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

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…

Read More

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…

Read More

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…

Read More

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…

Read More

Latest from the WRFI News Team

Daily features and interviews from our community

Inquiring Socialist – Tenants: Know Your Rights [Audio]

By WRFI News Staff | September 30, 2020 | Comments Off on Inquiring Socialist – Tenants: Know Your Rights [Audio]

In this episode of Teresa Alt’s Inquiring Socialist, she speaks with Attorney Bill Nible, who works for legal services of Central New York in Binghamton to represent low income tenants. He is also a pro bono volunteer with Ithaca Tenants Union, which is an organization that protects tenants and provides free legal advice. WRFI News…

Read More

Coronavirus Update, September 25, 2020

By WRFI News Staff | September 25, 2020 | Comments Off on Coronavirus Update, September 25, 2020

Looking at the local COVID-19 caseload, the latest numbers, released Friday from the Tompkins County health department, indicate that there is 1 additional positive, and 3 new recoveries. According to the County Health Department, that leaves 21 active cases of COVID-19 in Tompkins. In Schuyler County, there is 1 new case of COVID-19 reported as…

Read More

Coronavirus Update, September 24, 2020

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

The Women’s Opportunity Center, or W-O-C, a not-for-profit organization with offices in Tompkins and Onondaga counties, is in danger of shutting down. The New York State Department of Labor has awarded a sustaining grant amounting to 40 percent of the WOC’s budget for the last several years, the Ithaca Voice reports.  The grant funds the…

Read More

Seneca Lake Guardian Conveys Concern About Proposed Garbage Transfer Station

By Esther Racoosin | September 23, 2020 | Comments Off on Seneca Lake Guardian Conveys Concern About Proposed Garbage Transfer Station

Joseph Campbell, President of Seneca Lake Guardian, talks about a proposed new garbage transfer facility to be constructed in the Town of Cayuta, in Schuyler County. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has determined that the facility poses no environmental impact to the surrounding area. Campbell discusses why his organization disagrees with the DEC’s…

Read More