Government
Reimagining Public Safety Draft Report, From Release to Now
The Reimagining Public Safety Draft report has made waves in Ithaca and Tompkins County, and has even rippled into the National news. Here, we track how the draft report was first released to the press, referred to in a GQ article, then presented to the Ithaca Common Council. The draft report and supplemental materials can…
Read MoreCOVID Cases are Dropping, Tompkins County Officials Say There’s Still a Chance for Another Spike
Active cases of COVID-19 have been on a downward trend in Tompkins County. According to the County’s local coronavirus data, the weekly average for new positive cases is 9 a day. 9 new positive cases a day — the last time this was the average was in Early November, before the well predicted holiday spike…
Read MoreHyper-Local Weather Forecasting System Could be a Boon to New York
Cornell University has begun work developing a hyperlocal weather forecasting system for New York state’s rural communities. They’ve partnered with community stakeholders to design and implement a forecasting system aimed at improving winter-storm emergency response and coordination around natural disasters. It’s a part of a competition hosted by the National Science Foundation, or NSF. For…
Read MoreWRFI and Ithaca Voice reporters talk about the Reimagining Public Safety Draft Report and Townhall
The City of Ithaca and Tompkins County legislator held a joint town hall on February, 25th to field questions from the public on the draft report. WRFI News Director, Jimmy Jordan, speaks with Anna Lamb, and Matt Butler of the Ithaca Voice about that meeting, parts of the report, the public’s questions, and the challenges…
Read MoreShifting Immigration Policy and its Impact on the Ithaca Community
With the shift in presidential administrations, how immigration policy will change is one topic of concern not only on a national level, but also in local communities like Ithaca. In the past week, the Biden administration has taken some initial steps in changing immigration policy. WRFI News Team Intern Maia Noah has the story.
Read MoreIthaca and Tompkins County Release Ambitious Public Safety Reform Draft
Tompkins County and the City of Ithaca have released a draft of their Public Safety Reimagined report. The report comes in response to Governor Cuomo’s executive Order 203, mandating municipalities review their public safety systems. The draft report was produced under the advisement of the Center for Policing Equity. It includes 19 detailed recommendations for…
Read MoreEnvironmental Groups Report that NYS Municipalities May Be Using Oil and Gas Liquid Waste For Road Deicing
Three environmental groups: NYPIRG, Earthworks and Food and Water Watch, have published an analysis showing that some municipalities in New York State have been granted permits to use liquid waste from gas and oil operations for deicing roads. Liz Moran, Environmental Policy Director for the New York Public Interest Research Group, or NYPIRG, discusses their…
Read More“Parents2Polls-Tompkins” Helps Busy Families Access Early Voting Options
Yael Saar and Margaret Royall are the organizers of a local Get Out the Vote initiative called Parents2Polls Tompkins. The two voting advocates discuss the car-side service, that helps parents and seniors who are planning to vote at one of the early voting locations in Tompkins County. Saar and Royall describe how the service works…
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