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Artwork for Highlands Bunker

Highlands Bunker

Karl Stomberg
Delaware
Wilmington
Homelessness
Delaware Politics
Democratic Party
Police Reform
Working Families Party
Delaware Way
Spotlight Delaware
Police Accountability
Bethany Hall-Long
Transparency In Government
Opioid Crisis
ICE
John Kowalko
Christina Park
Palestine
New Castle County
Legislation
Community Engagement

Part-time activist hoping to build and deepen solidarity in the local leftist community. Discussion will be focused on local politics, culture and more.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes452Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Highlands Bunker

Latest Episodes

Nurse Susan makes her bunker debut to talk about how other cities deal with homelessness and what Delaware could learn. Then, Shyanne and Rob discuss what the primary elections mean for the upcoming legislative session.

Show Notes:

* Viewpoint: De... more

4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42

Michael Kalmbach returns from exile to reflect on the state of homelessness and addiction two years after the closing of the Creative Vision Factory, and larger lessons around burnout, PTSD, and dealing with the system problems we face.

Show Notes: more

We can't let history happen to us. We have to happen to history.

Show Notes:

* Progressives mark big wins in Democratic statehouse primaries

* Why did the winners win?

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Nurse Susan
Nurse, activist and policy-focused contributor
Episode: E417 - Which Kind of Hope and Change (w/ Nurse Susan, Shyanne Miller)
Michael Kalmbach
Artist, teacher, thinker; former head of Creative Vision Factory
Creative Vision Factory
Episode: E415 - Temporary Autonomous Zone (w/ Michael Kalmbach)
Chelle Paul
Nocap Dover correspondent and House primary candidate
Nocap / Dover campaign
Episode: E413 - It's Called Transparency (w/ Chelle Paul)
Dustyn Thompson
Chapter Director of the Sierra Club of Delaware
Sierra Club Delaware
Episode: E412 - Electron Congestion (w/ Dustyn Thompson)
Jason Myles
Musician, writer, cultural critic, host of This Is Revolution podcast
This Is Revolution
Episode: E411 - Surplus Humanity (w/ Jason Myles)
Madinah Wilson
Writer and activist discussing political hygiene
Delaware Call / Working Families Party context mentioned
Episode: E410 - Political Hygiene (w/ Madinah Wilson)
Karl Baker
Deputy Editor of Spotlight Delaware
Spotlight Delaware
Episode: E408 - The Alliance to Destroy Delaware's Future (w/ Karl Baker)
Joshua Sanderlin
Marijuana Commissioner, Delaware
Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS) / Delaware Cannabis Regulation
Episode: E407 - Reefer Sanity (w/ Joshua Sanderlin)
Jess Scarane
Vibes and aesthetics expert, activist comrade
Friend and comrade on the panel
Episode: E405 - Claude Reflects Our Values (w/ Jess Scarane, Len Damico)

Host

Rob
Host of Highlands Bunker

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • One of the best!

    Highlands Bunker is one of the best podcasts to stay up to date with local politics here in Delaware. Love all the interviews with activists, candidates and leaders throughout our state. If I had to leave feedback, I would say audio could use a bit more processing. Throughout the podcast I have to constantly increase and decrease the audio levels. A simple compressor on the master audio file would fix it in no time. Looking forward to you guys creating more content in the future!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nomadicfilms
    United States6 years ago
  • Excellent

    Highland Bunker not only provides important local Delaware politics and news, but also questions some of the assumptions that underpin our current cultural and political landscape on a more universal level. These conversations allow us to look for ways to take actions towards a more harmonic community. At the same time if something is absurd, it will be called out for the problem that it is.

    Vanella always brings a ton of energy and insight, but also a curiosity to learn from the amazing guests... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OldTrafforDisciple
    United States7 years ago
  • Delaware Activists Activating

    Highlands Bunker does a great job knitting together Delaware's left of center activist communities. Conversations are always on point without being preachy.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JasonOCR330
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-caliber guest mix but audio could use compression for consistent levels.
Consistently strong coverage of Delaware activism and local politics.
Communities praise for knitting together left-activist voices in Delaware.
Listeners appreciate the focus on people-facing issues and practical change.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#190
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#112
France/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

E413 - It's Called Transparency (w/ Chelle Paul)
Q: How do you view the role of transparency and FOIA in governance?
She argues that transparency is essential for trust and accountability, notes past FOIA battles, and supports stronger enforcement and clearer processes so the public can see what government is doing and why.
E413 - It's Called Transparency (w/ Chelle Paul)
Q: What motivated you to throw your hat in a ring?
Chelle explains that years of community organizing and frustration with leadership's responsiveness pushed her to seek a seat, aiming to bring accountability, greater visibility into legislative processes, and advocacy for core needs like housing affordability and public safety.
E404 - How Is That Your Job? (w/ Dwayne Bensing)
Q: Why is reigning in corporate greed the AG's job, and how does that fit with civil rights?
He asserts that the AG in Delaware has jurisdiction to rein in corporate greed and to protect civil rights, arguing that law should be used to check big capital interests and ensure due process, transparency, and independent investigations, not just prosecute low-level offenses.
E404 - How Is That Your Job? (w/ Dwayne Bensing)
Q: How is it going with the party and with the Delaware way since the convention?
The guest explains that he has one foot in the party but is critical of how the Delaware Democratic Party has handled issues, arguing there needs to be a broader, values-based reform and a debate about how the AG can influence corporate power and civil rights, rather than simply aligning with party leaders.
Update - Eviction Day
Q: How do you weigh the moral side of eviction against the civic/legal side, given the tents and the encampment are involved?
The host probes the mayor's rationale, highlighting the tension between moral obligations to the unhoused and the civic requirement to enforce park rules, prompting a nuanced explanation from the guest about balancing compassion with policy.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Highlands Bunker

What is Highlands Bunker about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on deep-dive conversations about local Delaware politics, governance, and activist culture from a left-leaning perspective. Episodes frequently explore transparency, housing and urban renewal, energy and utilities, cannabis policy, and the ethics of money in politics, all through conversations with activists, organizers, journalists, and policy experts. A notable strength is its hands-on, community-driven approach: candid debates, long-form interviews, and real-world case studies (from FOIA reforms to encampment evictions) that prioritize grassroots organizing and accountability. The format often blends sharp critique with practical storytelling, making it useful for listeners who want to understand how local policy shifts ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Highlands Bunker?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Highlands Bunker:

1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. This American Life
3. Still Counting
4. If Books Could Kill
5. Freakonomics Radio

How many episodes of Highlands Bunker are there?

Highlands Bunker launched 7 years ago and published 452 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Highlands Bunker?

Recent guests on Highlands Bunker include:

1. Nurse Susan
2. Michael Kalmbach
3. Chelle Paul
4. Dustyn Thompson
5. Jason Myles
6. Madinah Wilson
7. Karl Baker
8. Joshua Sanderlin

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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