Live, Local, and Commercial-Free

Listen now at 89.7FM, 88.1FM in Ithaca, or by using our web player.

Local News: May 2, 2024

Ithaca Passes Short Term Rental Ordinance, Green New Deal Plan- Ithaca’s Common Council passed to major resolutions at its regular meeting Wednesday night. The first enacts a long-discussed short term rental ordinance. Under the new regulation, a permit is required to operate a short term rental. A “short term rental” is defined as one for fewer than 30 days. Only owners or long-term lease holders would be granted the permits. Permit holders must live in the building at least 184 days per year. Short term rentals are allowed only in one- and two-family homes and owner-occupied apartments. The other resolution Common Council passed Wednesday is called Justice50. It lays out a plan to…

Now Playing

Reload page to refresh.

Archive Player

Talking about race – January 6th, 2015

By WRFI News Staff

Aryeal Jackson speaks with Kim Munson-Burke about her personal experiences of discussing race with her children and other members of the Ithaca community.   This interview originally aired on the January 6th, 2015 edition of WRFI Community Radio News.

Read More

Fighting the hemlock woolly adelgid – January 5th, 2015

By WRFI News Staff

Samuel Whitehead speaks with Tim Noon, Natural Resources Specialist with the U.S. Forest Service working in the Finger Lakes National Forest, about the spread of the hemlock woolly adelgid and what the U.S. Forest Service is doing to stop it.   This interview originally aired on the January 5th, 2015 edition of WRFI Community Radio News.

Read More

Ruling on public art – January 1st, 2015

By WRFI News Staff

Last summer, a piece of unsanctioned public art appeared outside of Ithaca’s Beverly J Martin Elementary School–a pink fairy spraypainted on the sidewalk. The artists were eventually caught and the case made its way through the city courts. But even though the perpetrators admitted to their acts, the case was recently dropped. To get more…

Read More

Targeting fracking – December 30th, 2014

By WRFI News Staff

Lori Sonken talks with Toxics Targeting’s Walter Hang about his company’s work to fight fracking in New York State and about what they’ll be working on now that fracking has been banned. This interview originally aired on the December 30th, 2014 edition of WRFI Community Radio News.

Read More

Latest from the WRFI News Team

Daily features and interviews from our community

Local News: May 2, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | May 2, 2024 |

Ithaca Passes Short Term Rental Ordinance, Green New Deal Plan- Ithaca’s Common Council passed to major resolutions at its regular meeting Wednesday night. The first enacts a long-discussed short term rental ordinance. Under the new regulation, a permit is required to operate a short term rental. A “short term rental” is defined as one for…

Read More

Local News: May 1, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | May 1, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: May 1, 2024

Cornell Professors Condemn Student Suspensions On Tuesday, more than 325 Cornell professors signed an open letter condemning the University’s suspension of four students. The students were suspended for their role in the pro-Palestinian encampment on Cornell’s campus. The letter calls the suspensions “unwarranted and excessive.”  Meanwhile suspended undergraduate protestor Nick Wilson rejected a deal from…

Read More

Local News: April 30, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | April 30, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: April 30, 2024

Chemung Sheriff’s Office Gets Boost for Door Breach Training The Chemung County Sheriff’s office has a new training tool. WETM reports that the Elmira-based manufacturer the Hilliard Corporation donated a reinforced door to the Sheriff’s Special Services Unit. The door will be used in training deputies in breaching locked, reinforced doors. The technique is used…

Read More

Local News: April 29, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | April 29, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: April 29, 2024

More Suspensions for Cornell Protestors- The student encampment at Cornell remains in place. On Friday four students were temporarily suspended for their participation in the self-described “Liberation Zone.” According to the Ithaca Voice, Cornell administration announced Saturday that more students would be suspended and that referrals to human resources  are being made for staff and…

Read More