Honor Paul Grondahl’s Retirement

Senate Resolution No. 1198 BY: Senator BRESLIN COMMENDING Paul Grondahl upon the occasion of his retirement after almost 33 years of distinguished service to the Times Union WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to those illustrious journalists who have diligently and consistently, year after year, recorded the history of their communities and brought local news and news of the larger world to their readers; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Paul Grondahl upon the occasion of his retirement after almost

February 17, 2017; when he is able, he will continue to contribute columns to the newspaper; and WHEREAS, On February 21, 2017, Paul Grondahl began his new job as the Director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany; in his new position, he hopes to expand the institute's use of digital and social media, plan occasional larger events and bring the institute's global roster of writers into the area's own diverse communities; and WHEREAS, The Writers Institute is chartered by state law and supported by both the university and private donations; among its legislative mandates is to select a State Author and State Poet every two years; in addition to hosting both a visiting writer and film series, the Institute runs summer writing workshops at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs; and WHEREAS, Paul Grondahl is truly one of the great journalists of his generation in this community, and he's a gifted writer who throughout his dedication and commitment to his community, has brought great distinction to the Times Union; and WHEREAS, At the Times Union, Paul Grondahl established himself as both an eloquent wordsmith and a hard-nosed, compassionate newshound unafraid of asking difficult questions; throughout his career, he reported on a wide range of stories throughout the region and on five continents, venturing to Northern Ireland, the Arctic and Antarctica and Sub-Saharan Africa, where his work in 2003 earned a National Digital Journalism Award; and WHEREAS, One of the favorite parts of his job has been interviewing the countless writers who have come through the Writers Institute; Paul Grondahl enjoyed talking with Toni Morrison, Isaac Bashevis Singer, John Updike, and August Wilson, as well as J.M. Coetzee; and WHEREAS, A truly gifted writer, Paul Grondahl has penned or co-authored several books, including political biographies of Albany mayor Erastus Corning and the young Teddy Roosevelt; currently, he is working on a book about the late Andy Rooney, an Albany native and longtime CBS News commentator; and WHEREAS, Throughout his magnanimous career, Paul Grondahl served the Times Union with intelligence and caring dedication, continuously striving to effectively fulfill the duties of his position; and WHEREAS, Sincerely loved and greatly respected by all those with whom he worked, Paul Grondahl will be remembered for his honesty, integrity, keen sense of duty and ability to show a unique grasp of human problems in his official acts; and WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Mary Grondahl, and his two children, Sam and Caroline, all of whom feel privileged to be a part of his life and rejoice in his accomplishments; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend Paul Grondahl upon the occasion of his retirement after almost