Valley 101

The Valley has many unique features. And one of those are islands. County islands to be exact. But what are they exactly?  In this episode of Valley 101, Maricopa County Watchdog Reporter Sasha Hupka joins the show to explain what county islands are, their history, and whether or not they are dying out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona has been the backdrop to many movies. From John Wayne westerns to a wacky adventure with Bill and Ted, our state is tinged with the sparkle of Hollywood. One of the romanticized spots in our state is Route 66 and it was the main inspiration for Disney-Pixar's "Cars." In this episode of Valley 101, we follow the sites that made Radiator Springs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

The Arizona Republic podcast team is out for the holiday weekend. Instead, we have a trailer for Season 3 of Rediscovering, an investigative podcast by the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, available for you to listen to. Rediscovering: Killed Through the Border Fence features the story of a cross-border shooting that would upend lives and change the way the U.S. Border Patrol operates forever....

As you drive around the Phoenix area, you'll notice some special scenery.  t's the environment that makes this city remarkable, from the different varieties of cactuses and the surrounding desert mountains to relics of our history and reflections of the cultures that have thrived here. One person in particular ensured that the Phoenix area was home to buildings significant and beautiful that refle...

Phoenix has blue skies for days. About 300 of them, actually. Arizona ranks as the sunniest region in the whole United States. And that makes for great flying conditions. It also explains, in part, why there are so many flight schools in our state.  But what about when the storms do roll in? How do pilots navigate monsoonal weather? And how do these storms affect operations at Sky Harbor Airport?...

Cotton, cattle, climate, copper, and citrus. These have been the driving forces of Arizona’s economy for generations. Flora and fauna and industries that do very well in our arid desert.  While the 5 C’s won’t quickly become the 5 C’s and an O, there is another overlooked product that has nonetheless taken root here. Olives. Olive trees are among some of the oldest agricultural trees in the state...

A rebroadcast of a 2019 episode: 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 t...

One of the most popular ways to beat the heat is with a scoop of ice cream. Whether it's a classic flavor like chocolate or something more adventurous like olive oil, there's always something for everybody. For some people, ice cream may not be an option. They may have learned of a recent allergy or have decided to become vegan. But plenty of shops around the Valley serve ice cream that anybody, r...

More than 300 people died last year from heat-related complications. Data collected over the past 50 years shows the average temperature in Phoenix has increased 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. On top of that, there are more days per year when the temperature climbs above 110 degrees in the Valley of the Sun. And the night temperatures have jumped 5.5 degrees, which means it's not cooling off when the sun...

It's officially the dog days of summer. Not only does it feel like it because Phoenix has seen triple-digit temperatures since early May, but according to the Farmer’s Almanac, the “dog days of summer” run from July 3 to Aug. 11. It is hot, with no sign of slowing down soon. While it feels slightly unbearable outside and you might be wondering why you live in Phoenix anyway, this is also the perfe...

People have wondered if we're alone in the universe for centuries. Although men have landed on the moon and probes have been sent outside the solar system, there is still so much to explore. The mysteries of outer space have drawn many people to search for evidence of alien life. But not all researchers focus on looking through a telescope. Plenty others spend their time watching the sky and docum...

Seeing fireworks this year is a little more tricky than pulling up to your favorite usual spot on the night of July 4. Some cities around the Valley are forgoing their celebration because of supply-chain issues or other complications.  This week on Valley 101, we share where in the metro Phoenix area you can and cannot see dazzling displays shoot across the sky.  Please remember that if you’re pla...

This year Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools, turns 50. The landmark legislation has become synonymous with women’s sports in addition to affecting education.  On June 23, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the amendment into law.  It says that no person can be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex u...

Anyone in the Phoenix area can tell you that right now it is hot. Really hot. The National Weather Service recently issued an excessive heat warning, keeping an eye on the triple digit temperatures in the forecast. It's summer, and the heat is predicable. But the summer heat also brings monsoon storms and rains, something that is much harder to predict.  In this week's episode of Valley 101, a pod...

With as many streets as Phoenix has, there's bound to be some interesting history behind their names. One that has caught many people's attention is the historical Bethany Home Road. Listeners have asked what the original Bethany Home was or who it was named after. A street name must have some significance behind it. Otherwise there wouldn't be so many streets named after the presidents. In this w...

With the advent of the new "Jurassic World" movie, our producers started to wonder what Arizona looked like 65 million years ago. Turns out, we know very little about Arizona's dinosaur age. It was nearly wiped clean from the paleontological record. But why?  In this episode of Valley 101, we dig up the answers to what kinds of dinosaurs lived here and why there's so few fossil records in our stat...

Graduation is a time in your life when you’re getting dressed up in an itchy, shapeless gown and trying to adjust a square hat to your head that simply won’t stay on. It is also a right of passage. Not only does it represent growing up and going on to bigger things, but it’s a celebration of everything you’ve done up until that point. A celebration of your years of education and everyone who helpe...

It's no secret that Maricopa County is growing quickly. New apartments in Phoenix are being built just as fast as people are moving into them.  The Census Bureau reported that the county added 58,246 new residents from July 2020 to July 2021.  It is now the fastest growing county in the nation.  And even outside Maricopa County, Arizona has seen immense growth over the last year. The census showed...

For decades, the Western movie genre held sway over the box office. And Arizona featured prominently in many of them. From John Wayne, to Henry Fonda, Clint Eastwood to Kurt Russell, Hollywood’s golden actors flocked to our state to shoot movies. But Arizona’s film history goes beyond the Wild West stereotype.  In this episode of Valley 101, we explore what movies were made in Phoenix and Arizona...

Every year The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com host a wine competition for the vineyards in Arizona. This year, more than 200 bottles were entered to be considered for Best in Show. After hours of tasting the best wines that the state has to offer, the 20 qualified judges granted a bottle of merlot from a brand new winery the Governor's Cup. Cove Mesa Vineyards is new on the scene, but its owne...

Springtime in the desert is special. For a few brief weeks, the taupe-shaded landscape transforms into a riot of color. The palo verdes don crowns of gold, and cactuses burst with large pink, yellow, purple and white flowers. Daisies nod their heads, beckoning visitors to adore them. Ocotillo open their coral-red buds while wearing coats of green leaves between their thorns.  It's a flurry of acti...

In June 1989, the streets of downtown Phoenix became a raceway for the biggest global racing competition: Formula 1. The Phoenix Grand Prix was a chance to show off Phoenix on a world stage, but the race was beset with wide ranging obstacles. Needless to say, it wasn't a smooth ride. Just after three years, Formula 1 pulled out of the Valley of the Sun. This week on Valley 101, we find out why For...

In December 2020, the first Arizonan received their vaccine against COVID-19. Just nine months after virus took ahold of the state and the rest of the world, health care workers and first responders were able to usher in a new era during the pandemic: the vaccination era. For some it felt like much needed light after a long, dark tunnel. The vaccine roll out expanded first by phases of necessity t...

Where is the best Mexican food in the U.S.? It’s a complex question fueled with fiery debates and passionate proclamations.  Tucson boasts 23 miles of quality Mexican food and is an UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Phoenix, however, is more than happy to step into the ring to duke it out on who has the best Mexican food. With literally hundreds of shops, from humble food trucks to exquisitely high-brow...

Spotting people in Western attire going about their day is typical for Scottsdale. Pieces of public art featuring horses are spread throughout the city. In Old Town Scottsdale, the iconic sign of a cowboy with a lasso welcomes visitors. Western motifs and appreciation for horse culture saturate the city, whose official nickname is "The West's Most Western Town". It's even home to the world's large...