MEET OUR TEAM

Tanya Rollins oversees the BoardWalk Barker’s news division with the calm authority of someone who has already seen everything — and reported on most of it twice. A veteran of community journalism, Tanya came to the Barker after realizing traditional outlets weren’t printing enough stories about bureaucrats caught in literal red tape.

Known for her sharp pen and even sharper side-eye, Tanya believes that objectivity is overrated when the truth is this entertaining. She can often be found fact-checking press releases with the phrase, “Be serious, now.”

Unbeknownst to her coworkers, Tanya has a very dark past. She is secretly plotting to get into some really twisted shit that would shock everyone and destroy her career, but no one will ever know.

Tanya likes gardening and kittens.

Meg Dawes brings her trademark enthusiasm — and three fantasy football league trophies — to the Barker’s sports desk. A former collegiate field hockey standout and current cornhole champion, Meg approaches local sports with a simple philosophy: everyone’s an underdog until they blow the lead.

Her reporting has been praised for its accuracy, her live tweeting for its volume, and her halftime analysis for its nacho recommendations.

Meg has four ex-wives with whom she shares 3 Siberian Huskies and rattlesnake. Now happily married and relocated to Lewes, Meg is considering adopting a puppy with her wife of 5 months, Charli.
Meg is a huge fan of Philly sports, but we don't hold that against her.

Arnold Santos curates the Barker’s lifestyle and entertainment coverage with the flair of a man who treats brunch as both a sacred ritual and a contact sport. Born in Manila and raised between karaoke stages and mall fashion shows, Arnold developed an early appreciation for drama — and refuses to cover any event without at least one outfit change.

At the Barker, Arnold has earned a reputation for describing every restaurant as “the vibe,” every film as “a journey,” and every day as “content.” He insists satire is just journalism with better lighting.

Part trend forecaster, part chaos agent, Arnold Santos brings a radiant energy to the newsroom, often described as “blinding.” Known for his sequined blazers and an Instagram following larger than the paper’s circulation, Arnold approaches every story with enthusiasm bordering on performance art.

Arnold insists on ending every meeting with the phrase, “Make it sparkle.”
And we do, honey.

Drew founded  Boardwalk Barker after realizing that coastal Delaware had everything a great news market needed — corruption, confusion, and people who leave angry Facebook comments without reading the article.

A longtime writer, puzzle-maker, and professional observer of nonsense, Andy brings decades of experience in spotting stories no one else would dare to take seriously. His editorial vision blends investigative rigor with the unwavering belief that every headline is improved by at least one bad pun.

When he’s not juggling deadlines for Henlopen Free Press, Insight Puzzles, and Kenshō Coffee, Drew can usually be found at a local café pretending to fact-check, muttering about “the algorithm,” or telling his dog, Bodhi that she’s the real managing editor.

Karen Snivens-Kvetcher has been passionately offering unwanted guidance to strangers for more than two decades. A self-described Consumer Advocate in Full-Time, Karen’s unique approach to conflict resolution involves escalation, documentation, and speaking to at least one manager per incident.

Before joining the BoardWalk Barker team, Karen worked briefly in customer relations at a major grocery chain, where she set a still-unbroken record for the number of employee write-ups generated by a single shopper. She later served as Vice President of the Sussex County HOA Coalition for Proper Lawn Signage, where she successfully lobbied for the “Uniform Flagpole Ordinance” that no one asked for.

Karen lives in Millsboro with her two cats, Visa and Complaint No. 247-B, and is currently drafting her first book, “If You Don’t Speak Up, Who Will? (Probably Me.)”

Darnell is the BoardWalk Barker’s Chief Political Correspondent, covering state, national, and ideological developments from every conceivable angle — preferably all at once.

A graduate of the University of Delaware with a double major in Political Science and Indecision Studies, Darnell later earned his master’s in Journalism and Media Diplomacy from Georgetown University, where his thesis, “Both Sides: The Eternal Struggle for Context,” received mixed reviews — which he considered a win.

Before joining the Barker, Darnell interned at NPR, Politico, and The Weather Channel, where he reported that “some say it’s raining, while others strongly disagree.” He hosts the weekly podcast On the One Hand, in which he debates himself about the issues of the day until one of him runs out of talking points.

Known for his even temperament and reluctance to commit to a position, Darnell has become a newsroom favorite for his trademark sign-off:

> “There’s a lot to unpack here — but let’s wait for more information.”

Mikey “Fat Albert” Mangiano is the BoardWalk Barker’s Senior Science Correspondent, known for his groundbreaking ability to misunderstand nearly every branch of science at once. A former HVAC apprentice and part-time vape-flavor chemist, Mikey brings a “real South Philly perspective” to subjects like quantum physics, climate change, and why magnets “shouldn’t even be legal, bro.”

Nicknamed “Fat Albert” by his buddies for resembling a street-tough Einstein after “a few soft pretzels too many,” Mikey considers himself a bridge between academia and “the yous.” He believes science should be accessible to everyone — preferably shouted through a megaphone in a Wawa parking lot.

A self-proclaimed Science Jawnalist, Mikey specializes in simplifying complicated theories:

> “Let me dumb it down for yous,” he explains before immediately making it worse.

His recent investigations include “Do Clouds Know They’re Moving?” and “Quantum Entanglement: Can It Get You Outta a Ticket?”

Mikey’s motto:

> “You can’t spell physics without Philly, bro — I checked.”

A self-described “custodian of taste in an age of TikTok,” Julian Pembroke Thistle joined the Henlopen Free Press after what he calls “a brief sabbatical among the provincials.” Educated at an unnamed but “eminently respectable” Massachusetts college, Thistle has spent decades cultivating his expertise in fine art, theater, and wine he cannot afford.

Julian Pembroke dian of taste in an age of TikTok,” Julian Pembroke Thistle joined the Henlopen Free Press after what he calls “a brief sabbatical among the provincials.” Educated at an unnamed but “eminently respectable” Massachusetts college, Thistle has spent decades cultivating his expertise in fine art, theater, and wine he cannot afford.

Since relocating to Delmarva—“a cultural tundra with potential”—Julian has made it his mission to bring critical rigor to local performance and cuisine, reviewing everything from crab shack poetry readings to middle school musicals with the same aristocratic scorn. His reviews are known for their biting wit, impenetrable vocabulary, and complete lack of perspective.

When not sharpening his prose or his tone, Thistle can be found at his Rehoboth condo, sipping tepid sauvignon blanc while lamenting that no one here properly understands Brecht.

A retired hardware-store owner, former Army sniper, and unapologetic romantic, Buckley D. "Buck" Grover is proof that feminism sometimes arrives in unexpected packaging. A decorated veteran of the Special Forces, Buck once held his breath for nearly two minutes to line up a perfect shot — these days, he uses that same focus to listen deeply to women’s stories.

After returning from Vietnam, Buck built a thriving hardware business and an even larger reputation as one of Sussex County’s most ruggedly eligible bachelors. Yet behind the flannel and forearms beats the heart of a man who believes every woman deserves “equal rights, equal pay, and a decent cordless drill.”

Buck’s weekly column, “The Gal Perspective,” tackles topics from reproductive freedom to foot soaks, with the same precision he once applied to long-range marksmanship. Whether he’s explaining the glass ceiling in hunting metaphors or organizing spa days for local activists, Buck remains a paradox that no one asked for — and now everyone depends on.

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> “You can’t dismantle the patriarchy without the right set of tools.”

Chief Meteorologist / Astrological Forecaster

Aura Moon joined the BoardWalk Barker weather team after a successful run as both a part-time meteorologist and a full-time mystic at a now-defunct crystal shop near Dewey Beach. With dual certifications in Atmospheric Sciences and Energy Alignment, Aura delivers forecasts that blend barometric precision with lunar intuition.

When Aura isn’t on air explaining how Jupiter’s humidity might affect your sinuses, she’s studying planetary retrogrades and running a side hustle reading natal charts for pets. Her signature segment, “Celestial Showers,” is beloved by viewers for its ability to make any storm feel like a spiritual awakening.

Armed with her amethyst-tipped pointer and an ever-present mug of oat-milk chai, she interprets radar images as if they were tarot cards—finding meaning in cloud shapes and destiny in Doppler sweeps.

> “The jet stream may be unstable,” Aura says, “but so are most of us. That’s just part of the journey.”

Fun Facts:

Keeps a Himalayan salt lamp in the weather studio “for accuracy.”

Vegan since 2016, and you’ll never forget it.

Refuses to predict eclipses because “they’re private moments between the sun and the moon.”

Once asked viewers to “manifest clear skies” for the Firefly Festival — and swears it worked.

A former semi-professional jet-ski racer and the first person ever evacuated twice from the same hurricane, Bryce “Stormy” Caldwell brings unshakable enthusiasm — and questionable judgment — to the BWB Storm Team.

Following his high-profile divorce from chief meteorologist Aura Moon-Caldwell, Bryce has dedicated himself to “field-based reporting,” a term Aura personally redefined to mean “as far away from me as possible.”

Armed with a handheld mic, an all-weather windbreaker, and an unearned sense of optimism, Bryce can be found standing in waist-deep water shouting, “We’re fine here!” mere seconds before being swept out of frame.

His fearless commitment to the story has made him both a newsroom legend and a repeated OSHA case study.

Favorite phrase: “Mother Nature doesn’t scare me — she just keeps things interesting.”

Scoop A. Fetcher has been sniffing out stories since his early days as a cub reporter. A seasoned newshound with a nose for controversy and a strong disdain for mail carriers, Scoop’s commitment to journalism is unmatched — sometimes literally, as he frequently buries his leads.

A graduate of Obedience School with honors (summa cum bark-laude), Scoop began his career chasing sources up trees before joining the BoardWalk Barker, where his reporting style has been described as “tenacious,” “slightly drooly,” and “off-leash.”

When not digging into the day’s headlines, Scoop can be found editing from his favorite spot under the newsroom desk, where he continues to uphold the Barker’s proud motto:

> “Fetching Headlines. Questionable Sources. Salty Outlook.”