Devoted Mamas Helping With Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum

There are few moments in life as transformative as giving birth and becoming a parent. However, the process takes a physical and emotional toll. Cranford resident Nicole Coons and Kendra Fitzgerald are sisters and the women behind Devoted Mamas. Their business offers trauma-informed movement and healing for all stages of motherhood.

On this week’s episode we learn how the business came about and how they help new mothers and their partners move through this time in their lives.

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Being in Motherhood podcast

Kendra Fitzgerald and Nicole Coons (left to right)

Financial Planning for Higher Education

This season of graduations is one of celebration. While great pride and excitement comes with the awarding of diplomas, there’s also the financial reality of paying for tuition or student loans.

On today’s Cranford Radio podcast I speak with Robert Nabel about paying for colleges or trade schooling. He’s a certified financial planner with The Fortis Agency. He also has created The Financial Advisor to provide financial advice to young families.

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Rob Nabel

Mental Health Association in New Jersey Plans Annual Walk in Cranford in June

May is Mental Health Month and on June 10 Cranford will be the site of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey‘s Walk for Wellness  at Nomahegan Park. Mental health, of course, is about much more than a month or a walk, but these events help to highlight the importance of the issue and providing resources to address it.

On this week’s Cranford Radio podcast, we talk with Robert Kley, the vice president and COO of the association and Jill Schlossberg, the director for Hudson and Union counties, about the organization and the June walk.

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Robert Kley

Jill Schlossberg

“In The Heights” Comes to Cranford

Washington Heights isn’t very far from Cranford as far as distance is concerned. A trip over the George Washington Bridge or taking a train to New York and then an uptown subway will get you there in about an hour. Culturally, however, it’s far removed.

This month, the Cranford Dramatic Club will be presenting the musical that first brought Lin-Manuel Miranda to the attention of many. Several cast members (Jose Figueroa/Kevin Rosario, Dania Agüero Davie/Camila Rosario, Gail Cevallos/Nina Rosario, and Karina Muñoz/Abuela Claudia) along with director Edgar Hidalgo, chatted with Cranford Radio about the show and how the story and characters resonate with them.

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Cast of “In The Heights”

It’s Year 24 for the Cranford Street Fair

Typically, spring and autumn see the downtown streets closed for Cranford’s street fairs. This year’s first event will take place on Sunday, April 30 between 11 and 5. The man behind Cranford’s festival is Darryl Walker. He’s the event organizer for StreetFairs.org. He chatted with Cranford Radio about what goes into putting the street fairs on, what the newest hot product is, and the enduring popularity of kettle corn and Italian sausage sandwiches.

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Darryl Walker

Getting to Know Cranford Township Commissioner Gina Black

Gina Black is serving her first term on the Cranford Township Committee. As with most folks who are elected to the committee, it comes after years of volunteer work around town. In addition, their elected responsibilities need to be balanced with their career and families. 

In this week’s episode we find out more about Gina’s life outside of sitting on the dais in the municipal building.

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Gina Black

Navigating the Highways and More with Cranford’s Don Smith

There are many places you may know Don Smith from. It could be as a neighbor. Perhaps it’s from his years on News 12 and TV35. More recently you might see his morning Tri-State Traffic Show or hear his voice doing traffic updates on WCBS Newsradio 880. On this week’s Cranford Radio podcast, we learn how he made the journey from volunteering at Cranford’s hometown channel to being seen on TV sets across the state.

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Don Smith

The Acknowledgements – A New Podcast Looks at an Often Overlooked Part of Books

When Nutan Rubinson reads books she makes it a point to read that page where the author thanks those who helped make the work possible. She wondered if others also were curious about that glimpse into who was behind what was written.

This year she debuted a new podcast, The Acknowledgements, to bring a unique take to the crowded field of book podcasts. On this week’s Cranford Radio podcast, the Cranford resident discusses why she finds the acknowledgements so interesting, the types of books she finds of interest, and what she’s discovered about podcasting.

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Nutan Rubinson

Cranford YarnStormers Bring Beauty and Color to Cranford

You’ve likely seen their work as you travel around town. It might be at the gazebo in February or in front of the Cranford Public Library. I’m talking about the knit and crocheted public art that the Cranford YarnStormers install.

Teresa Murray is the founder and yarn boss for the YarnStormers and she tells us about how the group came about and how they do their work. While they get permission to decorate public spaces they want their projects to be a surprise.

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YarnStormers Instagram page

Teresa Murray

Cranford Greenway Will Take You from Maine to Florida

With spring here outdoor activities are on the increase. On any sunny weekend day you’ll find the walking path through Nomahegan Park crowded with folks getting exercise and enjoying the outdoors. Did you know that if you continued north on the pathway, you’d eventually end up at the Canadian border and if you continued south your final destination would be Key West? The East Coast Greenway connects urban areas along the Atlantic coast. Dennis Markatos-Soriano is the executive director of the East Coast Greenway Alliance and he’s my guest on this week’s Cranford Radio podcast.

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Dennis Markatos-Soriano