A major story is unfolding in Rhode Island this week – a story that has moved viewers (and readers) unlike anything we’ve seen recently.

Radio stations are buzzing and the Providence Journal web site has it as its leading item – and, of course, it has been featured all over ABC 6 News and ABC6.COM

The war in Iraq? Not this week.

The looming showdown between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Presidential nomination – and this year, Rhode Island may well be a make-or-break state? Nope.

How about oil prices moving past $100 a barrel, with gasoline prices not far behind or the spy satellite the government is going to shoot down? Not today.

The big story in and around Providence this week is, without question, the arrival of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition team to Warwick! Thousands of people have descended on the scene of the makeover – some to volunteer but most just stopped by to watch. Our ABC 6 News anchor Paul Mueller is there as well – he’s practically been living on the site this week – and will be filing reports through the “big reveal” next week. Frankly, it is hard to overstate just how interested people are in this story. Web traffic to our site has tripled since the project began and we have been inundated with emails and calls from people who want to volunteer to do some of the work, bring food to the crews on-site and others who are just looking for a way to get involved, to be a part of this exciting television moment.

So what gives?

You’d have to ask a psychologist for a formal analysis, but if you ask me, Extreme Makeover hits all the right buttons. People doing something positive in these difficult times; giving back to a family that gives so much; the portrayal of Rhode Islanders in the national eye and, of course, the power of television! Some people have questioned why we are playing this story so prominently. Fair question. The answer is simple. When something this fun, this positive and this emotional lands in our back yard, we’re all over it. Like you, I can’t wait to see the show when it airs. We’ll let you know just as soon as we get the date from the ABC Television Network.

We’re very interested in your thoughts on Extreme Makeover. Post them in the “comments” section if you can; also, you can post your own videos from your cell phones or cameras on the YouNews section of our website – show your friends and family across the country what’s happening right here in our backyard!

A couple of other items:

We’ve received a number of emails asking what happened to Mark Searles, our former Chief Meteorologist. Mark left the station in December to take a position at WJAR and he will start there some time in the future. We wish him the best.

And a friendly reminder that in less than a year, as of mid-February 2009, there will be no more analog television signals broadcast in the United States. We all go digital-only as of February 17th.