Cranford Radio

While the YWCA Union County has been serving the community for over a century, they had a forced new beginning in 2019 when their headquarters in Elizabeth burned to the ground. The building may have been lost, but the work continued. Today, the organization is preparing to move into a rebuilt facility. On this week's episode, I speak with Kathryn Lynch, the interim executive director and Cra...

For over two decades Downtown Cranford streets have hosted Sunday street fairs. A new vendor, Marketspace Vendor Events , is behind the event taking place Sunday, May 19th. The company is owned by Cranford residents Kim and Kevin Kraemer. The event is run by the Cranford Area Chamber of Commerce .  On this week's podcast I speak with Kevin and Kim, as well as Gina Tipton, the executive direct...

A lot has changed when it comes to hair since the Cranford Barber Shop opened.  Crew cuts gave way to long hair.  Getting a haircut also meant getting a shave for many men and while they were waiting they might have their shoes shined. The shop, which had its last day on April 27, cut the hair on countless Cranford kids and adults. It was one of the first barber shops in town to also cut the hair...

There's much about the current political state in the US that is shared with the 1960s. Both periods are seen by many as a time of division. Anti-war protests and civil rights are very much in the news. The Cranford Dramatic Club brings us back to the 1960s with the final production of their current season with the musical  Hair . Cranford Radio speaks with director/choreographer Michael Kidn...

Most major building projects in Cranford require hearings and approval of the Cranford Planning Board . If you're not involved yourself in a project, you may not be aware of the board does. On this week's podcast I speak with the chair of the Planning Board, Molly Kellett , to learn about what the board does and how it does its work.

A Cranford-based organization, the UCEDC , working with Downtown Cranford and the Cranford Theater is holding a four-part series designed to give Cranford business owners tools they can use to grow their business. Mary Adelman, a business consultant with the UCEDC, will be leading one of the sessions. She's my guest this week on Cranford Radio to talk about the program and how business owners...

It's National Library Week and to mark the occasion my guest on this episode of the Cranford Radio podcast is Kathy Cannarozzi, the director of the Cranford Public Library . We chat about a variety of topics including her first year at the library, the plans to expand the children's section and the CPL's role as a book sanctuary.

Often, the highway infrastructure of the state is taken for granted. We hop in our cars and drive from place to place with little thought of what's necessary to let it happen. When something goes wrong, however, we quickly realize how fragile our infrastructure can be. Chris Feinthel, Assistant Commissioner for Operations in the New Jersey Department of Transportation , grew up in Cranford ne...

You may know Dinah Dunn through her work as a writer and reporter for TAPinto Cranford . Your grade school kids may know her through the books she's written for Scholastic Books .  On this week's podcast I talk to Dinah about what she's learned about Cranford since joining the online news site in September and how she writes to encourage young reluctant readers to pick up and read a...

When you're a parent, especially with young children, you keep a close eye on your kids. You want to give them everything they need to thrive and you're on the lookout for any areas in which they need help. It's a big moment when they say that first word, and from there advance to simple sentences and build their vocabulary. Some kids need help in developing their communication skil...

On this St. Patrick's Day weekend we talk with Cranford resident Jennifer Love. Jennifer was named the Irishwoman of the Year by the Union County Daughters of Ireland . The honor is just one facet of her story. She is a long-time Realtor and currently manages the Westfield office of Weichert Realtors .  She's also served as an advocate for Emma's Law , which would require school veh...

A number of Cranford business have teamed with the Work Readiness Academy , part of the Union County Educational Services Commission , to prepare students for work following their schooling. Josh Bornstein, director of the academy and a Cranford resident, joins me on the podcast this week to talk about the program. Also joining us on the episode is Dr. Lajja Patel, a dentist and owner of South Ave...

Serving as the township attorney is just one of the responsibilities of Ryan Cooper.  In addition he has a law practice in town and he also serves as the chairman of the Cranford Democratic Municipal Committee . On this week's episode we learn about his role as Cranford's lawyer and his years going to high school on Sandy Hook and how he spent the four years between high school and colle...

"Peace, Love & Pancakes" is the phrase Toast City Diner uses to describe themselves. Truth is, they are much more than that. The restaurant at the corner of South and Walnut avenues has a menu that offers a variety of foods from breakfast staples such as omelettes to gourmet grilled cheese. Co-owners Amy Russo and Adam Torine chat with me about the restaurant's beginnings, their...

As we come to Presidents Day Weekend, we're going to go through a bit of presidential history by looking back at those men who served as president of the United States and who visited Cranford either before, during or after their terms in office. Vic Bary,  a member of the Cranford Historical Society , tells about those visits and a bit about the lives of the presidents who came through town.

While growing up in Cranford, Bridget Gautieri may not have realized some of the things she was doing were preparing her for a journey that would lead to Germany. She was a youth leader at Calvary Lutheran Church and from sixth grade at Orange Avenue School she studied German. After getting her undergraduate degree at Roanoke College she entered Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia with p...

Early February is the when the refurbished Centennial Avenue indoor pool and fitness center is expected to open. The facility will now be operated as the Cranford YMCA . In anticipation of the opening, Cranford Radio spoke with Greg Hatzisavvas , Vice President of Operations for the Westfield Area Y . We talk about physical changes that have been made and what programs the Y will be offering.

A great way to spend a winter evening is enjoying a production by the Cranford Dramatic Club . In February, the community theater will be presenting the play, "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940." Cranford Radio had an opportunity to catch up with three of the folks involved with the production, director Zach Mazouat, stage manager Dana Dispoto and Shannon Ludlum, who plays Helsa Wenzel,...

Many of us have things like junk drawers, piles on tables and a garage so crowded with stuff that we can't park our car inside. How do you get away from the mess and get your space better organized? Our guest on this week's episode is Cranford resident Trish Johnson. She owns This Organized Chaos and we chat about things you can do to put your living space in better order and how she can...

Each year the Cranford Clergy Council and the Interfaith Human Relations Committee recognize someone with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award to honor his legacy. This year's recipient is Monsignor Timothy Shugrue. Father Tim served as the pastor of St. Michael Church for a dozen years before retiring from the parish last year. In this week's episode we discuss the award and some o...

This month voters have an opportunity to decide if they will approve a $75 million bond referendum. The bond includes funding for construction of full-day kindergarten classes in the district and facility enhancements. State aid will cover approximately 26% of the costs. Cranford Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Scott Rubin joins the podcast this week to discuss the referendum in greater detail. Add...

As the weather turns colder, the need to address homelessness becomes more urgent. Bridges , a non-profit organization based in Summit, does more than just provide clothing and food for those dealing with homelessness. They also work with those who are without permanent housing to find long-term solutions and to provide a safe place to live. In this week's podcast I speak with Richard Uniacke...

As a child Paul Kerbel moved around quite a bit, but for the past five+ years his home is Cranford as he serves as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El Mekor Chayim . Rabbi Kerbel talks about his childhood, why he was drawn to becoming a rabbi and his impressions of Cranford. We also talk about recent events in the Middle East and how that has affected him and his congregation.

Chris Battiloro was officially appointed as Westfield's police chief in December 2018. While he grew up in Westfield and has spent his entire law enforcement career in our neighboring town, Cranford is the town Chris and his family call home. On this week's episode we chat about his life as a police officer and how technology and world events impact his profession. We also note how an in...

If you're not Roman Catholic you might not be too familiar with the Knights of Columbus and the work they do. Cranford Council 6226 is associated with the Parish of St. Michael but their members come from more than just St. Michael's and Cranford. The current leader of the council is Kevin Cumiskey. He's served as Grand Knight since July 2023. On this week's episode he tells me...