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– Health insurance costs for Cortland County employees, retirees may rise – Cortland County retirees and employees may see their health insurance contributions rise by 10% in 2024. The Cortland Voice reports the county is facing a $1.3 million gap in the 2024 budget. The insurance increase would close that gap. The legislature is set to vote on the resolution at their September 28 meeting. – State mandates push Tompkins County budget up – Tompkins County’s 2024 budget recommendations were presented to the legislature earlier this week. County Administrator Lisa Holmes submitted the $254 million budget includes a 2% tax levy increase. It also contains increases of several million dollars because of state…
In this week’s episode of The Scene, activist and philanthropic grantmaker Prachi Patankar talks about her lifelong relationship to justice work – connecting the LGBTQ+ and women’s justice commitments and causes she supports through her international foundation work in South and Southeast Asia with her upbringing in a family deeply involved in grassroots social change…
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Ithaca’s largest mural is completed. It’s on the Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services’ building on Plain Street between MLK, Jr. and Seneca Streets. Artists Betsy Casañas and Mauricio Pérez designed it. Community members helped them paint it. The images shows people gardening, flowers blooming and a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. A few days before it was…
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2023 Ithaca Common Council Election Coverage For the first time in 10 years, Voters in the City of Ithaca have the chance to elect a new mayor and the entire Common Council. WRFI and the Ithaca Voice have teamed up to bring you a week of interviews with Common Council candidates before the primary. Tune…
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The effects of Canadian wildfires are getting worse in our area. For a third day, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an air quality warning. And they now say the air is unhealthy for everyone. The state health department is encouraging all of us to avoid spending much time outdoors. And it’s asking…
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Daily features and interviews from our community
– Health insurance costs for Cortland County employees, retirees may rise – Cortland County retirees and employees may see their health insurance contributions rise by 10% in 2024. The Cortland Voice reports the county is facing a $1.3 million gap in the 2024 budget. The insurance increase would close that gap. The legislature is set…
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– Ithaca Leaders Postpone Vote on Cornell Funding, Approve Homeless Encampment Policy – The Ithaca Common Council held a special meeting Wednesday night to vote on two highly significant matters. But, they postponed a vote on the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cornell until an October meeting. Mayor Lewis said that would give Alderpersons…
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– Tick-borne illnesses double in Tompkins County – Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise in our region and across the country. According to The Ithaca Voice, the number of cases of Lyme disease in Tompkins County has doubled in the past year. Part of the reason is milder winters because of climate change. Ticks, especially…
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Opponents of the draft payment agreement between Cornell and the City of Ithaca protested on campus Monday evening. The new proposal would require Cornell to pay Ithaca $4 million a year over the next 21 years with regular increases for inflation. That’s up from the $1.6 million currently paid. Opponents like Kay Minnix don’t think…
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