss last night's H1N1 special?

WSBE Rhode Island PBS will rebroadcast “H1N1 Swine Flu: What You Need To Know” on Saturday, November 7 at 7 P.M., and on Sunday, November 8 at 11 A.M. Veteran TV anchor and news director Dave Layman interviews Director of the Department of Health Dr. David Gifford, infectious disease specialists Dr. Robert Crausman and Dr. Nicole Alexander, and pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Lange.

Governor Donald Carcieri, the RI Department of Health, and the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association cooperated to present this special, produced by WSBE Rhode Island PBS at our studios.

Salute to Our Veterans

WSBE Rhode Island PBS presents two special programs next week to commemorate Veterans Day.

On Monday, November 9 at 10 P.M., watch the UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY BAND: A SALUTE TO OUR VETERANS. Filmed locally, this prestigious concert band performs many of the John Philip Sousa's marches, as well as patriotic favorites, like "God Bless America" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic," exclusively for this television program. Other featured songs include "Rocky Point Holiday" composed by Ron Nelson, who was inspired to write this song after his visit to Rocky Point Park in Warwick, RI; Glenn Miller's "In the Mood"; and a "Gershwin Fantasy."

The concert was taped on July 2, 2007 at Mount Hope High School in Bristol. Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri, United States Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, and US Representatives Patrick Kennedy and Jim Langevin introduce different songs throughout the program.

~*~*~*~*~

On Veterans Day, November 11 at 10 P.M*., WSBE Rhode Island PBS premiers NAVY HEROES OF NORMANDY, the latest film from Rhode Island's Tim Gray Media. The one-hour film chronicles the building and dedication of the first ever monument in Normandy honoring the United States Navy’s role on D-Day. The documentary recently made its international debut in Normandy, France during D-Day 65th anniversary ceremonies.

NAVY HEROES OF NORMANDY features the personal stories of navy veterans - many of whom are from Southern New England - who took part in Operation Neptune-Overlord on June 6, 1944. Also included are interviews with French residents of Normandy who lived through D-Day, as well as the son of famous German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, Manfred Rommel, who was home with his father in Germany when the call came in that the Allied invasion of France had begun.

The film is a follow-up to Tim Gray Media’s Emmy Award-winning first film, D-Day: The Price of Freedom, released in 2006.  

*Rebroadcast dates and times on WSBE-HD digital 36.1:
Thursday, November 12 at 4 A.M.
Friday, November 13 at 2:30 A.M.
Saturday, November 14 at 7 P.M.
Sunday, November 15 at 11 P.M.

Rebroadcast dates and times on WSBE-Learn digital 36.2:
Tuesday, November 17 at 10 P.M.
Wednesday, November 18 at 5 A.M.
Thursday, November 19 at 2 A.M.




NAVY HEROES OF NORMANDY is the first locally produced full-length High Definition (HD) program aired by WSBE Rhode Island PBS.

• Find WSBE Rhode Island PBS over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area. 
• Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.  
• WSBE Learn broadcasts over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; ComCast 294.

Governor, Department of Health, and RI Broadcasters sponsor H1N1 Q&A tonight

Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Rhode Island Department of Health are partnering with the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association (RIBA) members, WSBE Rhode Island PBS, WPRI-TV, WJAR-TV, and WLNE-TV to hold a live panel discussion and phone bank to answer questions on the H1N1-Swine Flu virus on Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

From 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., medical professionals from the RI Department of Health (DOH) and clinicians will staff a phone bank at the Rhode Island PBS studios to answer questions on H1N1. The phone number for the public to call with questions from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. will be 401-222-8012.

(Please note, the phone bank number will ONLY be operational from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The regular DOH H1N1 Information Line is 401-222-8022, and is operational Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

This will be followed by a 60-minute panel discussion on H1N1, prevention tips, symptoms, and with some of the more frequently asked questions answered by the panel of experts. The program, H1N1 – Swine Flu: What You Need to Know, will be moderated by former TV anchor Dave Layman with participation from Dr. David Gifford of the DOH, and other physicians.

The local television stations will report live from the Rhode Island PBS studios throughout the evening broadcasts, and will air the panel discussion live, starting at 7:00 p.m.

In addition, the television stations will stream the panel discussion live on the station websites, including www.turnto10.com, www.wpri.com, and www.abc6.com, and replay the program on all channels throughout the next several weeks.

Several radio stations are also supporting this effort by airing promotional spots on where and when to find programming and coverage of the event within their newscasts.

“I want to extend my appreciation for the tremendous support by our media partners in helping to inform the public on how to prevent H1N1, the symptoms to look for, and the vaccination schedule,” said Governor Carcieri. “Providing accurate and up-to-date information is critical in keeping the public informed during what can be a stressful time for many Rhode Islanders, especially parents.”

“Rhode Island Broadcasters Association is proud to partner in this public service to provide information to our viewers and listeners from experts within our medical and health community, helping guide us to wellness protection and safeguard ourselves and our families,” said Lori Needham, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association.

"41"

On the night of February 20, 2003, hundreds of rock music fans gathered at a local club in West Warwick, RI, to hear a national band. But ebullience turned to unfathomable grief when indoor fireworks ignited material in the club and the small building burned to the ground.

One hundred souls passed that night. Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sisters, brothers, friends. "41" tells a remarkable story of the youngest among them: Nicholas O'Neill.

It is a story of uplifting hope, insight, and comfort.

And it may change the way you think about life and death.

"41" has received a number of awards, including Best Documentary-Narrative by the Blue Mountain Film Festival (Ontario), and Best Soundtrack from the Director’s Chair Film Festival (Staten Island, NY). The film also played at the Woods Hole Film Festival in August. Film critic Phil Hall of FilmThreat.com, has hailed "41" as “a much-needed reminder of all that is good in the world… a soul-enriching experience, one of the year’s finest accomplishments.”

"41" airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Wednesday, November 18 at 8 P.M. Click the link below to view the trailer. For more information, go to http://www.41themovie.com/index2.html

Stormtroopers and Jedi Bring "The Force" to Rhode Island PBS

WSBE Rhode Island PBS is proud to present the new documentary, The Making of STAR WARS: IN CONCERT tonight, November 2 at 9:15 P.M., and re-broadcast on Saturday, November 7 at 8:15 P.M.

The documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the elaborate staging of the critically-acclaimed "Star Wars: In Concert." A unique performance experience, "Star Wars: In Concert" fuses great cinematic moments from the epic Star Wars film series by George Lucas, and the powerful, Oscar-winning film scores composed for the films by John Williams. The event is coming to the Dunkin Donuts Center on Wednesday, November 11.

Premium seats for the event will be available to viewers who make a pledge donation during the live broadcast on November 2, or the rebroadcast on November 7. In addition to prime arena seating, the premium ticket package includes private, pre-show admission to the Star Wars museum exhibit that travels with the musical show, and includes movie props, models, and costumes. Premium tickets also include meet & greet and photo opportunities with the 501st Legion / New England Garrison, each member in authentic regalia.

Joining the hosts live in the WSBE Rhode Island PBS studio will be members of the 501st Legion / New England Garrison, in costume:

Adam Scott - TIE Pilot
Eric Lemay – Stormtrooper
Joe Trask – Stormtrooper
Brian Fong – Stormtrooper
Vivienne Pustell – Stormtrooper
Michael MacLeod – Stormtrooper
Wendy Lemay - Royal Guard
Angela Nieves - Royal Guard
Jim Gillespie – Clonetrooper
Mark Poutenis – Chewbacca
Meredith Bailey - Rebel Fleet Trooper
Erik Larkin – Jedi
Betty Lincoln – Jedi
Jon Alexson - Jedi

Members of the 501st who will appear in the studio are from Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. For photos and information about the 501st, visit www.501neg.com.

Connecting with art

Making a Connection

A personal favorite station event of mine is the Rhode Island PBS Arts Auction. Some incredible original and limited-edition signed and numbered artist reproductions are available, usually at enormous savings. Plus I get to support local public television, a "cause" in which I strongly believe. For me, it's a win-win (as are all of our auctions, actually).

But there's something about the Arts Auction that elevates my spirit in a different way - the beauty of art. Connecting with the artist on a personal level of silent understanding; I "get" what the artist wanted to convey, and I am touched by it, moved, satisfied. Of course, there are always works I see that do not make that connection with me. Those are the pieces others will buy - folks with whom a personal connection is made. 


Find Your Style

Make your connection. Find your style. For sure, it's there! The 2009 Arts Auction ends this Sunday, October 25. Items are both on the Web and on exhibit at the Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence.

There's no Arts Auction on TV this year. Everything is online; please feel free to browse for your favorite items and bid!

Even better, visit our collection in person at the RI Convention Center, if you can. There is nothing like seeing a work up-close, to see the variations of light and dark, and nuances of color. This applies to jewelry, pottery, and sculpture, as well as the paintings. As good as the online photos are, you get a different perspective - and appreciation - at the exhibit.

Currently, all items are displayed in the street-level West Lobby. Thursday we'll move 30 premiere artworks upstairs to the Providence Fine Furnishings Show, which runs Friday-Sunday. Everything else stays in the West Lobby. You can bid on every item through Sunday evening either downtown or on our Web site (ripbs.org).

Put an item "On Watch": A Way To Track Its Progress Before You Bid

As a registered bidder, you can follow your favorite items - even if you're not yet ready to bid. Watch them by clicking "Add to My Items" on the description pages, next to the pictures. Then, visit "My Items" to track them. You can even get email alerts when they receive bids.


- Lucie Raposo Houle

2009 Arts Auction: A True Multi-Media Event

 Call it a "multi-media event" – in more ways than one.

The 2009 Arts Auction to benefit WSBE Rhode Island PBS includes fine works of art by renowned and emerging local artists and artisans. Oil, pastels, watercolor; steel, bronze, copper; clay, glass, plaster – whatever the medium of choice for artistic expression – become landscapes, portraits, still lifes, in a variety of styles from abstract to realism, modern to traditional. Sculptures, kinetics, jewelry, pottery, and textiles satisfy the tactile sense, while stunning photography proves life does imitate art.

This year's featured artists include Del-Bouree Bach, Harley Bartlett, Kyle Bartlett, Richard Benjamin, Kris Donovan, Richard Grosvenor, John MacGowan, Cynthia Whalen Nelson, Michael Rich, Anne Mimi Sammis, David Schock, Walter T. Scott, Jr., and Anthony Tomaselli.

The way the Art Auction will be made accessible to art collectors and the public is its own multi-media event, too – in person, on television, and over the Internet.

Until 11:59 P.M. on October 25, all items will be available for online viewing and bidding at www.ripbs.org.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS is also airing a special half-hour television program, showcasing selected art work and profiling several artists at work. The Preview Show will air throughout October on WSBE Rhode Island PBS. (See specific air dates and times in a separate listing.)

For those who prefer a more up-close-and-personal view of the art, the complete collection of donated works is on exhibit in the Rhode Island Convention Center (RICC) Lobby through October 25. Computers are available at the RICC to take visitors' bids. A special Rhode Island PBS Fine Arts Exhibit will also be featured in the Providence Fine Furnishings Show, October 23 through 25.

The gallery exhibit in the RICC lobby is free. For more information about the 2009 Rhode Island PBS Arts Auction, visit www.ripbs.org or call 401-222-3636, ext 327. For details and tickets to the Providence Fine Furnishings Show, visit www.finefurnishingsshow.com.

Tonight at 8 PM: Rhode Island Responds: 2009 H1N1 (Swine) Flu

Last spring, the H1N1 (Swine) flu made headlines across the world with clusters of outbreaks and several deaths. In deference to warnings from health officials to expect more widespread outbreaks of the H1N1 (Swine) flu strain during the upcoming flu season, WSBE Rhode Island PBS presents Rhode Island Responds: 2009 H1N1 (Swine) Flu tonight at 8 P.M.

This live, one-hour program with viewer call-in will present the latest information about the H1N1 (Swine) Flu and vaccine, with focus on Rhode Island’s policies to prevent and plans to handle an outbreak, particularly among school-aged children. Hosted by NBC 10 Health Check reporter Barbara Morse Silva, panelists will be Dr. David Gifford, medical director of the RI Department of Health; Deborah Gist, commissioner of the RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; Dr. Penelope Dennehy, chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Hasbro Children's Hospital, and Dr. Michael Dacey, chief medical officer at Kent Hospital.

Viewers can call WSBE with questions anytime during the program. (The telephone number for the call-in lines will be displayed on the TV screen.) Volunteers and medical professionals will staff an off-camera phone bank to handle the questions. Some viewer questions will be transcribed and asked of the professionals on the air.

Viewers can also transmit their questions and comments electronically during the program by coming back to this blog.

Not near a TV tonight? NBC 10 WJAR will stream the program on their Web site: turnto10.com.

Our Web site has a page with basic flu facts and links to Rhode Island and Massachusetts resources.

Watch WSBE Rhode Island PBS over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776. ComCast subscribers should check local listings for the right local channel number.

Rhode Island Responds: H1N1 (Swine) Flu

RI Schools: Where We Stand features 4 special RI principals

Tune in tonight for THE PRINCIPAL STORY at 8 PM, followed by Kelley McGee's interview with RIDE Commissioner Deborah Gist, plus discussion with four RI principals in RHODE ISLAND'S SCHOOLS: WHERE WE STAND at 9 PM.

Please refer to my earlier post for details.

Jacques Pepin in Newport this weekend

Award-winning chef Jacques Pepin is being honored this weekend during the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival. WSBE Rhode Island PBS will have a display table at the Grand Tastings at Marble House on Saturday and Sunday (noon to 4 PM). If you're attending the event, please make it a point to stop our table and say hello.

This morning's Providence Journal has a nice article by food editor Gail Ciampa about Jacques Pepin and his visit to Rhode Island this weekend.

School Leadership: Four RI Principals Reflect on "The Principal Story"

The work day starts early and lingers long after the clock says it's quitting time. Goals, plans, projects – and the order of their priority – each have fairly even odds of eliciting a smile or a frown, depending on the amount of reshuffling needed in the dynamic landscape.

Every principal has an invisible hat rack on the office wall, with a wardrobe of eclectic and sometimes unlikely caps donned throughout the day. Administrator. Building inspector. Disciplinarian. Cheerleader. Social Worker. Referee. Politician. Coach. Chaplain. Whatever the momentary role or immediate need, the one quality that unifies all of the demands on a principal is leadership. The quality of that quality – and whether its fruit withers or thrives – correlates to the support network often provided and controlled by non-educators.

On Thursday, September 24, WSBE presents a local one-hour look at local principals and leadership in the second installment of its series, Rhode Island's Schools: Where We Stand. Education journalist Kelley McGee (formerly of WJAR NBC10) moderates a 40-minute discussion with four current Rhode Island principals. With experience spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels, they offer perspective and local context for the issues raised in the national documentary, The Principal Story:

• Norma Cole, president of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals, principal of Stone Hill Elementary School in Cranston

• Meredith Caswell, former principal of Slater Middle School in Pawtucket, the 2007 Rhode Island Middle School Principal of the Year, and current principal of Cluny School in Newport

• Christopher Lord, Ph.D. in Education Leadership, principal of Charles E. Shea Senior High School in Pawtucket

• Nancy Nettik, 2009 Rhode Island Elementary School Principal of the Year and principal of West Kingston Elementary School

In the final 20-minute segment of Rhode Island's Schools: Where We Stand, Kelley McGee interviews Rhode Island's new Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Deborah Gist.  

Rhode Island's Schools: Where We Stand is produced in partnership with the Rhode Island Association of School Principals (RIASP).

The Principal Story, a documentary from the acclaimed PBS independent film series P.O.V., presents the challenges principals face in turning around low-performing public schools and raising student achievement. This intimate, emotional one-year journey is seen through the eyes of two dynamic principals. The film reveals the struggles these leaders face as they keep their focus on improving teaching and learning amid the competing demands of managing their staffs and engaging their students and communities. The Principal Story paints a dramatic portrait of the challenges facing America's public schools – and of the great difference a dedicated principal can make.

Produced by Nomadic Pictures and funded by The Wallace Foundation, a source of ideas for improving school leadership, The Principal Story airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS September 24, 2009 at 9 P.M. with rebroadcast on Sunday, September 27 at 2 P.M.over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area. On both dates, Rhode Island's Schools: Where We Stand airs immediately after The Principal Story.

For links to The Principal Story field guides, video clips, vignettes and discussion guides, and other ideas and resource materials about developing and supporting school leadership, visit www.ripbs.org.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS Airs Jewish Heritage Films in 3-Week Series

Shalom.

In honor of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) celebrated this weekend, WSBE Rhode Island PBS presents a 3-week Wednesday night series of Jewish heritage films, beginning tonight.

THE JEWISH AMERICANS (8 PM), a three-part documentary series written and directed by the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker David Grubin, examines the struggle of a tiny minority to make its way into the American mainstream. While the story of Jewish life in America is emblematic of the American immigrant story, it is also a unique story of ongoing discrimination and stereotyping, coupled with some of the most remarkable accomplishments in American history, the arts, commerce, science and academia.

Part 1, "They Came to Stay/A World of Their Own" airs tonight. Part 2, "The Best of Times, The Worst of Times" airs September 23. Part 3, "Home" airs September 30, all starting at 8 PM.

At 10 PM tonight (September 16), we air KITKA AND DAVKA IN CONCERT Old World and New World Jewish Music.

"It’s a joy to hear the beauty and feel the cultural richness of Kitka & Davka in Concert, an attractively composed presentation of old and new Jewish music. While the production is obviously lifted by the power and depth of the music, it’s the skill of the filmmaker and production team that brings the experience to life..."

— Thomas Baker, Ph.D., Chairperson, The Accolade

SEPTEMBER 23 at 10 PM

OK, so it's not exactly the right time of year, but the story is so timeless and delightful, we want to share it with you again.

With all the wonderful chaos of preparing for a large gathering of extended family, The Gefilte Fish Chronicles honors the rich tradition of Pesach (Passover) with an intimate and candid look at the Dubroff family preparing for Seder. But don't be misled - no matter what your heritage is, you will find your own family members among these charming and feisty storytellers.

"Don't Just Stand There… Cook!"

Led by the three surviving sisters, Sophie Patasnik, Peppy Barer, and Rosie Groman, traditional preparations are made for the Seder at Peppy's home in Newburgh, NY. Six weeks before the Seder they shop and chop, taste and season. Using recipes nearly a century old, they begin to put together the gefilte fish, cholent, horse radish, and sponge cake.

"Don't Just Sit There… Eat!"

The Gefilte Fish Chronicles in a funny, touching, and universally familiar story of love, of tradition, and of generational family unity - and it's reality television the way it should be. This is a loving, living photo album.

"I've heard it said many times, and it's the truth:
The family that sits around the table together,
stays together. And we have many tables."

Peppy Barer

Find WSBE Rhode Island PBS over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

"Rhode Island 101" author Tim Lenhert on WSBE tonight

Author Tim Lenhert will be in our studios to talk about his fascinating fact-packed and trivia-filled book, "RHODE ISLAND 101." It's 248 pages of (according to the book's subtitle) "Everything you wanted to know about Rhode Island and were going to ask anyway."

From Tim's Web site:

From Narragansett Bay, Roger Williams, the American Industrial Revolution and the Independent Man to the New England mob, the Big Blue Bug, the Newport Mansions, Family Guy and profiles of Buddy Cianci, H.P. Lovecraft and the Farrelly brothers, no book provides a more insightful lowdown on the Ocean State than Rhode Island 101. No book is more fun!

Well known Rhode Islanders weigh in on the nation's smallest state. Investigative reporter Jim Taricani recounts his top stories, Mark Patinkin provides signs that you've been in Rhode Island too long, meteorologist John Ghiorse revisits the most memorable weather events of the last 40 years, Lincoln Chafee offers a Rhode Island treasure hunt and Rory Raven illuminates haunted Rhode Island. Other contributors include Bruce Sundlun, Arlene Violet, and Tony Petrarca, as well as labor historian Scott Molloy, restaurateur Josh Miller, funny man Charlie Hall, anthropologist Michael Bell and music producer Larry Bonoff. From fabulous beaches, historic cities, and dynamite cuisine to corrupt politicians, elite universities and a unique accent and slang, it's all here.

Tune in, starting at 7:30 P.M. And, of course, enjoy "Celebrating Molly Sugden" and "Keeping Up Appearances QE2"!

Find WSBE Rhode Island PBS over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

Do your little ones love PBS Kids shows?

TONIGHT: Alone in the Wilderness and Alaska Silence & Solitude

In 1967, at age 50, Dick Proenneke traveled to the Twin Lakes region in Alaska and built himself a log cabin on the lake shore. With only skill and resourcefulness as his companions, it was there, amid all the beauty – and harshness – of Alaska, that he spent the next 30 years of his life, Alone in the Wilderness.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS will air this fascinating glimpse into solitude and survival TONIGHT August 31 at 7:30 PM, followed by the second in the series of three films about Proenneke's adventures, Alaska: Silence & Solitude at 9 PM.

Alone in the Wilderness, produced by Bob Swerer, uses color footage Proenneke recorded himself to share with his family back home in Iowa. Filmed mostly with a stationary 16mm camera, the film consists of shots of Proenneke performing tasks around his cabin, canoeing, walking, plus views of wildlife, along with narration.

With more than 3,000 feet of film shot by Proenneke, and meticulous, poetic journals written, his adventures in Alaska resulted in three films, edited and produced by Swerer Productions. Alone in the Wilderness, released in 2003, covers Proenneke's first year in the wilderness, showing his day-to-day activities, and the passing of the seasons as he sought to scratch out a living.

Alaska: Silence & Solitude, filmed 20 years later, is the follow-up film to Alone in the Wilderness. Bob Swerer and Bob Swerer, Sr. produced the film in 1998, documenting their visit with Dick Proenneke at his famous cabin on Twin Lakes where the wildlife is still abundant and the scenery is spectacular.

Find WSBE Rhode Island PBS over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

Information/sources
http://www.dickproenneke.com/DickProenneke.html
http://www.aloneinthewilderness.com/

Dick Proenneke and his 30-Year Alaskan Wilderness Adventure

In 1967, Dick Proenneke retired at age 50. He traveled to the Twin Lakes region at the base of the Aleutian Peninsula and built himself a log cabin on the lake shore. With only skill and resourcefulness as his companions, it was there, amid all the beauty – and harshness – of Alaska, that he spent the next 30 years of his life, Alone in the Wilderness.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS will air this fascinating glimpse into solitude and survival on August 31 at 7:30 PM, followed by the second in the series of three films about Proenneke's adventures, Alaska: Silence & Solitude at 9 PM.

Alone in the Wilderness, produced by Bob Swerer, uses color footage Proenneke recorded himself to share with his family back home in Iowa. Filmed mostly with a stationary 16mm camera, the film consists of shots of Proenneke performing tasks around his cabin, canoeing, walking, plus views of wildlife, along with narration. For shots of himself, Proenneke would fix the camera in place, and then perform his tasks. Since he was alone, he would have to return for the camera after walking or canoeing away.

In 1986 producers Bob Swerer, Jr. and his father first met Dick Proenneke while the Swerers were in the Twin Lakes region to explore the area and film wildlife. Their mutual affection for nature and the wilderness forged a long friendship. In 1997, the Swerers returned to Alaska to visit with Proenneke.

With more than 3,000 feet of film shot by Proenneke, and meticulous, poetic journals written, his adventures in Alaska resulted in three films, edited and produced by Swerer Productions. Alone in the Wilderness, released in 2003, covers Proenneke's first year in the wilderness, showing his day-to-day activities, and the passing of the seasons as he sought to scratch out a living.

Alaska: Silence & Solitude, filmed 20 years later, is the follow-up film to Alone in the Wilderness. Bob Swerer and Bob Swerer, Sr. produced the film in 1998, documenting their visit with Dick Proenneke at his famous cabin on Twin Lakes where the wildlife is still abundant and the scenery is spectacular.

Find WSBE Rhode Island PBS over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

Information/sources
http://www.dickproenneke.com/DickProenneke.html
http://www.aloneinthewilderness.com/

Advice and Support for Caregivers

HOME ACROSS LANDS features International Institute of RI's resettlement work (Saturday at 7 PM)

The journey of a family that spent more than five years in an Ethiopian refugee camp before relocating to Rhode Island is the focus of the upcoming documentary, Home Across Lands.

The documentary will premiere on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 7 PM, as part of the station's ongoing series, Rhode Island Stories. The documentary will be re-broadcast on Sunday, August 16 at 11 PM, and on WSBE Learn on Sunday, August 30 at 11 PM.

Home Across Lands was commissioned by the International Institute to chronicle the journey of a group of Eritrean-Kunaman refugees making the transition from life in the Shimelba Refugee Camp in Northern Ethiopia to their new home in Rhode Island.

The Kunama featured in the film fled their native Eritrea and spent years in the confines of the camp, until they were granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The film focuses on their journey to Rhode Island and their journey to becoming self-reliant, invested participants in their new home.

The film was shot over a one year period and features footage and interviews from various locations in Ethiopia and Rhode Island. The experience for the filmmakers was a challenging one as the U.S. State Department had issued a warning for travelers within 50 km of the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The refugee camp was located 45 km south of the Eritrean border.

“Our goal was to present viewers with a first-hand visual representation of the journey, while giving a voice to those who live in the camp,” said director John Lavall, who produced the one hour documentary in conjunction with executive producer Mary Copp, cinematographer Jessica Jennings, and editor Julie Lewis/editor.

The film takes viewers on the odyssey from the camp on the arid northern border of Ethiopia and Eritrea to Rhode Island’s Spring House Hotel and Resort on Block Island. Home Across Lands illustrates the ways the International Institute bridges the vast divide from life in a refugee camp to life in Rhode Island as they help the Kunama in making sense of apartment living, public transportation, employment and health care, while nurturing their own community as they adapt to a larger and very foreign one.

Home Across Lands is a production of Devlo Media and Vision Wink Films. For more information, visit www.devlomedia.com or www.iiri.org.

Find WSBE Rhode Island PBS on

• Over-the-air digital 36.1
• Cox/Verizon/Fullchannel: 08
• ComCast: check listings for local channel
• DirecTV: 36
• Dish Network: 7776

Find WSBE Learn on

• Over-the-air digital 36.2
• Cox: 808
• Verizon: 478
• ComCast: 294

source: http://www.film.ri.gov/HomeAcrossLands.html

"Festa" this weekend!

Every August, hundreds of thousands of people from all parts of the globe descend on New Bedford, Massachusetts, for one of the largest parties on earth - the celebration of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament.

The festival is this weekend - July 30-August 2 - and marks the 95th such celebration of rich Portuguese tradition, culture, food, and music.

If you can't make it to the real thing (or before or after you do attend), WSBE Rhode Island PBS gives you an insider's view during a 30-minute documentary entitled, FESTA on Saturday, August 1 at 7 PM. Two local filmmakers visit with organizers and vendors who return year after year to honor the traditions. The filmmakers then travel beyond the New Bedford feast to explore its origins on the Portuguese island of Madeira, Azores. (Beautiful scenery!)

It's on as part of Rhode Island Stories - the exclusive WSBE program that presents stories about or by Rhode Islanders. At 7:30 PM, stay tuned for the The Home of Rumford Baking Powder: Past, Present, and Future. Archival photos and the reminiscences of former employees tell the history of the manufacturing source of the familiar staple in every cook's kitchen: a tall red tin of Rumford Baking Powder. Once a manufacturing powerhouse that shaped Rumford Village, Rumford Center is now reshaping itself, through adaptive reuse as a community of apartments, offices, and shops.

WSBE "Learn" More

The digital conversion earlier this year was rocky for some, and no sweat for others. But how ever you weathered the revolution, all of your local television stations emerged with new channel choices for your enjoyment. WSBE Rhode Island PBS, for example, broadcasts on two over-the-air channels: its main schedule on 36.1 (formerly known as analog "36"), and WSBE Learn on 36.2. Of course, those channel numbers are only meaningful to you if you watch TV over-the-air, but it's a pure, basic starting point. Cable and satellite TV services have WSBE all over the place channel number-wise. More on that - and a clear Finder's Guide - in an upcoming blog!

The prime time programming on WSBE Learn has evolved nicely since we first started broadcasting almost two years ago. (That's right, two years! But most of that was in obscurity until Cox finally picked up the channel in February.) As for the schedule itself, it's different from WSBE Rhode Island PBS - both in broadcast dates/times as well as content. Learn airs some series that are not broadcast on WSBE Rhode Island PBS: Austin City Limits, NewsHour, plus Tracks Ahead, Africa Trek, and From the Top at Carnegie Hall. Some main channel favorites are featured, of course, but on different days and at different times: American Experience, Scientific American Frontiers, P.O.V, Independent Lens, Great Performances, and a variety of How-To series from This Old House, to Everyday Edisons, to America's Test Kitchen, and more.

Visit www.ripbs.org and click TV SCHEDULE (your second option from the left on the menu under the welcome banner) for the schedules for both channels!

As always, your comments and questions are always welcome - post it here, or send an email to public @ the station Web site.

- LMR
Public Information Manager

"PAWTUCKET RISING" July 11 at 7 P.M.

[RE-POST]

Imagine the nerve. With behemoth Boston to the north, and prominent Providence to the south, could an obscure, small, tired, old mill city – derogatorily known as "The Bucket" – really expect to become an artistic hub?

The answer is, yes. And, after talking to Herbert Weiss, Pawtucket's economic and cultural affairs officer, put an exclamation point at the end of that sentence.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes to live again, so is Pawtucket Rising. In fact, that's the name of the new documentary by local filmmaker Jason Caminiti about the historic city's renaissance. WSBE Rhode Island PBS will air the film on Saturday night, July 11 at 7 P.M. (and on Sunday, July 12 at 11 P.M.) on digital 36.1, Dish 7776, DirecTV 36, and on cable channel 8 in RI (Massachusetts cable subscribers should check their cable listings for the local channel number for WSBE).

The documentary profiles the birth and evolution of Pawtucket's arts district through adaptive reuse of empty century-old factory buildings as an engine of economic revival.
The birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution grew in prominence and wealth during the manufacturing decades in the first half of the 20th Century. But decline in domestic manufacturing left numerous structurally sound but unwieldy brick giants abandoned and unused.

Designer Morris Nathanson advocated for preserving and converting the mills – with their wide open spaces and massive windows and natural light – into living and working spaces for artists. He started the community ball rolling in the late 1980s when he acquired one of the city's 17 vacant mill buildings. Located on Exchange Street, across from Tolman High School and behind City Hall, the mill's high profile location on a hill is an inspiring metaphor for Pawtucket.

Officially, this city of just over 72,000 has been incubating visual and performing arts venues for about a decade. Pawtucket Mayor James Doyle and the visionary team he assembled - led by Herb Weiss for the past 9 and a half years – have put real city-side muscle behind the dream. No fruitless and insincere glad-handing; Pawtucket initiated the state and municipal legislation necessary to permit the arts and entertainment district to exist and flourish in its borders, and continues to allocate necessary resources years later.

For the city, the municipal and community partnership spurs purposeful economic development, turning abandoned real estate liabilities into assets. For artists, the partnership enhances art education and awareness, and encourages development of affordable live-work spaces. Finally, the partnership preserves the historic character, architecture, and charm of Pawtucket – that benefits the whole city and even the state.

Although the film focuses on Pawtucket, its valuable message applies to urban cities anywhere. In fact, that's how the film came to be, according to Caminiti. Interested in documenting the history and arts culture of his own adopted city of Fall River, the Newport, RI, native was told about Pawtucket by a friend. What Caminiti found in Pawtucket was a great story with a greater lesson: cities past their manufacturing prime can flourish and grow in new directions - if elected officials sincerely support the effort and collaborate with leaders in the community.

For more information about Pawtucket Rising, visit www.pawtucketrising.info

Pawtucket Rising is shown as part of Rhode Island Stories, a feature of WSBE Rhode Island PBS Saturday nights at 7 PM. Enjoy independent documentaries by and about Rhode Islanders!

Twice as Nice

Picture it: Red Sox and Yankees. You and three friends. Cheering on the home team along the first base line at Fenway. Don't you just love it?

From now through August 17th, when you make a $100 pledge to WSBE Rhode Island PBS, your name is entered into a drawing to win four tickets to the Boston Red Sox ~ New York Yankees game on Sunday, August 23rd.

As an added bonus, your donation of $100 or more also enters your name into the drawing for tickets to a Red Sox game in September!

Your odds of winning depend on the number of entries, of course. But the value of this ticket package far exceeds your donation. In fact, a quick check of StubHub.com just now shows the cheapest "Standing Room Only" ticket available for this Sox ~ Yankees game selling for $109.99 - that's for ONE ticket! WSBE Rhode Island PBS is offering FOUR field box seats, not SRO tickets.

And now with two chances to win, it's a great time to give. Click here for more information.

Providence Teacher named “Ambassador In Education”

This news came across my desk from Mike McGrath at the National Civic League: (edited for brevity)

First Providence Teacher to be named an “Ambassador In Education”

Teacher Geraldine Lallo, the first teacher in Providence ever to win a MetLife Ambassadors In Education award, will be honored during a ceremony on Tuesday at her school. during a ceremony at her school. The MetLife Ambassadors In Education award recognizes educators who show leadership in building community partnerships. Lallo will accept a $5,000 check for her school and a crystal apple, presented by representatives of MetLife and the National Civic League.

A reading specialist at the Providence Academy of International Studies - a small urban high school that emphasizes community service - Lallo worked with students and educators from the Middle East and North Africa in an initiative to create a public art installation at Roger Williams University. She also organized a project in which students knitted scarves and blankets to raise funds for an international poverty relief programs. A former dance teacher, she works with teachers at the Roger Williams Middle School to organize an annual Black History Month Theatrical Performance.

For more information about the MetLife Foundation Ambassadors In Education Award and the other 24 winners for 2009, visit www.ncl.org/metlife.

Mark 20 Years of Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito

Ciao Italia is television's longest-running cooking show. Ever. In 2009, the show celebrates its 20th continuous year on the air. That's TV history.

Chef Mary Ann Esposito and her crew are back in Rhode Island to tape a new season of shows at the Rhode Island PBS studios in Providence. Mary Ann invites the public nella cucina - into her kitchen – for an up close and personal visit on Sunday, June 7, 2009, from 4 - 5:30 PM. The drop in “meet and greet” will be at WSBE Rhode Island PBS, 50 Park Lane, Providence, RI.

In addition to meeting Mary Ann, guests will tour the studio kitchen – the first new set in 19 years. The kitchen was first unveiled last summer during a great "sneak-peek" party during taping of the 19th season. The new kitchen was made possible by the vision and generosity of four Rhode Island companies: HSI Construction, Kenneth Castellucci and Associates, Douglas Lumber and Home Center, and Ann Huntoon Design. The kitchen made its national debute on TV earlier this spring when the shows taped last summer began airing on PBS stations nationwide.

Touring the set is always a favorite among visitors because they get to see the television magic that is usually hidden behind the scenes - stove powered by propane, not unlike the tanks attached to outdoor gas grills! And water piped in through a garden hose. True! (But think about it - how often would you need running water in a typical television studio anyway?)

Light refreshments – including an anniversary cake courtesy of Scialo Brothers Bakery on Federal Hill – will be served. There is no charge for the drop in meet and greet, but space is limited, and advance registration is required. Please make reservations no later than June 3 by calling 401-222-3636 x0, or online at www.ripbs.org.

Boston Red Sox v. NY Yankees on June 9th

It is THE ultimate sports rivalry in this region. Most of you love one team and hate the other, right? Fierce loyalty and bitter battles. Even casual followers of our local baseball team report feeling the pulse race a bit at the mention of Sox versus Yankees.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS snagged 4 field box seats first base side to the June 9th game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. All Occasion Transportation provides a chauffeur-driven luxury SUV ride to and from Fenway.

You could be there with three friends and your rally towels.

Make a $150 pledge donation to WSBE Rhode Island PBS by MAY 21ST and be entered into a random drawing on May 22 for the 4 field box tickets for Tuesday, June 9 at 7 PM.

Even more amazing than a chance for 4 premium Red Sox tickets is that your $150 donation is rewarded in other, guaranteed ways:

• a one-year membership to Rhode Island PBS, with a member card good for discounts at more than 80 regional merchants and attractions;
• a 12 month subscription (6 issues) to Yankee magazine (the fun and informative New England lifestyle publication - nothing to do with that NY team by the same name...) ;
  
• plus, another gift of your choice - just check the drop down menu on the registration page.

What are you waiting for? You want those ball game tickets! Register here.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS will have tickets to other Boston Red Sox games this season, too. Stay tuned.

ACTION SPEAKS tonight

ACTION SPEAKS is a unique television-community-radio series that looks at contemporary issues through the lens of under-appreciated dates that have changed America.

On Mondays beginning tonight at 9, and for the three additional weeks, host Marc Levitt introduces a documentary that supports and relates to the day in history under discussion. The four documentaries airing on Rhode Island PBS not only inform and entertain, but also provide additional insight and a different perspective on the event in history, helping fuel conversation.

On Wednesdays at 5:30 PM, Marc Levitt and guest panelists encourage lively audience participation in community conversations at AS220, 115 Empire Street in downtown Providence. Each panel draws three or four experts, academics, creatives, and other relevant guests into an open-ended discussion with the larger community.

On Sundays at 8 PM, a one-hour version of the previous Wednesday's community conversation will be broadcast on RI public radio station, WRNI.


April 27 at 9 PM
Growing the Green Economy - The stark realities of the human impact on our planet - from global warming and depleted fish stocks, to spreading deserts and loss of species - make taking care of our environment more critical than ever. Amid - and because of - all the recent scientific evidence of environmental distress, a new more hopeful story is emerging. Growing The Green Economy covers this under-reported story of how companies, investors, pension fund managers, innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide are quietly growing a new, cleaner, greener, more ethical economy in our midst. Galvanized by the new evidence of how "business as usual" and old economic approaches to human development are unsustainable, these new leaders are busy reforming capitalism and the marketplace for healthier, more equitable, and environmentally-friendly futures for all our children.

A bit about ACTION SPEAKS
AS220 and Marc Levitt began the Action Speaks series in 1995, grant supported by the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities (RICH). Since 2002, AS220 and RICH have worked as full partners in this yearly production. Thanks to an expansion grant from the National Endowment from the Humanities, the 2009 series will include two seasons, spring and autumn, each with four programs.

Additional information about the 2009 spring season, including topics and panelists, can be found at actionspeaksradio.org.

Videos by RWU Students Propel Planet Forward on Thursday

PLANET FORWARD: Web to TV to Web

PLANET FORWARD is an innovative, viewer-driven program that debuted first on the Web and then moves to television in a primetime special that airs on Rhode Island PBS on Thursday, April 30 at 8 PM, and then moves back to the Web. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning CNN veteran Frank Sesno, PLANET FORWARD is driven by the power of ideas, as citizens make their case for what they think about the nation's energy future.

The online discussion builds to a new kind of television show, which in turn drives the online conversation. It's Web to TV to Web; an ongoing conversation driven by issues, and made possible by new and creative media technologies.

The PLANET FORWARD Web site revolves around citizen and expert submissions, reflecting a wide range of interests, expertise, and opinion.

The television show features the best online submissions, which will be discussed and debated by a diverse panel of experts, scientists, business leaders and policymakers taped in front of a live audience at The George Washington University. The special features A-list experts, scientists, policymakers, and business leaders, as well as citizen journalists selected from the PLANET FORWARD Web site.


Four of those "best online submissions" originate in Rhode Island

PLANET FORWARD includes four videos created by a small group of undergraduate students at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI. Part of a video journalism project with RWU instructor Michael Scully, the eight seniors and one junior planned, researched, wrote, filmed, edited, and submitted a total of 13 videos on a variety of environmental subjects, including bio-diesel, commuter rail, green buildings, and wind power.

Congratulations, Roger Williams University students!


PLANET FORWARD wants new submissions at www.planetforward.org

Frank Sesno challenges the viewing audience to go online and join the discussion - by viewing, rating, and commenting on videos – and submitting their own viewpoint. Rhode Island PBS viewers have the opportunity to join the virtual public square as they make their case for what they think about the nation’s energy future.

The new content is eligible to become part of a PLANET FORWARD Web sequel that will be taped May 19 at The George Washington University and then streamed online. Frank Sesno will be joined by Van Jones, White House Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to discuss the new content.

Tune in on Thursday at 8 PM.

Spring Auction Streaming Live Online

Quick update: The Rhode Island PBS Spring Auction will stream online tonight and each night this week, at http://www.onworldwide.com/!! Just click on the colorful "ON TV" icon at the bottom of the page and watch the live broadcast after 7 PM.

To bid, go to ripbs.org. : )

Curtain About to Rise on 2009 Rhode Island PBS Spring Auction (but place your bids online!)

The annual Rhode Island PBS Spring Auction will be televised later tonight (Monday) through Friday, April 20-24, beginning at 7 PM each evening on digital 36.1, Cox/Verizon/FullChannel 8, DirecTV 36, Dish 7776 (Massachusetts cable subscribers should check local listings for channel). All auction items can be seen online at www.ripbs.org.

Every single item - from a $10 pizza to the $24,000 Prius - is available for viewing and bidding online. All bids will be placed online, whether it's by the bidders on computers at home, or by the volunteers taking bids over the phone in the studio.

This year's auction includes a Green Gallery that showcases environmentally-considerate goods and services. However, because of the way the items have to be categorized on the auction site, there are actually several more 'green' items than show up in that category. For example, the Toyota Prius Hybrid sedan (donated by Your New England Toyota Dealer) and fuel-efficient Vespa motor scooter (donated by Vespa Newport and Providence Motorsports) are listed under "Auto." Look, too, under "Household Goods" and "Home Improvement" for more 'green' items.

The Auction team Jeff Hartley, Paul Zangari, and our dedicated volunteer Harriet Deaver and intern Nick Pagano worked hard to coordinate the event you will see unfold this week - as well as hundreds more details you'll never see - to make this year's auction a success. There is also a cadre of loyal volunteers (who return year after year to donate their precious time) who have picked up, photographed, sorted, and wrote descriptions of the items. It really is a phenomenal machine, this organization within an organization!

Curtain's about to rise; the show's ready to start. But the online component means geography is no hindrance. Where ever you may be located - New England or England - you can scope out the goods, place your best bid, and know the money you invest is money well-placed.