2025 Reporter Reflections
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
In this last “Beyond the Headlines” episode for 2025, each member of Spotlight Delaware’s nine-person reporting team reflects on the stories that meant the most to them in the year. From government accountability to long-term investigations, community profiles to breaking news, learn what stuck out to our reporters in 2025. Moms, farmers, politicians, abuse victims and more are all featured in these reflections. Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight Delaware articles connected to this episode:
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Concerns Around Redding Consortium Redistricting Plans
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Education reporter Julia Merola talks about the Redding Consortium for Educational Equity and specifically its process to make a recommendation for reworking school district boundaries in Wilmington. She recaps the background of the consortium and the details of the December 16th vote to move forward with a redistricting plan. Julia also discusses why the work of the consortium, which had been flying under the radar, has recently been receiving a lot more public focus – and with that, some public confusion and public pushback. Plus, learn when being a 4'11" reporter has downsides. Hosted by...
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Beyond the Headlines: Our Delaware Cultural Festival
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Spotlight Delaware Editor-In-Chief Jacob Owens and Marketing and Events Manager Elsa Kegelman take listeners behind the scenes on the upcoming Our Delaware Cultural Festival in Wilmington, Delaware. They explain the origin of the Our Delaware story series, how it morphed into an in-person event and what attendees can expect. Join hundreds of other Delawareans in taking in the art, music, food and stories of Delaware's many cultures from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Arsht Hall, 2700 Pennsylvania Ave. in Wilmington.
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Make Georgetown Great Again: Pushback on Homeless Services
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Rural communities reporter Maggie Reynolds discusses a controversy that has broken out in recent weeks in Georgetown where a citizens' group is making their disapproval quite vocal of the town's homeless population and the town government's handling of the issue. Maggie gives insight into the origins of the Make Georgetown Great Again movement, highlights other quieter voices offering perspectives on homelessness, and reflects on how the dynamics of smaller town life are playing out in this debate. Plus, Maggie shares how reporters think about where they sit in town council meetings....
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Reporting on the Bradley Survivors
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Editor-in-Chief Jacob Owens recently published a special report, “” as well as a podcast with Margaret Murphy, the mother of two of Earl Bradley’s victims. Now, Owens joins the “Beyond the Headlines” podcast to share his perspectives on the nearly two-year reporting journey behind the article. He details what led Murphy to trust Spotlight Delaware with this story, the special considerations and care surrounding interviewing survivors of sexual abuse, and his hopes for the conversation that will occur in Delaware as a result of this special report. Hosted by David Stradley CONTENT...
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Delaware Newsmakers: Margaret Murphy, mother of Bradley victims
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Spotlight Delaware began to investigate the impact of the unprecedented settlement agreement reached in the wake of the Earl Bradley scandal after being contacted by Margaret Murphy, of Lewes, Delaware. Murphy, whose daughters have struggled in the years since the pedophile’s crimes were brought to light more than 15 years ago, has been raising awareness around the lack of support services for the survivors in the case. She has unsuccessfully sought assistance from the multi-million-dollar settlement trust fund created to compensate and support hundreds of Bradley's young victims....
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Triple Play of Sussex Land Use Decisions
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Olivia Marble discusses three current development proposals which, taken together, give a fascinating snapshot into how elected officials, advocates, and everyday residents are wrestling with questions about where and how to build in Delaware's fastest growing county. Olivia talks about her “reading of the tea leaves” to try to discern how Sussex County Council members will vote, the conflict between desires for both denser developments and preservation corridors, and traffic – always traffic. Plus, the irony of residents in new housing developments advocating against new housing...
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A Delawarean Rescued from ICE
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Reporter José Ignacio Castañeda Perez talks about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's recent arrest and detention of a Delaware victim of domestic violence, despite her living with temporary protected legal status in the U.S. If ICE had deported her back to her native country, her abuser would have been waiting. José Ignacio offers details about the process to gain permission to tell the victim’s story, how newsrooms deal with requests for anonymity and gives more insight into some of the key figures in the article. Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight Delaware...
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Beyond the Headlines: Hospital Charity Care
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Health reporter Nick Stonesifer discusses his investigation into charity care provided by nonprofit hospitals in the state, particularly Delaware's largest healthcare provider. Charity care (or financial assistance to individuals at certain income levels) is something that most Delawareans may not be aware of, particularly those who could use it the most. Nick gives insight into his four-month reporting research for the article, how the charity process works, and why the concept of "community benefits" provided by nonprofit hospitals has become so hard to quantify. Hosted by David...
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Beyond the Headlines: Wilmington Corner Stores
Spotlight Delaware Podcasts
Reporter Brianna Hill returns to the podcast to take us with her as she hit the street, particularly street corners, for her September 7th article “Should Wilmington temporarily ban new corner stores?” Brianna talks about how she sourced the community voices for the story, some of the surprising points of view that made their way into her reporting and shares a few encounters on the street that didn't make it into the article. Plus, find out which group of people sitting on a corner Brianna perhaps shouldn’t have approached for the story. Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight...
info_outlineReporter Brianna Hill returns to the podcast to take us with her as she hit the street, particularly street corners, for her September 7th article “Should Wilmington temporarily ban new corner stores?” Brianna talks about how she sourced the community voices for the story, some of the surprising points of view that made their way into her reporting and shares a few encounters on the street that didn't make it into the article. Plus, find out which group of people sitting on a corner Brianna perhaps shouldn’t have approached for the story.
Hosted by David Stradley
Read the Spotlight Delaware article connected to this episode:
Should Wilmington temporarily ban new corner stores?