Arun Venugopal

New York, NY —

State Comptroller Alan Hevesi didn't give an inch in last night's debate with his Republican challenger. WNYC’s Arun Venugopal has more on Hevesi's fight to stay ahead of a growing scandal.

Hevesi has become a liability for the leading Democrats on the statewide ballot and was ...

New York, NY —

The Brooklyn Navy Yard was once written off as a casualty of waterfront development and manufacturing job loss. But now the site is poised for its biggest expansion since World War Two.

Over the next three years seven buildings will go up at the Navy Yard, ...

New York, NY —

The two candidates for state comptroller participate in a live debate tonight - their first. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

Democratic state comptroller Alan Hevesi was considered a shoo-in in his re-election bid, and had resisted calls for a debate with his lesser-known opponent, Republican Christopher ...

New York, NY —

The city says it's going to crack down on the pirated movies sold on street corners and in subways. One industry estimate says, they cost Hollywood as much as $6 billion a year.

New York is a hub of the global trade in pirated DVDs, according ...

New York, NY —

Sold for $5.4 billion. That’s how much Met Life is being offered for Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village from Tishman Speyer and Black Rock Realty. The deal is believed to be one of the largest in American real estate history. WNYC’s Arun Venugopal has ...

New York, NY —

City officials pledged to spend 4 million dollars to help open an industrial building in Williamsburg. The deal is part of a campaign to keep manufacturers from leaving the city. WNYC's Arun Venugopal spent time with one small businessman who has benefited from the program.

Milo ...

New York, NY —

The future owner of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village may emerge from opening bids submitted to Met Life tomorrow.

REPORTER: Over a dozen groups are expected to bid on the 80-acre complex, including the tenants association, which wants to prevent the property from eventually becoming ...

New York, NY —

The city is spending $4 million on an industrial building in Williamsburg. The 72,000 square foot building will house small and mid-sized manufacturers.

The announcement is part of a city campaign to revive the manufacturing sector by offering low rents. Carl Hum of the Mayor's Office ...

New York, NY —

The City Council is holding a Nightlife Summit even as it proposes legislation to regulate nightclubs. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

REPORTER: Today's closed-door Summit brings together politicians, law enforcement officials and members of the nightlife industry, and while everyone says they're in this together, it's ...

New York, NY —

The city is calling for proposals to develop what may be the world's largest armory, in the Bronx.

The Kingsbridge Armory was built in 1917, and contains nearly 600 thousand square feet of space. Right now, it's being used as an annex building by the National ...

New York, NY —

Young women incarcerated in two state facilities are frequently subjected to abuse and sexual misconduct. That’s according to a report being released today by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union. WNYC’s Arun Venugopal has more.

The report charges the state’s Office of Children ...

New York, NY —

The MTA's chairman, Peter Kalikow, says he is opposed to any fare increases or service reductions in the next year. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more on how the transit authority pre-empted a possible PR fiasco.

The chairman's statement came within hours of an article in today's ...

New York, NY —

Bronx community groups are protesting the city's plans to build a new, $375 million jail in Hunts Point.

The jail would hold 2000 beds, and is part of a long-term effort by the Department of Corrections to reduce capacity at Rikers Island by building jails in ...

New York, NY —

Homeless advocates say that 20,000 school-age children in the city are homeless. A new report from the group Advocates for Children of New York say the Department of Education undercounts this population, and that city policies contribute to high absenteeism and dropout rates.

REPORTER: The report ...

New York, NY —

9/11 family members and politicians gathered for the opening of the WTC Tribute Center. It's located across from the World Trade Center site and commemorates the events of 9/11 through exhibits and artifacts.

The opening drew the regular dignitaries - the mayor, the governor, Assembly Speaker ...

New York, NY —

A Staten Island-based satellite dish operator and native of Pakistan has been charged with illegally broadcasting Hizbollah's satellite TV channel.

The federal government says 42-year-old Javed Iqbal was providing customers access to al Manar, a channel run by the terrorist group that was itself designated a ...

Queens, NY —

About 75 Residents of Queens gathered at PS 234 in Astoria, to vent their feelings about Con-Ed and its handling of the recent blackout. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

The hearings were organized by the state's Public Service Commission, which itself took criticism for not publicizing the ...

New York, NY —

The oven that is New York City roasted its residents at a slightly higher temperature today, the second day of a heat wave that's not expected to break until Friday. A new record of 101 degrees was reached at Laguardia Airport this afternoon. Newark saw ...

New York, NY —

More than a thousand people gathered at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza to rally against the proposed Nets arena high-rise project.

The rally drew Council Member Letitia James, as well as celebrities like Rosie Perez and Steve Buscemi, but for the most part the event was a ...

New York, NY —

Although animal shelters run by the city still destroy tens of thousands of animals each year, city officials aim to have a "no-kill" policy in place by 2015. But the effort recently hit a snag, in the form of higher gas prices. WNYC’s Arun Venugopal ...