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Local News: May 3, 2024

Coalition Pushes for “Just Cause” Employment in Ithaca The campaign for “just cause” employment legislation in Ithaca continues. According to the Cornell Sun, the Ithaca Just Cause Coalition has been pushing Common Council to adopt their proposal and a working group on the matter is being formed. The coalition includes unions, nonprofits and businesses. The proposal would end “at will” employment in Ithaca. Under the proposed rule, employers would need to demonstrate that progressive steps were taken to address poor work performance before terminating an employee. Employers would also be able to fire people for illegal or dangerous behavior, or for economic reasons like loss of income.   Employers who violate the rule would…

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Youth Farm Project Celebrates Earth Week with Greta Garrison of the Youth Radio Project

By Felix Teitelbaum

Youth Farm Project participants Stella Sapp-Dietrich and Etienne Exantus and Ray Hage Assistant Director of Cornell’s Science & Technology Entry Program (STEP) with Greta Garrison of the Youth Radio Project on WRFI.

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CREATIVES: New Voices Literary Festival Preview with Raul Palma [AUDIO]

By Felix Teitelbaum

Listen to author Raul Palma in conversation with student organizers April Morales, Emily Trage, Riley Rhoder and Professor Jacob White. The 2024 New Voices Festival runs from April 24-26 at Ithaca College and in your community.  

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Tune in, Turn on, and Take Part! Join Us for WRFI’s Spring “Fun” Drive and Be Part of this Community-Powered Radio Revolution!

By Felix Teitelbaum

What does community radio mean to you? We think this commercial-free, free-form, independent station helps make our listeners lives-and life in our communities-just a little better. We strive to make programing that opens ears, opens hearts, and leads us to ask important questions about our world. Even if it’s just to ask yourself, “What in…

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LISTEN: Freedom of Expression at Cornell – Academic freedom

By Celia Clarke

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…

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Latest from the WRFI News Team

Daily features and interviews from our community

Ithaca College Finalizes Faculty Cuts, Faculty Critical of the Administration’s Process

By Jimmy Jordan | February 26, 2021 | Comments Off on Ithaca College Finalizes Faculty Cuts, Faculty Critical of the Administration’s Process

The Ithaca College Administration finalized a strategic plan that calls for making dramatic cuts to it’s faculty. But the process that led the college administration to make this decision, as well as the other associated with it, are being criticized by faculty and students.

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Shifting Immigration Policy and its Impact on the Ithaca Community

By WRFI News Staff | February 26, 2021 | Comments Off on Shifting Immigration Policy and its Impact on the Ithaca Community

With the shift in presidential administrations, how immigration policy will change is one topic of concern not only on a national level, but also in local communities like Ithaca.  In the past week, the Biden administration has taken some initial steps in changing immigration policy. WRFI News Team Intern Maia Noah has the story.  

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Ithaca and Tompkins County Release Ambitious Public Safety Reform Draft

By WRFI News Staff | February 23, 2021 | Comments Off on Ithaca and Tompkins County Release Ambitious Public Safety Reform Draft

Tompkins County and the City of Ithaca have released a draft of their Public Safety Reimagined report. The report comes in response to Governor Cuomo’s executive Order 203, mandating municipalities review their public safety systems.  The draft report was produced under the advisement of the Center for Policing Equity. It includes 19 detailed recommendations for…

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Meet Tompkins County Poet Laureate, Christine Kitano

By WRFI News Staff | February 19, 2021 | Comments Off on Meet Tompkins County Poet Laureate, Christine Kitano

  Settle into a conversation with Tompkins County Poet Laureate, Dr. Christine Kitano. She shares her thoughts on the meaning of the position, how she teaches the craft and, of course, we hear some of her poetry. WRFI Contributor Pamela Tan brings us that conversation.

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