Valley 101

March is Women's History Month, and we're is taking the opportunity to explore the stories of women from Arizona's history whom you might not have heard of in a special series we're calling Arizona HERstory. Opening the series is the story of Ayra Hackett. Entrepreneur, midwife and community leader, she started the first Black woman-owned newspaper in the state: the Arizona Gleam. In this episode...

For the first two weeks of February, Valley residents were inundated with Super Bowl festivities and Arizona was in the spotlight. Downtown Phoenix and Glendale transformed as visitors came from all over. Scottsdale featured the Waste Management Open golf tournament as well as ESPN’s live show for the football game. Metro Phoenix businesses and hotels prepared for tourists and travelers. And those...

Animals of different shapes and sizes live all around us. And a lot of those critters are native-born Arizonans. Sometimes, they make their way into our cities. Last week, producer Kaely Monahan explored the birds of Arizona. It's a great look at the feathered beauties you can see right in your area. If you enjoy birdwatching or are just interested in native Arizona birds, and you haven't listened...

February 14th to all is Valentines Day, but to us, it's also statehood day. To show our love to you and Arizona, we are gifting you a special episode on how Arizona became a state. Producer Kaely Monahan finds out how the Arizona Territory gained its statehood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 500 bird species are in Arizona. Some just pass through on migration. Others have come to call Arizona home year-round like the Canadian Goose and Rosy-Faced Lovebird. Others are perfectly adapted to our Sonoran desert like the Cactus Wren, our state bird. In this episode, we learn and hear just a small sample of Arizona's avian species and where to find them.  Learn more about your ad c...

Super Bowl LVII is coming to Arizona this weekend. The Philadelphia Eagles are facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs for the NFL title. While this is happening, the Chiefs are the next professional sports team that some say need to face the music: it's time to change the name and traditions of the team. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com,...

For a lot of people, there’s one thing above all others that goes with their sports: wings. Game day and a plate of hot wings go hand in hand, so that’s probably the first thing you think about when it comes to party food. So we asked ourselves, where’s the best place to go for that perfect sports companion? Between just ourselves on the team, we got different answers. Then, we asked you, our list...

Phoenix is known as the Valley of the Sun. And it’s no joke that we get a lot of sunshine year ‘round. About 300 days worth. Maybe you've noticed a subtle change in the quality of light as the seasons changed. Perhaps you've found yourself squinting more in the winter. Even sunglasses don't seem to help. Turns out it's not in your mind. The sun is truly brighter in the winter. So what is going on?...

For the first time in nearly a decade, Arizona has a new governor. Former Gov. Doug Ducey cleaned out his office on the 9th floor of the state's executive tower at the end of the year to make way for newly elected leadership. He served both of his allowed terms and now, Gov. Katie Hobbs has moved in. Along with making her first State of the State address, announcing a proposed 2023 budget and bein...

It's a little chilly out, and whenever the temperature dips Valley 101 gets inundated with the question: how do I protect my plants from freezing at night? In this rebroadcast, we answer the question and offer tips and tricks to keep your garden green this winter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valley 101 enters its fourth year, we look back at the stories that moved us, taught us, and helped us grow. These are a review of the best episodes from 2022. Producer Thomas France is joined by producers Amanda Luberto and Kaely Monahan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy holidays to you and yours. We’re off this week, but we didn’t want to leave you empty handed. So we’re re-wrapping a special holiday episode from our archives. We'll be back in the new year with fresh stories from Phoenix and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

T’was Monday before Christmas  And all through the paper The cubicles were empty No hints of any labor. But one lone producer stared off in despair For her holiday spirit just wasn’t there.  Festive music and ads danced on her screen But Kaely Monahan just wasn’t keen.  “Oh what to do!” She thought in her head, “I’ve gone all depressed with Scrooge-like dread.” And this is where our story begins, ...

On the southern edge of Gila County, snuggled into a valley surrounded by in the mountains, there is a town called Christmas. Now, the town of Christmas is a ghost town, but in the 1930s it had about 1,000 residents and a very popular post office. While people from all over the world would visit the post office to get the highly desired postmark at the holidays, the residents of Christmas lived th...

Metrocenter Mall holds a special place in Phoenix's history. Once claiming the top spot as Arizona's largest mall, it now rests empty and awaits demolition. But what awaits the 80-acre site is a rebirth into something new that will also pay homage to the mall's history. In this episode of Valley 101, we take a look at why Metrocenter is so special and what the future holds for this very special sp...

Thanksgiving weekend brings a great Arizona tradition. The two largest universities in the state battle it out on the football field for the right to hoist a trophy that is older than the state itself: the Territorial Cup. Whether you're cheering for the Sun Devils or the Wildcats, everyone who participates in the rivalry agrees it's a very big deal. For two football programs suffering through los...

Did you know that Arizona has native wild turkeys? Or how Mexico helped save America's turkey population? In this episode of Valley 101, we talk turkey with two experts who know all about Thanksgiving's most famous bird.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drought. It’s a word that gets used a lot, particularly in the Southwest. During droughts, rain might still be present, but it typically is low to the point that water reserves become strained. It can be easy to look at the times when it does rain and think that the water running down the street is being wasted. A listener asked that precise question when she brought that subject to our attention:...

Right now is the time where we can finally open our windows and enjoy the fresh air. The temperature actually feels like fall and you might even be remembering why we live in Arizona in the first place.  We’re finally out of the heat. But something that is unique to Arizona is that sometimes the units are on the roof. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azce...

It's Halloween. While ghost stories and local hauntings are gracing many articles, Valley 101 has a different kind of ghastly story to tell. One that just might make your skin crawl. In a small shop in midtown Phoenix called Curious Nature, a sort of "Frankensteining" happens several times a month. While the front of the shop is filled with bones, stuffed and dried animals, and pinned insects, in...

Arizona is home to an unlikely structure. The London Bridge. Longtime residents of our state have probably heard about it, or even visited it. Located in Lake Havasu City, it was bought and rebuilt there as a tourist attraction. But did you know that it's haunted? Very haunted in fact. Ghost chasers believe that there are dozens of ghosts, including women and children that came over with the bridg...

Tuberculosis was one of the leading causes of death in the early 1900s. During this time, many people journeyed from far away to dry, arid climates like Arizona's to help them heal. In 1934, the Arizona State Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Tempe opened to the public and helped many live out their days with ease. The extravagant white building tucked in Papago Park was seen as a haven by patients and b...

You’ve probably seen them in shops. Little bundles of silver sage leaves tied with a piece of string. Maybe you bought one of these "smudge sticks,” as they’re commonly called.  But the skyrocketing popularity of “smudging” is causing a problem.  Demand for California White Sage is enticing poachers who want to cash in quick. Millions of dollars are being raked in while wild sage populations are b...

Ghost towns are just a natural part of living in Arizona. Miners came in during the gold rush, built up these settlements to house the workers, and then left when all the veins dried up. Some of these settlements, like Jerome and Bisbee, continued to thrive and still have residents in them today. While many of them no longer exist as actual towns, their influence can still be felt today. Just take...

Hi Valley 101 listeners. Producer Kaely Monahan here. Spooky season is upon us. And I don’t mean just the elections. Stores are filling up with cobwebs, social media is stuffed with pumpkin spice girls and sweaters…and jokes about it being too hot to wear said sweaters, and the brave souls who don them. The podcast team is working hard to bring you fresh stories to tickle your brain cells – so thi...