Valley 101

Over 100 years ago, North Phoenix's main road, Bethany Home Road was just a small path that served a specific community. Bethany Home sanitarium was considered a safe haven helping those with tuberculosis. Although, the sanatarium did get renamed a few years later its legacy lives on today. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we discuss the history of Bethany Home Road, and why history should always be documented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before it was left empty, this state-of-the-art building was home for two seasons of horse racing. The Phoenix Trotting Park was expertly designed and opened in 1965. Attendees filled the beautiful grandstand to watch trotting style racing, but not for very long. Today, we bring you the history of Goodyear, Arizona's Trotting Horse Park. This vibrant hotspot was the talk of the town in 1965, and while its run was short lived, its legacy still gallops through time. Saddle up for this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, as we dive back into the history of Arizona's Trotting Horse Park with East Valley Reporter Martiza Dominguez and Producer Amanda Luberto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a record year in Phoenix when it comes to the heat. But it's always been hot here: Phoenix is considered to be the nation's hottest city — but even now the early mornings and late nights cannot always guarantee a break from high temperatures. Yet despite it all, Arizonans live their lives here. They go to work, they walk their dog, they see their friends. They survive in the heat day after day. For most, salvation comes from a jump in the pool or time spent in the air conditioning, but everyone here is influenced by the heat in their daily lives. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we sit down with three Arizona Republic reporters who worked on One Week in the Heat. Lane Sainty, Ray Stern and Daniel Gonzalez join the show to discuss what they learned talking with doctors, the elderly, the unhoused and more for a real look at what it takes to live in the Phoenix sun. Read the full One Week in the Heat project by the Arizona Republic here. Subscribe to The Arizona

Kaely Monahan is onto a new job so we wanted to take the time to thank her and showcase her best work. The Arizona Republic podcast team hopes you have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend and we'll be back next week with a regular episode of Valley 101. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While September 22nd is the "official" end of summer, Labor Day is often marked as the unofficial end of the season. But summer is one of the most nostalgic times of the year. And there are certain activities or experiences that Arizonans try to get in every year. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, members of our newsroom wax poetic about their summer traditions and what must be done for an Arizona summer to feel complete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drive about 45 minutes southwest of the Phoenix Valley, and you will reach an expanse of the Sonoran desert with a long, rich history. The Gila River runs through this area, which was once lush with flora and fauna. Now, with the river dammed up, the water doesn't always flow. Nonetheless, the region is still home to an abundance of people, wildlife and historical treasures. These three aspects are what locals, archaeologists, and biologists hope to preserve as a national monument. The Great Bend of the Gila, as the monument would be named, is a network of braided rivulets. These streams join into the Gila River, which cuts through prehistoric lava fields and flows past nearby mountain ranges before joining the Colorado River near the Sea of Cortez. Respect Great Bend of the Gila is the campaign pushing President Joe Biden to sign this area into national monument status. The campaign includes local tribes, wildlife biologists and archeologists. The proposed monument boundaries are about 70 miles of the Gila R

Power grids in the United States are struggling. As temperatures increase and populations grow, so does the stress on systems that keep our electricity running. For the West, electricity is most important in the hot summer months. It keeps our cool air-conditioners pumping. Going without air conditioning for too long can be not only an annoyance, but also a major health risk, especially in states like Arizona with over 100-degree averages each summer. Arizona is drastically below the national average when it comes to grid failures. In the last 24 years, the state has only had six outages due to extreme weather. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we'll look into what makes Arizona's power grid efficient and if it is prepared to withstand rising temperatures in the future. Subscribe to The Arizona Republic's climate newsletter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President nominee JD Vance rubbed some Americans the wrong way when a clip from a 2021 interview surfaced recently. He derided some voters as "childless cat ladies" in a now infamous quote, Vance said the country is run "via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too." While the comment could be brushed off as political rhetoric, it intrigued The Republic's data reporter, Caitlin McGlade. She wondered just how many childless cat ladies reside in Arizona. Turns out, it's not a small number. In this episode of Valley 101, we go behind the data with Caitlin and discover just how big a demographic these cat ladies are and whether or not they could be a tipping point in November's election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and after digging into Arizona's prominent role in the plot to overturn the 2020 election, Republic reporters repeatedly heard questions we couldn't quite answer. What is going on in Arizona? Why does this state seem to have people willing to push the political envelope further than almost anyone else? Hosts of Rediscovering season 4, The Roots of Radicalism, join Valley 101 to discuss why extremism is the focus of their four part investigation and how radicalism became so common in the state. Listen to all episodes of Rediscovering season 4 now wherever you listen to podcasts or by going to the season's landing page on azcentral. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the world where business and film collide, many states have lucrative film tax incentives that attract big production companies to their sites. Arizona's previous tax program closed its curtains in 2010, but a new initiative, the Arizona Motion Picture Program, went into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, that reinstated film tax credits if a production meets certain criteria. Despite the absence of bigger production companies in the Valley, the community of independent filmmakers is going strong. There are many opportunities in the state to showcase one's work, including through various IFP programs and other events, like the Phoenix Film Festival. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, explores the latest developments that have taken place behind the scenes in Arizona's film industry – and why residents won't see the immediate effects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something Arizonans hear a lot is that we're running out of water. While the state has enough water to not induce complete panic yet, conservation methods are being put into place and Arizona's long-term water supply is being considered more often by policymakers. The state's water supply comes from three sources: surface water, reclaimed water and groundwater. These sources are then broken down into three sectors: municipal, industrial and agricultural. Municipal goes toward homes, business buildings and is mainly drinking water. Industrial helps supply things like dairy, mining and golf courses. And agriculture, using about 72% of the water allocation, is used for farming. But if water is such a precious resource in Arizona, is it really a smart idea to use it to grow marijuana? This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we talk with Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, to give us a sense of where our water is being used. T

While it may not be the state first thought of when considering Black history, Arizona has a diverse and rich history of African American stories dating back to the 1800s. Yet most of the archives, stories and icons are not being preserved or celebrated. Today, about 5% of Arizonans are Black and some community leaders and activists are working to ensure the buried history is uncovered. From academics to faith leaders, a new generation of voices are speaking up about the truth in Arizona's Black history. This week on Valley 101, Pastor Warren Stewart of the First Institutional Baptist Church, equality consultant Channel Powe, Assistant Archivist of Black Collections at ASU Jessica Salow and ethnic studies professor Anthony Pratcher II are joined together in a round table discussion on the under-acknowledgement of the state's Black history. Valley 101 is an Arizona Republic and azcentral.com podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond. Some past Valley 101 episodes about Black history and leaders in Arizona: Lincol

Across the nation, Fourth of July is marked by friends and families gathering to watch firework displays – or in some cases, set off their own light shows. Under Arizona law, only some types of fireworks can be legally used and sold during certain times of the year. But some illegal fireworks still make their way into the sky, and it's sparked a debate between Valley residents on what the law should be. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, explores firework regulations in Arizona and the differing perspectives residents hold on the devices, as well as safety tips and injury prevention. Curious about other happenings 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.

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