Shows / The Montclair Pod
The Montclair Pod
The Montclair Pod is an award-winning podcast that offers a deep dive into the stories, issues, and buzz shaping Montclair, NJ. Hosted by local friends—journalist and financial expert Farnoosh Torabi and MediaFeed founder and CEO 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 in Montclair schools to the tangled web of local politics and even the mysteries of our rollercoaster real estate market…
Episodes
- The Montclair Pod
NJ-11 Election 2026: Mejia vs. Hathaway on Taxes, Schools, ICE and Campaign Cash
This week on The Montclair Pod, Farnoosh Torabi and Mike Schreiber sit down with the three candidates on the ballot for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th District…
- The Montclair Pod
Who Pays for Youth Sports in Montclair? Plus New School Kerfuffle & Film Festival Finale
This week on The Montclair Pod, Farnoosh Torabi and Mike Schreiber ask what it takes to keep youth sports affordable in Montclair. Their reported package…
- The Montclair Pod
BOE Candidates Talk Referendum, a Cornell Alum Speaks Out & the YMCA Steps Saga
This week on The Montclair Pod, Farnoosh Torabi and Mike Schreiber revisit the Pod's first candidate forum, co-hosted with MPACT, featuring the six candidates…
- The Montclair Pod
Meet the Candidates for Montclair’s Board of Ed
Six candidates. Three open seats on Montclair’s Board of Education. Who’s asking for your vote—and what do they hope to accomplish? In this bonus episode, The…
- The Montclair Pod
Uptown Sound Recap: Montclair's Newest Music Festival, Plus the New Documentary About Our Schools
A nor’easter pushed Uptown Sound back a week, and it still drew a huge crowd. Mike and Farnoosh recap the festival and talk with organizers Dan Campeas and…
- The Montclair Pod
NJ Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Bloomfield Preschool-Church Controversy & 2026 Montclair Film Fest Preview
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Real Talk with the Superintendent: Dress Code, IEPs, Cell Phones and, Of Course, Money
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…
- The Montclair Pod
An 8th Grader Takes on the Dress Code, Who Pays for Freshman Sports, and Stephen Colbert's Next Act
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…
- The Montclair Pod
“Trump” Roasts Montclair. Plus: A Local Lead Problem and a Church Street Tax Break
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…
- The Montclair Pod
How the School Cell Phone Ban Will (or Won’t) Work, Bullets at the Movies and a New Town Called Beltley
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Is Our Board of Ed Working? Plus: The New School Cell Phone Ban and What Your Next Tax Bill Means
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Is Montclair in a Housing Bubble? Plus: Front Row at Jazz Fest & If a Tree Falls, Who Pays?
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…
- The Montclair Pod
The Future of Uptown, Montclair’s Bunny Boom & Our Favorite Restaurant
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Christian McBride talks Montclair Jazz, A.I. & the Live Experience - Plus Madonna’s Montclair Connection
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Car-Free Church Street, an Urban Outfitters Mystery, and Uptown's New Fried Chicken
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…
- The Montclair Pod
The Pod Makes the News, $1M Liquor Licenses and Two Throwbacks
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…
- The Montclair Pod
How the World Cup Took Over Montclair (And Our Podcast)
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Getting Weird in Montclair, The Bloomfield Ave Banners and the MC Hotel's Wild World Cup
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Montclair's World Cup Fumble, The Quiet $8 Million Sale & The British Guy Living in New Jersey Co-Hosts
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Farnoosh's Commencement Speech, a Brookdale Park Surprise & Montclair's $4 Million Market
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 Montclair Pod
The Endless BOE Meeting, Toni's Kitchen Under Pressure & Is Montclair an “Interracial Wakanda?”
This week on The Montclair Pod, we go inside a Board of Ed meeting that ran past 1 a.m. — and somehow still ended with a discussion about how to make meetings…
- The Montclair Pod
Supper with the Super: Tax Hike, Juneteenth Mishap & the Stalled Forensic Audit. Plus: Jackie's Reopens & Java Love Celebrates 15
This week on The Montclair Pod, we're serving up a packed episode featuring school budget questions, local food news, community concerns, and a few major…
- The Montclair Pod
Clementina Opens Uptown & We're Obsessed. Plus: Sushi at Ani + Ultimate Frisbee in Montclair
We have a very food-forward episode this week. We dive into our unforgettable dinner at Clementina, the new Adriatic-inspired Italian restaurant on Valley…
- The Montclair Pod
Montclair’s Best Bacon Egg and Cheese, World Cup Preview and What’s Up with the Forensic Audit?
This week on The Montclair Pod, we tackle some of the biggest conversations happening in town—from breakfast sandwiches to PrideFest, the World Cup, school…
- The Montclair Pod
Montclair Football Hits Refresh with New Coach. Plus: A New Uptown Music Fest + Pricier Parking
This week on The Montclair Pod, we dive into a surprisingly emotional episode about football, parking and civic spirit. First: Montclair parking is officially…
- The Montclair Pod
Yard Sales, Transit Woes, and Farewell, Colbert
It's 90 degrees in May, NJ Transit has heard from Montclair, and this Sunday there's a townwide yard sale (not to be confused with a garage sale). We've got…
- The Montclair Pod
Local History, Home Discoveries, and Last-Minute Summer Camps
Is history just a boatload of fun, or a series of anxiety-inducing tests? This week, we argue it’s the former as we take a field trip to the Montclair History…
- The Montclair Pod
Inside School of Rock, Fashion World Fiction and Another Big School Budget Meeting
This week, we are celebrating Montclair as a “Creative Island.” We sit down with legendary drummer Kevin March (Guided by Voices, The Dambuilders) to discuss…
- The Montclair Pod
Parents Race to Save Montclair Sports. Plus: What’s Happening at The Corner Restaurant?
This week, we’re looking at what happens when the budget crisis hits the playing field. With freshman sports on the chopping block at Montclair High, we sit…
- The Montclair Pod
The Making of The Montclair Girl, Book Buzz & a Church Street Mystery
This week, we’re clearing the air on the school budget "heist" rumors and diving into the incredible backstories of two women with ties to Montclair. We sit…
- The Montclair Pod
Supper with the Super: Cuts, Confusion and the Fight for Trust
In this second installment of Supper with the Super, Montclair Public Schools Superintendent Ruth B. Turner joins us for a candid, wide-ranging…
- The Montclair Pod
Spring Break Stories, Thrift Shopping in Montclair and Mikie Sherrill’s Exit
Spring break is over and we have stories. In this episode of The Montclair Pod, Farnoosh and Mike recap their very different getaways. From delayed flights and…
- The Montclair Pod
Our Magnet Schools and Cannabis: Why We’re Revisiting These Stories Now
Happy Spring Break, Montclair. While Mike and Farnoosh are away, we are opening the archives to revisit two significant segments that explore the unique…
- The Montclair Pod
Sen. Andrew Kim on The Sandwich Generation, Aging in Montclair, Plus the Results Are (Finally) In
Are you feeling "squeezed"? This week, we’re tackling the "Sandwich Generation"—that unique, often exhausting stage of life where you’re simultaneously caring…
- The Montclair Pod
Supper with the Super: Ruth Turner on the School Vote. Plus: Cory Booker Part Two
In a candid sit-down interview, Montclair Public Schools Superintendent Ruth B. Turner joins us for the first installment of a new series we’re calling “Supper…
- The Montclair Pod
Dangerous Intersections, School Vote Chaos, and a Big Get: Senator Cory Booker
This week on The Montclair Pod, we bring you one of our most important episodes yet. We tackle a deeply emotional and urgent issue: street safety. NPR's David…
- The Montclair Pod
Where Did Our School District Money Go...Exactly?
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…
- The Montclair Pod
It’s All Up in the Air. Our School Vote, Lackawanna’s Future…Mike’s Apology
Watch and subscribe on Youtube This week, so much is in flux. First, Mike has to face the music after literally falling asleep at a recent Town Hall meeting…
- The Montclair Pod
The Town and the School District: It's Complicated. (1:1 With Town Manager Stephen Marks)
Watch and subscribe on Youtube! This week, we welcome back Township Manager Stephen Marks to discuss how the town might intervene in the school budget crisis…
- The Montclair Pod
ICE Anxiety and How to Support Our Immigrant Community. Plus: NJ-11’s Primary Win
Watch and subscribe on Youtube! Montclair is freezing - literally and politically. This week, Mike and Farnoosh break down the surprise NJ-11 primary win by…
- The Montclair Pod
Rethinking Public School in Montclair? The Private Pivot, Preschool Lottery & More #Slushiegate
Watch the show on YouTube In this episode, Farnoosh reports from a packed preschool info session at the Montclair Public Library, where parents of young…
- The Montclair Pod
Slushiegate, Hackensack's Bailout & The NJ-11 Political Pileup
Watch the show on YouTube 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…
- The Montclair Pod
Schools, Liquor Licenses & Fraud with Former AG Matt Platkin. Plus: Are We Really Still a Magnet System?
Watch the show on YouTube This episode of The Montclair Pod moves between local crisis and statewide context. School Budget Crises: Montclair and Hackensack We…
- The Montclair Pod
Can We Afford Our Magnet School System? A Cost-Benefit Analysis (Plus: Our Trip to the Budget Town Hall)
Watch the show on YouTube Following last week’s episode on the origins of the magnet system, we pick up the conversation at a critical crossroads—one where…
- The Montclair Pod
Montclair’s Magnet Schools at a Crossroads: The History Lesson We Need
Watch the show on YouTube Montclair has long defined itself by its district-wide magnet system—a model built on choice, diversity, and integration by design…
- The Montclair Pod
HNY Montclair! Our Modern Love and Swingers Episode Once More (You're Welcome)
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Unhoused in Montclair: A Look Back at Our Acclaimed Episode
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…
- The Montclair Pod
The Season of Giving in Montclair: How to Make the Most Impact Right Now
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…
- The Montclair Pod
The School Vote Is Off. Wait, Never Mind. Also: What Happened to the $20 Million?
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 Montclair Pod
High Time in Montclair: Meet the Locals Behind the Town’s Cannabis Future
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…
- The Montclair Pod
The Local Meets The Pod: Is This Election Even Legal? Plus: Tracking Down Christina Hunt. Who's In for a Road Trip?
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…
- The Montclair Pod
"We Deserve Answers": Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill on Montclair Schools' Fiscal Crisis
Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: hello@montclairpod.com…
- The Montclair Pod
Behind the Dec 9th Ballot: Superintendent Ruth B. Turner on Montclair’s Fiscal Crossroads
In her most candid interview yet, Superintendent Ruth B. Turner discusses accountability, fiscal discipline, and the tough choices facing Montclair schools, as…
- The Montclair Pod
Will Montclair’s School Crisis Hit Home Values? Plus: Mikie Sherrill’s Big Win
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Immigration, Art, and County Commissioner Brendan Gill on the School Fiscal Crisis
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Modern Love in Montclair: Gay, Straight, Swinging. Plus: Yes-Yes or No-No?
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…
- The Montclair Pod
State Monitor or Local Control? Montclair Is Divided. Plus: Town Manager Stephen Marks on Budget Challenges
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Is Montclair Worth It? The Real Cost of Living Here
Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: hello@montclairpod.com. In this…
- The Montclair Pod
Montclair’s $20M School Deficit Explained and the Big Montclair Film Preview
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…
- The Montclair Pod
Montclair Schools at a Crossroads: $18M Shortfall, BOE Ballots, and What Families Need Now
Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at MontclairPod.com. Follow on Instagram and send us a tip: hello@montclairpod.com. In our…