Live, Local, and Commercial-Free

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

Local News: April 17, 2024

ICSD Board Cuts Proposed Budget Ahead of May 21 Vote The Ithaca City School Board has made cuts to their proposed budget. According to the Ithaca Times, the adjustment was made after a 5-hour meeting with the public. Board members heard from a range of homeowners who spoke to the effect of rising taxes on Ithaca’s already serious housing affordability crisis. The school tax levy had originally been proposed to grow by more than 12%. The board eventually approved a proposed budget that would lower the levy by approximately $4 million through a combination of cuts and use of reserve funds. The new levy would still be an 8.4% increase. Because the increase…

Now Playing

Reload page to refresh.

Archive Player

CREATIVES: Natalia Khoma and Volodymyr Vynnytsky of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

By Felix Teitelbaum

WRFI’s Felix Teitelbaum and Dr. Deborah Justice of the Cornell Concert Series speak with cellist Natalia Khoma and pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine about the power of music in times of turmoil and about the orchestra’s upcoming performance at Cornell (February 10, 2024 at 3pm). More at www.cornellconcertseries.com

Read More

FEATURE: A new call to address harmful algal blooms in Cayuga Lake and beyond

By Celia Clarke

This interview has been edited for clarity. Harmful algal blooms, HABS, occur in the summer months in waterbodies across the country. But winter is when researchers and activists review the data and assess the impact of the season’s blooms. The toxins are dangerous to human and animal life. More of them are showing up in…

Read More

Fund Drive Update: With Your Help, WE DID IT!

By Felix Teitelbaum

WE DID IT! Thanks to the incredible support of over 80 donors in the Finger Lakes and beyond, we raised over $10,000 in the past week! Your generosity ensures that we can continue opening ears, minds, and hearts across the Southern Finger Lakes. THANK YOU for making a real impact! Your contribution supports: Amplifying the…

Read More

FEATURE: Conversation with Interfaith Leaders

By Celia Clarke

Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October there have been several separate rallies in Ithaca supporting Palestine or Israel. Public emotions ran high when the Tompkins County Legislature briefly considered a resolution in support of Israel and flying the Israeli flag in the legislative chamber.  It was around that time,…

Read More

Latest from the WRFI News Team

Daily features and interviews from our community

Local News: April 17, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | April 17, 2024 |

ICSD Board Cuts Proposed Budget Ahead of May 21 Vote The Ithaca City School Board has made cuts to their proposed budget. According to the Ithaca Times, the adjustment was made after a 5-hour meeting with the public. Board members heard from a range of homeowners who spoke to the effect of rising taxes on…

Read More

Local News: April 16, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | April 16, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: April 16, 2024

Graduate students at Cornell are pushing the administration to act more quickly in negotiations with their union. According to the Ithaca Voice, last week about 200 graduate students rallied at Day Hall. Organizer Sadie Seddon-Stettler said that the university isn’t making contract negotiation a priority. The union maintains a dashboard showing the status of various…

Read More

Local News April 15, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | April 15, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News April 15, 2024

Competing rallies were held at Cornell Sunday. One was billed as a “Jewish Unity” rally and featured speakers who decried what they say is a rise in antisemitism at Cornell and across the country. The other was organized by the Coalition for Mutual Liberation whose demands include that Cornell divest from what they call genocide…

Read More

LISTEN: Freedom of Expression at Cornell – Academic freedom

By Celia Clarke | April 11, 2024 | Comments Off on LISTEN: Freedom of Expression at Cornell – Academic freedom

This is the last of my three stories about freedom of expression at Cornell University this year. Here are links to the first and second stories. The academic theme at Cornell this year is “Freedom of Expression.”  In earlier stories, we reported about the general mood at Cornell around free speech, and students’ opinions about…

Read More