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This week on The Montclair Pod, a chance encounter with Gov, Mikie Sherril, Montclair Film's Tom Hall previews the 2026 festival, and public tickets go on sale today. Plus: religious signs at a Bloomfield preschool, the lieutenant governor's resignation, a shuttle bus report, and the end(?) of the swim school saga. WHAT'S IN THIS EPISODE We're Signal Awards finalists! Vote for us for Best Local News Podcast and Best Local News Episode by Oct. 15. Be sure to confirm your vote in Signal's email. What the Hell Is Going On With That? Foundations Prep parents push back on religious and political signs posted by Brookdale Christian Church, their landlord. Montclair Film Festival preview: Tom Hall on "Wild Horse Nine," Colbert's conversation with Eisenberg, Giamatti and Moore, why "Referendum" didn't make the cut, and his advice for getting tickets. (tickets) Montclair's jitney: What the township's interim report says about routes, fares and cost. (our 11 takeaways) Swim school denied: The Planning Board votes down SwimQuest on Valley Road. (full story) Lt. Gov. Caldwell resigns: What the investigation found, and how Gov. Sherrill fills the seat. (full story) Sabor Montclair: MFEE's takeout fundraiser, Saturday, Oct. 10. (reserve a meal) One Big Thing: The Fire Prevention Block Party at Nishuane Park runs 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday. Then Uptown Sound takes over Anderson Park, 2–8 p.m. (The Pod is a media partner of Uptown Sound.) Resources & Links From our archive, Montclair Film: Our 2025 festival preview · Last year's episode with Tom Hall · The Arts in Montclair: Voices of the Creators From our archive, MFEE: Our past episodes with MFEE Executive Director Masiel Rodriquez-Vars: [LINK] / [LINK] Montclair Film's full 2026 program Township shuttle bus report Foundations Prep: Who We Are Questions or tips? [email protected] Follow us Watch the show: YouTube Channel Join our weekly newsletter Follow us on Instagram @themontclairpod Follow us on NewsBreak Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Supper with the Super is basically doing double duty as What the Hell Is Going On With That? — Montclair Schools Edition. We sit down with Montclair Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ruth B. Turner for a candid conversation about the first weeks of the new school year — and some of the biggest questions parents, students and taxpayers are asking right now. We get into the district’s financial picture, the latest on the forensic audit, concerns around IEPs and special education services, the new cell phone rules, changes in classroom technology, freshman sports — and the middle school dress code controversy, where Dr. Turner shares an important update about what happens next. We also talk about what feels different inside the district compared with this time last year, what still keeps the superintendent up at night, and what Montclair families should be watching as the school year unfolds. Then, in town news: another ICE enforcement action in Montclair, a potentially significant change involving the Municipal Building property, and we remember a Montclair-born Grammy and Tony Award-winning musician. Resources + Links MentionedMontclair Township: Current Road Closures & Traffic Impacts — because getting across town lately requires snacks and a contingency plan. Toros Restaurant — where we recorded this edition of Supper with the Super. Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Montclair Pod, we dig into how the school district quietly updated the middle school dress code — and the very loud debate it's kicked off among parents, students, and now the Board of Ed. We hear from the 8th grader at Glenfield Middle School who started a petition over it. We also check back in on freshman sports: the community raised enough to bring them back this year, but is this a one-time rescue or an ongoing bill? Plus: your library card can save you money around town this month, two festivals close out September, a leadership shakeup at the BID, and Stephen Colbert's unexpected next act. WHAT'S IN THIS EPISODE Dress code showdown: The middle schools updated their clothing policy, and it's led to a real fight over what counts as "appropriate length" and who decides. We read the policy, hear from parents on both sides of the debate, and sit down with Glenfield 8th grader Phoebe Chaffin, who started a petition calling on the district to reconsider it. (Montclair Pod: "An Eighth Grader Challenged Montclair's Middle School Dress Code. Now the District Is Taking Another Look" · see the community reaction on our Instagram)Freshman sports, the sequel: Blue & White Club co-founder Laura Quiros joins us to talk about what the community's fundraising push accomplished, what's still needed toward the club's $350K annual goal, and the bigger question — was this a one-time emergency save, or is Montclair signed up to keep funding freshman sports going forward? (more on the fundraising effort)Downtown leadership change: Montclair Center BID executive director Cesar Claro has stepped down, citing health reasons. (full story)Your library card just got more valuable: The Montclair Public Library's "Library Card Local Perks" program runs through September 30th — see the full list of participating businesses.Uptown Sound needs you: The inaugural Uptown Sound Music Festival hits Anderson Park on Saturday, September 26th, and organizers are still looking for volunteers (they'll feed you). Sign up here.Montclair Dance Festival returns: The second annual festival takes over the Wellmont Arts Plaza on Sunday, September 27th, with 35+ dance companies and schools performing. Get details and tickets.Stephen Colbert's next act: Turns out it's software. The Hollywood Reporter says Colbert's writers'-room startup, Scripto, just closed a $5 million seed round with backers including J.J. Abrams and Mark Cuban. (read the story)Saturday is the Upper Montclair Sidewalk Sale featuring local businesses and music Learn more. Follow usWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletterFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreakRegister now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we sit down with comedian and Trump impersonator J-L. Cauvin — who also happens to be a full-time eviction prevention attorney and once ran for Congress in this district — to talk about his viral impression, why he never left the law, and what it was like campaigning against Anna Lilia Mejia. Plus: a Church Street development finally gets a tax-break green light, Montclair's water lines show a stark lead divide by ward, and we remember 9/11 and Gloria Steinem. In this episode: Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11 — Farnoosh and Mike share where they were that day, plus details on the Essex Remembers ceremony at Eagle Rock Reservation (8 a.m.)Remembering Gloria Steinem, who passed away last week at 93 — including Farnoosh's near-encounter with her on an Amtrak trainThe viral story of a Dallas-to-Newark flight diverted to Baltimore after a passenger was duct-taped to his seat; he's since lost his job and faces assault chargesJ.L. Cauvin — the Bloomfield-based comedian behind one of the internet's most popular Trump impersonations — on how his impression started in 2014, his day job as an eviction prevention attorney in the Bronx, and his 2025 run for Congress in the seat now held by Anna Lilia MejiaA commercial real estate update: the Township Council voted 5–1 to transfer a 30-year PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement for the long-stalled 59–65 Church Street development to new owner Dobco Group, with a facade deadline of October 31New reporting shows a stark ward-by-ward divide in lead service lines — about 10% in the third ward and 9.5% in the fourth, versus 5–7% in wards one and twoA public meeting is set for September 30 on a potential Montclair shuttle bus systemThe Montclair Public Library wants resident input on how to spend its $36.7 million state award for the South Fullerton and Bellevue Avenue branch renovationsThe townwide yard sale is set for September 20 — permits requiredMounties football notches its first win of the season, 18-8 over Bloomfield, under new head coach Manj Singh Resources & Links Matt Kadosh's reporting on the Church Street PILOT transfer — Montclair Local [https://montclairlocal.news/2026/08/montclair-advances-tax-break-transfer-for-long-stalled-church-street-project/]Corey McDonald's reporting on lead service lines by ward — Montclair Local NJ's 2021 lead service line replacement law Deputy Mayor Susan Shin Anderson's shuttle bus committee Instagram post — InstagramMontclair Public Library capital surveyTownwide yard sale sign-up & permit info [add link]Edward Kenzick's recap of the Mounties' first win — Montclair Local J.L. Cauvin on Instagram/YouTube Essex Remembers 9/11 ceremony details — Essex CountyQuestions or tips? [email protected] Follow usWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletterFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreak Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the first day of school, and we're digging into Montclair's new cell phone and Chromebook rules with Screen Aware Montclair co-founder Jordan Goldberg, breaking down the massive Meta settlement, and introducing you to Beltley — the brand-new "town" that popped up overnight in a field between Nutley and Belleville, whose founder has some choice words for Montclair. Plus: a loaded magazine (no gun) found at a West Orange movie theater, a new Italian steakhouse coming to town, a rough night for Mounties football, a Tupac tribute event, and a very special tease for next week's show. In this episode: First day of school for Montclair public schools; private schools are staggered, with MKA starting September 9 and Lacordaire on September 11WTH: police cleared a West Orange AMC theater mid-screening after finding a loaded gun magazine, plus a breakdown of how NJ's concealed carry "sensitive places" law (still tied up in the full Third Circuit) applies to movie theatersJordan Goldberg of Screen Aware Montclair on the district's "off-and-away" cell phone policy, a wild story about predictive text getting quietly turned on in a fourth-grade classroom, and how Montclair's rules stack up against South Orange-Maplewood's stricter, AI-blocking banMeta's $17.1 billion multistate settlement over addictive app design for kids — New Jersey's roughly $50–75 million-a-year cut, and why some say it barely dents Meta's ~$201 billion in 2025 revenueIntroducing Beltley: the micronation John "Cozz" Cozzarelli of Cozz Coffee declared in a field between Nutley and Belleville, plus his collab with comedian Chris Gethard, "Lord Let Me Die in Essex County"Three candidates — Mariana Horta, Kyle Porro, and Antoinette "Toni" Martin — have filed for Montclair's open at-large town council seat, up for a November voteDe Novo owner Demetri Malki is opening an Italian steakhouse, Cassaforte, in the old Chase Bank building on Bloomfield Avenue, targeting spring 2027Mounties football fell 42-7 to Ridgewood in the season opener, but showed real fight against a team playing its entire season on the road due to stadium issuesA preview of "2Pac Revisited," a full day of programming September 12 — including a Michael Eric Dyson panel — marking 30 years since Tupac Shakur's deathA tease for next week: Farnoosh and Mike say they landed an interview with President Trump — stay tuned, because it's not quite what it seems Resources & LinksScreen Aware MontclairNJ's "bell-to-bell" cell phone law (S-3695/A-4882) signed by Gov. Murphy — NJSBANJDOE updated bell-to-bell guidance (PDF)South Orange-Maplewood's tech policy goals — Village Green NJMeta's $17.1B child-safety settlement — NPRNY AG announcement on the Meta settlement coalition (incl. NJ)North Jersey man declares the town of Beltley — NJ 101.5Cozz declares new town in the Nutley-Belleville gap — News 12 NJCozz Coffee"Lord Let Me Die in Essex County" — Cozz & Chris Gethard (YouTube)NJ's sensitive-places gun law heads back to the full Third Circuit — NJ MonitorWho's running for Montclair's open town council seat — PatchDe Novo owner plans new Italian steakhouse Cassaforte — Montclair GirlMontclair Mounties football schedule — MaxPreps2Pac RevisitedQuestions or tips? [email protected] Follow usWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletterFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreak Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Montclair Pod, the new school year is almost here — and there’s a lot changing inside Montclair’s schools. Farnoosh and Mike sit down with MPACT founding member Dan Hafetz to unpack the group’s new report on Board of Education governance, what stronger oversight could look like, and why it matters heading into a wide-open school board race with zero incumbents running. They also look at the long-awaited forensic audit — including what it can and can’t actually tell us about the district’s financial problems. Then, Montclair schools are going bell-to-bell phone-free. Farnoosh and Mike break down the new rules, and the bigger debate over whether taking phones out of students’ hands will actually improve focus, learning and school culture. Also: that property tax letter every Montclair homeowner just received. What’s locked in for 2026? What’s merely a placeholder for 2027? And why might the number printed on your bill not mean what you think it means? Plus, the Church Street piano may be making a comeback, Industry Tavern is headed to Lackawanna Station, Tous Les Jours is making way for Lenwich, Montclair High School climbs the national rankings even as some academic measures tell a more complicated story, and the Mounties gear up for football season. And on the home front, Mike becomes an empty-nester! MPACT & the School Board MPACT's latest report, "Montclair BOE: Understanding Board Governance and a Roadmap for Stronger Oversight" — mpactnj.org/boegovernanceProperty Taxes NJ property tax relief programs (Senior Freeze, ANCHOR, Stay NJ) — propertytaxrelief.nj.govOur property tax calculator —  https://montclairpod.com/montclair-nj-property-tax-calculator-s/ ICE Enforcement in Montclair Our original report, "Two Kitchen Workers Detained On Bloomfield Avenue" — montclairpod.comMontclair Local's follow-up, Aug. 19 — montclairlocal.newsMontclair Civil Rights Commission — montclairnjusa.orgRestaurant News Industry Tavern coming to Lackawanna Station — Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/p/DcT5jqIRrAk/Goodbye, Tous Les Jours. Hello, LenwichHigh School MHS ranking rises for 2026-27 — montclairpod.comMontclair Back to School 2026 guide — montclairpod.comMontclair Mounties Football invites alumni back to Woodman Field — Montclair LocalFrom a previous episode "Is Montclair's Housing Market a Bubble?" — montclairpod.comFollow UsWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletter and stay in the knowFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreak Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Montclair's 07042 ZIP code just landed at #2 on Realtor.com's list of the hottest housing markets in the country — so naturally, we wanted to know: is this a bubble waiting to burst? We put the question to Professor Joshua Harris, a real estate economist at Fordham, and break down what's actually driving the numbers, including a wild bit of compounding-interest math on a Bellevue Avenue building that sold for $50,000 in 1973. We also cover a very "Montclair Pod" legal question after a tree branch came down in Mike's yard, catch you up on the sights and sounds of the Montclair Jazz Festival, and hit the news: a new lawsuit against the school district, the never-ending saga of the Church Street piano, and another delay for the proposed Upper Montclair swim school. Plus: real estate headlines, including Aaron Rodgers listing his Cedar Grove-adjacent mansion, and Mike says goodbye to his daughter Rea as she heads off to college. What's In This EpisodeAre We in a Housing Bubble?: Montclair's 07042 ZIP just ranked #2 on Realtor.com's 2026 Hottest ZIP Codes list. We talk to Professor Joshua Harris, an economist and Executive Director of Fordham's Real Estate Institute, about whether the market's due for a correction — plus our (very unscientific) Instagram poll where listeners split exactly 50/50.The $50,000 Building That Could've Been $14 Million: The building housing Tinga just sold for $1.8 million — and last changed hands for $50,000 in 1973. We run the numbers on what that money would be worth today if it had gone into the S&P 500 instead, versus what it would be worth if the rent had been reinvested along the way.Whose Tree, Whose Bill?: A branch from a neighbor's tree came down in Mike's yard during a storm. Who's actually responsible when that happens in New Jersey? We dig into the law — including a real Clifton, NJ case — and the insurance math that made us think twice about filing a claim.Sights & Sounds of the Montclair Jazz Festival: A recap of the festival, including the Christian McBride Big Band's tribute to Philadelphia, a electrifying set from Patrice Rushen (yes, "Forget Me Nots," yes she's 71), Dianne Reeves, and a chat with Jelly Joseph of the Take Me to the River New Orleans All-Stars. Full video on our YouTube.In the News: A wrongful termination lawsuit against the Board of Education and board member Jada Roman; the latest twist in the fight over the removed Church Street community piano; and another delay for the proposed SwimQuest swim school in Upper Montclair.Around Town: Ribbon cuttings at Clementina and Farmhouse Fried Chicken, and Farnoosh's eventful second trip to see Spider-Man.One Big Thing: Mike drops his daughter Rea off for her first year of college. Resources & LinksHousing Bubble: Montclair 07042 Named Second Hottest ZIP Code in the Country (montclairpod.com)Guest: Prof. Joshua Harris, Fordham Real Estate InstituteBuilding Sale: Net-Leased Montclair Restaurant Building Trades for $1.8 Million (re-nj.com)Real Estate: Aaron Rodgers Lists Home for $15 Million (New York Post)Tree Law Case Reference: Burke v. Briggs, 239 N.J. Super. 269 (App. Div. 1990) — the controlling NJ case on liability when a tree falls onto a neighbor's propertySchool Lawsuit: Former Montclair Schools Employee Sues, Alleges Board Member Had Her Fired (Montclair Local)Church Street Piano: Council Meeting Clip — Instagram | Council Meeting Clip — FacebookSwim School: Montclair Planning Board Delays Vote on Swim School Proposal (Jersey Digs)Clementina: our original episode & article on how Clementina came to Montclair Jazz Fest: watch the full sights-and-sounds segment on our YouTube Channel Follow UsWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletter and stay in the knowFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreakRegister now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does Upper Montclair need — and what should it look like in the years ahead? This week, we’re digging into the conversation about Uptown’s future, following a community meeting where residents and business owners weighed in on what’s working, what’s missing and what they want to see next. We’re also catching up on a busy stretch of Montclair school news: the long-awaited forensic audit is moving forward, the district has hired a new communications director, there’s some encouraging news about district reserves, and new data offers a window into just how much students are using AI. Plus: Why does it seem like there are rabbits everywhere this year? We went looking for answers. Mexicali Rose is making a comeback, a road rage incident on Park Street turns physical, and Jazz Fest is on the way. And stick around for the food recommendations: our junior correspondents Coco and Priya share picks from around town, and Farnoosh and Mike reveal the Montclair restaurant currently at the top of their list. Featured in this episode:Montclair's Master PlanMontclair School District UpdatesMexicali Rose to Reopen - The Montclair GirlInstagram Rabbit PollA Guide to This Year's Jazz Fest Coco and Priya's Report: Fave Restaurants in Montclair Follow usWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletter and stay in the knowFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreakRegister now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: Christian McBride stops by ahead of the Montclair Jazz Festival, Madonna's new single traces back to a Montclair DJ, and we get real about how (and when) we use AI on this show. In This EpisodeChristian McBride & the Montclair Jazz Festival Eleven-time Grammy winner and Montclair Jazz Festival artistic director Christian McBride joins us to talk about how he and his wife, Jazz House Kids founder Melissa Walker, put down roots in Montclair back in 2005. We get into the 17th annual festival, happening Saturday, August 15th at Lackawanna Plaza, this year's collaboration with the Smithsonian's "Of the People" celebration, the Miles Davis and Coltrane centennial tribute, and the full lineup. How We Use AI on This Show Our World Cup reflection reel sparked some questions from listeners, so we're pulling back the curtain on how we use AI to produce the show and run our newsroom. Madonna, Danceteria, and a Montclair Connection Madonna's new song "Danceteria" pays tribute to the legendary early-'80s Manhattan nightclub, and it turns out there's a direct line back to Montclair. We talk to longtime resident Rafe Gomez, who snuck into the real Danceteria as a teenager and now recreates its sound weekly on Twitch as "Danceteria Rewind," reaching an audience of 60,000 around the world. He also tells us the story of the night he bought a young Madonna a drink, back when she was working coat check and the elevator. Catch Danceteria Rewind live on Twitch every Thursday night. Around TownPig and Butter now opens tomorrow, Friday, August 7th (correction from last week). Chef Sherry Grimes' new restaurant at 401 Orange Road in the South End features a dinner and cocktail side plus an all-day coffeehouse. Deputy Township Manager Brian Scantlebury is out. Township Manager Stephen Marks confirmed the departure to Montclair Local but wouldn't say whether it was a resignation, layoff, or termination. It's part of a round of six position cuts last week (two in fire, two in public works, one in code enforcement).Two firefighter stories. During Tuesday night's storm, Montclair firefighters carried out a low-angle rope rescue to pull someone off a steep embankment near 123 Highland Avenue. Separately, a fire on South Mountain Avenue sent flame running up through the walls of a three-and-a-half-story home; one firefighter was injured and taken to Mountainside. A second fire on North Mountain Avenue the day before also left a firefighter treated at the scene. No civilians were hurt in either fire.A frozen yogurt dispute at 16 Handles ended with a customer exposing herself in the store window after being denied a free cup. Police are still looking for her. Camps Still OpenSchool of Rock — check their website for remaining availability; spots are filling fast.Montclair Ultimate Frisbee Day Camps — Brookdale Park, grades 3–5 and 6–8, two sessions: August 17–21 and August 24–28. More at montclairultimate.org. Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Montclair Pod:Church Street goes car-free (for now), Urban Outfitters quietly leaves downtown after 20 years, and our youngest correspondents ask Montclair what they’d change about their town — plus fried chicken, a music festival, and an ab robot. Urban Outfitters quietly closed its downtown Montclair store after 15+ years, the chain’s first-ever NJ location. We dig into why, with theories from BID director Cesar Claro and developer Dave Placek, break down how Urban, Free People, and Anthropologie actually differ, and share your wild guesses for what should move in next (spoiler: “another clothing store” won). Then we headed uptown to meet with Dan Campeas and Dayana Ordonez, the couple behind Farmhouse Fried Chicken and the new Uptown Sound music festival hitting Anderson Park on September 26. Mike previews his own set alongside Kevin March, a salsa band, and headliners Waterbury Road.  Farnoosh and Mike visit Pure Balance Center in Clifton for chiropractic care, Pilates, and a very high-tech ab-robot — this segment is part of our sponsored Farnoosh and Mike Get Healthy series. Plus: Council member Susan Shin Anderson explains the thinking behind Church Street’s monthly car-free weekends (our poll on this is done in partnership with Twocents, the app that lets you give feedback directly to businesses, anonymously if you want), junior correspondents Coco and Priya hit the pavement to ask what people would change about Montclair, and a full news roundup: the MPACT school board report and this fall’s BOE candidates, Senator Andy Kim’s MediKids Act, NJ’s new Fair Price Protection Act banning grocery surveillance pricing, a scare at an East Orange summer camp, Montclair’s new permanent township attorney, and Pig & Butter’s new Orange Road location (opening tomorrow, 7/31). Want to weigh in on Church Street? Give us your Twocents: montclairpod.com/church Resources & Links Church Street poll (in partnership with Twocents)Kevin March episode (“The Drummer Next Door”)Pure Balance Center in CliftonMPACT school board explainerAndy Kim’s MediKids Act NJ Fair Price Protection ActPig & Butter Montclair opening coverageGlenridge Parkway street-wide yard sale eventRegister now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Columbia Journalism Review takes a close look at how The Montclair Pod became a go-to source for the school budget story, and where Mike and Farnoosh want to take the “Montclair-ish” format next. We also break down why Montclair only has about 13 liquor licenses for a town of around 41,000 people, and what that means for your next dinner reservation. Plus, two throwbacks worth a re-listen: our visit to the Montclair History Center and our conversation with The Local Girl’s Jen Tripucka. WHAT’S IN THIS EPISODECJR’s “Hyperlocal Listening”: Writer Amos Barshad profiles the Pod, starting with the school budget scoop (the deficit turning out to be closer to $18M, not $11M), Governor Sherrill’s follow-up, and the show’s numbers 18 months in: nearly 70,000 downloads, 2,000+ subscribers, and $80,000 in sponsor revenue with no sales team.The Montclair Local, addressed head-on: the piece gets into the friction between the Pod and the Montclair Local, including the Local’s policy against its reporters appearing on the podcast. Mike and Farnoosh’s take stays the same: there’s room for everyone covering this town.Where the format goes next: the hosts’ working definition of a “Montclair-ish” town (population 30K-100K, median household income around $125K, an engaged community) and why they’re already hearing from journalists in other towns who want to do the same thing.Best Bars in Montclair, and why there aren’t more: the new montclairpod.com piece on the town’s roughly 13 liquor licenses, the 1947 New Jersey law behind the cap, why a license can sell for over $1M, and how BYOB spots like Luigino’s, Sam’s Table, and Clementina get around it with curated wine sourced through a licensed winery.Throwback #1: Montclair History Center. A replay of the visit to the Crane House and Historic YWCA on Orange Road with director Angelica Diggs, including the old YWCA club room and a look at what the archive turns up about your own house’s history.Throwback #2: Jen Tripucka, The Local Girl. A replay of the conversation with the founder of The Local Girl Media Group (parent company of The Montclair Girl) on building a multi-region hyperlocal media company, sponsored vs. editorial content, and her favorite local spots.Weekend in town: the Montclair Flea at Lackawanna Plaza, a Dungeons & Dragons trivia night, a couple of singles mixers, and an adult performance night from Jazz House Kids at Montclair Brewery.RESOURCES & LINKSThe Pod in the News: “Hyperlocal Listening” by Amos Barshad in The Columbia Journalism ReviewGetting into the City: The Complete (& Only Mildly Infuriating) Guide to Commuting to NYC from MontclairBars: The Best Bars in Montclair and Montclair’s Liquor Licenses Explained (montclairpod.com) —Throwback 1: A visit to the Montclair History CenterThrowback 2: The Montclair Girl meets The Montclair PodEvents: Check out what’s happening in and around Montclair and add your own eventGot a story, a correction, or a compliment? Reach us at [email protected] UsWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletterFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreak Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our World Cup Rehash. (Watch for special clips on YouTube) Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium — and Montclair had a front-row seat. In this special reflection episode, Farnoosh and Mike step back from their nonstop World Cup coverage to look at what the last few weeks revealed: about the town's surprising love of soccer, about how hard it is for Montclair to coordinate on something this big, and about how New Jersey as a whole let New York cash in on a tournament NJ paid for and hosted. They revisit their interviews with MC Hotel owner Jeff Sica (who housed four national teams, including champions Spain) and Montclair Brewery's Leo Sawadogo, break down the AI-generated "did the team really eat here?" restaurant controversy, and share the personal moments — rain-soaked mornings outside the hotel, a viral million-view arrival video, and a chance friendship made twice in one weekend — that turned this into one of the biggest stories the Pod has ever covered. Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Weird NJ founder Mark Sceurman stops by to talk all things weird in the garden state, not to mention the story of a Montclair poet obsessed with writing letters to the police, and three decades of chasing New Jersey's strangest stories — plus a visit from local zine Eighty-Six'd. We track down who actually owns the giant banner flapping over Bloomfield Avenue, sit down with MC Hotel owner Jeff Sica ahead of the World Cup Final, and dig into New Jersey's rough new business-friendliness ranking. Plus: the BID's last-minute World Cup watch party lands directly across the street from Lackawanna Plaza's, the Planning Board kicks off its Master Plan meetings, and we head to Church Street for a car-free weekend showdown. In this episode: Weird NJ founder Mark Sceurman joins to talk the origins of the magazine, the Jersey Devil, the Overbrook and Essex asylums, and Montclair poet Alfred Starr Hamilton, who wrote letters to the police. Plus a Weird NJ excerpt is live on montclairpod.comApril Acerno and Kyle Seagraves of local zine Eighty-Six'd talk starting the publication, the story behind the name, and their favorite features to date. MC Hotel owner Jeff Sica, CEO of Circle Squared Alternative Investments, previews which World Cup teams are bunking at the hotel ahead of the FinalThe Whodunit: we chase down who's responsible for the giant Bastille Day banner flapping over Bloomfield Avenue New Jersey slides to 31st in CNBC's 2026 Top States for Business — dead last for business friendliness even while ranking in the top 3 for quality of life — and we connect it to everything we've covered locally this year, from "Montclair Math" to the sidewalk ordinance fightThe Montclair Center BID's last-minute World Cup Final watch party at Wellmont Arts Plaza lands basically across the street from the one already scheduled at Lackawanna Plaza — coincidence, or did we do that?The Planning Board kicks off four ward-by-ward community meetings on the 2026 Master Plan Reexamination Report, the town's first since 2016This weekend, Church Street goes fully car-free as part of the town's monthly pedestrianization pilot — we’re partnering with Montclair-based feedback app Twocents to get real reactions from visitors and small businesses on the spot Resources & Links Weird NJWeird NJ Guest Post on The Montclair PodEighty-Six'd the MagazineThe Steve Urkel “Did I Do That?” SupercutThe MC HotelNJBIZ: New Jersey slips to 31st in CNBC business rankingsNJBIA statement on the 2026 rankingsThe BID's World Cup Final watch party — InstagramTownship of Montclair: Master Plan Report – Community MeetingsDowntown Montclair: Church Street Live 2026Questions or tips? [email protected] Follow us Watch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletterFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreakRegister now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the World Cup playing eight matches down the road at MetLife Stadium and national teams bunking at the MC Hotel, Montclair business owners expected a boom — instead they got a shrug. We dig into who was supposed to own that moment (the BID? The township? Nobody?), welcome British Guy Living in New Jersey Ollie McAteer as our guest host, and break down the wildest real estate sale we've covered yet: an $8.1 million deal on Gates Avenue with two pools, a Kushner family backstory, and zero bidding war. Plus: a carpenter ant explosion, a drug bust tied to Mission Street, arrests in a teen bike assault, and a full weekend guide from Bastille Day to Maplewoodstock. In this episode: Montclair Brewery's Leo Sawadogo kicks off the show fired up that the World Cup came to New Jersey — not "near" it — and still, foot traffic downtown never showed upThe investigation: BID consultant Jason Gleason, a non-answer from the MC Hotel ("cannot confirm or deny"), and a look at whether the BID, the township, or individual businesses were ever actually in charge of coordinating World Cup energyNew BID executive director Cesar Claro — formerly of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation — starts Monday, July 13; we've requested an interviewGuest host Ollie McAteer joins from "faraway Maplewood," talks his path from Horsham, UK to Hoboken to the suburbs, and previews his viral real estate reelsReal estate deep dive: 159 Gates Avenue, a 1910 Van Vleck and Goldsmith mansion once home to the Kushner family, sold for $8.1 million after a $5 million renovation added a second (yes, second) poolJake Kushner, founder of Kush Konnection, takes us down memory lane on what it was like growing up in the house — and how he feels about its modern reinventionOllie breaks down "Montclair Math" — why local agents say homes are priced 40% under what they're expected to fetch to manufacture bidding wars — and why the Gates Avenue sale broke the pattern entirelyOther big listings on the radar: a $20 million Cedar Grove-border estate with an 85-foot pool and helipad, a Union Street flip already back on the market for nearly double, and the "Kool and the Gang house" still sitting after ten monthsStorm damage across town takes down trees and power lines — including one in Fieldstone that turns out to have been hollowed out by a carpenter ant infestation, not the town's earlier root-cutting mishapA joint narcotics bust ties a Mission Street stash house to a West Orange address, netting ecstasy, cocaine, a stolen handgun, and two arrestsUpdate: three suspects, ages 16 to 19, are now charged in the May bike-path assault on a 14-year-oldMontclair's first Bastille Day Weekend (July 10–11) brings a garden party at Kip's Castle and a BID-partnered shopping passportMaplewoodstock returns with Bard finally headlining after years of trying, plus Lettuce and Anders Osborne — and Upper Montclair launches its new Uptown Sound Summer Stage series Resources & Links Full World Cup investigation — MontclairPod.comOllie McAteer on InstagramQuestions or tips? [email protected] Gates Avenue ListingWSJ Article on Two Pool HousesDrug Bust in Montclair - PatchBastille Day Celebrations Follow us Watch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletterFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreak Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With 36 hours' notice, Farnoosh was asked to deliver the commencement address at Montclair High School — and we play you the full speech. We also debrief all the "this is so Montclair" moments from graduation day, debut our new Saturdays in the Park series with a remarkable chance encounter at Brookdale Park, and catch up on spiking real estate prices, a school principal shuffle, a stolen car on Bloomfield Ave, new e-bike rules, and everything happening this Fourth of July. In this episode: Principal Freeman called Farnoosh 36 hours before graduation and asked her to give the commencement speech — her first thought was that she was in troubleFarnoosh's full address to the Class of 2026: the theme was "don't hang up on yourself," drawing on her own stories of nearly leaving Penn State, being told to change her name to Tina, and getting laid off ...twice.Graduation day chaos: a two-line debacle at the amphitheater, a photographer form emailed at 4:26 p.m. for a 6 p.m. ceremony, a wave of graduating seniors smoking cigars, and a mystery bus ride to an adventure park in Williamsburg that ran until 4 a.m. — Project Graduation turns 46 this yearNew series: Saturdays in the Park — Mike kicks it off at Brookdale Park (formerly a golf course) and has a chance encounter with a veteran named Michael Jackson who is walking the park as part of his rehabilitation after six strokes, and who it turns out may have been aboard the USS Kennedy the same day Mike toured it as a kidMike rode the elevator at the MC Hotel with members of the German national team, corrected one player on the difference between New York and New Jersey, and his stepdad Barry sent them off with an Auf Wiedersehen — Germany lost the next dayNext week: what the hell is going on with the lack of World Cup marketing in downtown Montclair? Local business owners are frustrated, and we start digging into who's responsible and whether the town missed a once-in-a-generation opportunityThe median sale price for Montclair homes hit $1.4 million this spring — up 40% from a year ago — with at least one home going $1 million over asking; to buy the median home and keep housing at 30% of income, you need to earn over $350,000 a yearMaria Francisco, beloved principal of Renaissance at Rand Middle School, is moving to a district-level role on special assignment as the school closes and the district navigates a nearly $20 million deficit — the community has questionsAn Uber Eats driver parked on Bloomfield Ave on Juneteenth, ran inside to grab an order, and came back to find his 2022 Toyota Corolla gone — keys were in the cup holder; the car was recovered in Newark the next dayNew NJ e-bike rules are now in effect: registration with the MVC is required, riders must be 15+, helmets are mandatory, and motorized bikes now need insuranceFourth of July in Montclair: parade at 11 a.m., town picnic at Edgemont Park at 1 p.m., Fam Fest at Montclair Brewery from 2–10 p.m., and fireworks in Bloomfield and Millburn — full guide at MontclairPod.com Resources & LinksFarnoosh's book: A Healthy State of PanicFourth of July Guide — MontclairPod.comNJ MVC E-Bike RegistrationCar stolen in Montclair while driver picked up Uber Eats order — PatchRenaissance principal lands new district role as Montclair school faces closure — Montclair LocalQuestions or tips? [email protected] Follow usWatch the show: YouTube ChannelJoin our weekly newsletterFollow us on Instagram @themontclairpodFollow us on NewsBreak Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University. Happening on October 21. Use code MONTCLAIRPOD when you register here for $10 off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.