Valley 101

Health experts have been tracking a new variant of COVID-19 they say is nearly twice as contagious as previous strains and causing more breakthrough infections. That strain is called the delta variant.   First identified in India, the delta variant is now the dominate strain in Arizona.  What is the delta variant? What does it mean for us? Are vaccines mitigating community spread of the variant? In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we answer those questions. 

Why do home builders continue building out instead of up, and what's the deal with basements in the Valley? In this week's episode, producer Keith Reed speaks with experts about caliche, a hard surface deposit consisting of multiple compounds such as sodium nitrate and chloride, which hinders efforts to dig deep in the ground. The Valley 101 also met with a City of Phoenix official and a local architect about how efforts are being made toward building more high-rise residential buildings in downtown Phoenix.

Within the city of Mesa is a five and a half square mile section that gets its energy from the city's Energy Resource Department. It covers most of the downtown Mesa area from Brown Road to Broadway Road and Extension Road to Stapley Drive. It's not a perfect square, but the area covers about 17,000 people. While the Salt River Project and Arizona Public Services electric serve the rest of the state, Mesa has owned and operated its own electrical utility since 1917. At that time, the city purchased it from Dr. A.J. Chandler, the city of Chandler's namesake.  In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we share why Mesa manages their utilities and the history of how they came to own it.

Jagger Eaton, 20, grew up in Mesa with the hopes of making it to the Olympics competing in skateboarding. He reached his live long goal on July 24, when he won the first ever bronze Olympic medal in street skateboarding. Eaton is now back in California and joined producer Maritza Dominguez for a one-on-one conversation.

USA Skateboarding, the official governing board of the sport, announced in June the first Olympic skateboarding team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The team includes 12 skateboarders, three of which have Arizona ties.  Jagger Eaton, Alana Smith and Brighton Zeuner all started their career in Arizona.  How are there so many Arizonans on the team? What impact has the Valley had in the growth of the sport? In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dive into the skateboarding community in the Valley and its history.  In this episode, you'll hear from people who have been skateboarding in the Valley since the mid-1970s, and from a local skateboard coach who hopes to continue growing the skating community. 

When you think of Bigfoot, the Pacific Northwest comes to mind, not Arizona. So, it came as no shock when Valley 101 listener Chris Shaver, who lived in Oregon prior to moving to Arizona, asked if there are Sasquatch or other mythical creatures in the Valley. Surprisingly enough, sightings of a Sasquatch-like creature have been reported in Arizona, including one in 1903 near the Grand Canyon according to an article in The Arizona Republican. Several years later, when more sightings of a similar creature near the Mogollon Rim were reported, this cryptid soon became known as the Mogollon Monster, Arizona’s Bigfoot.   In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we speak with experts on metaphysical concepts, folklore, mythology and a researcher who says he has seen Bigfoot on multiple occasions.

It's often referred to as the "Mother Tree." For more than 100 years this tropical tree, which is native to Central America and Mexico, has managed to survive in the Arizona desert by the grace of Mother Nature. Just northeast of Tucson on a private ranch lives an Aravaipa avocado tree. Although no one can definitively say how this tree found its way into the Arizona soil, it hasn't stopped people from speculating. So, how has this Aravaipa avocado tree managed to survive and can other Aravaipa avocado trees be grown in Arizona? In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we talk with horticulture experts and rare fruit enthusiasts to find out.

For the first time in 28 years, the Phoenix Suns are playing in the NBA Finals.   Their appearance in the NBA Finals is unexpected since it was only two years ago that the team won only 19 games. After that disappointing season, the Suns brought in a new head coach, Monty Williams, who managed to end last season on an exciting 8-0 run in the NBA bubble. The Suns finished just under .500.  This season, with a 51-21 record, the Suns are different. Adding future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul to the roster was the missing piece to the team’s puzzle. His veteran leadership paired with Devin Booker style and Deandre Ayton’s energy helped propel what was once a mediocre team at best, into a capable contender.  The last time the Suns made it to the finals was in 1993 and things were different. The team had been playoff contenders the last few seasons and at the time, the missing piece was star Charles Barkley. And Barkley always gave reporters something to write about on and off the court.   In this bonus episo

Have you ever wondered what traditional Japanese sushi and Mexican food create? Several years ago in Mexico, a combination of Mexican food ingredients and Japanese style were used to create a fusion dish known as Sonoran sushi. Traditional Japanese sushi’s main ingredient is vinegared rice. Sonoran sushi rolls have those base ingredients like rice and seaweed, but with their own twist.  In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we're diving into how this fusion began and why it's becoming more popular.  We'll break down the episode into three parts. First, we’re taking a trip down to Puerto Peñasco, commonly known to Arizonans as Rocky Point, to check out a local sushi restaurant. Then The Republic's dining critic, Andi Berlin, will join Valley 101 to give listeners a sense of how Tucson and Southern Arizona has made itself known for its Mexican Sushi.  And finally, you’ll hear from a local Valley restaurant owner who was one of the first to introduce this fo

When Marshall Shore first came to Arizona 21 years ago, he was told that Arizona had no LGBT+ history. But every time he would venture around the state, whether by car, bike or foot, he would hear stories of people and places that he thought were amazing. Shore is most known by his moniker, "The Hip Historian," a name given to him in 2009, as a way to distinguish him from Marshall Trimble, the state's official historian. Through his work as project manager for the Arizona LGBT History Project, he has worked with Arizona State University to create an archive of the community. On this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, Shore shares some of the stories he's come across about the icons in the state's LGBT+ history. 

The history behind the Christown Spectrum name spurred Valley 101 listener David Thelen to ask: “What is the background and history of the man who served as the inspiration of the part of Phoenix named after him?” In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we’re diving into Christown’s namesake and the cultural impact the mall had on Phoenix after opening in 1961.

Tempe Town Lake sits as a small oasis in the middle of the desert, alongside a freeway. The shimmering body of water is one of Arizona's most visited public attractions, but is more than just a place for music festivals, marathons and regattas.  It all began with James W. Elmore, the founding dean of the College of Architecture at Arizona State University. He challenged the College faculty in 1966 to transform the Salt River, a dry riverbed, from an eyesore into a greenbelt attraction.  One year later, an ASU professor and 16 graduate students proposed The Rio Salado Project, “a vast reservoir of open space unique to the heart of a great city.” Thirty-three years later, the first developed phase of the project was realized when water from the Central Arizona Project flowed into the dry riverbed and Tempe Town Lake was born. In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we explores the project’s history and how it connects the Valley together through the unexpected wa

Highways and roadways impact Valley drivers on a daily basis. Valley 101 listeners often submit questions to the Arizona Republic's podcast team to dive into these topics. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we’re answering three of those questions.  We'll take a brief dive into the history of Arizona toll roads, a look at the future of Interstate Highway 11 and then how Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway has impacted the Valley. In this episode you'll hear from:  Laura Douglas, a communications project manager with the Arizona Department of Transportation Philip Vandermeer, an emeritus professor of history from Arizona State University Eric Anderson, the executive director for the Maricopa Association of Governments. 

Whether you celebrated the long Memorial Day weekend by getting out of town, exploring Phoenix or relaxing at home, the Valley 101 team has a few suggestions of past episodes to listen to.

As Maricopa County continues to be one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, interest in the Valley expands. More travelers and potential new residents want to check out all the unique destinations of the desert. One Valley 101 listener plans on making Phoenix their new home. They asked us to put together a bucket list of activities and places they should check out in the Valley. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we’re doing just that. Even if you’re an Arizona native, there might be some activities on this list you haven’t heard. We spoke with one expert and a couple of Arizona Republic reporters to share their picks of places to check out in the Valley. You’ll hear about quick day trips and some hidden gems.

In a dried up flood zone just south of Buckeye once lived a lively and vibrant community. Despite nearly 500 residents at one point, the community was absent of good water and sanitation. The community lacked stores, mail delivery, streetlights or even stop signs. This was the town of Allenville. In the 1940s when part of the town was sold by Lee North to John Allen, the town's namesake, it was the only area of town where Black people could own land. In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, and with the help of Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic's Southwest Valley reporter, we uncover the hidden past of this all-Black community and how it was destroyed by a series of floods in 1978.

Corrections and Clarifications: In a previous version of this episode an incorrect date was given for the Long Walk and treaty signed by Navajo leaders. Those dates are 1864 and 1868. Valley 101 listener Genevieve Hall asked: "What's the best Native American restaurant in the Valley?"  That depends. There are 21 federally recognized tribes in Arizona and more than 500 in the United States. Each have their own traditions and nuances. However, there is one restaurant that stands out. In this week’s Valley 101 episode, producer Maritza Dominguez spoke with two Valley chefs who specialize in Native American food. They discussed the history of a popular dish and how their culture and community have influenced their cooking style.  

If you lived in Phoenix in August 2020, you probably remember waking up to what felt like an unusually cloudy day. The sun was bright orange and looking directly at it didn't hurt your eyes. But those were not unseasonable clouds, it was smoke from fires in Northern Arizona and California that traveled into the Valley. With the majority of the state in a drought, the potential for an active fire season and big dust storms blowing into the Valley this summer, has one Valley 101 listener asking what they can do to protect their lungs. In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we find out what is in store for us this summer and the best practices we can adopt for healthier lungs. Producer Amanda Luberto has more.

Picture this: you’re headed to Sedona from downtown Phoenix. As you drive north on Interstate 17, you pass the Outlets by Anthem.  What you might not know is that the section of Anthem with the outlet mall — the western section — is actually part of the city of Phoenix. The larger portion of Anthem, its eastern counterpart, is in unincorporated Maricopa County. There’s no such thing as the city of Anthem.  In this week’s episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we’re answering two questions from our listeners. We’ll look at why Anthem as a whole isn’t located in Phoenix. Then we’ll explore whether the master planned community will ever be fully incorporated into Phoenix. 

On 52nd Avenue and Glendale Avenue, a five-story building stands empty. It's fenced off from the public with faded red brick and bordered-off windows. Arizona Republic readers picked the Beet Sugar Factory as one of the worst West Valley eyesores.  The factory captured the interest of Valley 101 listener Garret Godfrey. He asked us about the history of the Beet Sugar Factory and about future plans for the building.  It turns out that building has a connection to the development of Glendale. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, producer Maritza Dominguez takes a deep dive about the Beet Sugar Factory. Have more questions about Metro Phoenix for the Valley 101 team? Submit them here.