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Local News: May 2, 2024

Ithaca Passes Short Term Rental Ordinance, Green New Deal Plan- Ithaca’s Common Council passed to major resolutions at its regular meeting Wednesday night. The first enacts a long-discussed short term rental ordinance. Under the new regulation, a permit is required to operate a short term rental. A “short term rental” is defined as one for fewer than 30 days. Only owners or long-term lease holders would be granted the permits. Permit holders must live in the building at least 184 days per year. Short term rentals are allowed only in one- and two-family homes and owner-occupied apartments. The other resolution Common Council passed Wednesday is called Justice50. It lays out a plan to…

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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

Which Way Forward: A Black Lives Matter Forum [AUDIO]

By WRFI News Staff | June 15, 2020 | Comments Off on Which Way Forward: A Black Lives Matter Forum [AUDIO]

The coronavirus crisis has highlighted and exacerbated long-standing, racial and social inequities. Now, the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others have ignited renewed outrage and mobilization against systemic racism, oppression, and police violence. What can we learn from past struggles, and how can we build a strategy for dismantling the systems that…

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Ithaca Southside Community Center’s 2020 Virtual Juneteenth [AUDIO]

By WRFI News Staff | June 12, 2020 | Comments Off on Ithaca Southside Community Center’s 2020 Virtual Juneteenth [AUDIO]

Juneteeth commemorates the June 19th 1865 announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas, and the emancipation of enslaved black people throughout America. Every year Ithaca’s Southside Community Center holds a festival to celebrate Juneteenth, and this year the festival will be held online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt spoke…

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New York Congressman Tom Reed (R) comments on proposed laws combating police brutality [AUDIO]

By Fred Balfour | June 12, 2020 | Comments Off on New York Congressman Tom Reed (R) comments on proposed laws combating police brutality [AUDIO]

It’s been two weeks since George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis policeman. Worldwide protests continue and federal and state governments are moving quickly to consider reform legislation. Congressman Tom Reed, who represents New York’s 23rd district, commented on the bills during a call with media. WRFI News Contributor Fred Balfour reports.  

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Coronavirus Update, June 11, 2020

By WRFI News Staff | June 11, 2020 | Comments Off on Coronavirus Update, June 11, 2020

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that the Finger Lakes, Central New York, Mohawk Valley, North Country and Southern Tier will all be entering phase three of reopening tomorrow, June 12th. Phase three allows indoor restaurants and food services to reopen at 50% capacity, and allows personal care services, such as tattoo and piercing shops and…

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