One thing almost everyone agrees on is that flooding of the Rahway River is a major problem. The US Army Corps of Engineers will be presenting the results of their economic study of flood mitigation measures on Monday, March 31. One of the alternatives being considered is a dam in the South Mountain Reservation that would contain water along the West Branch of the Rahway River. Save Our Reservation opposes the dam and I spoke with a leader of the group, Fred Profeta, to learn more.

It's been a little over a month since Bento Express opened its doors at 41 North Ave. East. Richard Lo is the owner and shortly before the official ribbon-cutting he talked about his new restaurant.

They had their start on Mulberry Street in Newark in the 1920's. Today, the former Newark Nut Company is Nuts.com and located in Cranford. Don Smith spoke with Sandy Braverman, a son of the founder, to learn more about this unique Cranford business.

One of the goals of Cranford Radio is to introduce you to and let you hear directly from the elected officials who serve Cranford. Rep. Leonard Lance serves the 7th Congressional District, which includes Cranford. Cranford Radio had the opportunity to speak with the congressman in his Westfield district office Tuesday.

One of the newer businesses in downtown Cranford is Furever Friends, a dog grooming service at 25 North Avenue West. The shop is owned by Walter Acuna and his wife, Jennifer Acuna-Alfaro. Jennifer was in the midst of grooming a dog when we chatted about the business.

Starting and running a small business is a challenge, fortunately there are places businesspeople can turn to for information, financing and more. The UCEDC is a Cranford-based non-profit economic development corporation that's been helping small businesses since 1977. Cranford Radio spoke with Ellen McHenry and Erich Peter of the UCEDC to learn more about the organization and what it offers.

Cranford parents looking for after-school programs for their children have a new option. The Westfield Area Y is now providing two new services at the Garwood Family Center Y at 500 East Street with busing from the Walnut Avenue, Livingston Avenue, Hillside Avenue and Brookside Place schools. Shannon McGillis is the director of the Garwood facility and she told Cranford Radio about the new services.

The days of a simple benefits package are long gone and the biggest change in recent memory is the start of the Affordable Care Act. Cranford resident Jo Ann Boyle has been answering questions from small employers about what the act means to them and their employees and she sat down with Cranford Radio at the Rustic Mill Diner to talk about some of the issues they're facing.