Arun Venugopal

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The National Rifle Association has seriously disliked Mayor Michael Bloomberg ("the antigun billionaire") for a while now, but it's only in the last couple months that it's actually tried to mobilize its members--millions of them--against Bloomberg and Mayors Against ...

New York, NY —

The city council has overwhelmingly approved a new five-minute grace period for certain parking violations before those bright orange tickets can be issued. However, Mayor Bloomberg is vowing to veto the bill. "A five-minute grace period is only going to lead to chaos, and enormous ...

So far this month New York has been host to two South Asian film festivals. The South Asian International Film Festival was last week. And on Wednesday night when the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council had its festival opening, WNYC's Arun Venugopal was there, stalking the red carpet.

Naseeruddin Shah and Aasif Mandvi in "Tonight's Special"

New York, NY —

Members of the NYPD were at a school in Harlem last night to address what they see as an ongoing problem - the growth and increased sophistication of gangs. WNYC's Arun Venugopal was there.

REPORTER: The Gang Intel event, as it was called, was a sort ...

New York, NY —

Less than a quarter of the city's elementary school children returned parental consent forms to get swine flu vaccines. City health officials say about 5,500 students took advantage of the free, in-school vaccination program. Mayor Bloomberg says he's surprised.

BLOOMBERG: I had no reason to know ...

A Bronx drug bust early this morning called Operation Rotten Apple involved 450 federal and local agents, and resulted in charges against 53 men and women.

New York, NY —

A Bronx drug bust early this morning called Operation Rotten Apple involved 450 federal and local agents, and resulted in charges against 53 men and women. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more:

REPORTER: The names of the alleged drug dealers sounded straight out of central casting. There ...

In the final hours of campaigning, mayoral candidates Comptroller Bill Thompson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg are making a last campaign dash across the city.

New York, NY —

It was the final weekend of campaigning, and mayoral candidates Comptroller Bill Thompson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg could be found campaigning across the city. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

PASTOR: Brother Thompson, I think this is for you. Do you believe?

REPORTER: That's the pastor at the ...

New York, NY —

New MTA chairman Jay Walder says his agency is right to have appealed an arbitration ruling that gave transit workers a pay raise. In August the Transport Workers Union was granted an 11 percent hike over 3 years, but Walder says the arbitrator didn't follow ...

New York, NY —

Schools advocates, union members and others are speaking out against Governor Paterson's proposed budget cuts. They showed up at a Senate hearing on the matter yesterday.

James Parrott, an economist at the Fiscal Policy Institute, says the state should hold off on making drastic cuts.

PARROTT: I ...

At Sixth Ave and Houston.

New York, NY —

President Obama's visit to the city brought the healthcare debate to the streets of Manhattan last night. About 200 demonstrators along 8th avenue and 34th street held up signs and shouted in support of a public option. Kitty Williston says polls strongly suggest Americans want ...

New York, NY —

Governor David Paterson met with business leaders over the weekend in an effort to build support for further budget cuts. He says the cuts are needed if the state wants to avoid getting hit with lower credit ratings, as other states have. But he responded ...

New York, NY —

First, the city went after gun stores in other states. Now, its taking on the politically controversial matter of gun shows. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more on the city's latest undercover sting.

REPORTER: There are thousands of gun shows across the country, and while licensed dealers ...

(image courtesy of nyc.gov.)

City investigators found it all too easy to buy guns illegally at out-of-state gun shows, in the city's latest sting operation focusing on illegal gun sales. A four-month probe of 7 gun shows--in Ohio, Tennessee, and Nevada--found ...

New York, NY —

A Queens councilman says after-school programs can help prevent shootings like the one that killed a 13-year-old boy over the weekend. According to Leroy Comrie, who represents the area in which Kevin Miller was killed, youth unemployment is a major problem. And he says many ...

New York, NY —

The city is expanding its network of security cameras and other counterterrorism devices.

Officials say the system that has been in place downtown will also be implemented in midtown starting next year. Mayor Bloomberg made the announcement at the Lower Manhattan command center.

BLOOMBERG: If people know, ...

New York, NY —

Brooklyn councilman Bill de Blasio won the Democratic runoff for public advocate, handily defeating Mark Green. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

REPORTER: De Blasio won 62.5 percent of the vote, while Green got just 37.5 in his latest, and possibly last, run for office. Although the ...

New York, NY —

The runoff in the public advocate's race is tomorrow, and both candidates say they expect few New Yorkers will vote. So they're focusing on minority neighborhoods, where they believe voters are more likely to turn out. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

REPORTER: Yesterday morning candidate Mark ...