Our team is taking a week off for Memorial Day. However, we wanted to bring back an earlier episode breaking down how the Valley go so big. The answer, interestingly enough, goes back to World War II. Be sure to listen to part two where we explore the future population of the Valley. Enjoy and we'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Want your question about metro Phoenix answered? Submit it at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. And follow us on Twitter @valley101pod. Learn more about your...
May 25, 2020•22 min
Whether you're driving past a billboard, listening to the radio or watching TV, it seems like advertisements for attorneys are inescapable. But why are there so many of them? And why are so many of them about personal injury lawsuits? Turns out, until 1977, attorneys were prohibited from advertising. Times certainly have changed. Arizona lawyers, law firms and legal-services providers spent $32 million on advertising last year. And that number doesn't include spending on social media campaigns. ...
May 18, 2020•23 min
It's normal to experience a wide swath of emotions during times of stress and uncertainty. Living through the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. In this bonus episode, producer Taylor Seely interviews associate professor of psychology Michelle Shiota on how to pinpoint unhealthy behavior and tips for living as best we can right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 11, 2020•10 min
This episode talks about the positive stories that are taking place during this pandemic. The acts of kindness that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Because, believe it or not, it's not all doom and gloom. Good news stories are out there. And they're plentiful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 11, 2020•22 min
At the end of the 1800s, Arizona had aspirations to become a state. In order to prove they were ready, they built a humble state Capitol building. The architect chose to put an angel at the top. Overs the years, that winged statue has caught the attention of many onlookers. One Valley 101 listener submitted this question, "What is the story behind the angel on top of the Arizona state Capitol?" This week on Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dive into the histo...
May 04, 2020•15 min
In some neighborhoods, it seems like there's a car wash every few blocks. Eric Wulf, the CEO of the International Car Wash Association, said that Phoenix is one of the top markets for car washes. The reason for that traces back to a few things, including our weather, our growing population and changes in the industry overall. To find out more about this subject, podcast editor Katie O'Connell talked to trade experts and car wash owners alike. Listen to this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcas...
Apr 27, 2020•18 min
If you noticed all your friends and family on social media have taken up gardening recently, you're not alone. Universities are hosting online gardening tutorials, nurseries are filling their schedules with appointment-only shopping visits and at least one local garden's how-to email inbox is full daily. But the coronavirus pandemic isn't the first time people began gardening during difficult epochs. In World War I and II, self sufficiency took on new importance as Americans had to cope with foo...
Apr 20, 2020•22 min
Elizabeth Montgomery, a Community Relations and Events Producer for The Arizona Republic, is teaming up with Valley 101 in this week's episode. During Black History Month, she wrote a column about moving to Metro Phoenix. Montgomery had lived her whole life in Atlanta, Ga. After moving here, she realized quickly that Atlanta and Phoenix are very different. One of the biggest differences is the population of African Americans in each city. Atlanta is 52% African American, while Phoenix is just un...
Apr 13, 2020•14 min
Before social distancing became the norm, people used to gather. We'd get together for barbecues and cocktails, catch a movie or see a concert. But in world shaped by the coronavirus pandemic, the thought of 3,000 people from North Dakota congregating in a Mesa park seems distant. Still, that's exactly what happened on March 1. Perhaps the largest gathering of North Dakotans outside of the state, the North Dakota picnic gives transplants like reporter Rachel Leingang the chance to reconnect with...
Apr 06, 2020•20 min
Before anti-segregation milestones like Brown vs. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, black tourists were prohibited from staying at most hotels. One of the few options for minority travelers in Phoenix was The Swindall House, also known as the Swindall Tourist Inn. Located at 1021 E. Washington Street, the inn is named after its second owners, Golden and Elvira Swindall. But its story begins with a Belgian immigrant in 1913. And rumor has it that famous black performers like ja...
Mar 30, 2020•22 min
In 1946, the Arizona State College mascot was the Bulldogs. But the Bulldog mascot was one of the most popular, then and now, so the football booster club decided it needed a new mascot that was more unique. That's when local attorney and member of the organization Water Craig suggested the Sun Devil. Craig also knew the illustrator who would bring Sparky the Sun Devil to life. Berkeley Anthony was a former Disney animator in the 1930s and early 1940s. But the story of Berkeley's time at Disney,...
Mar 23, 2020•15 min
Stories about the new coronavirus are inescapable right now. The Valley 101 podcast team understands that can be overwhelming and difficult to parse through. So this week we're releasing a 15-minute bonus episode answering the essential frequently-asked questions about COVID-19. In this episode, health-care reporter Stephanie Innes tells you what you need to know to keep yourself and your family safe and informed during the outbreak. Here's what we answer: What's the difference between the coron...
Mar 19, 2020•16 min
Each year when monsoon season hits, so do the headlines about valley fever. But what is valley fever? The answer lies in our soil. There's a type of fungus that lives in the first few inches of the soil in the southwest. When that fungus dries, it turns into microscopic spores. When those spores are swept up in haboobs, we run the risk of breathing them in, which could lead to an infection in our lungs. And it's not just humans who are at risk. Our pets can develop valley fever too. In this week...
Mar 16, 2020•20 min
During monsoon season, from June to September, large dust storms often overwhelm Arizona. The storms grow more severe when the preceding spring and winter seasons are dry, which allows dirt to loosen. When dust storms hit certain criteria, they're considered "haboobs." Haboob is an Arabic word that essentially means big, blasting winds, according to Andrew Deemer, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Phoenix and former linguist. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast tha...
Mar 09, 2020•15 min
For this week's episode, we're tackling a more subjective question, "What buildings would you say are the most iconic in the Phoenix skyline?" There are a few ways to approach this question, from either an aesthetic standpoint or by evaluating a building's history. But, thanks to the help of some expert sources, we've crowned one building the winner. Listen to this week's episode, produced by podcast editor Katie O'Connell, to find out which one. In this episode you'll hear: Alison King, founder...
Mar 02, 2020•13 min
The creation of the light bulb in 1879 would forever shape our homes, streets and offices. But by the 1950s, light pollution became a concern, as it effects both natural ecosystems and human health. In fact, studies have shown that light pollution can be linked to breast cancer. Today, the future of Arizona's dark sky could be threatened by light pollution. It's an issue dark sky advocates are working to ease. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.c...
Feb 24, 2020•14 min
There are at least seven mountains in Maricopa County with letters whitewashed on the side. Have you ever wondered why they were put in? Or when? We'll give you one hint: It comes down to more than just community pride. This week, Valley 101 digs into the history behind the "
Feb 17, 2020•23 min
Anne Ferraioli grew up in Phoenix, but she said she never paid much attention to Dreamy Draw Dam. Then she noticed there wasn't any water in it. And when she started looking into it, the results were surprising. Ferraioli found article after article about a possible U.F.O. landing site at the dam. What she didn't find was much information about its actual history. Given the curious results, Ferraioli asked the Valley 101 podcast to dig into Dreamy Draw Dam's history. Podcast editor Katie O'Conne...
Feb 10, 2020•19 min
The stories of how someone became or experiences homelessness are incredibly varied. Lawrence Small, 41, has been homeless for two months after experiencing domestic violence. But this isn't his first time experiencing homelessness. He was also homeless in Seattle when he was 34 years old. "Seattle is different from Phoenix," Small said. "Seattle, they help homeless people out there. The housing, jobs. Phoenix don't do it." Homelessness continues to rise across the Valley. In 2019, there were at...
Feb 03, 2020•19 min
The next time you're beneath a palm tree, see if you can spot a small green bird with a peach-colored face hanging out in its fronds. Those are feral rosy-faced lovebirds. Metro Phoenix is home to roughly 2,000 of them, although they're originally from Africa. A wild lovebird population started growing here in the mid-1980s. Their appearance created confusion and curiosity among local residents, especially those in the birding community. So just how did they get here? This week's episode of Vall...
Jan 27, 2020•10 min
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport grounded flights due to extreme heat for the first time in 1990. It happened again more recently in 2013 and 2017. But why can't planes fly in certain temperatures? Turns out, it has to do with performance data provided by plane manufacturers and airline safety procedures. For more on what exactly that means, listen to this week's episode of Valley 101 podcast. In this episode, you'll hear: What it was like in 1990 when Phoenix Sky Harbor grounded flights...
Jan 20, 2020•13 min
Celebrities. You love 'em or you hate 'em. Or, you love to hate 'em. We on the Valley 101 podcast team have a few we just absolutely gush over. We're sure we're not swayed by the fact that they're from Arizona. This week, Katie O'Connell, Maritza Dominguez and Taylor Seely each share their favorite celebrity with local ties, plus stories of how the Valley inspired or shaped them. In this episode, you'll hear: How growing up in Arizona David Hallberg into a resilient world-class ballet dancer. Ho...
Jan 13, 2020•22 min
Autism is often seen as a “kid’s disorder,” meaning the focus is on helping children – but where does that leave autistic adults? We talked with leaders in the Valley’s autism community about the “services cliff” people with autism often experience at the age of 21 and what Arizona is doing about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 06, 2020•22 min
We spent most of 2019 exploring the Valley thanks to your questions. We'll be back in 2020 with more. Submit your question today at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 30, 2019•3 min
Citrus, cotton, copper, cattle and climate — these are the five Cs of Arizona. They're the five economic drivers that transformed Arizona from a small cowboy town to a growing metropolis. In this episode, you'll hear: How copper helped grow the population in Arizona, and how it's still a major industry in the state. How the cattle industry grew in Arizona and why it's still a major industry despite its downturn post-peak downturn How Arizona has leveraged its climate to attract tourists in the p...
Dec 23, 2019•22 min
Did you know that Phoenix had one of the most successful local children's shows of all time? "The Wallace and Ladmo Show" ran from 1954 to 1989, collecting fans like Steven Spielberg and Alice Cooper along the way. What made the show a success was its dark humor. Yes, it was a kids' show, but it featured characters like Aunt Maud, who liked reading tragic stories to children. Or Marshall Good, an unemployed "cowboy" from New Jersey who had never ridden a horse. Kids may have tuned in for the car...
Dec 16, 2019•22 min
In the 1990s, Phoenix was in a public controversy over the public art project called Wall Cyle to Ocotillo. The country was going through a recession and the local residents were mad. Mad about the taxpayer money spent on the art, mad about the look of the pots, and mad the city choose out-of-state artists. Eventually the public argument died down, but the curiosity about the project didn't. Almost thirty years later, Phoenix residents still have questions. This week on Valley 101, a podcast fro...
Dec 09, 2019•17 min
Metro Phoenix isn’t exactly the idyllic location for Christmas. There’s no snow for building snowmen, the sweaters are often more for aesthetic than necessity, and the hot cocoa? Well, let’s just say Starbucks still keeps their plastic cups fully stocked. But at the very least, locals can create their own holiday wonderland by decorating their homes, hanging twinkle lights, and ornamenting a Christmas tree. Those opting for a real Christmas tree may find themselves wondering: If we live in a des...
Dec 02, 2019•20 min
It looks like a tiered wedding cake and is even painted a soft yellow like buttercream. Listen to learn its century-old history (and how to get tour tickets). Click here to see photos and video from inside Tovrea Castle. Note: Those are only for subscribers to azcentral.com. You can subscribe at azcentral.com/join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 25, 2019•22 min
Last week, our Valley 101 podcast explored Arizona's five Cs, focusing on citrus and its decline. This week, podcast editor Katie O'Connell digs in on another crop: cotton. The plant was included in the five Cs after its boom in World War I, but it's struggled in recent decades. To uncover more on cotton and its role in our state's identity, Katie spoke to Ron and Russ Rayner, a father-son duo who operate farms in the West Valley. Their consensus was clear. Cotton is still a vital part of the st...
Nov 18, 2019•17 min
