Spend
Independence Day Celebrating Connecticut…
Old Trains and Musical Refrains, Fantastic Folklore, Lobsters and More – On Positively Connecticutä with Diane Smith on CPTV
Premieres
Thursday, July 4 at 9:30 p.m.
HARTFORD,
Conn. (June 19, 2002) – Connecticut’s own “lobster lady.”
A spectacular sanctuary for web-footed friends.
Trains you can drive yourself.
A storytelling center that truly captivates.
The sounds of ancient bagpipes. These are just some of the treasures
Diane Smith uncovers on her latest journey across the state discovering
summertime surprises that are Positively
ConnecticutTM, which
debuts on Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) on Thursday,
July 4 at 9:30 p.m. Repeats
will air on the following dates:
·
Saturday,
July 6 at noon
·
Sunday,
July 7 at 4 p.m.
·
Saturday,
August 10 at noon
·
Monday,
August 19 at 10:30 p.m.
This
new episode of Positively ConnecticutTM
features:
·
Railroad
Revival
– Have you ever waved at a passing train engineer and wondered what it would
be like to have your hand on the throttle?
Well, here’s your chance. See how you can take the throttle and become
an “engineer for an hour,” when you climb aboard for some “Positively
Connecticut” excursions. And, if
the thought of driving a diesel engine works up an appetite, why not relax the
way the railroad barons did with a delicious meal on board the state's only
dinner train? Discover why riding the rails has never been so much fun.
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·
The
Sounds of Music –
The sound of a bagpipe strikes a chord in all of us.
Since September 11, bagpipes have been synonymous with sorrow, as they
played tribute to the heroes who lost their lives that day.
Join Diane as she explores the history of this ancient instrument and
explains why we are drawn to the drone of the pipes.
·
Telling
Tales
– Did your mother ever warn you - "Don't tell stories?” Well, times
have changed. Now kids, young and
old, are being encouraged to tell tales! Stop in at the Connecticut Storytelling
Center for some of the finest "tale telling" around. Some are tall,
others are true and all of these tales are memorable. We guarantee you've never
heard stories quite like these.
·
The
Lobster Lady –
Some call her Andy's girl. We
call her Connecticut's Lobster Lady.
Meet Vivian Volovar, the captain of her own lobster boat and a legend on the
waters around Mystic. Experience a day in the life of the state's only
commercially licensed lobsterwoman.
·
Sensational
Sanctuary
– This backyard retreat is not just a sanctuary for the family that lives
here, but for 600 of their feathered friends. Find out how a simple birthday
request turned into a lifetime of love of these webbed-foot wonders. Diane drops
in on a Farmington family whose fancy for waterfowl has really taken flight!
Positively
ConnecticutTM
began as a series of features Smith made famous during her 16 years as a news
anchor and reporter at WTNH-TV8 (the ABC affiliate in New Haven).
After leaving WTNH-TV8 in 1999, Smith joined Ray Dunaway as co-host of
the top-rated “Morning Show” on WTIC-AM News Talk 1080 and Positively
ConnecticutTM found a new home on CPTV.
The
inspiring features from the show are the basis for Smith’s three books,
Positively Connecticut, Absolutely Positively Connecticut and
Christmas in Connecticut, which are currently available in bookstores
nationwide (The Globe Pequot Press, 1998, 2000, 2001).
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“Every time I select and develop segments for a new episode of Positively Connecticut, I fall more in love with this state,” Smith said. “Its surprises are endless. The only thing better than discovering these treasures is sharing them with CPTV viewers.”
Positively
ConnecticutTM
is made possible through leadership funding from People’s Bank and additional
support from the Connecticut Development Authority.
“For
over 150 years, we at People's Bank have always been committed to
Connecticut,” said John Klein, president, chairman and chief executive officer
of People's Bank. “That's why
we're delighted to help Diane Smith introduce us to so many of the interesting
people and places that make Connecticut special.”
“Diane
has a unique ability to discover some of Connecticut’s wonderful personal
assets,” said Arthur Diedrick, chairman of development, Office of the
Governor, State of Connecticut. “She brings them to life for us to enjoy and
better understand the great spirit of Connecticut.”
“Once
again, we are pleased to bring our viewers this very special edition of Positively
Connecticut,” said Jerry Franklin, president of CPTV. “Diane has a
unique gift for telling the stories that celebrate Connecticut… the stories
that showcase all of the marvelous aspects of our state. ”
Smith,
who earned an Emmy Award for her work at WTNH-TV8, was also nominated for an
Emmy Award for the first Positively
ConnecticutTM show that aired on CPTV.
Positively
ConnecticutTM
is produced by Diane Smith. Michele
Russo is associate producer. Jay
Whitsett is executive producer.
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Connecticut
Public Television (CPTV), with offices and production facilities in Hartford, is
a nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television
programming, including Barney &
Friends™; Scientific American
Frontiers; America’s Walking, Angelina
Ballerina; and Breaking the Silence:
Journeys of Hope. CPTV is also a leader in creating award-winning local
productions, including African Americans
in Connecticut: From Civil War to Civil Rights and UConn
Women’s Basketball. Now in
its 39th year, CPTV remains committed to bringing the best in educational
programming and services to Connecticut and the nation.