Valley 101

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 to that episode, you absolutely should give it a listen. This week, we take a look at the species in Arizona classified under the Endangered Species Act. All of the animals in this episode are native to the state and in need of some kind of assistance if they're going to continue being part of what makes Arizona such a wonderful place to live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, we unpack the details. We are joined by Arizona Republic Indigenous affairs reporter Debra Krol to discuss the offensive history of the team's name and why Native activist groups want to modify in-game customs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 listeners. And we got even more answers. In this week's episode of Valley 101, we take a look at just a few of the best wing places in the Phoenix area worth sinking your teeth into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Why is the sun so much brighter in the winter even though we have less hours of it? The Valley 101 team finds out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 being sworn into office, her and her team are settling into their offices. New art is being hung, commemorative football helmets are being moved, and updated name plates are being placed. The office has a new boss, and so does Arizona. So what all goes into moving in a new governor? Outside of the political changes, what happens when there's a new governor on the executive floor? In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we unpack the details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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,  Gather close and hear how she changes within!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 there because of the copper mining. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we are joined by retired geologist David Briggs to tell you the history of the Christmas mine and the coveted post office in its town.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 spot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 losing seasons, it's the biggest game of the year. But why do we like rivalries, and does the Duel in the Desert matter to anyone outside of Arizona? In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dissect the competition that is awarded the oldest trophy in college football and why our brains hold onto these feuds for so long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: Where does all the water go that runs off the streets? Does the state capture it somewhere or does it just go into a river that empties into an ocean? In this episode of Valley 101, we explore what happens to rainfall in Arizona. The answer turned out to be more complicated than a simple yes or no. And it involves snow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 azcentral.com, we answer this listener question going through the history and future of Arizona cooling systems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 the back, intrepid crafters meet to learn the old art of taxidermy. Taught by one of Arizona's longest working experts in the field, Doug James of Frank James Artistry, curious students learn how to skin, preserve and then stuff dead animals.  It is not for the faint of heart.  Valley 101 attended one such class where rabbits were transformed into jackalopes.  Listen if you dare! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 bridge. One of the most famous Victorian-age murderers also appears to be haunting the crossing: Jack the Ripper.  In this episode of Valley 101, we investigate the history and the hauntings surrounding London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 by the state. But since its closing and as other buildings have occupied that land, people are said to have had eerie experiences there. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we tell the history of this restorative hospital and the potentially otherworldly spirits that remain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices