The Montclair Pod

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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.

The pod also continues its coverage of Montclair’s ongoing school budget crisis, unpacking what’s at stake in the upcoming “Yes-Yes” vs. “No-No” vote and how it could reshape the district’s financial future.

This week's Farnoosh and Mike Eat Food features La Couronne, an Italian restaurant in Watchung Plaza.

And in Ask Our Agent, we learn why some homes have a much harder time selling than others.

• Junie Moon, relationship expert and Montclair’s own love coach
• Elizabeth and Jason, single parents share their experiences dating in Montclair
• Grace L. Williams, journalist and Montclair Pod special assignment reporter
• Mishiko Passikoff, therapist on tension in relationships over politics
• Reubena Spence, co-founder of Out Montclair, on the LGBTQ+ dating scene
• Rich Reynics and Corey Pierson, organizers behind SaveMontclairSchools.com, advocating for a “Yes/Yes” vote on the school budget

Hosted by Farnoosh Torabi and Mike Schreiber

Edited by Bob Raynor

Sponsored by Twocents, Glen Ridge Taekwondo, Luna Stage, and Karin Diana, Compass Montclair

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.

Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: [email protected].

This week, Montclair’s financial story gets real. We sit down with Town Manager Stephen Marks to talk candidly about the township’s budget, his first six months on the job, and why he believes a state fiscal monitor might be “warranted” for Montclair’s schools, given a nearly $20 million deficit.

Then: What can Montclair learn from our neighbors in Nutley, who are currently experiencing the effects of a state takeover of their school district? We unpack the lessons, the trade-offs, and the emotion behind what it means to lose (or preserve) local control.

Plus:

• Why are some residents voting Yes/Yes to fund both deficits, and others are saying No to send a message?
• Montclair principals send letters to families outlining potential cuts and encouraging a YES vote on December 9, which raises flags.
• A new resource SaveMontclairSchools.com, is a grassroots group urging residents to vote Yes/Yes in the upcoming special election.
• A lighter break: Farnoosh & Mike Eat Food (sponsored by Twocents) heads to Libélula Café for empanadas that might change your day.
• “Ask Our Agent” with sponsor Karin Diana of Compass: Options for Montclair homeowners who want to downsize but stay local.

And your favorite local pod just got some hardware. The Montclair Pod is officially a Signal Awards winner for Best Local News Podcast!

Join for a special live taping of The Montclair Pod at The Montclair Film Festival. Reserve your seats.

Episode Credits:

Hosted by Farnoosh Torabi and Mike Schreiber

Produced by The Montclair Pod

Edited by Bob Raynor

Sponsored by Twocents and Karin Diana, Compass Montclair

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.

Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: [email protected].

In this episode, we dig into the cost of living in Montclair and ask, is it worth it? We start at the Farmers Market, where residents share how rising prices are changing their day-to-day lives. Then, we meet a renter who dreams of buying in town but feels priced out, and hear from Councilor-at-Large and Deputy Mayor Susan Shin Andersen on what the township is doing to address affordability.

In our Ask Your Agent series with Karin Diana of Compass, we uncover the hidden costs of homeownership. At the same time, our Montclair grocery showdown—Kings vs. ACME vs. Whole Foods—reveals a surprising winner. Plus, a rooftop visit to The Splendid at the MC Hotel, local election updates, and One Big Thing to end the week.

Our Sponsors

• Twocents
• Karin Diana of Compass Montclair

Resources and Links

• Deputy Mayor Susan Shin Andersen on Instagram
• SeedArtists
• Our IG Post on The Cost of Living in Montclair

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, it’s a jam-packed episode:

• Montclair Schools Budget Town Hall. We take you inside last Friday night’s meeting at Buzz Aldrin Middle School, where Superintendent Ruth B. Turner and Interim Business Administrator Dana Sullivan laid out the reality: the district is facing nearly $20 million in debt. Parents pressed for answers, students spoke out, and hard choices are on the table, from closing schools to eliminating Chromebooks. We break down what’s really at stake and the options ahead, from state loans with oversight to a possible special election on a tax increase.

• Montclair Pod Makes the Finals. The Montclair Pod has been nominated for a Signal Award for Best Local News Podcast alongside NPR, WHYY, and Colorado Public Radio. Here's where you can vote for us to win the People’s Choice Award.

• Dinner at Sushi Koshi. In our “Farnoosh and Mike Eat Food” series sponsored by Twocents, we visit Watchung Plaza’s Sushi Koshi, learn about the restaurant’s culture of care, and even invent a new roll (yes, we’re pitching the Montclair Pod Roll). Twocents is an app that makes it easy to give real feedback to New Jersey businesses - anonymously if you prefer.

• Montclair Film Festival Preview. Montclair Film's Artistic Director Tom Hall gives us the scoop on this year’s lineup, including The Sound of Music opening at the newly restored Bellevue Theater, George Clooney’s Jay Kelly as the opening night film, and a Spike Lee–Stephen Colbert conversation at the Wellmont.

• Love It or List It: Montclair Edition. Compass real estate agent and Montclair Pod sponsor Karin Diana tackles one of the toughest homeowner questions: should you renovate your house (dust, costs, and all) or sell and buy a new one in town? Her practical advice may surprise you. To reach Karin and receive her free Love It or List It worksheet email [email protected].

Please remember to subscribe and leave us a review!

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.

Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: [email protected].

In our Season 3 debut, we are talking all-things schools.

First, as we reported, Montclair Public Schools’ deficit is closer to $18M than $11M. We replay part of our conversation with Superintendent Ruth B. Turner, unpack what’s fact vs. speculation, and talk about oversight, a possible forensic audit, and what a “hard reset” could look like.

Then: Is Montclair still a smart move for families seeking a great education for their kids? We kick off our "Ask Our Agent" series brought to us by Compass Montclair real estate agent Karin Diana who breaks it down.

Plus: We get practical on phones in middle school with Screen Aware Montclair, a sponsored spotlight the Montclair Cooperative School’s middle-school approach, decode this year’s college admissions twists (hello, Michigan ED1/ED2), summarize all five BOE candidates, and launch our new food series brought to us by Twocents, with brunch at Oso Felipe (watermelon salad = star). We close with town news and “One Big Thing.”

Visit Montclair Cooperative School during their October 10th Open House

Sign up for a special evening with Dr. Sheryl Ziegler who wrote The Crucial Years. Montclair Cooperative School, October 13th

Thanks to our special co-host guest Danielle Neff, founder of The Montclair Moms, Dads, Parents FB group.

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.

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This week on The Montclair Pod News:

• Councilor-at-Large Carmel Loughman has resigned just over a year into her term. We break down what happened, what it means for the council, and hear directly from Deputy Mayor Susan Shin Andersen on what comes next.
• The Montclair school deficit grows to $18 million. We revisit our conversation with Superintendent Ruth B. Turner and the state’s response to the district’s financial troubles.
• A new bagel shop is here — O’Bagel opened on Bloomfield Avenue to lines around the block. We talk to fans and the second-generation owner about what makes this cult-favorite spot so beloved.
• And we sit down with Montclair’s own Bobbi Brown. The beauty mogul opens up about her new book, Still Bobbi, why she launched another cosmetics company in her 60s, and the local life that has grounded her for more than three decades.

Reserve for Bobbi Brown's book debut in Montclair, Friday 9/19 at 18 Label Studios

Reserve for the live pilot taping of Your Best Life with Junie Moon on October 8.

Subscribe, leave a review below. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: [email protected].

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.

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In a frank and revealing interview on The Montclair Pod, Montclair's new schools superintendent, Ruth B. Turner, announced that the district’s financial deficit has swelled to approximately $18 million. The startling figure combines inherited debts with a newly discovered $4 to $5 million shortfall in the current budget. Compounding the crisis, Turner revealed that after a direct appeal for help, the Township of Montclair has declined to provide any financial support to the schools.

The interview, coming just two-and-a-half months into her tenure, casts a harsh light on the deep-seated fiscal and procedural issues plaguing a district that has struggled for years with leadership instability.

Be sure to subscribe to The Montclair Pod to be the first to listen to new episodes. Season 3 kicks off September 25 with a deeper look at the health of our schools.

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.

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On the September 11, 2025, edition of The Montclair Pod News, Mike and Farnoosh open with reflections on 9/11 and how it shaped their early journalism careers. Then it’s:

• A fast tour through first-week-of-school headaches (and why better district communication is an equity issue)
• A sneak peek inside the revived Bellevue Theater
• A tense car-theft chase on Porter Place
• Paper Plane Coffee’s expansion
• The quirks of World Cup ticketing
• A playful pitch for HBO to film The White Lotus in Upper Montclair.

In “The One Thing,” they spotlight a new Italian restaurant on the way, Bob Ross originals at Lackawanna, and the town-wide garage sale benefiting the Human Needs Food Pantry. Season 3 lands September 25 with a school-focused kickoff.

Links mentioned:

Farnoosh's 529 Deep-Dive on So Money

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Happening on October 21.

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In this episode of The Montclair Pod, Mike and Farnoosh dive into the first week of September in town, with plenty of local updates and a few personal confessions.

Highlights include:

• Back to School Drama – Montclair renews its $1.5M contract with food service provider Southwest Food Service Excellence. Will new “healthier” options and salad bars outweigh student complaints?
• Gas Below $3? – Prices hit five-year lows in Montclair, with one Valley Road station leading the way. Plus, what’s next for electric car buyers as the federal tax credit winds down?
• Dining Outdoors – Montclair ranks #102 on a national survey of best places for al fresco dining. Princeton and Cape May beat us out—but Farnoosh and Mike share their own dining adventures.
• Town Borrowing Plans – Montclair considers a $10 million bond for roads, pools, and even a new firetruck. Why can’t these be budgeted for in advance?
• Fleet Feet Returns – After a devastating fire and $600K in losses, the local running store reopens thanks to insurance.
• Real Estate Talk – A neighbor’s home hits the market at $2.375M—$700K above its 2016 purchase price. Will buyers bite? Taxes alone top $57K a year.
• Weekend Plans – From a Jets game at MetLife to Bard’s performance at the South End Business District Festival, Montclair’s social calendar is full.

All this plus: skipping to the bus stop, Uber Eats in the high school lunchroom, lobster rolls (or lack thereof), and Mike’s new fitness commitment.

Register now for the NJ Small Business Sumit at Montclair State University.

Happening on October 21.

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This week on The Montclair Pod News, we’re covering a packed lineup of local stories and some irresistible neighborhood gossip. Montclair High School slipped in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, falling from #55 to #95 in the state — sparking debates about test scores, funding, and what really defines success in our schools.

We also take a peek inside a jaw-dropping $7.5 million listing for a two-family home once tied to Kool & the Gang — is it worth the price tag? Over in Watchung Plaza, renovations are nearly complete, promising a safer and more welcoming space for the community.

And in the rumor mill: beloved sushi spot Daikichi might be making a comeback. Plus, we share the quirky story of how a New Jersey rest stop meant to honor Toni Morrison ended up bearing Bruce Willis’s name instead.

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.