Highlands Bunker

Rob and Karl head down to Legislative Hall in Dover to interview community members and activists who are lobbying in favor of Senate Bill 10, which would allow for compassionate release for prisoners who have served a certain amount of time. Show Notes: Senate Bill 10

State Representative Sophie Phillips joins Rob in the bunker to talk about SB 21 and the potential Delaware fiscal crisis, her legislation dealing with homelessness in Delaware, and the reason why we need body size discrimination legislation. Show Notes: Storm the Fort episode about May Day Body size discrimination legislation

Jordan Howell and Bill Martin join Rob in the bunker to talk about some of the more insidious crackdowns happening at the local level, most notably the trial of a pro-Palestine activist for "assaulting" the police. Then, they talk more about BPG and MBNA and some of their effects on Wilmington. Show Notes: He Was a Crook Clearing the good name of Gavin Coco

State Representative Rae Moore joins Rob in the bunker to talk about some of the latest updates in the state legislature, most especially her legislation to expand free school meals for all students and the roadblocks it has faced (since the recording of this episode, it passed out of committee). Show Notes: House Bill 125 That big BPG news

Lead-Free Delaware activists Amy Roe and Sarah Bucic join Rob in the bunker to talk about where Delaware is far behind (and actually ahead in one case) in handling lead poisoning, and how our state's culture of profit and institutional inertia prevents us from protecting against even the most obvious threats. Show Notes: Stand Up For Madinah Screening Comedy Special Tickets Lead-Free Delaware Hous...

Christina School Board members Doug Manley and Monica Moriak join Rob in the bunker to talk about our two favorite things: political dysfunction and the Court of Chancery. We get updates on Naveed Baqir and new attempts to resolve his residency, the upcoming elections and potential leadership election, and what an actual functional school board would look like. Show Notes: Previous Doug episode Mo...

Karl the Producer joins Rob in the bunker to talk about a series of pieces he wrote in the context of the passage of Senate Bill 21, laying out how the modern Delaware Way developed economically and politically in the 70s and 80s against the backdrop of militant teacher action. Show Notes: Wilmington Federations of Teachers Part One , Two , and Three Capital Fight or Flight Storm the Fort

Shyanne Miller joins Rob in the bunker for a wide-ranging discussion about how much we need to change our tactics given the stagnation of leftist priorities and the acceleration of corporate priorities. Show Notes: Most recent reporting on SB 21

Historian Dael Norwood joins Rob in the bunker to finally talk about Senate Bill 21, this year's attempt to completely undermine Delaware's judiciary in favor of billionaires like Elon Musk. Not that it has anything to do with Elon Musk, why would you even say that? I don't even know who that is. Show Notes: Unrelated tweet less than two weeks before this bill was released Senate hearing on Wednes...

Congresswoman Sarah McBride joins Rob and Andrew Galvin in the bunker to talk about how the Democratic Party is responding to the current moment on issues from the economy to Gaza, and how she's navigating a very difficult situation in DC. After the interview, Rob, Andrew, and Karl have a follow-up conversation diving deeper on the current state of affairs. Show Notes: Rep McBride's first speech F...

New Castle County Councilman Kevin Caneco joins Rob in the bunker to talk about his path into Delaware politics as a transplant, how he got so interested in land use and why it really matters, and the challenges and benefits of being an insurgent candidate. Show Notes: Battling the Prince More on Kevin Caneco

Local historian Syl Woolford joins Rob in the bunker to talk about some of the latest news around Donald Trump and Elon Musk before telling the story of Delaware's 1922 US House Election and the role played by the African American community and an anti-lynching bill. Show Notes: DelDems roll over for Musk First part of Wilmington Federation of Teachers piece Storm the Fort trailer

Recorded on the same day as our first episode in the renovated bunker, Bill and Karl join Rob to talk about the first days of the Trump administration, more about the port and our former governor, and an upcoming podcast on the Knights of Labor. Show Notes: Bethany at the Trump inauguration Follow Storm the Fort on Bluesky philadelphiaeagles.com

State senate candidate Riley Figliola and regular guest Madinah Wilson-Anton join Rob in the bunker to talk about the Delaware Way (and its new official bell), and how it affects the upcoming special election and the Port of Wilmington. Show Notes: Riley's website

Where does Dan Cruce live?

To break in a newly-renovated bunker, we are joined by multiple different guests this week: Councilwoman Shané Darby talks about the latest police shooting in Wilmington and how we can demand accountability, Rev. Patrick Burke speaks about the chaos of the early Trump administration, community activist Lakeisha Nix talks about NOCAP Delaware, and State Senate Candidate Riley Figliola talks about h...

Joe Connor joins Rob in the back room of Gallucios to talk about the first few days of the Meyer and Trump administrations, the importance or lack thereof of attacking Bud Freel, and what we're in store for over the next four years. Plus, a message from the new campaign: Neighbors Organized for Credibility and Accountability in Policing. Show Notes: NOCAP Social Media

With the studio under construction, the bunker is on the road. This week, Rob joins Senator Laura Sturgeon and Representative Madinah Wilson-Anton in legislative hall to talk about the first week of the legislature and what they're looking forward to in the upcoming session. Show Notes: Delaware legislative site

Bill and Karl join Rob in the bunker to talk about our new governor, our new mayor, and a variety of other local and national news stories that have been ringing in the new year in 2025. Show Notes: Bethany Hall-Long swearing in Governor/Mayor Carney reflects

SD1 and NCC Pres candidate George Frankel joins Rob in the bunker to talk about his experience running for both a real election and the Democrat's special selection process, and where they may agree and disagree. Show Notes: Spotlight Delaware coverage

Various registered Democrats in the 1st Senate District join Rob in the bunker to talk about the latest Democratic Party selection process for the open state senate seats, and what the alternative is. Show Notes: Rae's previous essay Spotlight Delaware coverage

Friendship House Executive Director Kim Eppehimer joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the work they're doing among people experiencing homelessness and how that work is running up against the ongoing transformation of the city of Wilmington, as well as the work of the New Castle County Police Accountability Board. Show Notes: Donate to Friendship House Police Accountability Board

Rev. Patrick Burke, Rector of the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew, joins Rob in the bunker to talk about his path from the corporate world to the church, the role of faith in grassroots organizing, and the challenges that SsAM has been facing from the city of Wilmington around the issue of homelessness. Show Notes: Why a Wilmington church, 250 others, accuse city police of 'harassmen...

The crew joins Rob in the bunker to talk briefly talk about some of the results of the 2024 election now that. month has passed. Bonus episode coming later this week at https://www.patreon.com/TheHighlandsBunker

Unlocked for this week: Historian Dael Norwood joins Rob in the virtual bunker to talk about a Thomas Nast's 1869 "Uncle Sam's Thanksgiving Dinner" comic and what it means about for what America could have been and then what it actually became. Show Notes: Rob's thread on the homeless sweep Richard White Episode The racist Thanksgiving cartoon Freedom and Slavery at Delaware College: A Student Res...