WRFI Community Radio News
Interview: The Reverend Billy Talen on shopping, activism, and the end of the world
It’s black Friday, and, as the coronavirus spikes around the country, retailers closely eye holiday spending. Radical performers Reverend Billy Talen and the Church of Stop Shopping blend activism, music, and humor to trace the connections between consumerist culture, climate crisis, and the coming “shopacalypse.” “Reverend Billy Radio – Preacher for the Planet” makes it’s…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, November 27, 2020
A second Covid-19 testing center opened today in Tompkins County. The Ithaca Voice reports that Cayuga Health Systems is operating a sampling center at 412 North Tioga street on property owned by Tompkins County. The hours will be 8am to 4pm Monday thru Friday. The new center will operate as a walk-up and will use…
Read MoreArea Congregations Together Hosts 2020 Virtual Thanksgiving Service
On November 22, 2020, Area Congregations Together, also known as ACT, hosted a virtual Thanksgiving Service. Suzanne Scholten, one of the organizers of the service, talks about how ACT decided on the theme for this year’s event, “Finding gratitude in hard times: What I learned from the impacts and challenges of Covid-19, economic crisis,…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, November 24, 2020
Watkins Glen School District Superintendent Greg Kelahan announced Monday, November 23 in a phone interview that his district would move to all remote learning starting Monday, November 30. This is in advance of preparing all the schools in the district for full time in-person learning starting after Christmas break. The Odessa File reports that during…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, November 23, 2020
A press release issued by The Tompkins County Health Department Friday is alerting the public of a potential COVID-19 exposure at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ithaca. The individual who tested positive is an employee at the business and is now in isolation. Any close contacts are also in quarantine. Potential public exposures may have occurred…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, November 19, 2020
At its regular meeting Tuesday night, the Tompkins County legislature voted unanimously to approve its 2021 budget, WSKG news reports. The total budget, at just under $52.4 million dollars, is 6 percent less than the 2020 budget. The budget reflects decreased revenues in the current year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. County comptroller…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, November 18, 2020
The Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency, or TCIDA, awarded emergency grants to local childcare providers to provide financial support for COVID-19 facilities upgrades. The Ithaca Times reports that TCIDA approved the grant program in order to improve coronavirus safety measures at childcare centers. Since June, eligible nonprofits and small businesses statewide have been able to…
Read More2020 Edition of “Spring Writes” Literary Festival is Virtual
Jennifer Tennant, Artistic Director of Spring Writes literary festival and Robin Schwartz, program manager of the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, talk about this year’s festival. Events begin on Wednesday, November 18th, and continue until Sunday, November 29th. Attendees can watch presentations via Zoom; some of the talks and panel discussions will allow for…
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