WTVP Latest News

Check out what WTVP has to offer you this week! (If using Outlook, right-click or tap to download pictures.)

Caterpillar is Offering  2:1 Gift Matching Through May 1, 2020 Thanks to many years of generous support from Caterpillar and Caterpillar employees, WTVP has inspired, entertained and educated generations of viewers. In recent weeks, WTVP has taken extraordinary steps to keep Central Illinois informed during the national COVID-19 emergency. Your additional gift or membership renewal now means twice the funding for the quality programming you value. Visit wtvp.org for instructions on how to make your 2:1 matching gift donation. Or call 309-677-4747

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Somewhere South - Porridge for the Soul Friday, April 3, 8 PM Vivian heads to Charleston to cook a special dinner honoring the late pioneering African American chef, Edna Lewis. At the event, she serves grits, the simple Southern staple among the many foods Lewis famously exalted. Learn how a grain as humble as rice gave the port city a distinction within the sordid history of slavery. Over plates of shark and grits, Vivian and Dennis discuss how Geechee and Gullah foodways and culture have shaped the menus of Charleston’s black-owned restaurants and soul food.

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World on Fire on Masterpiece Sundays, April 5 - May 17, 8 PM   World on Fire is an adrenalized, emotionally gripping and resonant World War II drama that follows the intertwining fates of ordinary people in five countries as they grapple with the effects of the war on their everyday lives. Set in Britain, Poland, France, Germany and the United States, the events of the seven-hour series take place during the first year of the war. The Wall Street Journal says of World on Fire, "It’s hard to recall any dramatic work that captured the terror of this invasion with such immediacy."

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Managing Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19 Bedlam - Facebook Live Discussions Tuesday, April 7, 1 PM   During this pandemic, how can we support the most vulnerable among us? Join a conversation with mental health leaders – including: @BedlamTheFilm director Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, MD @First Lady NYC, @kennedyforum’s Patrick J. Kennedy @BornThisWayFoundation co-founder and president Cynthia Germanotta

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Ken Burns Presents The Gene Tuesdays, April 7 & 14, 7 PM The Gene: An Intimate History brings the story of today’s revolution in medical science to life through present-day tales of patients and doctors at the forefront of the search for genetic treatments. Interwoven is a compelling history of the discoveries that made this possible and the ethical challenges raised by the ability to edit DNA with precision.

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PBS Kids Writers Contest Deadline Extended to May 4, 2020 Kids home from school? Here’s a fun, creative way to keep them engaged while sharpening their writing, storytelling and artistic skills. The contest is open to all kids in kindergarten through 3rd grades in the WTVP coverage area.

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Social Distance and Escape with WTVP Passport! WTVP has everything your heart desires to entertain and enlighten you during your social distancing. New to WTVP Passport this week : The Windermere Children: In Their Own Words In the year that marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Holocaust, this powerful documentary reveals a little-known story of 300 young orphaned Jewish refugees who began new lives in England’s Lake District in the summer of 1945. Call the Midwife | Season 9 Episode 2 Fred and Sister Monica Joan catch a woman stealing the team’s milk. When they learn she’s pregnant, they bring her into the care of the maternity home. Romance blooms between Miss Higgins and Sergeant Woolf. World on Fire  Binge the entire series starting April 5!

WTVP Passport

Weekly Coronavirus Updates At Issue with H Wayne Wilson Thursdays, 8 - 9 PM Every Thursday for the foreseeable future, WTVP’s At Issue will adopt a one-hour format to host public health officials, medical professionals, educators, government representatives, and others as they tackle a wide range of coronavirus issues. Guests will answer viewer questions on the air.

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Math is Much More Than Worksheets and Word Problems!  We use math every day to understand our world. Bring math alive for your child with fun games and shows that explore numbers and counting. Watch Peg + Cat make a great escape using math, walk the number line, play with giant dice and more with today's activities. Watch The Three Bears Problem / The Giant Problem, Peg and Cat bring the Three Bears, the Three Little Pigs, and the Three Billy Goats Gruff together to form a super group: The Electric Eleven, and practice adding one.   Ask your child:  How do Peg and Cat help Three Bears, the Three Little Pigs and Three Billy Goats Gruff? Can we count to 10 together? What happens if we add one more? What should we count in our house?

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WTVP Virtual Auction April 20 - 26 WTVP’s auction has an exciting new WTVP Virtual Auction format for April and this summer we plan to hold a televised version.  The April re-imagined WTVP Virtual Auction event will be online April 20 – 26, with on-air updates and showcasing of special items from 7 – 10 p.m. all seven days. We Online bidders will find treasures galore to Click! Bid! Buy! From big-ticket items, to art and everything you need for home, office, and life in between, the WTVP Virtual Auction has something for you.  There’s still plenty of time to get involved! Donations are always welcome! Call the WTVP Development Department at 309-495-0547 to make arrangements.

More information on the WTVP Virtual Auction!

Support Local News and Information PBS is the most trusted news and public affairs network in America. WTVP brings that trust to the local level, bringing you in-depth conversations with Central Illinois leaders about the issues that are important to you. Your donation today supports the local connection.

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Community Leaders Sharing Words of Wisdom    Dozens of leaders in Central Illinois stepped up to share their thoughts about how to cope with COVID-19. Take a moment to watch these important videos that will give you great tips for living in a coronovirus world.

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