Author Archive

Ralph R. Ortega

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: City & State wins 5 awards from the New York Press Association

Our 2025 Better Newspaper Contest honors included a first place win for education coverage for our stories about the Israel-Hamas war college protests.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: Randy Mastro is back ‘to answer the call’

After being skewered by the New York City Council in his bid to serve as corporation counsel, the attorney has been appointed first deputy mayor.

News & Politics

Politics

Penn Station advocates to submit their own redevelopment plan

The proposal from Alexandros Washburn calls for replacing Madison Square Garden with a reimagined Penn Station.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: Latinos’ greater representation at City Hall comes at Adams’ expense

The indicted mayor, having lost his inner circle, appointed Adolfo Carrión Jr., a Nuyorican, to be his deputy mayor of housing, joining one other Hispanic person at the highest level of New York City government.

Interviews & Profiles

Personality

SUNY pushes back on Trump’s second term

Senior Vice Chancellor and General Counsel Kapil Longani discusses the impact of the president’s return to the White House on the system’s 64 colleges and universities.

Interviews & Profiles

Personality

Why the creative industries in NYC are underestimated by the naysayers

A Q&A with Pat Swinney Kaufman, commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: Donald Trump takes a page from Eric Adams’ playbook

The president’s decision to decide what media outlets will be allowed into the White House press pool is similar to the New York City mayor’s handling of journalists.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s Note: Local news takes a huge blow across the Hudson River

The presses stopped rolling for good at the Star-Ledger, Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times on Sunday as the publications go online only. Meanwhile, The Jersey Journal shuts down completely.

Nonprofits

Personality

Advocating for workers in the construction industry

An interview with Elizabeth Crowley, president and CEO of the Building Trades Employers’ Association.

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Nonprofits

NYN Media

Advocating for workers in the construction industry

An interview with Elizabeth Crowley, president of the Building Trades Employers’ Association

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: I’m fine being left off the 50 Over 50 list

City & State’s editor-in-chief, to quote “Wayne’s World,” was “not worthy” to be in the company of New York’s Age Disruptors.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: Will Donald Trump make Penn Station ‘beautiful’ again as promised?

Advocates say the new administration will be “taking a firmer” hand in the much-maligned transit hub’s redevelopment.

Heard Around Town

Politics

Scott Stringer is ‘the adult in the room’ at campaign launch

The former City Comptroller made his mayoral campaign official at a packed party held at his old haunt Blondie Sports on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: Remembering John Daniel, ‘the voice of the Daily News’

New York City journalists mourn the passing of a beloved newsroom staffer who manned the switchboard and made sure no call to the paper was lost.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: City & State scores high marks in survey

The release of the latest Winners & Losers of the Year coincides with the results of a new product development survey.

LGBTQ+

Opinion

Editor’s note: The American LGBTQ+ Museum breaks ground on a well-deserved home in New York City

A who’s who of local and state politics joined Gov. Kathy Hochul for the historic moment at the New York Historical Society.

Editor's Note

Opinion

Editor’s note: It’s too late to bring the SS United States to New York City

The famed ocean liner is destined to become the world’s largest artificial reef off the coast of Florida.