Posts by WRFI News Staff
Congressman Tom Reed – Town Halls: February 2019 (Audio)
Congressman Tom Reed (NY 23rd District) has started holding more frequent town halls around the district since his serious challenge three months ago from Tracy Mitrano of Penn Yann. On Saturday February 23, 2019, he met with about 50 attendees in Owego (Tioga County) and 60 attendees in Groton (Tompkins County). Attendees raised 14 major…
Read MoreCan standardized testing improve teachers? [AUDIO]
A bill detaching students’ scores on state exams from the way teachers are assessed for hiring and promotion passed the state legislature in January. This is a huge reversal in state policy — from emphasizing state tests in teacher evaluations to now, almost doing away with them. In this report by WRFI’s John Yoon, teachers…
Read MoreKitchen Table Conversations: Schools As the Glue in a Community (Audio)
And now for another episode in WRFI’s occasional series: Kitchen Table Conversations. Small towns and villages are watching a slow decline in the number of community organizations —main line churches, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs, little league teams, volunteer groups, and locally owned businesses. Ithaca resident Walter Peck recently retired from 30 years of teaching high…
Read MoreNew grounds for safe drug injection site bill in Albany — yet no official yes from Ithaca or Tompkins
State legislators are trying to revive a bill establishing supervised injection sites that hasn’t moved since 2017. Here‘s John Yoon reporting for WRFI. As the staggering epidemic of fatal opioid overdoses continues to rage, cities are looking for solutions. You might remember the Ithaca Plan from 2016: a comprehensive drug plan proposed by Ithaca Mayor…
Read MoreMary Jo Dudley talks about challenges of migrant workers
Director of Cornell Farmworker Program Mary Jo Dudley spoke with WRFI’s John Yoon about immigrant rights, volunteership, and social change. Here‘s the interview. This piece first aired on Your Morning on February 11. Image courtesy of Farmworkers Forum.
Read MoreA Conversation with a Death Doula / Death Midwife [AUDIO]
We speak with Angela Mennitto. She is a death doula / death midwife, educator, and community organizer. Our conversation explores the role of the death doula in the dying process, the philosophies of the practice, how this in effect challenges societal concepts and approaches to death, and the general history of death midwifery. Angela Mennitto’s…
Read MoreSchuyler County Legislature Deals With Potential Woodstock 50 Concert [Audio]
The 50th anniversary concert of Woodstock is scheduled to take place in Watkins Glen this summer — an event that’s mostly gotten positive attention. But at last night’s Schuyler County Legislature meeting, thirty-five residents showed up to express their concern in a standing-room only meeting. Here’s WRFI’s Fred Balfour with a report from Watkins Glen.…
Read MoreThe Paleontological Research Institution Celebrates Darwin Days
The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) in Ithaca, New York celebrates its 14th annual Darwin Days from February 9th to February 16th, 2019. Jim Harper, Manager of marketing and communications at PRI talks about the Darwin Days events happening at locations around Ithaca. He also provides a sneak preview of the new exhibit at PRI’s Museum…
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