Valley 101

It might be hot out, but we have a cool and cute episode for all you dog-lovers. Today we revisit one of our favorite episodes from former podcast producer Taylor Seely, on how to hike safely with your dog. Now, it's probably too hot to hit the trails here in the Valley, but that just gives you the perfect excuse to hit the road and seek out cooler elevations with your pooches. Taylor Seely speaks with Bretta Nelson, a spokesperson for the Arizona Humane Society. Plus, an only-in-Arizona style story about running into a herd of cows while hiking from Valley resident Debi Palestina.  Curious about other things to do in the Valley? Check out our newsletters. Whether you're a political hound, food fanatic, or sports fan, we got the perfect letter to keep you in the loop on all things Arizona. Check it out! And remember to submit your questions about the Valley and Arizona to Valley101.azcentral.com. Your question just might be the subject of our next episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/

The Republic's podcast team is working feverishly on a brand new season of Rediscovering, our investigative podcast series. We're so close to launching as well! Since the team is deep in production, we're bringing you one of our favorite Valley 101 episodes from 2023. Producer Kaely Monahan explores some odd facts about the 48th state. We hope you enjoy it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Phoenix already experiencing temperatures over 110, many of us are wondering "when will the monsoons start?" Officially, monsoon season kicks off June 15. But most of us want to know when the rains will come. That depends on how hot it gets. While we might be suffering under a heat dome, the high temps are drawing up moisture from south of the border. And that's what we need if we're going to see rain. The podcast team sits down with state climatologist Erinanne Saffel to find out how, where, and when monsoon rains will come to Arizona. Are you a fan of Valley 101? Support our work by subscribing to azcentral.com. Also, if you have a question for the team about the Valley, send it to us at valley101.azcentral.com. Your question just might be the subject our next episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most recognizable writing styles in Arizona history came from Clay Thompson. The Iowa transplant captured the hearts of readers with his Valley 101 column in the Arizona Republic for almost 20 years. Punctuated by the iconic Rodin statue, "The Thinker," Thompson wrote thousands of quippy columns and answered questions from readers about everything from cactuses to hiccups. Thompson's writing style was recognizable and even bordered on snarky, calling his bosses "masters" and referring to readers as "you people." About a year after he passed, this podcast was born to carry on the great work that he created. It was formed to help newcomers and natives alike better understand what makes Arizona so unique. Similarly to podcasting, Thompson had a way to speak directly to an audience. As Valley 101 rounds closer to its 300th episode, Julia Wallace, Ed Montini and Arizona Republic reporter Richard Ruelas reflect on what made Thompson special and highlight the service he did for Arizona journalism. In this

Happy Memorial Day! The podcast team is enjoying the holiday weekend. So we want to reshare one of our most popular episodes to kick off the summer: five of the best places to beat the heat in the Valley. hosts Kaely Monahan and Amanda Luberto hash out their top picks for spots to beat the heat. Plus they explore pools of the past and the new water attractions coming to Phoenix. Let us know if you visit any of these spots, found new ones, or miss some old ones! Submit your stories and Arizona questions to valley101.azcentral.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wildfire season historically starts just before monsoon season. However, the period during which a wildfire can occur is now widening and bringing with it more severe blazes near the Valley. In Arizona, wildfires were once expected from late April into the monsoon season. Now fires can start from late February or early March into September. Climate change is linked to higher-severity fires, and insurance shouldn't be your only protection. Having a safety plan, fortifying your home, and making small but meaningful changes can mean the difference between a house surviving a blaze or burning down. In this episode of Valley 101, producers Kaely Monahan and Katrina Michalak, explore the ways Arizonans can prepare for wildfires and help fight the bigger challenge of climate change – while debunking some misconceptions about wildfires.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 5 C's are something all Arizona children learn at one point or another. Cotton, citrus, cattle, copper, and climate have long been advertised as positive reasons to come to Arizona. Each of these "C's" represents an important aspect of Arizona's economy. Or at least they did. Perhaps more important than the 5 C's themselves is the cultural role they play. Even now, students in classrooms across the state are learning about the 5 C's. In this episode of Valley 101, we ask you what the 5 C's mean to you. Perhaps you have a memory of orange orchards in bloom or driving by miles of cotton fields. Producer Kaely Monahan sits down with climate reporter Joan Meiners to discuss a large project our environment team is working on. And we want to include you. Share your Arizona 5 C's memories with us in this survey. Listen to our previous episodes on the 5 C's here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not often you see a "bee delay" at a baseball game. But that's exactly what happened at the Arizona Diamondbacks-LA Dodgers game on April 30. A swarm of honeybees decided to make camp on the netting behind home plate at Chase Field. It became a hero moment for beekeeper Matt Hilton. He even has his own baseball card now. But Arizona's native bees would never swarm like those honeybees. In fact, Arizona doesn't have any bee species that build a hive or make honey. And that's because the Western Honeybee, also called the European Honeybee, is an invasive species. Worldwide, there are around 20,000 described bee species. Across the U.S. there are roughly 4,000 known species. And Arizona, more specifically the Sonoran desert, is home to at least 15% of bee species. "Pretty much anytime you try to do a survey anywhere in Arizona, you find new species all the time compared to any other sampled region on the planet," said Tanner Bland, the Tucson Bee Collaborative program coordinator. "Currently the Sonoran des

With summer around the corner for Arizona residents, the opportunity presents itself to spend more time at amusement parks and on thrilling rides. However, the theme park scene in the metro Phoenix is scarce — and there are only 10 operating roller coasters across the entire state.  With a growing population in the Valley and potential space, why doesn't Arizona boast its own version of a Disneyland?  This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, pays a visit to both the past and the future to explain the different variables that factor into developing a theme park in the Valley, and how challenges inhibit Arizona's creation of a Disneyland-esque park all its own.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Earth Day from Valley 101. Today we're resharing our episode on recycling in the Valley. You might have noticed that not every city recycles equally. Different cities within the Valley have different rules. Why is that? Why is there not an across-the-board set of items you can and can't recycle? In this episode of Valley 101, Amanda Luberto breaks down the reasons why where you live affects how and what you can recycle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Cine Capri theater opened in the mid-1960s, going to the movies was a glamorous event. It was for families, but it was also for lavish decor and a deserved night out. Before the multiplex, one movie a night would be on display.  It was a high time for films. And here in Phoenix, George M. Aurelius wanted to expand his theater business as that type of theater was going out of style. They were ready to design a state-of-the-art facility that would blend in well in Uptown Phoenix and also adapt to the changing film distribution style happening at the time.  This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we draw back the curtains on the history of the Cine Capri theater, how it adapted in the 2000s and its current status as home to the Phoenix Film Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While exciting, one should never look directly at the sun, even during a solar eclipse. Instead, make sure you pick up some approved solar eclipse glasses. In recent years, there has been a rise in counterfeit eclipse glasses being sold. So how do you know if the ones you have are real? In this episode of Valley 101, producer Kaely Monahan sits down with the Republic's Ultimate Arizona reporter, Tiffany Acosta to chat eclipse safety, viewing spots, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

April Fools' Day embodies the spirit of pranks, so in honor of the holiday, Valley 101 explored how a prank orchestrated by Arizona State University students went viral in 2015.  Four ASU students spearheaded the effort to prank the University of Arizona during the football season. It was the fall of 2015, and the Territorial Cup – the rivalry game between the two colleges – was approaching. Ben Kaufman, a senior at the time, was leading the charge and wanted to do something more creative than the usual rival banter. The students decided to take a page out of history and fool Wildcats over a land purchase. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, revisits the prank between the two rival colleges that went viral and how its elaborate scheme fooled students.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sedona Miller was a well-to-do woman from Gorin, Missouri. She married Theodore Carlton Schnebly, or T.C. as he was commonly called, on Feb. 20, 1897. They moved to what would later be named Sedona in 1899. At the time there were only a few families homesteading in the red rocks region.  The story goes that T.C., who was the first postmaster of the area, applied to have it named either Oak Creek Crossing or Schnebly Station. But the names were rejected by the postmaster general for being too long.  The brother of T.C., Dorsey Ellsworth, suggested the community be named Sedona, after the beloved woman who made an impression on the surrounding families. She was an active member in the area, fulfilling multiple roles despite the family's hardships.  This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, explores the traits Sedona possessed and why her family was in and out of Arizona – and the magnetic pull they had to return to the scenic region.  Learn more about your ad choice

When she started teaching in the late 1920s, teachers were only allowed to educate in English, even though her students were predominately Spanish-speaking. This was enforced so heavily that students and teachers would be reprimanded for speaking in their native language. Students were expected to learn English on their own time and teachers were expected to encourage Anglo culture in the classroom. Maria Luisa Legarra Urquides of Tucson decided to change that. As the first person in her family to get a college degree, Maria Urquides valued education above most things. Early in her career in the Tucson Unified School District, she noticed her students were not only losing the ability to speak their native language, but they were losing their connection with their culture. She defied the laws at the time to bridge the gap with her students at the segregated Davis Elementary School, where she taught for the first 20 years of her career. In 1948, she was switched to the mainly Anglo Sam Hughes Elementary School,

Interest in women’s sports, particularly at the college level, is skyrocketing. According to Nielsen, which collects audience numbers across different media, the 2023 NCAA women's final drew nearly 10 million viewers – up 103% from the previous year.    But this is a recent development. The story of women's sports is long and hard-fought. And one of its champions is a woman who took no guff from anyone. In this second episode of Arizona HERstory, Season 2, Valley 101 explores the life of Ina Gittings − the "grandmother" of women's collegiate sports in Arizona.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This year's annual HERstory series kicks off with Annie Watkins, an impactful historical figure for Flagstaff's African American community who shaped local politics and education. She also helped found the Flagstaff chapter of the NAACP and helped integrate local institutions in the 1950s. This week's episode of Valley101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, shines a light on Annie Watkins and the role she played in Flagstaff politics and education — and how influential women like herself have been outcast in Arizona's history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like much of the country, Arizona had revolutionary Black activists fighting for their community during the 1950s and 1960s. It may seem like a small scale compared to more famous names like Martin Luther King Jr or Malcolm X. But like how voting in a local election impacts your day to day more than voting for President, the civil rights leaders of Phoenix and its surrounding cities changed the way Arizona is shaped today. One such revolutionary, Dr. Lincoln Ragsdale Sr., was on the forefront of desegregation in the city, but his time fighting for racial freedoms went far beyond schools. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, we share the legacy of Dr. Lincoln Ragsdale Sr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buried in Arizona's time capsule lies a story that continues to be dug up over time: the tale of the infamous "Trunk Murderess," or Winnie Ruth Judd, a woman accused of double murder who escaped a state hospital several times and told different accounts of the story through the years.  There's been speculation over the years about whether Judd committed these violent acts by herself and the motive that prompted her to kill her friends. Did she kill them due to a scandalous affair gone wrong? Was the murder out of self defense and facilitated by a lover? Different accounts over time, some from Judd herself, show Arizonans that the full story of that night is clearly unknown — and it may stay that way.  This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, dives back into the case of the "Trunk Murderess" and the plot holes that have haunted Arizona for decades.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*Since this episode originally aired, the bill to make Pluto the official state planet of Arizona was passed into law.* Science was forever changed, thanks to an observatory in Flagstaff named after Percival Lowell, one of the first minds to explore the potential of water on Mars and theorize about undiscovered planets. In 1930, the Lowell Observatory announced the discovery of a ninth planet at the end of the solar system: Pluto. Now, almost 100 years later, a state representative is proposing to make Pluto the official state planet. This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, we dive into the history of Pluto, the scientific breakthrough in its findings and why an elected official wants it to represent Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices