Cranford Radio

During school days you'll find Sean W. Bagan in a CHS classroom teaching French. Outside of school hours he's working on a dystopian trilogy that takes place in a new world. The title of the first book, which was published this year, is "On Ravens & Riddles: From the Shelves of the Noktern." 

Sean joins me on the podcast to not only discuss the book but why he was drawn to being an author and a bit of what he...

There are many reasons a person will seek out a therapist. It might be due to a major life event or a long-brewing issue a person is trying to cope with. In other cases, someone may view therapy in the same way others go to the gym. They want to maintain or improve their health.

Serenium Therapy & Wellness opened their office in Cranford at 25 Commerce Drive in January. It joins offices in Brick and Manalapan. 

Joining me on the ...

From its Depression Era beginnings, the school now known as Union College of Union County, NJ, has sought to provide a path for students who might not be able to afford a four-year college education. That mission continues today and the Union County College Foundation is the means to assist students who need financial assistance. Its role today is more than just traditional scholarship help. For example, it also provides food assis...

Christine Del Negro is a certified EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) practitioner and a mindfulness coach. One of the techniques she uses is a process called tapping. On this episode Christine talks about what tapping is and how it can be a useful practice in releasing stress and helping users.

Christine's business is School4joy and she talks about other aspects of her work and how people can use the techniques she teaches any...

It's difficult to think of a tragedy more difficult to deal with as a child than the death of a parent or sibling. Kids don't deal with grief in the same way as adults and don't have the same tools to help them through the process.

Imagine is an organization formed to help children deal with their suffering. The non-profit offers a number of services and turns to the community to help support its work. One way is thro...

Often when I do an interview on the podcast I feel as if I'm introducing a person to the Cranford community. In this week's episode, I don't feel that's necessary. Matt Nazzaro grew up in town and has spent his career as a Cranford police officer. In December Matt was sworn-in as the Cranford Police Department's 12th police chief.

While Matt is well known by the Cranford community I hope you'll still le...

Many fields have pinnacle awards. Of course there's the Tony Award on Broadway and the Pulitizer for journalism. Among community colleges, the Aspen Prize is considered by many as the top award. This year, UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ is one of ten finalists for the prize. The announcement of the winner comes April 17 in Washington, DC.

This week on the podcast I speak with Dr. Bernard Polnariev, the Vice President fo...

In October 2024 Cranford Radio featured its first AI-hosted podcast. It was amazing and scary. 

As the technology continues to evolve, there's a new experimental program by a company called Sesame. In a demo available online you can chat live with one of two voices; Maya and Miles. Both have distinct personalities. In this week's episode I have Maya as my guest. 

I wanted to not only demonstrate the technology but to show w...

Emilio DiFabio's first line in a performance was "Chop the tree." Since that inauspicious beginning, Emilio's roles have become much more noteworthy. Most recently, he plays the role of the coroner in American Trash. While being an actor is his latest adventure, he continues working at his company, DiFabio Construction.

On this week's podcast he talks about how he became involved in acting but also about his...

When you stop to think about it we're pitching all the time. It might be something informal, such as telling a friend about a great restaurant they should try. Sometimes the stakes are higher. You want a potential customer to buy your product or service or you're hoping to convince investors to finance your business idea. 

Lori Stahl Liegeois has spent a career crafting pitches. Now she and her business, The Pitch Collecti...

It's been less than a year that Cranford Neighbors has been published. In that time, the magazine has featured a number of families in town. They come from a variety of backgrounds but they all have wonderful stories to tell.

The man behind the publication is Pete Coates. The periodical also includes day trips, recipes and more and it's made possible by area businesses which advertise in the monthly.

This week I turn the ta...

In the 1980s Karen Coburn was attending Cranford High School. Some of her friends and their families had become involved with The People of Hope, a Catholic covenant community. Many years later, after moving to Los Angeles, Karen became interested in what happened to the group and those from Cranford who became a part of it. That interest led to an eight-episode podcast series called Shadow of Hope. 

Karen is my guest on this week&a...

Given the many Cranford residents who claim some Irish heritage, it might be surprising to learn that there's never been a St. Patrick's Day parade in town. That changes on March 16 when the community's first such parade will kickoff at 1 pm at the Community Center and wind it way down Walnut and North Union avenues.

Two of the people behind the march are Mayor Terrance Curran and Barry O'Donovan.

July will mark the second anniversary of the start of the Rev. Marc Vicari's pastorate at St. Michael Church. The Cranford assignment is just one of a number of roles Father Marc has had during his ministry. These include campus ministry, working for the Newark Archdiocese, and teaching.

On today's episode I speak with Father Marc to learn more about his background, including his years growing up in New Jersey, his time as...

In the early 1980s a new, little understood disease was primarily affecting two marginalized groups of people; gay men and intravenous drug users. The deadly ailment which, at the time, had no known treatment, sparked widely varying reactions.

Angels in America looks at the AIDS crisis in New York City in the mid 1980s. Cranford Radio spoke with five people involved in the Cranford Dramatic Club production; Michael Kidney ...