WRFI Community Radio News

Happy Tuesday! After tonight's headline news, you’ll hear an interview of local physician Dr. Jamie Loehr about the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines. More at wrfi.org/news.

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day! in recognition of the holiday, Greater Ithaca Activities Center held its annual MLK breakfast over the weekend - in a virtual setting. WRFI News Contributor Peter Champelli caught up with GIAC Executive Director Leslyn McBean-Clairborne about the event, and what MLK day means this year in particular.

After tonight's headline news, WRFI Contributor Fred Balfour joined us to discuss his experience receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More local news and community stories at wrfi.org/news.

Happy Thursday! After the headline news, you’ll hear another tale from a Trampoline story slam competition. Today’s story is from WRFI Volunteer Peter Bakija who participated in Trampoline’s 2016 event “Seven Deadly Sins”

After tonight's headline news, you’ll hear a report about the Cayuga Bird Club’s 2021 Christmas Bird Count. More on WRFI.org/news.

Today is Tuesday!  After the headline news, you'll hear a speech by Carla Minet, Executive Director of the Center for Investigative Journalism in Puerto Rico.  Minet's speech is from the 2020 Izzy Awards, hosted by the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College.   The Izzy Awards honor outstanding achievements in independent media.  In its 12th year, the Izzy Awards ceremonies took place online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  WRFI Contributor Jimmy Jordan edited Minet's speech for radio.

Happy Monday! After the headlines, you’ll hear a conversation with Helen Chang, a New York Sea Grant Coastal Resilience Specialist with Jamaica Bay. Chang speaks about New York City and climate change, and how coastal cities are threatened.  Locally Sourced Science Contributor Aidan Mahoney produced this interview which first aired on the January 5th edition of Locally Sourced Science. 

Happy Friday! On tonight's program, you'll hear an interview with Ithaca Voice reporters Anna Lamb and Matt Butler. WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt talks with them about the biggest local stories of 2020, and what topics they're keeping an eye on in the new year. Plus, the latest headlines impacting Tompkins and Schuyler counties.

Happy Thursday! On this edition of WRFI Community Radio News, we hear audio of  Leslyn McBean-Clairborne delivering her acceptance speech after being reelected as Tompkins County Legislature Chair for the second row. We also hear a bear-y entertaining story from Audrey Baker, from her Fall 2020 performance in Trampoline’s “4 and 20 Blackbirds” virtual storytelling competition.

This is headlines only edition of the program as we cut away for WPFW's coverage of the pro-Trump coup attempt.

Happy Tuesday to you! On tonight's show, WRFI Guest Contributor Josh Durso (Fingerlakes1.com News Director) speaks with Brad Walworth with Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services about its continued programming amid the pandemic. That and the latest headlines impacting our communities.

It's the first Monday of 2021! Today on our show, you'll hear how one college student is managing a pain disorder during COVID-19 and an unusual school year. WRFI Contributor Tessie Devlin produced this story about Madolyn Laurine, and their shared experiences with invisible disabilities. This piece first aired in October 2020.

Happy Wednesday, the last Wednesday of 2020! After the headline news, you’ll hear excerpts of the Ithaca Southside Community Center virtual Kwanzaa celebration. WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt excerpted the pieces for radio. You can find a link to those videos at our website, wrfi.org, under the archives.

Liz Moran, Environmental Policy Director of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) discusses her group’s concerns that some New York State municipalities have been granted permits to use liquid waste from fracking, for deicing of roads. Plus headlines, weather, COVD updates, and more.

Its the last Monday of 2020!  During tonight's news, you'll hear an episode from the podcast, "Audio Interference", from the Interference Archive, based in Brooklyn, NY.  Today's podcast is from the "Archiving Abolition" series, made in collaboration with Survived and Punished New York.  This group works to eradicate the criminalization of survivors of domestic and sexual violence and the culture of violence that contributes to it.   You will hear the voice of an incarcerated survivor of domestic violence. For more information about this podcast, visit interferencearchive.org.

Its Wonderful Wednesday!  On today's show, you'll hear Candice Limper's interview of Dr. Alison Stout, a Veterinarian and Graduate Student at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine.  During this segment, Dr. Stout discusses her research on feline coronaviruses and how pet owners can avoid passing SARS-CoV-2 to their cat companions.  She also talks about the concept of "one health", and how the health of animals is intimately connected to human health.  This interview initially aired on the November 24th edition of WRFI's science radio show, Locally Sourced Science.  Find archived shows at www.locallysourcedscience.org.

Its Tuesday!  Tonight's news features a report on the Social Justice Intensive, an afterschool program hosted at the Youth Farm Project in Ithaca, New York.  The program makes social justice education a collaborative effort between the program's leaders and the youths who participate.  WRFI Contributor Jimmy Jordan produced this piece, that aired initially in November 2020.

WRFI Intern Tessie Devlin reports on grassroots efforts  to have Cornell University better support Indigenous students and acknowledge the university’s founding on native land. Plus an episode of the podcast "Audio Interference", all that and more after today's headlines.

Happy Friday! After the headline news, you'll hear 2020 Izzy Award winner Lawrence Bartley talk about his publication, "News Inside".  Bartley's print publication is supported by The Marshall Project and is distributed in hundreds of prisons and jails around the country.  Izzy Awards are presented by the Park Center for Independent Media.  To learn more, visit www.parkindymedia.org.

Happy Thursday! After the headline news, you’ll hear a tale from last week’s “Trampoline” end of year storytelling competition. Then, you’ll hear WRFI Contributor Peter Bakija's interview with the winner of that event, Marissa Slocum.

Happy Wednesday! After the headline news, you’ll hear a conversation with a researcher on a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how urbanization may affect the evolution of coat color in the Eastern Gray Squirrel.

Happy Tuesday! After the headlines, WRFI contributor Fred Balfour talks with the rabbi and two members of Ithaca’s Temple Beth-El about the eight days of events currently underway.

Happy Monday, comrades. After the headlines, you’ll hear an episode of the podcast Audio Interference, which explores the relationship between cultural production and social movements. Today’s selection features part of their “Archiving Abolition” series, made in collaboration with Survived and Punished New York. Then you’ll hear an interview about tenants’ rights in the Southern Tier.

Happy Friday! After the headline news, we’re joined by Tracy Mitrano, the 2018 and 2020 Democratic challenger to incumbent Congressman Tom Reed. This year Reed secured another term. Mitrano speaks with us about her campaign, and thoughts on improving the 23rd Congressional district going forward.

Happy Thursday! After tonight's headline news, you’ll hear about some of the holiday festivals past and present in Downtown Ithaca. Then we feature another community storyteller from the Trampoline storytelling competition.

Happy Wednesday! On this episode, after the headline news you'll hear an interview with Dr. Matt DeLisa, a local researcher working on a vaccine for SARS -CoV-2, or Coronavirus. This interview was conducted and produced by WRFI contributor Esther Racoosin, and aired originally on the December 8th edition of Locally Sourced Science. 

Happy Tuesday! On this edition of WRFI Community Radio News, you'll hear a a selection of the WRFI and Durland Alternatives Library series “Alternatives in Action” which explore how we, as consumers, can be just a little more innovative in our day to day lives.

Happy Monday! After the headline news, you’ll hear an episode of the podcast Audio Interference, which explores the relationship between cultural production and social movements. Today’s selection features part of the “Archiving Abolition” series, made in collaboration with Survived and Punished New York. Other episodes in the collaborative series can be heard in the coming weeks on Mondays, and at interferencearchive.org.

Happy Friday! After tonight's headline news, listen to our live interview with Leslie Danks Burke. She was the democratic challenger to incumbent State Senator Tom O’Mara in the 58th district. O’Mara secured a win for the race, and you’ll hear from Danks Burke about her reflections on the campaign and thoughts on improving the district going forward.

The happiest of Thursdays to you all! After the headline news, you’ll hear a conversation with a Cornell scientist who speaks about his research Inspired by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Then, you’ll hear a tale by local Author Bob Proehl from a Trampoline story slam competition.

Happy Wednesday! After the headline news, you’ll hear a segment from the podcast, WORK! Exploring the future of work, labor and employment. Today's selection features a conversation with Eduardo Porter, economics reporter at The New York Times.

Happy Tuesday! After tonight's headline news, listen to our interview with Public News Service reporter Laura Rosbrow-Telem, who joined us live on the air. She recently co-produced a story for WNYC’s show Radiolab about the process of developing COVID-19 vaccines. Rosbrow-Telem is also a former WRFI News Director.

Happy Monday! After the headline news, we feature an episode of one of WRFI’s public affairs series, “The Inquiring Socialist”. Contributor Wayles Brown speaks with Raza Rumi, Director of the Park Center for Independent Media about the role of independent Media as a contrast to mainstream media.

Happy Friday! After the headline news, you’ll hear an interview of Radical performers Reverend Billy Talen and the Church of Stop Shopping.  They blend activism, music, and humor to trace the connections between consumerist culture, climate crisis, and the coming "shopacalypse."

Happy Monday! After tonight's headline news, WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt speaks with Tompkins County Legislator Anna Kelles, newly elected Assemblywoman for New York’s 125th District.

Happy Friday! After tonight's headline news, we’ll bring you a piece about Area Congregations Together, a multi faith not for profit, that does an annual Thanksgiving Service. WRFI News Contributor Esther Racoosin will bring us last year’s service at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ithaca.

Happy Thursday! After tonight's headline news, you’ll hear our report of Ithaca’s 2019 Streets Alive event, and after that, a tale from one of Trampoline’s storytelling competitions.

Happy Wednedsday! On this edition of the WRFI Community Radio News, you’ll hear a report about a new, virtual cabaret being performed this weekend by members of a local theatre company. “A Virtual Cabaret – Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future” a production by Walking on Water, opens this weekend. WRFI news contributor Fred Balfour interviews founder and producing artistic director Priscilla Hummel on musical theater in general and on their upcoming production.

Happy Tuesday! On this edition of the news,  WRFI Contributor Esther Racoosin talks with Jen Tennant, the artistic director of the Spring Writes festival, and Robin Schwartz of the Community Arts Partnership in Tompkins County, to learn more about the new virtual version of the festival.  

Fred Balfour reports on the downsizing of faculty and staff at Ithaca College, plus local headlines, election news, and more.

Happy Friday! After this episode's headline news, you’ll hear a recap of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7 trial, and after that, an interview with Cornell Scientist Dr. Katie Fiorella about Algal Blooms.

Happy Thursday! On this edition of the news, you’ll hear a replay of Michayla Savitt’s interview with Jack Goldman, founder of The Bookery independent bookstore, which closed in November of last year after a long and storied tenure in the Dewitt Mall.

Happy Veterans’ Day! After tonight’s headline news, you will hear a conversation with Dr. Ingrid Zabel about a new virtual and live exhibit at the Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research, called, Changing Climate, Our Future, Our Choices. It helps viewers learn about the causes of and possible solutions to the problem of climate change.

Happy Tuesday! After tonight's headline news, listen to our interview with the playwright and a director of the Cherry Arts’ upcoming show, A Day, which opens this Friday. Producer Fred Balfour will give us a look at the local Ithaca theater’s show, which will be performed by four actors recording live video on greenscreens, edited in real-time for the audience’s viewing.

Happy Monday! After tonight's headline news for Tompkins and Schuyler counties, listen to our live interview with Anna Lamb, the Ithaca Voice’s Senior Writer and Leader of the Newsroom. We talked with Anna about The Ithaca Voice’s coverage of local elections last week and over the past few months. We also heard about her plans for coverage of COVID-19 as we head into colder months; and finally, we took a behind the scenes look at the Ithaca Voice’s newsroom.

After the headlines from Friday, November 6, listen to our story on The Social Justice Intensive, or S J I , which is an after school program hosted at the Youth Farm Project in Ithaca, New York. The program is about making social justice education a collaborative experience between the program’s leaders, and the youths in it. We bring you their myriad voices to share this learning experience with you as they are cultivating crops at the Youth Farm Project. 

Happy Thursday! This edition of WRFI News was hosted by Ed von Aderkas and Fred Balfour. On today's feature, WRFI News Contributor Esther Racoosin speaks with Cornell Professor David Bateman, a scholar who studies the history of the development of political and voting rights in America. They discuss about different subjects pertaining to the history of the expansion of the electorate and how and why attempts at disenfranchisement continue today.

Fill-in host Felix Teitelbaum interviews Democratic NY State Senate Candidate Leslie Danks Burke. At airtime, the outcome of her race against incumbent Tom O'Mara was still unknown. Contributor Esther Racoosin speaks with a local poll manager plus local headlines on this day after election day. Tessie Devlin cohosts.

For WRFI Community Radio News' special pre-election broadcast, we bring you tonight's headlines, another voter vignette, and interviews with Mike Sigler, the Chairman of the Tompkins County Republican Party, and Stacey Dimas, second vice president of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee.

Happy Monday! On this edition of the news, WRFI News contributor Fred Balfour interviews three people across the country about their experiences voting, and we listen to a bonus episode of Which Way Forward, our upcoming documentary about Police Reform, where our volunteers ask local candidates about their takes on police reform. 

Happy (almost) Halloween! On today's show, WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt and WRFI Contributor Anna Lamb talk about the health department's tips on how to have a safe and spooky holiday this year. Then Anna brings you story about the case of Edward Rulloff, an Ithaca murderer in the 1800s. To round out our show, WRFI Contributor Fred Balfour chats with his fourth grade grandson about Halloween in a pandemic. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

Thursday arts beat time! WRFI News Contributor Fred Balfour reports on how Channel 13, one of the public TV channels in Tompkins County, has been off the air for over a month now. Then, you'll hear a tale from Trampoline, Ithaca’s premiere storytelling competition, now online due to COVID-19. This event's winning storyteller was Marissa Slocum, who tells her story "live" from the Zoom video conferencing “stage”.  Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

WRFI Contributors & Ithaca College Park Scholars Skylar Eagle, Maia Noah, and Hailey Aldrich bring you a report that delves into some local candidates’ stances on police reform. Editorial supervision and sound design was by WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt. This is a bonus piece that’s part of our Fall collaborative radio project Which Way Forward: Reforming Public Safety. We have been cooking up this audio documentary with a team of over 15 reporters from WRFI, the Ithaca Voice, and the Ithaca College park Scholars. Stay tuned: the full documentary will air in December! Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

The Civic Ensemble, which calls itself Ithaca's civic-minded theater company, had a change in leadership at the end of the summer. WRFI Community News contributor Pamela Tan spoke with the Civic's new Executive Director and members of the newly created Artistic Ensemble in August, when this piece first aired.  Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt is joined live by WRFI General Manager Felix Teitelbaum, and WRFI’s first-ever Assistant General Manager, Peter Champelli to hear about the "State of the Station". We delve into the latest station improvements, none of which couldn't have happened without all the volunteers and staff that make up the WRFI Community. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

A protest held last night outside Ithaca Police Department resulted in half a dozen arrests. Ithaca Voice reporter Matt butler was on the scene, and gives a rundown of how the nights’ events unfolded, and WRFI news Director Michayla Savitt speaks with community organizer Genevieve Rand, one of the people arrested outside of IPD. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

WRFI News Intern Tessie Devlin brings you the story about how one college student is managing a pain disorder during COVID-19 and an unusual school year. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.* Note: a previous version of this podcast mistakenly did not include the headlines for 10/22. It has since been updated to include the full show.

WRFI contributor Esther Racoosin speaks with Yael Saar and Margaret Royall, organizers of Parents2Polls Tompkins, a non-partisan get out the vote initiative that aims to make it easier for busy families to make a plan to get to early voting sites. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

WRFI News Contributor Pamela Tan brings you a report about a socially distanced book launch held over the summer at the Aurora drive-in theater, where local author Melanie Conroy-Goldman premiered her new novel, The Likely World. Pamela attended the event with her family, and produced this feature which first aired on our program on August 12, 2020. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

WRFI Community Radio hosted* a discussion and call-in show about public health concerns surrounding the novel coronavirus pandemic. WRFI's 11th COVID-19 Town Hall featured YOUR QUESTIONS, Frank Kruppa, Public Health Director at the Tompkins County Health Department, and Gen Meredith, Associate Director of the Cornell University Masters of Public Health program. WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt hosted the program remotely, and produced the show with help from the News Team. *note, due to technical difficulties we had to start our program late, stay tuned for more town halls about public health in the near future!

During the headlines, WRFI Contributor and Ithaca Voice reporter Anna Lamb calls in with an update on a pro-Trump rally taking place Friday afternoon in Ithaca that shut down a portion of South Meadow street. Later on in the program, WRFI News Contributor Fred Balfour brings you his healthcare report comparing the costs of the same medical visit in Stonybrook, New York vs. Paris, France. Then, we send you off with a recorded tale from one of Ithaca’s Trampoline story competitions, themed “Seven Deadly Sins” during their “Year in Hell” season. WRFI’s very own Peter Bakija tells the story about how when he was an almost-teen in the 80s, he plotted to murder another 12 year old. Spoiler alert: he didn’t kill anyone.

WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt is joined via telephone by Ithaca Voice contributing writer Brian Crandall, who reports on development projects happening in and around Tompkins County. Brian delves into the latest news about the Ithaca Green Street Garage redevelopment, and he confirms the news of a long-awaited Trader Joe’s coming to Ithaca. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

Today on our program, we spotlight WRFI’s all-things science show, Locally Sourced Science. LSS Contributor Esther Racoosin speaks with Dr. Taryn Bauerle, an Associate Professor at Cornell in their school of integrative plant science. Dr. Bauerle studies plant responses to water deficits, and offers her take on how the region’s recent moderate drought is affecting trees and other plants. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

Today on our show, we spotlight another local podcast! This episode of the Cornell ILR school podcast, WORK! Exploring the future of work, labor and employment features a conversation with Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO. She and host Alex Colvin (Cornell ILR Dean) discuss the shifts that have occurred in unions. Hear more of the podcast at work.ilr.edu.  And as always, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

Today on our program, we dig into the WRFI archives with an episode of “Ear to Earth” a special WRFI News series produced in collaboration with the Park Scholars Program at Ithaca College. First aired in May 2019, this four-part series tackles how climate change is impacting Tompkins County. This episode features two interviews about environmental racism. WRFI Contributor Skylar Eagle speaks with Ithaca College Professor Pranietha Mudliar how resource policies affect communities of color. Then, WRFI Contributor John Turner delves into climate issues facing the Cayuga Nation with guest Margaret Ann Bowers, also known as Poco.  Plus, the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

In recognition of Mental Illness Awareness week, WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt delves into her mom's experience getting proper care for bipolar 1 disorder after being misdiagnosed for almost her entire life, and managing a mental illness every day and, especially in a pandemic. Plus, we bring you the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

WRFI News Contributor Jon Donville recounts an unexpected obstacle that came between him and his girlfriend amid the COVID-19 shutdown: the United States and Canada border. Plus, the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

WRFI News Contributor Esther Racoosin speaks with Robin Schwartz, program and grant director for the Community Arts Partnership in Tompkins County. They discuss the virtual and in-person events on the Greater Ithaca Art Trail happening October 10-11 and 17-18. Plus, the latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties.

The latest headline news in and around Tompkins and Schuyler Counties. Plus, Ithaca Voice reporters Anna Lamb and Matt Butler join WRFI News Director Michayla Savitt live via telephone to discuss a local rally held on October 3 in support of President Trump. Anna and Matt also discuss the defacement of a downtown Black Lives Matter mural in the early hours of October 4.