Live, Local, and Commercial-Free
Listen now at 89.7FM, 88.1FM in Ithaca, or 91.9FM in Watkins Glen, or using our web player.
– 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.
Read More
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…
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read MoreLatest from the WRFI News Team
Daily features and interviews from our community
The lives of millions who died in the Holocaust are being remembered around the world today, on the 75th anniversary of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp liberation by the US Army. On February 2nd, Authors Dr. Eva Fogelman, Roald Hoffmann, and Dan Schwarz will gather for a panel titled, “When it’s Hard to be Human: Lessons…
Read More
It’s January 2020 and the every-10-year census starts on April first, about 10 weeks away. County legislator Mike Lane, who leads the 2020 Census efforts for Tompkins county, joined us in the studio to discuss the importance of an accurate census and the need for paid workers to assist in counting everyone. The census has…
Read More
Our new public affairs series “The Ripple Effect” dives into the local effects of climate change on our area’s cherished waterways. This project is made in collaboration with the Ithaca Voice, Cornell University, the Community Science Institute, and the Ithaca College Park Scholars. We dive into water hazards affecting the Finger Lakes region, and explore…
Read More
The Greater Ithaca Activities Center hosted its annual Martin Luther King Jr. community breakfast on Saturday, Jan. 18. Gathered in the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School gymnasium, community members enjoyed a meal, musical performances and guest speakers, primarily focusing on the themes of empowerment and racial justice. Photo and reporting by WRFI news contributor J.T.…
Read More