Thursday, August 24, 2000

By Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV Editor

READING WITH MISTER ROGERS: A week of new "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" episodes will begin airing at 3 p.m. Monday on WQED.

Rogers created the five new episodes as a way to show children the different ways to get ready to read. Monday's show includes a visit to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. The segment, taped in March, includes a visit with the zoo's baby elephant, which makes its national TV debut in the segment.

LOCAL HERO: Albert Lexie, the Monessen shoeshine specialist who has donated $58,652.19 in tips to Children's Hospital, is expected to appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" at 4 p.m. today on WTAE.

Lexie, 58, will appear with actor Danny Glover, who also features Lexie on his Fox Family Channel docu-series "Courage" on Sept. 25.