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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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Daily features and interviews from our community

Local News: April 3, 2024

By Celia Clarke | April 3, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: April 3, 2024

– TCAT to buy more diesel buses due to electric bus problems – The Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) plans to buy five more diesel buses. TCAT officials say they won’t be buying any more electric buses soon. The Ithaca Voice reports electric buses haven’t performed well in Ithaca’s cold winter weather and steep hills.…

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Local News: April 2, 2024

By Celia Clarke | April 2, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: April 2, 2024

– Ithaca seeks public comment about proposed short-term rental policy – The City of Ithaca wants feedback from residents about the proposed short-term rental ordinance. The law will regulate residential rentals of less than 30 days. Links to more details and how to submit a comment are on our website, WRFI dot org slash news.…

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Local News: April 1, 2024

By Celia Clarke | April 1, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: April 1, 2024

– Cornell issues comments about ongoing protests, Congress sends second letter – Cornell President Martha Pollack and Provost Michael Kotlikoff remain critical of ongoing protests on Cornell’s campus. In an op-ed in The Cornell Daily Sun, they say the protests are disrupting university activities. They say there should be “a robust campus discussion about what…

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Local News: March 29, 2024

By Celia Clarke | March 29, 2024 | Comments Off on Local News: March 29, 2024

– Tompkins County may pay for a support specialist for tenants of a private developer – Tompkins County is considering hiring a specialist to help people transition from homelessness into properties owned by the Vecino Group. That’s the Missouri-based company that owns Ithaca ArtHaus and the soon-to-open Asteri on Green Street. The Ithaca Voice reports…

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