Arun Venugopal

New York, NY —

The City Council held hearings today in an attempt to help resolve differences over the World Trade Center memorial. Construction began earlier this month, but some victims family members continue to press for changes.

REPORTER: The hearings drew a vocal core of 9-11 family members - ...

New York, NY —

The Port Authority and developer Larry Silverstein are once again said to be close to a deal on the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. The two sides nearly reached a deal two weeks ago, only for talks to break down. For a growing number ...

New York, NY —

A state appeals court has ruled that New York City schools are entitled to billions in additional funding. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

The appeals court directed the state to spend an additional $4.7 billion per year - minimum - on New York City schools. That's ...

New York, NY —

More than 100,000 Irish-Americans will be marching up Fifth Avenue today to mark Saint Patrick's Day. But City Council speaker Christine Quinn won't be one of them. The speaker, who is of Irish descent and gay, failed to get parade organizers to lift their ban ...

New York, NY —

Associates of developer Larry Silverstein squared off with Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff during a city council hearing on the status of the World Trade Center rebuilding effort.

REPORTER: In hearings interrupted by hissing, applause and a visit from a group of Chinese dignitaries, Deputy mayor Doctoroff ...

New York, NY —

The wait appears to be over. Groundbreaking on the World Trade Center memorial takes place this Monday. The memorial is due to be completed by 2009. WNYC's Arun Venugopal looks into the politics that have surrounded - and still surround the memorial - as well ...

New York, NY —

The African Burial Ground in lower Manhattan has achieved National Monument status. WNYC's Arun Venugopal attended today's ceremony.

REPORTER: The ceremony was both a celebration, and in a sense, a wake for 400-plus free and enslaved Africans. Their remains lie under a small plot of land ...

New York, NY —

Tomorrow special elections will be held in six assembly districts around the state. Three of those districts are within the five boroughs. One of those races is taking place on the Upper West Side, in the 67th district.

That's for a seat recently vacated by Scott ...

New York, NY —

Four editorial staffers at the New York Press have resigned in protest. Their decision came after the free weekly paper decided against publishing some of the controversial Danish cartoons that depict the prophet Muhammad. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

REPORTER: The New York Press would not ...

The Real Estate Board of New York's first report on residental sales in 19 Brooklyn neighborhoods was met with the occasional whoop of joy from an audience of realtors.

Between 2004 and 2005, the median price of a condo or co-op went up by 38 percent. DUMBO led all neighborhoods, at ...

New York, NY —

We are midway through the 15-day Chinese New Year, which is being celebrated across the city. WNYC's Arun Venugopal took the opportunity to celebrate the festival with those who know it best.

It’s the first day of the Chinese New Year and Patrick Kwan ...

New York, NY —

The City Council has approved a proposal for the Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market. The $400 million mall is one of Mayor Bloomberg's signature economic development projects. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

The City Council's approval means that the project is just one step away ...

New York, NY —

HIV testing, detox treatment and programs meant to stop cigarette smoking will soon be featured at city homeless shelters, as part of an effort to bring better treatment to the people sleeping there. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

REPORTER: The changes come in the wake of ...

N ew York, NY —

A new report from the Coalition for the Homeless says a city program meant to move families out of shelters and into apartments is fundamentally flawed. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

The city's program, known as Housing Stability Plus, provides a rent subsidy that is ...

New York, NY —

Governor Pataki says he wants taxpayers to fund a cultural building at Ground Zero. WNYC's Arun Venugopal reports.

The governor has proposed spending $80 million for the Snohetta building, which was originally meant to house the Freedom Center and Drawing Center. But will now be used ...

New York, NY —

The Department of Homeland Security is changing the way federal terrorism funds will be distributed. WNYC's Arun Venugopal reports.

REPORTER: Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff says cities will be held to a more rigorous standard when they ask for money from the department's Urban Areas Security ...

New York, NY —

Last night, five days after ending a citywide transit strike, the executive board of the transit workers union overwhelmingly approved a contract that will soon go to the union's general body for a vote. WNYC's Arun Venugopal reports.

A visibly exhausted but relieved Roger Toussaint, the ...

New York, NY —

City and county officials have offered back-up plans in the event of a transit strike. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

Besides encouraging commuters to find friends in Manhattan they can stay with, city officials are suggesting commuters car pool or work from home. Police will enforce ...

New York, NY —

NYU contends the worst of the graduate assistant strike is behind it. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

REPORTER: According to NYU at least three-quarters of its graduate assistants returned to work as of Wednesday. But it's not clear how the university arrived at this figure because ...

New York, NY —

A federal judge ruled today that New York's subway bag searches are constitutional. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

Judge Richard Berman found the searches were not overly intrusive. He also agreed with the city's contention that the threat of a subway bombing was real and substantial ...