Valley 101

Sister Clare Dunn was the only nun to serve in the Arizona Legislature and the first nun in the United States in the 20th century to enter public office.  In this final episode of the 2023 Arizona HERstory series, we are exploring just how a Catholic nun from the Sisters of St. Joseph took her commitment to service all the way to the state Capitol.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

March is Women's History Month, and the Valley 101 podcast is taking the opportunity to explore stories of women from Arizona's history whom you might not have heard of. In the third episode of Arizona HERstory, we highlight "the most known unknown architect in the world": Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter. Her Southwestern architecture can be seen at the Grand Canyon National Park, along the Santa Fe railroad and at tourist stops primarily in Arizona and New Mexico. Around the turn of the 20th century, the way she integrated nature and Indigenous art was unconventional and inventive. After attending the California School of Design, she was chosen to be a designer and architect for the famous hospitality group The Fred Harvey Company. With the surrounding environment in mind, she created numerous buildings that are still in use today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

March is Women's History Month, and the Valley 101 podcast is taking the opportunity to explore the stories of women from Arizona's history whom you might not have heard of. In this second episode of Arizona HERstory, we uncover the truth behind the legend of one of the most notorious criminals in Arizona history: Pearl Hart. Dubbed the "Bandit Queen" by local papers, Pearl's history has been bit of mystery and much of that was due to her own fabrication. Pearl came to Arizona all the way from Ontario, Canada in an attempt to escape an abusive life. For women of the 1800s, options for their independence were limited. But Pearl blazed her own path, and the fire of her spirit not only burned those close to her but it also scorched her life as well. But she never apologized for how she made herself.  This episode was written and produced by Thomas France. You can reach him at tfrance@arizonarepublic.com and on Twitter @TFranceAZ Kaely Monahan executive produced this episode of Arizona HERstory. You can reach he

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 we discuss not only her achievements but what the City of Phoenix was like during her lifetime, including racial segregation, redlining and the influence of Jim Crow Laws. You can learn more about how redlining is still impacting our communities today in this investigation by our fellow Arizona Republic reporters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 tourists and travelers spent their money right here in Arizona. But how much money did the state make by hosting the Super Bowl? Was it worth all of the funding that went into getting ready for all those people? In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we speak with experts to figure out what Arizona gained from being the home of Super Bowl 57. Follow Valley 101 and all azcentral podcasts on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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