WRFI Community Radio News
1,158 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago -Original features and interviews originally aired on WRFI Community Radio News.
The show airs Monday-Friday at 6pm at 88.1 FM in Ithaca, 91.9 in Watkins Glen, and online around the world at http://www.wrfi.org/online-stream/
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Headlines for January 9, 2023
January 09, 2023 03:03Tompkins County Departments of Physical Health and Mental Health have merged under one Department of Whole Health. The merger was finalized last Tuesday, capping off a five-year process that had suffered various delays due to the Covid-19. According to the Ithaca Times, incorporating mental, physical, and environmental health into holistic patient evaluation can vastly improve… The post Headlines for January 9, 2023 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for January 6th, 2023
January 06, 2023 11:00Lewis won't Run for Reelection in 2023 On Wednesday, Ithaca Mayor Laura Lewis announced she would not seek reelection in 2023. According to the Ithaca Voice, Lewis’ announcement came during Lewis’ state of the city address at the Common Council’s first meeting of the year. Lewis was elected to fill the final year of Svante… The post Headlines for January 6th, 2023 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Local News for Thursday January 5, 2023
January 05, 2023 11:00Reimagining Public Safety Work Underway Work on Ithaca and Tompkins County’s Reimagining Public Safety initiative is underway. In December Monalita Smiley was named director of the Community Justice Center which will be responsible for implementing parts of the new public safety plan in both the City and throughout the County. Also in December the center’s… The post Local News for Thursday January 5, 2023 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for January 4, 2023
January 04, 2023 11:00On December 19th, two Ithaca residents were evicted from their Aurora Street home. For months, the Ithaca Tenants’ Union had fought the eviction effort but finally, the structure’s new owner Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland County prevailed. According to the Ithaca Times, Residents Kathy Majors and Jim Lukasavage had lived in the building… The post Headlines for January 4, 2023 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Local News for January 3, 2023
January 03, 2023 11:00"Go Ithaca" Goes Further Ithaca’s Go Ithaca program received an $800,000 grant New York State’s Climate Smart Communities initiative to expand its service across Ithaca and Lansing. The pilot program, originally conceived to promote alternative transportation methods, had all but run out of its original $460,000 pilot funds granted three years ago. According to the… The post Local News for January 3, 2023 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for January 2, 2022
January 02, 2023 11:00New York Leads Country in Population Loss According to the U.S. census bureau, New York State recently suffered the steepest one-year population decline of any state in the country. The Times Union is reporting that the wave of departures began during the pandemic, as many migrated to other states to avoid contracting Covid-19 or to… The post Headlines for January 2, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 30th, 2022
December 30, 2022 11:00City says Reimagining Process wasn't Transparent, but not Unethical The city of Ithaca has concluded its investigation into ethics concerns regarding the reimaging public safety process. According to the Ithaca Times, the report found no clear ethical violations but did say the process suffered from a lack of transparency. Ethics complaints were raised by Common… The post Headlines for December 30th, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Local Headlines for December 29, 2022
December 29, 2022 11:00Advocates Say Fish Protection at Greenidge Still Inadequate Greenidge Power Generation on Seneca Lake is installing long-awaited screens to protect aquatic life. According to Seneca Lake Guardian (or SLG), the financially troubled bitcoin mining operation has used 139 million gallons of lake water daily to cool their equipment—all without protection for the lake’s fish. While… The post Local Headlines for December 29, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Local Headlines for December 28, 2022
December 28, 2022 11:00Free Holiday Tree Disposal Holiday trees can be dropped off free of charge at Tompkins County Recycling and Solid Waste through January 31. Trees must be free of all decorations and synthetic trees are not accepted. The solid waste center is open from 7am until 3:30pm Monday through Saturday. Coal Tar Cleanup in Elmira The… The post Local Headlines for December 28, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 27, 2022
December 27, 2022 00:33Ithaca Considering Labor Liaison Role Ithaca is considering a plan to create a “labor liaison” to observe negotiations between the city and its employees’ various bargaining units. The resolution says the liaison would provide Common Council with an understanding of the most pressing issues facing city employees. Under the proposal the mayor would nominate an… The post Headlines for December 27, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 23rd, 2022
December 23, 2022 11:00Ithaca Project Wins Restore NY Grant for Renovations New York State has awarded $1.5 million to a project in the City of Ithaca to rehabilitate two century old buildings on South Cayuga Street. According to the Ithaca Voice, the renovation plans call for the 115-121 and 123 buildings at South Cayuga street to be refurbished… The post Headlines for December 23rd, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 22, 2022
December 22, 2022 11:00County Awards Community Recovery Fund Grants Yesterday Tompkins County announced the local organizations who will receive Community Recovery Fund Grants totaling over $6.5 million. Grants were awarded to 53 different projects with one more pending a State Environmental Quality Review. The largest single grant was $1.5 million given to the Cayuga Medical Center for an… The post Headlines for December 22, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 21, 2022
December 21, 2022 11:00New York has approved its long-awaited plan to move the state to a fully carbon-free economy. On Monday, the state's appointed Climate Action Council approved the 300 page plan 19 to 3. The climate roadmap now moves to Governor Hochul and the state legislature who will implement the ideas through various laws and regulations. According… The post Headlines for December 21, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 20, 2022
December 20, 2022 11:00In late November, Cornell wrote to TCAT that it would not increase its contribution to TCAT’s budget. In August, TCAT’s Board of Directors asked its three contributors—the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, and Cornell University—to increase their annual pay by $75,000. According to the Ithaca Voice, Cornell claims that TCAT failed to specify any justifications… The post Headlines for December 20, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 19, 2022
December 19, 2022 11:00Ithaca Charity to Help Ukrainian Students The Ithaca Rotary Club has started a campaign to help maintain an underground bomb shelter in Ukraine. Located at a high school with more than 1,000 students in Liev, the fundraiser will cover the costs of electric heaters, benches, windows, toilet, and a medical office. As of now, students… The post Headlines for December 19, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 16, 2022
December 16, 2022 11:00Dems Choose 3rd District Nominee Democrats have selected Susan Currie as their nominee in the special election for the county legislature’s third district. Incumbent legislator Henry Granison stepped down in October shortly before passing away. A Special Election to select Granison’s replacement is scheduled for January 24th. Currie was selected by a committee of third… The post Headlines for December 16, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 15, 2022
December 15, 2022 11:00Winter Storm Warning Today and Tomorrow Winter storm Diaz is expected to start dumping snow and rain on the listening area this morning and continue through tonight and tomorrow. The National Weather Service says to expect 4 to 7 inches of snow. Fluctuating temperatures, ice build up and high winds could all contribute to dangerous… The post Headlines for December 15, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 14, 2022
December 14, 2022 11:00Caroline Releases New Zoning Draft The town of Caroline has released a draft of its hotly debated zoning law. The town has some laws governing site plan review and subdivision but currently has no overall zoning. If adopted the law would designate various districts including agricultural and commercial zones, and eight hamlets. Certain uses would… The post Headlines for December 14, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 13, 2022
December 13, 2022 11:00“Table Talks” Build Financial Stability for Local Women The Women’s Opportunity Center of Ithaca is inviting people to their two upcoming “table talks.” The non-profit focuses on helping economically-disadvantaged women in reaching their career goals, and fostering economic stability and financial freedom for local women. The two table talks focus on building financial independence and… The post Headlines for December 13, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 12, 2022
December 12, 2022 11:00Grassroots Festival Fined for Health Violations The Tompkins County Board of Health has fined the Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance after discovering that the festival violated several standard event regulations and health codes before, during, and after its event in July. The Department found a total of 12 violations, including water systems issues, improperly… The post Headlines for December 12, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 9th, 2022
December 09, 2022 11:00City Approves Reimaging Plans The City of Ithaca has approved the 2022 and 2023 work plans for the Reimagining Public Safety initiative. The plans include aspects of implementing alternative law enforcement responses, a community healing initiative, standardized data entry, a repurposing and review of SWAT teams, and many others. The plans were initially expected to… The post Headlines for December 9th, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 8, 2022
December 08, 2022 11:00Ithaca Public Employees Continue Pressure on City Hall According to the Ithaca Times at a meeting of the City Administration Committee, Ithaca public sector union leaders condemned what they called an “unproductive” and “disrespectful” relationship with City Hall. While they praised the decision to remove City Attorney Ari Levine from contract negotiations, they seemed to… The post Headlines for December 8, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 7, 2022
December 07, 2022 11:00Police Chief's Nomination Recinded After nominating Acting Police Chief John Joly for the Police chief last week, yesterday, Mayor-elect Laura Lewis rescinded the nomination. She said the decision was a difficult one but that her choice had little support among her colleagues on Common Council. Council’s support is needed to appoint a new chief. Joly… The post Headlines for December 7, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Monday, November 7, 2022
December 07, 2022 11:00In what the Times Union is calling a “monetary arms race,” Super PAC spending has doubled in the last two weeks of New York’s gubernatorial election. The race between incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Lee Zeldin is polling closer than any in `more than 20 years. Most of Hochul’s gains have come from… The post Headlines for Monday, November 7, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 6, 2022
December 06, 2022 11:00Cornell University has received national recognition for being one of the most engaged campuses when it comes to college student voting. According to the Cornell Chronicle, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge recognizes higher education facilities for their efforts to increase student voter participation. Cornell joins 394 other colleges and universities recognized by the challenge.… The post Headlines for December 6, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for December 5, 2022
December 05, 2022 11:00The State Comptroller’s Office is seeking to return $20 million of unclaimed money to people in Tompkins County. According to the Ithaca Voice, the funds consist of remaining cash from old bank accounts, misplaced paychecks, and unused insurance claims. Statewide, the owed money has racked up to $17.5 billion. Just last year, the state returned… The post Headlines for December 5, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Friday December 2nd, 2022
December 02, 2022 11:00Ithaca City Attorney Ari Lavine is stepping away from the city’s negotiation team. According to the Ithaca Voice, Lavine announced his intention to withdraw from the negotiation team in a letter to the city administration committee. Lavine had been at the center of controversy after a November meeting where workers and labor leaders accused Lavine… The post Headlines for Friday December 2nd, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Tuesday, November 29, 2022
November 29, 2022 11:00According to the Ithaca Times, Cayuga Medical Center is the latest Tompkins County organization to offer free Narcan, or naloxone, to patients on site. The change was prompted as part of the county’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Program, designed to prevent fatal overdoses from drug use. The program also helps to remove common obstacles that have… The post Headlines for Tuesday, November 29, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Monday, November 28, 2022
November 28, 2022 11:00Governor Hochul has signed a law that instates a two year pause on planned fossil fuel related crypto-mining operations, and mandates a study by the DEC on the practices’ impact on the environment. The ruling will affect crypto-mining across the state, including the controversial Greenidge Generation facility on Seneca Lake. According to NBC News, the… The post Headlines for Monday, November 28, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Wednesday, November 23, 2022
November 23, 2022 11:00A State Supreme Court Judge is questioning Ithaca school’s preparedness to handle potential school shootings. According to the Ithaca Voice, Superintendent Louvelle Brown is expected to be subpoenaed in proceedings against a student who allegedly made terroristic threats on a school bus in late October. Local police weren’t notified of the incident for more than… The post Headlines for Wednesday, November 23, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for November 22, 2022
November 22, 2022 11:00The Ithaca Times reports that Ithaca’s Community Police Board met last week to discuss increasingly urgent staffing issues in the city’s police department. Officers have been recently stretched thin and recent officer injuries have forced remaining workers to cover longer than usual shifts—including on designated off days. Acting Chief John Joly noted how requiring officers… The post Headlines for November 22, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for November 21, 2022
November 21, 2022 11:00According to the Ithaca Voice, Ithaca’s Planning and Economic and Development Committee is moving forward with plans to build a new Public Safety Facility at a new location. Construction of the new police facility is estimated to cost around $20-30 million dollars, according to city planning staff. Plans have been in motion since early 2017,… The post Headlines for November 21, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Friday November 18th, 2022
November 18, 2022 11:00Yesterday, workers at the Starbucks on the Ithaca Commons joined other Starbucks workers in a nationwide strike. According to CNY Central, the strike was called to urge Starbucks to return to the bargaining table with union representatives. The strike, dubbed the “Red Cup Rebellion,” included around 2,000 workers at 113 stores around the country. Workers… The post Headlines for Friday November 18th, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Thursday, November 17, 2022
November 17, 2022 11:00Unions representing Ithaca city workers and City Attorney Ari Levine continue to trade blows. According to the Ithaca Voice, a new letter from union leaders representing city police, firefighters, and administrative workers claimed the city has an “anti-worker agenda,” and pointed to the many vacancies in city positions. The letter follows a tumultuous meeting last… The post Headlines for Thursday, November 17, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Wednesday, November 16, 2022
November 16, 2022 11:00Last week, workers at Bangs Ambulance in Ithaca narrowly voted to unionize and form Bangs Ambulance Workers United. According to the Cornell Sun the election results will be certified by November 19 unless Bangs management mounts a challenge. Twenty two of Bang’s 42 employees voted to organize. They now face the tasks of engaging all… The post Headlines for Wednesday, November 16, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for November 15, 2022
November 15, 2022 11:00Ithaca Police have announced that a cyclist struck by a car while riding down Floral Avenue last Monday has succumbed to his injuries. According to the Ithaca voice, the victim was Carlette Crowe, a 59 year old Ithaca native. The police have not identified the driver of the car, and neither tickets nor arrests have… The post Headlines for November 15, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for November 14, 2022
November 14, 2022 11:00According to the Ithaca Times, Ithaca Tompkins International Airport is looking to expand its services and bring more flights into the city. The airport recently announced that Delta Airlines will begin a new service from Ithaca to JFK International Airport in early January. Now, Ithaca Airport Director Roxane Noble says that the airport is discussing… The post Headlines for November 14, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Daily Headlines for November 11th, 2022
November 11, 2022 11:00On Wednesday, the Ithaca common council approved the city’s budget for 2023. According to the Ithaca Times, the budget outlines $90 million in spending for the next year, a six million dollar increase over the previous budget. The budget was approved during a meeting without public comment. During the meeting city attorney Ari Lavine responded… The post Daily Headlines for November 11th, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Thursday, November 10, 2022
November 10, 2022 11:00After a close race for the 52nd State Senate seat, Democrat Lea Webb announced her victory midday Wednesday. Rich David, the Republican candidate and former Mayor of Binghamton, released a statement Wednesday afternoon congratulating Webb who took the race by about 1500 votes. Webb, a former Binghamton Councilwoman, says her campaign has been a people-powered… The post Headlines for Thursday, November 10, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Wednesday, November 9, 2022
November 09, 2022 11:00Yesterday was election day and unofficial results are in. Voters in Ithaca have chosen Acting Mayor Laura Lewis to serve a one year term. The seat was left open when former Mayor Svante Myrick left the role early. Lewis appears to have won with about 68 percent of votes, Progressive Katie Sims won 23 percent.… The post Headlines for Wednesday, November 9, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Tuesday, November 9, 2022
November 08, 2022 11:00Today is election day. New York representatives from both parties are hoping to secure votes based on core issues including abortion, crime, economic uncertainty, and threats to democracy. Polls are open today from 6 am to 9 pm across the state. There are tightly competitive races in the 17th, 18th, and 19th Congressional districts as… The post Headlines for Tuesday, November 9, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Friday November 4th, 2022
November 04, 2022 10:00The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has sided with Starbucks workers saying the company should reopen its Collegetown location. The NLRB is also seeking an order from a judge mandating that the store reopens. According to the Ithaca Voice, the collegetown location was the most popular Starbucks of the three in the city. Despite that,… The post Headlines for Friday November 4th, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Thursday, November 3, 2022
November 03, 2022 10:00The Newfield Central School District has been awarded $200,000 in state funds for badly needed school bus radios and new Chromebooks for students. State Assembly member Anna Kelles was instrumental in delivering the funds to the district. She highlighted the need for communications technologies like the bus radios in rural areas that lack high quality… The post Headlines for Thursday, November 3, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Wednesday, November 2, 2022
November 02, 2022 10:00Attorney General Letitia James, is suing long-time Ithaca landlord Jason Fane and his Ithaca Renting Company. According to the Ithaca Voice the filing in New York’s Supreme Court alleges that Fane violated income protection law by not accepting Section 8 vouchers. In the course of the investigation, Fane–who operates more than 500 local housing units—acknowledged… The post Headlines for Wednesday, November 2, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for November 1, 2022
November 01, 2022 10:00Ithaca’s Streets and Facilities Division is requesting that residents not pile their leaves in the street. The city municipal code forbids leaf piling, since leaves can act as slipping hazards, cover potholes, and cause floods by clogging storm sewers. Leaves should instead be placed in bags or waste bins, and labeled with yard waste tags… The post Headlines for November 1, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for October 31, 2022
October 31, 2022 10:00On Tuesday, The Tompkins County Board of Health sanctioned Dream Vape and Smoke more than $70,000 for violating state laws. On Thursday the department issued a warning to local retailers against increased illegal sales of flavored vape and nicotine products. The Department warned local businesses of potential fines for violating the New York State laws,… The post Headlines for October 31, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Friday October 28th, 2022
October 28, 2022 10:00Ithaca’s Department of Public Works is facing staffing shortfalls and is considering using private companies to pick up the slack. According to the Ithaca Voice, Superintendent of Public Works Mike Thorne spoke at Common Council saying the department has lost 30 employees and briefed the Council on projects the department’s workers will be covering in… The post Headlines for Friday October 28th, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Thursday, October 27, 2022
October 26, 2022 10:00Republican Lee Zeldin’s campaign for New York Governor is drawing more criticism for potentially violating state election laws. The campaign continues to rake in large sums of “outside” political spending totalling $11.8 million including nearly $9 million from conservative billionaire Ronald Lauder. According to a recording obtained by the Times Union, during a conference call,… The post Headlines for Thursday, October 27, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for Wednesday, October 26, 2022
October 26, 2022 10:00The City of Ithaca’s budget process is moving ahead. Acting Mayor Laura Lewis’ $29 million 2023 budget is about $2.5 million more than the 2022 budget but would keep the city’s property tax rate the same at $11.89 per thousand. According to the Ithaca Voice at public hearings week, city department heads and leaders from… The post Headlines for Wednesday, October 26, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.
Headlines for October 25, 2022
October 25, 2022 10:00The Coalition for Snow-free Sidewalks and Crosswalks has banded together with Bike Walk Tompkins, Finger Lakes Independence Center, Tompkins County Office for the Aging, and some city residents. They’re pressuring the local government to take pedestrian snow removal more seriously. In the city of Ithaca, property owners are responsible for clearing snow from adjoining sidewalks.… The post Headlines for October 25, 2022 appeared first on WRFI Community Radio.