East Coast Antiques Season 3 Begins October 2

East Coast Antiques returns to Rhode Island PBS on Sunday, October 2 at 3:30 p.m. The series is part reality television and part destination show, with host and series creator Mike Rossi acting as the guide on a behind-the-scenes tour through the twists and turns of the antiques world.

As a licensed auctioneer, antiques store manager, and antiquities collector himself, Rossi brings a unique insider perspective to the new season. A television veteran with more than 25 years of broadcast experience, he is also the creator and director of the show.

Traveling from festivals to flea markets, Mike and his crew of hunters put theory to the test as they buy and sell, wheel and deal, haggle and handshake. Along the way, antiques insiders – including Rossi himself – share observations from their booths and shops up and down the east coast. East Coast Antiques presents the people and items that continue to make collecting antiques one of the hottest pastimes today.

This season of East Coast Antiques will air on Rhode Island PBS on Sunday afternoons at 3:30 p.m.  In addition to Mike Rossi, the returning cast includes antiques dealer Steve Mariorenzi, Jolie Stewart, and first season host, Margie O’Brien. Amy Miksis is the newcomer to the cast this season.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on RI cable: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; on MA cable: Comcast 819HD, Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36, Dish Network 36. 

This Year's Benefit Auction Offers the 2016 Toyota Prius Two Hybrid

Large or small, one-time or recurring, individual donations are the largest source of financial support for Rhode Island PBS. The station hosts a variety of fund raising events throughout the year to boost opportunities to donate and to offer fun and rewards to you for your loyal support. Among the favorite events each year is the annual Benefit Auction, which, for almost 20 years, has featured a vehicle donated by your New England Toyota Dealer.

This year’s Rhode Island PBS Benefit Auction features the 2016 Toyota Prius Two Hybrid. If you are in the market for a car, this fun-to-drive vehicle is loaded with standard features, is technologically advanced, safe, and environmentally friendly. Put yourself behind the wheel of this car by being the winning high bidder. Plus, you know your winning high bid supports the shows you love to watch on Rhode Island PBS. Win-Win!

Poldark and Sherlock on Masterpiece, Great Performances at The Met, Doc Martin, Call the Midwife, Antiques Roadshow. These and so many other national and local programs and series are the shows you tell us you love to watch week after week on Rhode Island PBS. These shows are only possible thanks to financial support from you and public television viewers like you.

The Rhode Island PBS Benefit Auction opens on Monday, October 3 and closes on Sunday, October 23 at 8 p.m.

Let us know if you have any questions. Spread the word about the Benefit Auction to your family and friends, especially those looking for a new set of wheels! Thank you for your support.

Bridging the Divide: Fixing the Skills Gap in Rhode Island

As of June 2016, more than 30,000 Rhode Islanders didn’t have jobs and were actively trying to find work, according to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT). In April and May, nearly 4,000 jobs in the state disappeared, though 1,700 were added in June.

At the same time, some Rhode Island employers say they can’t find qualified workers to fill their job vacancies. This divide is known as the "skills gap."

On Thursday, September 29 at 8 p.m., we broadcast Bridging the Divide: Fixing the Skills Gap in Rhode Island, a one-hour interactive discussion moderated by Jennifer McCaffery, associate editor of Rhode Island Monthly. The program brings together the academic, private, and public sectors on one stage to explore solutions and map out strategies and plans for remediation.

Panelists are

• Scott Jensen, Director of the RI Department of Labor and Training
• Joe Devine, Partner of Bridge Technical Talent
• Dr. Meghan Hughes, President of the Community College of Rhode Island
• Mario Bueno, Executive Director of Progreso Latino

The public is invited to be in the studio audience for the taping on Wednesday, September 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event includes a reception with the panelists, then watching the taping of the show in the studio. Seating is very limited; reservations are required in advance by September 20. (Sorry, but walk-ins cannot be accommodated.)

Audience guests will likely be seen on camera and should plan grooming and attire accordingly. Guests who do not wish to be on camera are invited to watch the taping from the reception room.

Interested parties who may have a skills gap question for panelists but who cannot attend the taping are invited to email the question to marketing@rimonthly.com no later than Tuesday, September 20.

Bridging the Divide: Fixing the Skills Gap in Rhode Island is presented by the Rhode Island Foundation, in conjunction with Rhode Island Monthly and Rhode Island PBS.

All Aboard! Thomas Land at Edaville USA Features Sensory-Friendly Autism Weekend

Rhode Island PBS and Edaville USA invite all families to the beautiful park for a weekend of fun,

inclusion, education, and merriment as Edaville USA hosts its first ever Autism Weekend, Friday September 16, 2016 to Sunday September 18, 2016, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Everyone is welcome for a great weekend where the park will be sensory friendly. Edaville will be turning down the music and quieting down the dinosaurs so all guests can join in the fun and have a wonderful time together.

To make this event even more outstanding, Edaville USA will be hosting a Touch-A-Truck event with some truly amazing vehicles.

Be sure to stop by the Rhode Island PBS Kids Club booth for stickers and other fun stuff on Saturday, September 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Rhode Island PBS has a limited number of family four-packs of tickets* (valued at $148) as a very special "thank you" to new members who join Rhode Island PBS at the $75 level.

Current members are entitled to a special member discount.* CLICK HERE to get your "secret code" for Thomas Land tickets.

*Free and discount tickets are good anytime during regular park operations, and are not limited to Autism Weekend.



About Thomas Land at Edaville USA 
Set in the lush New England landscape of Carver, MA, Thomas Land at Edaville USA covers 11.5 acres and features 11 rides based on Thomas & Friends™ and the Island of Sodor. Attractions include a 20-minute scenic train ride on a life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine™ and theme park favorites like a roller coaster, drop tower, Ferris wheeland much more. All of the rides and attractions feature beloved characters such as Thomas, Percy, Diesel, Toby, Cranky the Crane, Harold the Helicopter, and more favorites. Guests can also visit familiar destinations like Tidmouth Sheds, Knapford Station, and Brendam Docks. For more information, visit www.edaville.com/thomasland.

[updated: September 13, 2016]