יום רביעי, ט׳ תמוז תשפ״וWednesday, June 24, 2026
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Marc Gronich is the owner and news director of Statewide News Service. He has been covering government and politics for 44 years, since the administration of Hugh Carey. He is an award-winning journalist. His Albany Beat column appears monthly in The Jewish Press and his coverage about how Jewish life intersects with the happenings at the state Capitol appear weekly in the newspaper. You can reach Mr. Gronich at swnsonline@gmail.com.
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By Marc Gronich
In the history of this city and state, most often the challenger against the party wins the nomination, Rudy Giuliani told The Jewish Press.
By Marc Gronich
The people of Ukraine are suffering at the hands of a terrorist. Growing up in the region I know that President Putin has always been a tyrant but now he has officially lost his mind, said New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (R-Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn).
By Marc Gronich
We are a stronger party when we ride together, said Pinion. We may not agree on the things we need to do but we are united in one quest, which is to make sure we put Chuck Schumer in the retirement home of politics once and for all.
By Marc Gronich
Adams told the Chazaq supporters what they are doing mirrors what he wants his administration to replicate. The newly-minted mayor also said that when he grew up his mother had trouble always putting a full meal on the table.
By Marc Gronich
We need to talk about what’s involved with removal and commitment for the highest need individuals. Individuals who demonstrated they are not capable of taking care of themselves.
By Marc Gronich
Schumer, the only Jew on the statewide ticket, spoke about every ethnic group except his own.
By Marc Gronich
New York City officials have squirreled away $1 billion in a rainy-day fund over the past two years, fearing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit in the coming years.
By Marc Gronich
It's important to show up. To earn someone’s vote and it’s important to keep showing up to keep earning that support, said Zeldin, considered the presumptive party nominee for the Republicans and Conservatives.
By Marc Gronich
The Brooklyn district represented by Simcha Felder (D-Borough Park/Midwood, Brooklyn) changes a great deal. His district number changes from 17 to 26, which will confuse voters and could encourage a challenger for the popular lawmaker.
By Marc Gronich
The Holocaust did not start at the death camps, it started years before with indifference. It is important for us to recommit men to the best aspects of human nature standing up for our colleagues.
By Marc Gronich
The governor maintains that wearing masks and getting booster shots is the main reason for the positive downward trend in hospitalizations.
By Marc Gronich
The media would portray him as someone who would twist arms. That wasn’t who Shelly was.
By Marc Gronich
I want to make one point explicitly clear: We cannot go to the people who created our problems for the solution.
By Marc Gronich
One proposal stressed her desire to remake the current ethics commission with one that has teeth. During her remarks she hinted that she might have already known about her stumble on ethics.
By Marc Gronich
While Hochul would probably like to deliver this type of speech many more times, her political opponents – both Democrats and Republicans – would like this to be her last.
By Marc Gronich
Hochul’s Pledge New York is a rough and tumble landscape politically, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul wants to portray the image that she is no shrinking violet. “Don’t worry about me. I am in a very good mental, physical and emotional place right now because the people of New York need me and I’m […]
By Marc Gronich
Eichenstein told The Jewish Press. This was literally designed to keep Orthodox Jews out from the town. We should never bring any legislation to the floor that discriminates against any group of people.
By Marc Gronich
Even though Agudah’s main mission is to influence legislation on a state level, Benjamin talked about Israel to the group.
By Marc Gronich
The idea that the Jews went like sheep to the slaughter is absolute nonsense. Narishkeit, foolishness. The Jews did fight back.
By Marc Gronich
Justice Peter Lynch “issued an order that a school district must provide transportation to nonpublic school students on days when [nonpublic] schools are in session.”
By Marc Gronich
She also has to keep up her mantra of being responsible for the most transparent state government New Yorkers have ever seen. This goal appears to be a work in progress.
By Marc Gronich
“I have no problem raising taxes,” said Suozzi, “but not only in New York.” Suozzi said any tax hike, including a carbon tax, would have to come from the federal level.
By Marc Gronich
In 2004, the National Baseball Hall of Fame prepared a retrospective “A Celebration of Jews in Baseball.”
By Marc Gronich
The big winner for Best New Product was 100 percent Pure Pistachio Oil by Setton International Foods.
By Marc Gronich
We have to remember the word pork, there’s a lot of history packed into that.
By Marc Gronich
Goldstein said he hopes a new cannabis-growing plant on the horizon will be the beginning of a revitalized and brighter future for the town.
By Marc Gronich
Hochul needs to cater to downstate interests on many issues. That moves her farther to the left but she can’t really ‘out-left’ Tish James.
By Marc Gronich
While Kirschner’s caseload in Queens Criminal Court has prepared him for his role in state Supreme Court, he feels he’s had a special guiding hand from above.
By Marc Gronich
With his friendship with YU and loyalty to the cause of Soviet Jewry, it is easy to see why Rabbi Halpern aligned himself with the Triple-S-J even when it was a fledgling organization and advocated for others to participate in its efforts.
By Marc Gronich
To show she can relate to the average candidate and committee member, Hochul continued with her resume. I’ve been fighting since 1974, fighting for candidates. I know how hard it is...
By Marc Gronich
We have a lot of work to do on extending producer responsibility to try to address our waste problems because certainly that’s first and foremost, Tighe emphasized.
By Marc Gronich
“Resignation does not equal accountability,” Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing, Queens) wrote. “Dr. Zucker’s departure is the absolute minimum needed to restore faith and accountability in government..."
By Marc Gronich
In Crown Heights where were all the people who condemned me? The Chanukah attacks, where were they?
By Marc Gronich
"The goal isn’t necessarily to prevent big business from coming into the industry in New York but definitely from allowing them to be the only operators in this space,” Alexander said.
By Marc Gronich
“The failure on the part of our state to deliver that much needed assistance is something that truly is shameful,” said Assemblyman Michael Lawler (R – Pearl River, Rockland County) during the debate.
By Marc Gronich
The eviction moratorium that’s expiring shortly will have no bearing on these individuals. We’re talking about literally sending people to their doors.
By Marc Gronich
As if to leave New Yorkers with a positive message Cuomo in essence signed off by saying don’t forget about me. Remember the good things I did.
By Marc Gronich
One of Cuomo’s last acts as governor was signing two bills into law allowing two Jewish institutions to receive back taxes that had to be paid to the town.
By Marc Gronich
The governor has a huge campaign fund and he could intervene in New York politics through that campaign fund, and that might be reason to continue the proceedings.
By Marc Gronich
One person who is clearly not a Hochul fan is the state Conservative Party chairman.
By Marc Gronich
Even though it was a friendly audience, Adams did not take questions. He had another fundraiser to attend. If Adams had taken questions Sherman would have requested he oppose upzoning.
By Marc Gronich
‘Albany corruption is systemic, fundamental and real. One-party Democrat rule enables this type of malign behavior. It’s not just about Cuomo, it’s about those who continue to preserve the status quo and have failed to learn from the mistakes of the past.’
By Marc Gronich
Getting vaccinated is the key to our success defeating Covid-19 and restoring the economy. This extraordinary incentive for the state's young people has helped us put shots in arms across New York,” Cuomo said.
By Marc Gronich
‘Summer camps now have the freedom to hire, employ or to contract with mental health professionals in any way they see fit.’
By Marc Gronich
‘Most Americans don’t realize what a critical juncture we are at and the fact that if our supply chain for microelectronics is cut off we will not be able to function as we do now.’
By Marc Gronich
While chasidic Jews typically attend their own religious schools, local districts in New York have to pay for a percentage of their busing costs and special education services.
By Marc Gronich
"This legislation provides a needed and thoughtful step in the right direction for East Ramapo schools and, most importantly, for students,” wrote State Education Commissioner Dr. Betty Rosa in a prepared statement.
By Marc Gronich
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley, Suffolk County) has been crowned the GOPs presumptive gubernatorial nominee to lead the statewide ticket next November.
By Marc Gronich
We are not talking about a significant increase and we’re talking about something that is going to make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of kids around New York and their families. … The current system is not working.
By Marc Gronich
What we need to do is to figure out a mechanism to allow these people to fully participate in the community… We’ve got to teach the community about the worth of people with disabilities.
By Marc Gronich
The state capitol and the Albany government complex have been open to the public, but state workers have not returned to their offices full time across the state.
By Marc Gronich
Ortt also focused his remarks on the lack of public safety legislation being passed in the Senate.
By Marc Gronich
“We are in a state of recovery – not emergency – and it’s time New Yorkers are able to return to their daily routines and a sense of normalcy,” said Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay (R – Pulaski, Oswego County).
By Marc Gronich
With his 80 percent support, Zeldin will not have to circulate nominating petitions next year in order to be on the ballot.
By Marc Gronich
‘A fence would deter people from coming to shul… We need to figure out how to be safe in an open way and be proud Jews living in the community we live.’
By Marc Gronich
There have been 63 assaults on Jewish men since the beginning of this year, three more than the same period last year.
By Marc Gronich
Schwartz told The Jewish Press, I didn’t realize that when you try to avoid infection that’s considered discrimination. I’m used to thinking of discrimination as a social thing not as a medical thing.
By Marc Gronich
There is legislation on the books that every child, age 8 years and up, should get some type of Holocaust education in school, Kaplan noted. We don’t know how it’s working.
By Marc Gronich
This year Kassar, 62, is trying to advance legislation to make it easier for voters to influence policy and legislation without having to run for office.
By Marc Gronich
This situation cannot and should not be resolved in the press; I believe the best way to get to the truth is through a full and thorough outside review and I am directing all state employees to comply with that effort.
By Marc Gronich
Personally, I have thankfully never received the governor’s wrath. In fact, I feel I have had a welcoming relationship with the Cuomo family.
By Marc Gronich
When you read this column, you can swap out the word “Asian” for “Jewish” and the meaning will be felt as though the resolution was written for our community.
By Marc Gronich
We are hurt, we are frustrated, we are in mourning, we are anxious. We are shocked that an invisible enemy could wreak such death and destruction, especially in this, the wealthiest and the most powerful nation on earth.
By Marc Gronich
When it comes to a safety first mantra, Barclay, 51, speaks from first-hand experience.
By Marc Gronich
Looking ahead to 2021, I predict state lawmakers will remain in their districts and conduct business virtually, relying on staff and conference leaders to do their bidding for them with the governor.
By Marc Gronich
To help get the city’s fiscal house in order, Weprin wants to reinstate the commuter tax, which he wants to rename a non-resident income tax, and set at a rate higher than one half of one percent.
By Marc Gronich
What we don’t want to do is have people working in New York but not physically living in New York and as a result we lose that tax base. We have to be careful and delicate.
By Marc Gronich
The governor keeps telling anyone who will listen how close his father and he have been toward members of the Orthodox Jewish community for more than 30 years. The governor has to understand what was true once may not be true today.
By Marc Gronich
While trying to hold together a congregation of first generation Americans and new immigrants arriving from Europe post-World War II, at age 25, Halpern embarked on a career to serve his country.
By Marc Gronich
During a Tuesday news conference, the governor said he deeply respects and has close ties to the Orthodox Jewish community that go back more than 30 years. Cuomo said the crackdown results from love and respect for Orthodox Jews.
By Marc Gronich
If you look at those clusters and you look at those zip codes, you will see there’s an overlap with large Orthodox Jewish communities. That is a fact.
By Marc Gronich
When U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday, September 18, at her home in Washington, D.C., it was just around the time of shkiah – the beginning of Rosh Hashanah and Shabbos.
By Marc Gronich
By and large I think people expected it. I don’t think anyone was surprised that Kosherfest wasn’t going to take place in November.
By Marc Gronich
The State University of New York’s College at Oneonta in the northern Catskills has been shut down for the next two weeks by the Chancellor of the State University system due to an outbreak of coronavirus on campus. Students and faculty returned to campus on Sunday, August 23. Since then, instead of registering for classes, […]
By Marc Gronich
We just feel completely blessed by Hashem. Wherever we go after this stop we know that it’s G-d’s blessing.
By Marc Gronich
I have viewed my stature in Albany through the lens of how that helps me deliver for the people in my district, Myrie told The Jewish Press.
By Marc Gronich
The Department still has not revealed the number of people who were transferred from nursing homes to hospitals and then died there, Gottfried said.
By Marc Gronich
The problem is Mitch McConnell. He’s been unwilling to allow debate on any amount of state and local funding.
By Marc Gronich
There are free borders, Potosek said. The governor made that pretty clear. We’re not restricting travel.
By Marc Gronich
They (the camp directors) are all disappointed that the kids are losing out and it’s sort of a mission for them.
By Marc Gronich
The case has has morphed into whether the governor has the constitutional right to issue the executive order closing down overnight camps this summer.
By Marc Gronich
Schick also told the court that in a sleep away situation campers are in an insular bubble having no contact with others from outside the confines of the campgrounds.
By Marc Gronich
These health and safety protocols would render overnight camps considerably safer than the exempted mass protests as they relate to the transmission of COVID-19.
By Marc Gronich
Kicking off this week, Cuomo declared in his daily affirmation, “What we do today will determine what happens tomorrow.”
By Marc Gronich
Through decades of leadership, Torah and chesed, there is but a void left in the place of the Rebbe on the dais of gedolei Yisrael.
By Marc Gronich
Screeeeeeech! That was the sound across New York this past week as the coronavirus ran rampant throughout the state and life as we once knew it came to a halt, the likes of which no has ever experienced. Here are my top 10 observations since Governor Andrew Cuomo took executive actions to slow the […]
By Marc Gronich
A person who sets a time to learn every single day and to advance in their learning every single day, such a person is going to be mekayem in Talmud Torah on a greater level every day of his life.”
June 19, 2026 
