Highlands Bunker

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. See the full episode at https://www.patreon.com/TheHighlandsBunker

Spotlight Delaware Report Nick Stonesifer joins Rob in the bunker to talk about his reporting on the Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission and how it was mismanaged. Show Notes: Delaware’s opioid fund differs from any other state Opioid grants mostly funded prevention, but also raised questions

After being one of the comprehensive public high schools in the country, AI DuPont High School has seen a massive enrollment decline and is under threat from a variety of sources. Our panel of AI alums join Rob in the bunker to talk about their former school and what needs to be done to save it. Show Notes: Wilmington PD pressed city to cancel police accountability rally November 20th Red Clay Sch...

We recorded on election night, but you're going to have to pay to hear more. Full episode coming later this morning. https://www.patreon.com/TheHighlandsBunker

ATTENTION loyal podcast listeners! Dr. Tanya Whittle has joined Rob IN THE BUNKER and we need your help to make sure that EVERYONE hears about her work on the New Castle County Police Accountability Board!!! All listens are 8X MATCHED (1 listen = 8 listens), so can we count on YOU today?? HBP Stop2Quit Show Notes: New Castle County Police Accountability Form November 1st Project Return event

Regular guest Madinah Wilson-Anton and her uncle long-time comedian Rocky Wilson join Rob in the bunker to talk about stand-up comedy: how they got into it, how it's changed, and the best ways to do bits. Show Notes: For Lack of a Better Word Stand Up For Madinah Madinah Comedy Info

Whether you're in Wilmington, Tuscon, or St Louis, we still love our boys in blue. Rob joins the bunker virtually to talk about upcoming efforts for police reform, the exploits of police in Delaware and across the country, and some stories about campaign finance and independents. Show Notes: Meyer on police transparency Former Delaware State Police officer sentenced to prison for assault on teens...

Several activists from DE Actions 4 Palestine join Rob in the virtual bunker to talk about the latest protest at the Dover Air Force Base where munitions are being shipped to Israel. We had some technical issues so apologies for the imperfect audio. Show Notes: DE Actions 4 Palestine Israel's credit rating downgraded More on the Dover protest

Spotlight Delaware Editor-in-Chief Jacob Owens joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the model of Spotlight Delaware, how it fits into the current media landscape, and then how all this falls into the post-primary environment. Show Notes: Spotlight Delaware

Bill and Karl join Rob in the bunker to talk more about what the next few years might look like in the wake of the September 10th primary. Show Notes: Crime rates dropping

Jordyn Pusey and Jason Scott join Rob in the bunker to break down the latest primary election results and what they mean for the future of the movement. Show Notes: Primary Election Results A Landmark Election The Auditor report Delaware Call Fundraiser

Christina School Board member Doug Danger Manley joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the roiling series of scandals that have engulfed the school board from executive sessions to shell LLCs to privatization. Show Notes: Latest Bethany Hall-Long article The Naveed Baqir Files Delaware Call Fall Classic

Bunker regulars Jess Scarane and Jordan Howell join Rob in the bunker to preview the upcoming primaries from governor to state house to mayor and also begin the #DraftMisterCelery movement. Show Notes: Check your voting info Delaware Call Baseball Fall Fundraiser

ACLU Legal Director and former Wilmington Democrats parliamentarian Dwayne Bensing joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the Delaware Call/ACLU lawsuit against Delaware's police, some of the other lawsuits the ACLU is involved in, and then some of his experiences with the Democratic Party in Chicago and a little bit closer to home. Show Notes: Arms shipments to Israel and @MenchOsint ACLU's vanity...

Former Delaware Public Media reporter Rachel Sawicki joins Rob in the bunker to talk about their experience in the Delaware media landscape, the parallels between the Kathy McGuiness and Bethany Hall-Long situations, and then a case study on how police violence gets covered. Show Notes: Rachel's most recent Kathy McGuiness story Esteban's police violence story

Wilmington activist Haneef Salaam joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the upcoming Justice For All edition of the monthly Positive Vibes in the Park event, the state of the 2024 elections, and the theory of an Old School vs New School Delaware Way. Show Notes: New Book from Maya Justice For All Event on 8/23

Activists James and Henry join Rob in the bunker to talk about their journey into leftist politics and advocacy for Palestine, and some of their takeaways after recent protests in Delaware and Washington DC.

Former Delaware Democratic Party Executive Director Erik Raser-Schramm joins Rob in the bunker to talk about his unique path into politics, his time in the political establishment, and why he wrote an op-ed calling out Bethany Hall-Long and endorsing Matt Meyer for governor. Show Notes: Lt. Gov. Hall-Long’s campaign team is getting shaken up — again Erik's op-ed

Oh, you thought it was just New Castle County that had horrible police unaccountability? Tye Grier joins Rob in the virtual bunker to talk about another instance of Dover police violence, and then more about the failed efforts to make change in that arena. Show Notes: Esteban Parra uses passive voice

State Representative Madinah Wilson-Anton joins Rob in the bunker to talk about this week's New Castle County Police Accountability Board meeting, and what it represents in the broader efforts to reform policing in Delaware. Show Notes: Another Day Another Case of Extreme Police Violence

The criminal legal system is back at it again as Bill joins Rob in the bunker to talk about the latest police violence from the New Castle County police department, as well as the trial of one of the arrested Palestine protesters. Then, some discussion about Delaware's favorite elderly president. Show Notes: New Castle County police beat a woman New Castle County Police Accountability Board Networ...

Wilmington Councilwoman Shané Darby and DSA co-chair Jonathan Tate join Rob in the bunker to talk about the Nathan Field anti-protesting ordinance, the trial of an actual protester, and then some talk about how organizations are handing out endorsements. Show Notes: More on the anti-protester ordinance

Former Kathy McGuiness lawyer Steve Wood joins Rob in the bunker to wrap up some of the loose ends of the Kathy v Kathy trial, the state of the corporate bar and the criminal justice system, and his objection to the term razzle dazzle. Show Notes: Washington Post report on police sexual abuse Kathy v Kathy series

As we approach our 300th episode, we go back over the story of the Highlands Bunker from the first episode recorded in late 2018 to nearly six years later in 2024. We review some of the key moments in the bunker, some of the key struggles we've focused on, the biggest goofs, and where we stand today. Show Notes: A trip down memory Saturday E01 - Proof of Concept BONUS EPISODE - Throwing Stones at...

Chance from Chancery Daily and local historian Dael Norwood join Rob in the virtual bunker to talk more about the upcoming changes to the Delaware General Corporation Law, which sailed through the senate despite opposition from dozens of leading law professors and scholars. We talk about the arguments that were made and what effects they did or didn't have on legislators. Show Notes: Karl Baker co...