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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 in situations including executing no-knock warrants used to enter well guarded drug houses. A study by the New York Times showed that raids of this sort led to the deaths of at least 81 civilians and 13 law enforcement officers between 2010 and 2016.  INHS Proposes Project in Varna Ithaca Neighborhood Housing is eying a large-scale project in…

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FEATURE: Governor’s budget plan could cost rural schools millions of dollars in state aid

By Celia Clarke

Rural school districts across New York face a significant loss in state funding this year. Governor Hochul’s 2024 executive budget proposal would change the allocation of “foundation aid”. That’s the money the state gives each school district to close the gap between what a community can afford to pay and what is needed to provide…

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The value of rural libraries: A look inside Odessa’s public library

By Celia Clarke

Public libraries have been in the news a lot over the past few years. There have been calls to ban books, pull funding, or cancel certain events. But not all events or books are controversial and not all libraries are dealing with efforts to censor their collections. Odessa Library in Schuyler County is that kind…

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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

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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…

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Local News: April 30, 2024

By Felix Teitelbaum | 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…

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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…

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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…

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Student Protestors Occupy Cornell’s Arts Quad (Local News: April 25, 2024)

By Felix Teitelbaum | April 25, 2024 | Comments Off on Student Protestors Occupy Cornell’s Arts Quad (Local News: April 25, 2024)

Student Protestors Occupy Cornell’s Arts Quad- Activists at Cornell set up an encampment Thursday morning in the university’s arts quad. The Coalition for Mutual Liberation (or CML) called the encampment a “liberated zone” meant to further pressure Cornell to divest from what they call the university’s complicity in genocide in Gaza.  Malak, a fourth year…

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