WRFI Community Radio News

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...

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...

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 Cou...

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...

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 an...

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...

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 h...

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...

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 a...

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...

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.