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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 deer ticks survive in warmer winters. However, researchers say there’s no one cause for the recent rise in illnesses and it may take a few more years for them to understand all the reasons for the increase in tick-caused diseases. – Interlaken takes public stance against landfill expansion – The Village of Interlaken Board voted unanimously at its…
The Ithaca artist known as Lost Cat died in April. His name was Gavin Mahoney and he was 55. Mahoney was best known for the many stick cat figures he painted around the city. Shortly after his death friends, admirers, and fellow artists put on a memorial art exhibition. And in July, a sculpture was installed downtown in his memory. I spoke with a few of his friends at both events. Here’s some of what they said about Mahoney’s life and how they will remember him.
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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation divides the state into nine regions. Dereth Glance is the new Region 7 Director. It covers Onondaga, Tompkins, Cortland, Chenango, Oswego, Madison, Cayuga, Tioga, and Broome counties. Glance most recently oversaw the DEC Environmental Remediation, Materials Management, and Mineral Resources divisions. Before joining the DEC, she served…
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Felix Teitelbaum interviews New Orleans-based artists Quintron and Missy Pussycat on August 24, 2023. They’ll be appearing in Ithaca at the Cherry Arts, Sept. 11. The show is a benefit for WRFI. You can learn more about the duo and get tickets to the show here.
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In this week’s episode of The Scene, international labor law expert Desiree LeClercq breaks down the 2023 National Labor Relations Board proceeding that held three Ithaca store closures by Starbucks to be in violation of federal protections for organizing workers, and discusses the larger contexts in national and international worker rights.
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Daily features and interviews from our community
Jordan Lesser, longterm legislative counsel to Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, sat down with Your Morning host Ed von Aderkas to talk about his recently announced campaign for New York’s 125th Assembly District. He discussed his platform, his experience, and how he plans to stand out in this year’s crowded race. This interview originally aired on the…
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WRFI Contributor Pamela Tan speaks with Ithaca City Council Member George McGonigal and artist Scott HiItz about recent and upcoming public art pieces inspired by the Taughannock Giant. Proposted Tompkins Giant No. 1 render. Credit: City of Ithaca
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We’re joined in the studio by Cortland’s Beau Harbin. He recently announced his bid to represent the 125th district in the New York State Assembly. Current assembly person Barbara Lifton announced her resignation earlier this month after 18 years representing Tompkins and part of Cortland counties.
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Mac Benford, a local banjo player who made his name with the iconic Highwoods String Band, passed away on Saturday, February 15th at the age of 79. In November 2019, WRFI’s Felix Teitelbaum sat down with the Highwoods star to speak about his longtime music career. A feature documentary which screened locally in November about…
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