Live, Local, and Commercial-Free
Listen now at 89.7FM, 88.1FM in Ithaca, or by using our web player.
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…
Sadly, after several years of fruitful partnership, Radio Free America (RFA) has ceased operations. For the time being this will mean that WRFI has no comprehensive archiving of its local programs. News features are still being posted. Please rest assured that we are working to find a solution as quickly as we can. The free…
Read More
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Crazy Words, Crazy Tune combined popular songs from 1945 with archival radio news and audio curiosities from that special summer. Originally broadcast August 7, 2020, noon to 2pm. Hosted by Roger Smith. (part 2 of 2) [photo: Maurice Rocco, from the motion…
Read More
A conversation with the Ithaca City School District Athletic & Wellness Director Samantha Little about the future of high school athletics during the pandemic.
Read More
Cornell Botanic Gardens presents a remote youth education program called “Plants Have Families, Too”! The program is facilitated by Raylene Ludgate, Youth Education Coordinator, as well as by Graduate Students in the Cornell School of Integrative Plant Science. The 4 week program is directed towards youth age 8 to 11 years old. Youth who are…
Read MoreLatest from the WRFI News Team
Daily features and interviews from our community
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
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
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
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