WRFI Community Radio News

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 w...

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.