Valley 101

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Does Buckeye's name have anything to do with Ohio? Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Buckeye, Arizona was founded in 1888. But it wasn't always called Buckeye. So how did it get that name? And does it have anything to do with Ohio?

This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, dives into those questions

Guiding us through the journey are:

Jackie Meck, the soon-to-be former mayor of Buckeye.
Deanna Kupcik, president and CEO of Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Levi Beard, former Vice Mayor and owner of Absolute Screen Printing in Buckeye.

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Phoenix used to have a trolley system. What happened to it? Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

Phoenix's light rail system isn't the first time the city had rail travel.

From 1887 to 1948, the Phoenix Street Railway System shuttled riders from downtown through growing neighborhoods to rural areas. In 1929, the system had 6.6 million passengers. That year, the system really lived up to its motto, "Ride a Mile and Smile the While."

The system survived the Great Depression and World War II, but a mysterious fire in 1947 was the fatal blow to an already-declining system.

However, the system and its role in Phoenix's history weren't forgotten. The wonder and importance of such transportation is memorialized in the Phoenix Trolley Museum.

In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, podcast editor Katie O'Connell examines the history of the Phoenix trolley.

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How did Arizona women gain the right to vote before the 19th Amendment? Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

The 19th Amendment turns 100 this year. The amendment guaranteed American women's suffrage nationally, but some women in Arizona voted before 1920. How did they do that?

This week on Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we meet some ofthe leaders of the women's suffrage movement in Arizona and explore their long-lasting impacts.

In this episode you'll hear:

How Frances Munds impacted women's suffrage.
How literacy tests in Arizona disenfranchised women of color.
When Native Americans received the right to vote.

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Why doesn’t Arizona observe Daylight Saving Time? Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

For most Americans, the clock springs forward an hour or falls back one because of Daylight Saving Time.

But that's not the case in two states: Arizona and Hawaii.

In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, podcast intern Jonathan Tease dives into the history and debates that led to Arizona's decision to opt out of Daylight Saving Time.

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How did interstate highways affect segregation in Phoenix? Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 built 41,000 miles of interconnected highways across the country.

The bill arrived in an era of post-World War II, Cold War tension. Its proponents said highways were necessary for national defense. In case of an attack, people in densely populated cities would need roadways to evacuate.

Across the country, highways were placed directly through towns, bisecting neighborhoods and changing the social fabric of communities. Some were routed through Black and minority neighborhoods that city leaders considered unsightly.

"Urban renewal” programs sometimes used highways as barriers between Black and white parts of town.

In Phoenix, highway construction came years later than other big cities, and the pushback by residents was strong. Mostly middle- and upper-class white residents of Phoenix were able to bargain for alterations and accommodations when infrastructure came in. For mostly low-income Black and Latino neighborhoods, the result was different.

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Why Arizona is recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day for the first time ever Oct 12, 2020

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On Monday, for the first time ever, Arizona will recognize Indigenous Peoples Day. It's a move that State Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai has been working toward for years.

"The United States is first and foremost, and always has been and always will be, Indigenous peoples' sacred homeland," Peshlakai said.

On Sept. 4, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day. Similar to the city of Phoenix's 2016 shift, the move does not replace Columbus Day, which falls on the same date, as a state holiday. And since it's a proclamation instead of legislation, this year will be the only year Indigenous Peoples Day is recognized by the state.

At least for now.

Pehslakai has plans to introduce legislation in 2021 to push for Indigenous Peoples Day to replace Columbus Day, but that move won't come without opposition.

In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we're looking at the history behind the movement for Indigenous Peoples Day. The episode is hosted by Shondiin Silversmith, an Indigenous Affairs reporter for the Republic, and produced by podcast editor Katie O'Connell.

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Why are there so many fashion photo shoots in downtown Phoenix? Oct 05, 2020

Show notes

As newcomers to the Valley, Stephen Richer and his wife Lindsay noticed a ton of photo shoots taking place in downtown Phoenix. He saw women walking in downtown accompanied by professional photographers.

Richer lived in other cities like Chicago, New Orleans and Portland. The phenomenon he saw in Phoenix was new to him. To find out what was going on, he got in touch with our team at Valley 101.

In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dive into the social media influencer community here in the Valley. Producer Maritza Dominguez partnered with the Republic's entertainment reporter KiMi Robinson.

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From riches to rags: The story of Hattie Mosher, one of early Phoenix's wealthiest citizens Sep 28, 2020

Show notes

Hattie Mosher had a pioneering spirit. The daughter of one of the wealthiest families in turn of the century Phoenix, Hattie wasn't one to hold back.

She made waves by being one of the first — if not the first — women to ride a bike in Phoenix. She worked as a reporter at the Denver Post. She ran for political office a decade after white women in Arizona were given the right to vote.

But Hattie's story would go from riches to rags. In the final years of her life, she would be seen wandering around town in outdated ball gowns, rummaging through garbage bins for scraps. By the time she died in 1945, she had lost all but two small parcels of land and most of her money.

How did someone who grew up in the lap of luxury lose everything? It's a story of grief, a city's development and the tenacity of those who helped grow it.

To find out more about Hattie Mosher, listen to today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.

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What's Sun Valley Parkway, the 'Road to Nowhere'? Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

West of the White Tank Mountains in Buckeye, there's a 30-mile, four-land highway that connects Interstate 10 in the south to Bell Road in the north. It was once seen as the key to city growth, anchoring dozens of future master planned communities and some 300,000 anticipated residents.

After dozens of private investors constructed the highway in 1988 and 1989, the highway sat unused amid desolate surroundings for nearly 20 years. So what happened? How did this become our "Road to Nowhere"?

This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, digs into the rich history of Sun Valley Parkway.

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What is it like to go to college during a global pandemic? Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

The first day of school is always a big day for students. Many plan out their outfits and memorize their schedules for the day. They walk out on campus with a map in hand to find their classrooms.

But this year, many students are not getting that same experience. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic put the traditional rituals of returning to school on hold. This includes students attending Arizona State University.

ASU reopened their campus with new restrictions and guidelines. In today’s episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we're following two students and an English instructor as they adj to life on campus. We'll hear how safe they feel teaching and going to school at ASU.

The Republic’s higher education reporter Rachel Leingang partnered with producer Martiza Dominguez for today's episode.

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