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PODCAST

The Montclair Pod

Montclair Pod LLC

TheMontclairPodis an award-winning podcast that offers a deep dive into the stories, issues, and buzz shapingMontclair, NJ. Hosted by local friends—journalist and financial expert Farnoosh Torabi and MediaFeed co-founder Michael Schreiber—we’re here to explore the heart of our vibrant community with curiosity and a dose of neighborly chatter. From the latest drama inMontclairschools to the tangled web of local politics and even the mysteries of our rollercoaster real estate market, we cover the

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

1:09:13

Where Did Our School District Money Go...Exactly?

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/03/05

With the high-stakes school vote looming—or maybe not, thanks to a new lawsuit—we sit down with New York Magazine journalist Andrew Rice to figure out exactly where the school district's money went. We also talk a bit about local news collaboration and why it benefits everyone. Plus, a heartbreaking preview of next week's street safety episode with NPR's David Folkenflik, and a packed local news roundup.The "Missing" Money: Andrew RiceNew York Magazine contributing editor and local dad Andrew Rice

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1:01:38

It’s All Up in the Air. Our School Vote, Lackawanna’s...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/02/26

Watch and subscribe on YoutubeThis week, so much is in flux.First, Mike has to face the music after literally falling asleep at a recent Town Hall meeting. He also issues a formal apology to the MSU Men’s Basketball team for jinxing their perfect season.But it’s not all fun and games—we get down to serious business with three major interviews.Superintendent Dr. Ruth Turnerinvites us into her office to discuss the high-stakes March 10th special referendum, while developerDave Placekgives us an update

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1:03:10

The Town and the School District: It's Complicated....

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/02/19

This week, we welcome back Township Manager Stephen Marks to discuss how the town might intervene in the school budget crisis and the latest on Lackawanna Plaza. Then, we take a trip back in time with Lonnie Brandon—historian, former Parks & Rec director, and Montclair High football alum—who shares a powerful story from the 1960s involving legendary coach Clary Anderson.We also cover the "Cutover"—the month-long disruption to the Montclair-Boonton train line as work begins on the Portal North

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46:26

ICE Anxiety and How to Support Our Immigrant...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/02/12

Montclair is freezing - literally and politically.This week, Mike and Farnoosh break down the surprise NJ-11 primary win by Analila Mejia, and take a deep dive into growing immigration fears across Montclair. Immigration law expert Dr. Jackie Vimo, a professor at Montclair State University, joins the show, alongside local leaders Masiel Rodriguez-Vars, President of the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence and Emily Kraft, founder of Craftivists, to separate rumor from reality and explain what

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1:17:11

Rethinking Public School in Montclair? The Private...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/02/05

Watch the show on YouTubeIn this episode, Farnoosh reports from a packed preschool info session at the Montclair Public Library, where parents of young children are weighing rising pre-K costs, the Mini Mounties lottery, and what comes next for kindergarten and beyond.We hear directly from families, admissions leaders, and new data showing a surge in interest from Montclair residents exploring private and alternative school options — and we unpack what a public-to-private pivot could mean for

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50:47

Slushiegate, Hackensack's Bailout & The NJ-11...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/01/29

This week on the Montclair Pod, Mike and Farnoosh are back to tackle the snowy aftermath and a whirlwind of local news. From the high stakes of the NJ-11 Special Primary—where a crowded field of 12 candidates is vying for your vote—to the sugar-fueled controversy of "Slushiegate" in our school cafeterias, we’re covering the stories that have the town talking. Grab your coffee (or a Walking Taco) and settle in for a jam-packed episode on everything happening in Montclair right now.The Special

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1:13:50

Schools, Liquor Licenses & Fraud with Former AG Matt...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/01/22

This episode of The Montclair Pod moves between local crisis and statewide context.School Budget Crises: Montclair and HackensackWe dig into the growing reality that Montclair is not alone in facing financial trouble in its school district. We look closely at what’s unfolding in Hackensack, where an independent audit revealed a staggering $15 million budget deficit, prompting lawsuits against former administrators and vendors.State Power, Schools & SegregationFormer New Jersey Attorney General

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1:13:34

Can We Afford Our Magnet School System? A...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/01/15

Following last week’s episode on the origins of the magnet system, we pick up the conversation at a critical crossroads—one where values, finances, and state oversight collide. We attend the latest school budget town hall, where Superintendent Ruth B. Turner and district leaders lay out the long road ahead, explain the district’s structural deficit, and address growing anxiety around the possibility of a state monitor and what that would mean for local control.We break down what we heard at the

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1:06:56

Montclair’s Magnet Schools at a Crossroads: The...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/01/08

Montclair has long defined itself by its district-wide magnet system—a model built on choice, diversity, and integration by design. But today, that system is under unprecedented strain. Facing a $20 million budget deficit and rising transportation costs, Mike and Farnoosh go back in time to explore the system's roots in activism and legal battles, while asking hard questions about its future. Is the promise of equity being met, and what happens when our ideals stay the same but our resources

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36:22

HNY Montclair! Our Modern Love and Swingers Episode...

The Montclair Pod ·

2026/01/01

Happy New Year, Montclair! This week, we replay one of our hottest shows from 2025 that may inspire new connections in 2026 -- our field guide on modern love in Montclair.Featuring insights from:Junie Moon, relationship expert and Montclair’s own love coachElizabeth and Jason, single parents share their experiences dating in MontclairGrace L. Williams, journalist and Montclair Pod special assignment reporterMishiko Passikoff,therapist on tension in relationships over politicsReubena Spence,

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32:30

Unhoused in Montclair: A Look Back at Our Acclaimed...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/12/25

This week on The Montclair Pod, we revisit one of the most consequential and talked-about episodes of the year: a deeply reported look at homelessness in Montclair and the growing tension between compassion, public safety, and limited resources. As rents rise and safety-net funding faces new pressures, this episode asks a hard but necessary question: what kind of town do we want to be—and what kind of town can we realistically be?At the center of the episode is Montclair Emergency Services for Hope

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44:56

The Season of Giving in Montclair: How to Make the...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/12/18

It’s the season of giving, and this week on The Montclair Pod we step away from school budgets and deficits to focus on something just as important: how we show up for each other. From financial support to time, attention, and presence, this episode explores what meaningful giving looks like in Montclair and why generosity doesn’t have to feel heavy, performative, or transactional.We’re joined by Ray Graj, co-founder of Montclair Helps, an organization built around a simple but powerful idea:

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1:04:04

The School Vote Is Off. Wait, Never Mind. Also: What...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/12/11

Why is Montclair nearly 20 million dollars in the red, and how did no one stop it? This week, we peel back the curtain on one of the most consequential crises the town has ever faced, examining how years of rising costs, missed warning signs, and avoided hard decisions brought the school district to this moment.We also break down:• The Superior Court ruling that invalidated the December 9 special election, the superintendent’s new plan for a March vote, and what immediate cuts mean for families,

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52:20

High Time in Montclair: Meet the Locals Behind the...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/12/04

Why doesn’t Montclair have any legal weed stores? This week on The Montclair Pod, we tackle a question that has floated around town for years, with a deep look at Montclair’s cannabis landscape, tracing how a town that once hosted New Jersey’s first medical dispensary now has zero open shops. Farnoosh and Mike walk through the long, complicated road to legalization in New Jersey, the zoning bottlenecks in Montclair, and the Catch-22 of opening a dispensary in a system where you need a lease before

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49:17

The Local Meets The Pod: Is This Election Even Legal?...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/11/25

This week on The Montclair Pod, we drop the episode a little early because Montclair’s school deficit story is moving at warp speed, and because some of us need something to listen to while hiding from relatives in the bathroom.In our roundtable, we bring in Matt Kadosh and Asad Jung, two Montclair Local reporters who’ve been working around the clock to cover the town’s $19.6 million school deficit, the December 9 special election, and the sudden flurry of lawsuits, claims, and shifting

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1:02:27

"We Deserve Answers": Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/11/20

Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: hello@montclairpod.com.Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill sits down with The Montclair Pod for one of her first interviews since the election. She delivers a candid, forceful take on Montclair’s deepening school budget crisis. Sherrill, a longtime Montclair resident and parent of public-school students, voices fury and frustration over what she calls a “breakdown in fiscal

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55:35

Behind the Dec 9th Ballot: Superintendent Ruth B....

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/11/13

In her most candid interview yet, Superintendent Ruth B. Turner discusses accountability, fiscal discipline, and the tough choices facing Montclair schools, as the district faces a $19.6 million deficit and a pivotal special election on December 9.In the interview, Turner explains:Why Question 1 leaves out mention of the state loan and monitorWhy Question 2 makes the tax hike permanentWhat a fiscal monitor could and couldn’t do in MontclairWhy the forensic audit is tied to Question 2Whether teachers

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48:19

Will Montclair’s School Crisis Hit Home Values? Plus:...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/11/06

Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: hello@montclairpod.com.This week on The Montclair Pod, Farnoosh and Mike put two of Montclair’s favorite topics under the microscope: schools and real estate. With a nearly 20 million dollar school deficit, a December 9 referendum, and talk of a possible state monitor, they ask the question everyone is whispering at open houses: Could this hurt Montclair’s reputation and even

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57:54

Immigration, Art, and County Commissioner Brendan...

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/10/30

Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: hello@montclairpod.com.This week on The Montclair Pod, Farnoosh and Mike head straight into Montclair’s creative heart, from film to storytelling to live theater, before zooming out to the pressing issue shaping our town right now: the future of our schools.Montclair Film FestivalWe begin at the Montclair Film Festival, where Farnoosh and Mike hosted a live conversation with

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1:05:42

Modern Love in Montclair: Gay, Straight, Swinging....

The Montclair Pod ·

2025/10/23

Mike and Farnoosh explore the intertwined themes of love and money in Montclair from the dating scene to the school budget. This episode dives into how residents are navigating modern relationships in all their forms: gay, straight, open, and swinging. The hosts examine how political views, community culture, and midlife realities shape connection and commitment in town.They also continue their coverage of Montclair’s ongoing school budget crisis, unpacking what’s at stake in the upcoming “Yes-Yes”

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64 results

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