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Public Advocate: Do We Need One?

by Arun Venugopal

July 09, 2009

One of the more high-profile citywide races taking place this summer and fall is the one for the Public Advocate's office. The contest has drawn some of the most well known politicians in town. But e....

Bernie Madoff Gets 150 Years for Ponzi Scheme

by Arun Venugopal

June 29, 2009

The sentence was handed down to convicted investor who defrauded thousands of clients to the tune of almost $65 billion. Federal judge Denny Chin handed down the maximum sentence to Madoff in a downt....

Gay Pride Parade Marks 40 Years After Stonewall Uprising

by Arun Venugopal

June 29, 2009

The weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and thousands of people filled the streets for the annual Gay Pride parade. Drea Lewis has been attending the pride parade for about ....

Mayor, Gov Push Renewal of Mayoral School Governance

by Arun Venugopal

June 29, 2009

Demonstrators opposed to mayoral control of city schools rallied in Harlem yesterday, just a few feet from supporters of the law. The dueling protests took place outside a school, where the mayor, th....

Protesters Dispute Iranian Election

by Arun Venugopal

June 15, 2009

Shouting "We condemn coup d'etat" and other chants, more than a hundred protesters gathered at Dag Hammarskjold plaza to dispute the results of the Iranian election. Nazi Hajari came from New Jersey....

10 Years in the Making, High Line Opens

by Arun Venugopal

June 09, 2009

It was an improbable idea but the elevated park known as the High Line was inaugurated, ten years after it was first conceived. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more on the city's new aerial promenade. REP....

Thompson: Mayor Should Not Monopolize Water Board

by Arun Venugopal

June 08, 2009

City comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate William Thompson says the Mayor should no longer have complete control of the city's water board. Thompson says water rates have gone up sharply, in ....

Of Gay Pride and Int'l Human Rights

by Arun Venugopal

June 08, 2009

Thousands of people flocked to Jackson Heights yesterday for the annual Queens LGBT Pride Parade. And while same-sex marriage was on the minds of many, one gay activist says it shouldn't obscure othe....

NYC Muslims React to Obama's Speech

by Arun Venugopal

June 04, 2009

President Obama's speech to the Islamic world has generated intense excitement among New York City's Muslims. Haroon Moghul works for the Islamic Center at NYU. He says he only realized what a big ....

Census Bureau in PR Blitz to Reach NY Immigrants

by Arun Venugopal

June 04, 2009

The federal government is gearing up for the 2010 Census, and here in New York that means reaching deep into communities that tend to be undercounted. For city officials, an accurate count can mean ....

City Workers to Pay More of Health Care

by Arun Venugopal

June 02, 2009

Municipal union leaders have agreed to let city workers shoulder more of their health care costs, in a concession to the city meant to prevent layoffs. The measures include co-pays of $50 to $100 for....

Bill Would Increase Penalty for Operators and Spectators of Animal Fighting in NY

by Arun Venugopal

May 25, 2009

Among the thousands of bills vying for passage in the state legislature is one that would crack down on illegal dog and cockfighting operations. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more. REPORTER: Right now, ....

A Bigger Times Square for Pedestrians

by Arun Venugopal

May 22, 2009

Times Square may never be the same. On Monday, the city is beginning a pilot project to shut down stretches of Broadway to car traffic - from the theater district down to Herald Square - and open the....

Dueling Rallies Over Same-Sex Marriage

by Arun Venugopal

May 18, 2009

Supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage held competing rallies yesterday. in hopes of influencing State Senators before they vote on the issue. WNYC's Arun Venugopal attended both rallies and h....

Proposed FDNY Cuts Criticized

by Arun Venugopal

May 12, 2009

The City Council is holding hearings on the Fire Department's budget today, including the contentious issue of whether to close 16 fire houses. Mayor Bloomberg says the city can save $17 million, eit....

Subway Riders Relieved Hike is Not More

by Arun Venugopal

May 06, 2009

Yes, subway fares are going up, but not as much as they could have. That's the glass-is-half-full perspective of riders like Erin Roth. She's a Broadway dresser from Woodside, Queens, who buys an $81....

To Mask Or Not to Mask?

by Arun Venugopal

April 30, 2009

To mask or not to mask one's face, that's one question on the minds of New Yorkers thinking about the swine flu. Jeremy Beiler [BY-ler] is an actor who arrived at work on a bike in the West Village. ....

Bloomberg Says Local Flu is Mild

by Arun Venugopal

April 28, 2009

Mayor Bloomberg says swine flu appears to be spreading in New York City but he says it's nothing to be alarmed about. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more. The mayor repeatedly emphasized that the local ....

Home Depot Opens in the Bronx

by Arun Venugopal

April 23, 2009

A new Home Depot opened in the Bronx today and the borough's new president-elect, Ruben Diaz Jr., was there to take a look. The big box store is part of the Gateway Center mall, which replaced the o....

Green Buildings Pushed by Bloomberg, Quinn

by Arun Venugopal

April 23, 2009

Mayor Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn are pushing a raft of proposals, meant to make existing buildings more energy efficient. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more. REPORTER: The legislatio....