Live, Local, and Commercial-Free

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

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 Cornell’s ​​office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. The arrangement would have allowed him to receive credit for his coursework this semester provided he refrain from all involvement with the  encampment. In a statement he said the offer was an “attempt to silence me and intimidate [his] peers.” Federal Dollars to Bring High Tech Jobs to Central New…

Now Playing

Reload page to refresh.

Archive Player

2020 Edition of “Spring Writes” Literary Festival is Virtual

By Esther Racoosin

Jennifer Tennant, Artistic Director of Spring Writes literary festival and Robin Schwartz, program manager of the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, talk about this year’s festival.  Events begin on Wednesday, November 18th, and continue until Sunday, November 29th.  Attendees can watch presentations via Zoom; some of the talks and panel discussions will allow for…

Read More

Living with Chronic Illnesses in a Pandemic [AUDIO]

By WRFI News Staff

According to the CDC, chronic illnesses are “conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.” It’s the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. It’s expensive too. Chronic and mental health conditions make up 90% of the US’ $3.5 trillion…

Read More

“Parents2Polls-Tompkins” Helps Busy Families Access Early Voting Options

By Esther Racoosin

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…

Read More

Love and Radio in the Time of COVID-19

By Felix Teitelbaum

On March 15, as the New York response to the coronavirus began to take form, we shut the station to all volunteers and the public. With over 80 active volunteers and countless guests, interns, and community members coming through the station on any given day, the risk was just too high to stay fully open. …

Read More

Latest from the WRFI News Team

Daily features and interviews from our community

Local News: May 1, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | 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

Local News: April 26, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | April 26, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: April 26, 2024

Adjustments Expected to Ithaca Water Bills Ithaca property owners may face unexpected water bills starting this year. The city has relied on equipment to remotely read water meters since 2005. However, batteries in the equipment started to fail during the pandemic and were never replaced. This means that many bills have been based on estimated…

Read More