A Lively Experiment, August 19 at 8:30 PM (Sunday, 8/21 at noon)

Panel
Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Dave Layman – corporate communications consultant, former TV news director/anchor
Maureen Moakley – URI political science professor
Donna Perry – GoLocalProv.com columnist
Jim Vincent – Providence NAACP executive director


Topics

• Controversial ad placed by R.I. Correctional Officers
• Gallup Poll results: fewer Rhode Islanders identifying themselves as Democrats  
• Widening wealth gap between Rhode Island’s white and minority populations

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook! 

Rhode Island Blood Center Bloodmobile at WSBE studios Monday

Every day, patients in Rhode Island and Southern New England need blood transfusions to recover from illness and injury. The goal of the Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) is to collect about 240 pints daily to meet these patients' needs.

On Monday, August 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the RIBC "Bloodmobile" will be at WSBE studios at 50 Park Lane, Providence (directions here). Please come by. If today or this time is not convenient for you, check the RIBC Web site for a blood drive location near you.

A Lively Experiment, 8/12 at 8:30 (and 8/14 at noon)

Panel

Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Dave Layman – corporate communications consultant

Ken McKay  - chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party
Ed Pacheco – chairman Rhode Island Democratic Party
Travis Rowley – GoLocalProv.com columnist


Topics

• First Congressional race and the General Assembly
• Rhode Island's financial growth  
• Impact of unions on workers and business

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook! 

Barrington Beach Cottage Chosen for This Old House Rhode Island Project

This is the news we've been awaiting since spring! This is a reproduction of the news release from the show:

THIS OLD HOUSE® TO TURN BARRINGTON BEACH COTTAGE INTO BEAUTIFUL YEAR-ROUND FAMILY HOME

Rhode Island Provides Show With First-Ever Project On Open Water

CONCORD, Mass., (August 8, 2011) – The Emmy® Award-winning PBS home improvement series This Old House® has selected a humble beach-front property in the Rhode Island for its next renovation project. Located on Barrington Beach, about 10 miles from the state capital of Providence, this 1925 modified Cape boasts spectacular views of scenic Narragansett Bay. Last updated in the 1970s, the small house has outdated features, cramped spaces, and with only two small bedrooms and no shower on the second floor, lacks the amenities necessary for modern-day living. With the help of the This Old House team and local tradespeople, this simple beach house will be transformed into a stunning year-round home for a professional couple and their young daughter.

Chicago transplants, homeowners Geoff Allen and Michelle Forcier, purchased the 1500-sq. ft. home earlier this year after more than two years of living in a rental house nearby.

Due to the close proximity of the house to the water, This Old House will be working closely with the local builder to make sure appropriate codes are met so that the home will be protected from the elements, including storm winds and wind-driven rain. Proper building techniques and material selection will be of paramount importance. The exterior will be white cedar shingles—common in New England—and the roof will be hurricane-nailed to hold up during high wind conditions. The windows also will be chosen and installed carefully, as they are a key part of keeping views in and weather out.

This Old House experts are working with Barrington builder Andy Tiplady and local architect Mary Brewster on a tasteful 450-sq. ft. expansion, which includes opening up the first floor to take advantage of the panoramic East Bay views, expanding the second floor to gain two full baths and a third bedroom over the garage, and building a second-story deck off the master bedroom that faces the beach.

Talented Rhode Island craftspeople will work with the This Old House team to create custom details and memorable spaces to capture the attention of their national television audience.

“We’re excited to be working in Rhode Island,” says senior series producer Deborah Hood. “With Providence to the north and Newport to the south, Barrington will serve as an ideal home base as we explore the best building stories the Ocean State has to offer.”

Show producers found the property on Barrington Beach after an exhaustive search, which included extensive outreach to the local building/architectural community and a public call for entries earlier this spring. That search yielded several hundred submissions from every corner of Rhode Island. When producers discovered the Barrington Beach house through Geoff and Michelle’s architect Mary Brewster, they knew they’d found the right one.

The This Old House Barrington Project, featuring 10 brand-new episodes, premieres in January 2012.

A Lively Experiment, August 5

Panel

Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Dave Layman – corporate communications consultant
Leonard Lardaro – economics professor at University of Rhode Island
Wendy Schiller – political science professor at Brown University
Tom Sgouras - GoLocalProv.com columnist


Topics

• Central Falls bankruptcy
• Debt ceiling bill  
• Proposed cuts to RIPTA public transportation services

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook! 

A Lively Experiment, July 29

Panel

Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Maureen Moakley – URI political science professor
Donna Perry – GoLocalProv.com columnist
Robert Walsh – National education Association R.I.
Jim Taricani - NBC 10 I-Team

Topics

• The debt ceiling debate and a default’s impact on Rhode Islanders
• The state treasurer’s pension advisory group 
• Reflections of Bruce Sundlun

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook! 

A Lively Experiment, July 22

Panel

Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Rob Horowitz  – GoLocalProv.com columnist
Dave Layman – corporate communications consultant, former TV news director/anchor
Maureen Moakley – URI political science professor
Representative Jon Brien – (D) Woonsocket, House Municipal Government Committee chair

Topics

• Central Falls fiscal crisis
• Providence city budget
• Voter ID law

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook! 

A Lively Experiment, July 15

Panel

Dyana Koelsch – moderator
Dave Layman – corporate communications consultant, former TV news director/anchor
Stephen Beale – GoLocalProv.com editor
RI Representative Brian Newberry  – (R) House Minority Leader
RI Senator James Sheehan – (D) Senate Deputy Majority Leader  


Topics

• State budget: were cuts to human services too deep?
• Central Falls: the rising cost of the bailout

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook! 

A Lively Experiment July 8

Panel
Jim Hummel – moderator, former political and investigative reporter

Scott MacKay – political analyst, WRNI

Maureen Moakley – political science professor, URI 

Louis Pulner  – attorney, WPRI/WPRO legal analyst

Travis Rowley – GoLocalProv.com columnist

Topics

• An analysis of this year’s legislative session including voter ID, full-scale casino gambling, and binding arbitration. 
• Providence Mayor Angel Taveras’s first six months in office 
• Raising the country’s debt ceiling

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Fridays at 8:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 p.m. on WSBE Learn (36.2), and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; in Massachusetts: Comcast 819HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; and Comcast 294 or 312.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next business day. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

On Facebook? "Like" A Lively Experiment on Facebook! 

Documentary Revisits RI's Hmong Refugees 25 Years Later

Better Places: The Hmong of Providence a Generation Later is the sequel to The Best Place to Live, a 1981 documentary about the early resettlement of the Hmong community in Providence, Rhode Island. The documentary debuts on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Saturday, August 13 at 7 p.m. as part of the station's exclusive series, Rhode Island Stories. The 52-minute film will replay on Sunday, August 14 at 11 p.m. On WSBE Learn, the documentary will air on Wednesday, August 17 at 10 p.m.

The Hmong in the original documentary came as refugees from Southeast Asia, where they had fought alongside the United States during the Vietnam War. In Better Places: The Hmong of Providence a Generation Later, RISD filmmaker Peter O'Neill and Rutgers University anthropologist Louisa Schein pick up the story 25 years later, pursuing longtime friendships to take a look at what has become of the families they had documented a generation earlier. This sequel, shot over five years, features personal and vivid footage of the daily lives, ceremonies, and ongoing relationships of Hmong Americans from one small city. Completed in collaboration with Hmong editorial consultants and translators, the sequel updates four of the original families: two families from the younger generation were just getting married in 1981, and now have grown children; two families from the middle-aged generation have continued to innovate in places to live and strategies for making a living.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Associate Professor of History Chia YouYee Vang said of the film, "Better Places is a captivating view of what has become of Hmong refugees from Laos. Not only does it chronicle recent Hmong history in Southeast Asia and the reasons for their migration to the United States, but the film also invites viewers into the daily lives of these displaced people from war-torn Laos."

The film incorporates footage from the 1981 film revealing dramatic changes both for individuals and for Rhode Island life. Scenes of weddings and funerals, gardens and farms, sprawling landscapes and South Providence interiors come together in a panorama of changing Hmong experiences.

"The comparison between the early days of their settlement in Rhode Island and their current lives - told primarily by the participants themselves - provides unique perspectives about what 'home' means to them," observed Professor Vang.

Although Providence Hmong families have dispersed to many parts of the United States, they maintain their sense of close community across long distances through family events. The documentary also explores new possibilities for Hmong-Americans, including their revisits to Laos, their former homeland.

"Inclusion of Hmong Americans' interactions with their relatives in Laos is an exceptional way to understand the transnational ties that continue to bind people of Hmong ethnicity across the globe," Professor Vang added. "[Better Places is] a great resource for anyone interested in Hmong American history."

~*~*~*~*~*~

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; on Cox 08 / 708HD, Verizon 08 / 508HD, Full Channel 08, Comcast 819HD (check local Comcast listings for standard definition channels); on DirecTV 36 and Dish Network 7776. WSBE Learn transmits on digital 36.2; on Cox 808, Verizon 478, Full Channel 109, Comcast 294 or 312.