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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…

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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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CREATIVES: Frank London of the Klezmatics

By Felix Teitelbaum

Photo: Adrian Buckmaster for the Klezmatics Frank London of the Klezmatics talks with Felix Teitelbaum and Aron Guttman ahead of their show at Cornell, Saturday April 13, 2024. “The Klezmatics became world-renowned superstars when they erupted out of New York City’s East Village in 1986 to revitalize klezmer for new generations. Their music is steeped…

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LISTEN: Freedom of Expression at Cornell – Student views

By Celia Clarke

The academic theme at Cornell this year is “Freedom of Expression.” A few weeks ago we reported on the general mood around free speech at Cornell. Today, we’re sharing students’ opinions about their free speech rights. WRFI asked to speak to someone in Cornell’s administration about free speech on campus. The request was denied. The…

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Latest from the WRFI News Team

Daily features and interviews from our community

Coronavirus Update, November 27, 2020

By WRFI News Staff | November 27, 2020 | Comments Off on Coronavirus Update, November 27, 2020

A second Covid-19 testing center opened today in Tompkins County.  The Ithaca Voice reports that Cayuga Health Systems is operating a sampling center at 412 North Tioga street on property owned by Tompkins County.  The hours will be 8am to 4pm Monday thru Friday. The new center will operate as a walk-up and will use…

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Area Congregations Together Hosts 2020 Virtual Thanksgiving Service

By Esther Racoosin | November 26, 2020 | Comments Off on Area Congregations Together Hosts 2020 Virtual Thanksgiving Service

  On November 22, 2020, Area Congregations Together, also known as ACT, hosted a virtual Thanksgiving Service.  Suzanne Scholten, one of the organizers of the service, talks about how ACT decided on the theme for this year’s event, “Finding gratitude in hard times: What I learned from the impacts and challenges of Covid-19, economic crisis,…

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Coronavirus Update, November 24, 2020

By WRFI News Staff | November 24, 2020 | Comments Off on Coronavirus Update, November 24, 2020

Watkins Glen School District Superintendent Greg Kelahan announced Monday, November 23 in a phone interview that his district would move to all remote learning starting Monday, November 30.  This is in advance of preparing all the schools in the district for full time in-person learning starting after Christmas break. The Odessa File reports that during…

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Coronavirus Update, November 23, 2020

By WRFI News Staff | November 23, 2020 | Comments Off on Coronavirus Update, November 23, 2020

A press release issued by The Tompkins County Health Department Friday is alerting the public of a potential COVID-19 exposure at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ithaca. The individual who tested positive is an employee at the business and is now in isolation. Any close contacts are also in quarantine. Potential public exposures may have occurred…

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