Valley 101

Latest Episodes:

Explaining Phoenix's street grid: What is and isn't logical about it Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

Live in the Valley long enough and you’re bound to have a conversation about the Phoenix grid system.

You might hear how convenient and logical it is. Avenues on the west, streets on the east. Central in the middle. You might think the only flaw is that there's no pattern to the east-west extending named streets. That's true.

But that's not the only problem. Midtown Phoenix resident Scott Wilken spotted major inconsistencies between the number of blocks between each major named street when a driver is traveling north and south. He also discovered the blocks when traveling north and south are not equivalent to the blocks plotted going east and west.

So, why is that? Plus, who created Phoenix's grid system? What's its history? This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, answers Wilken's question.

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What are the origins of the Lost Ranch ruins in South Mountain Park? Jun 22, 2020

Show notes

South Mountain is a hot spot for hiking enthusiasts, but its history is richer than you might think. There’s even a mystery deep within the mountain that has prompted our listeners to ask us for answers.

The Lost Ranch ruins are located within the park away from official trails. As time has passed, the ruins have captivated hikers.

One Valley 101 listener submitted this question: "What are the origins of the Lost Ranch?" In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dive into the history South Mountain Park and the lonely ruins in the mountains. In this episode, you'll hear from South Mountain Park manager Dan Gronseth.

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Concrete, concrete everywhere ... but why do we use it for fences? The history behind the Valley's architectural block Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

There's a chance that the concrete fence in your backyard could be partially made out of materials from volcanoes.

In 1944, three Arizonans invented a new type of concrete block, the Superlite block. The key material in Superlite is volcanic scoria, which is essentially cooled volcanic magma. In this case, it's mined in Winona, AZ.

The Superlite block allowed Phoenix to grow at an exponential rate after World War II. It was light, soundproof, fire proof and it could hold up to our summers. By 1955, Superlite was used in the construction of 75% of new buildings in the Valley.

And it's still used a building material today, including in our fences.

To read Taz Khatri's Modern Phoenix blog post on this subject, click here.

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What does Arizona's COVID-19 data mean? Is the situation improving? Jun 08, 2020

Show notes

Valley 101 podcast parses through Arizona's COVID-19 data to better understand the nuances and clarify how the virus is taking shape in Arizona.

Includes: Taylor Seely, Stephanie Innes and Alison Steinbach.

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Meet Arizona's First State Poet Laureate Alberto Ríos Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

Arizona created a state poet laureate position to celebrate the state's centennial. A unanimous panel chose Alberto Ríos to fill the post in 2013. His role as poet laureate was to undertake a major literary project to expose quality poetry to residents who might not otherwise be.

In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Kaila White interviews Alberto Ríos.

In this episode you'll hear how Arizona shaped Ríos and what lead him to poetry. You'll also hear him recite some of his poetry.

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Rerun - Population part 1: How did the Valley get so big? May 25, 2020

Show notes

Our team is taking a week off for Memorial Day. However, we wanted to bring back an earlier episode breaking down how the Valley go so big. The answer, interestingly enough, goes back to World War II.

Be sure to listen to part two where we explore the future population of the Valley.

Enjoy and we'll be back next week with a brand new episode.

Want your question about metro Phoenix answered? Submit it at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. And follow us on Twitter @valley101pod.

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Why are there so many attorney advertisements in the Valley? May 18, 2020

Show notes

Whether you're driving past a billboard, listening to the radio or watching TV, it seems like advertisements for attorneys are inescapable.

But why are there so many of them? And why are so many of them about personal injury lawsuits?

Turns out, until 1977, attorneys were prohibited from advertising. Times certainly have changed. Arizona lawyers, law firms and legal-services providers spent $32 million on advertising last year. And that number doesn't include spending on social media campaigns.

If you're curious about this phenomenon, podcast editor Katie O'Connell got to the bottom of it in this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com where we answer the questions you ask about metro Phoenix.

In this episode, you'll hear from:

Van O'Steen, a Phoenix attorney who sued for the right to advertise
Mark Breyer, a Phoenix personal injury attorney who currently advertises on TV
Patricia Sallen, a Phoenix attorney who works in legal ethics
Nancy Gray, a professor at Arizona State University

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BONUS Segment: Is what I'm feeling right now normal? Advice for living through a pandemic May 11, 2020

Show notes

It's normal to experience a wide swath of emotions during times of stress and uncertainty. Living through the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. In this bonus episode, producer Taylor Seely interviews associate professor of psychology Michelle Shiota on how to pinpoint unhealthy behavior and tips for living as best we can right now.

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Good news: Spotlighting acts of kindness during the pandemic May 11, 2020

Show notes

This episode talks about the positive stories that are taking place during this pandemic. The acts of kindness that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Because, believe it or not, it's not all doom and gloom. Good news stories are out there. And they're plentiful.

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What's the story behind the angel on top the Arizona state Capitol? May 04, 2020

Show notes

At the end of the 1800s, Arizona had aspirations to become a state. In order to prove they were ready, they built a humble state Capitol building. The architect chose to put an angel at the top. Overs the years, that winged statue has caught the attention of many onlookers.

One Valley 101 listener submitted this question, "What is the story behind the angel on top of the Arizona state Capitol?"

This week on Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dive into the history of the angel. We also dig deeper into the history of the Arizona State Capitol.

In this episode, you'll hear from:

Stephanie Mahan, an administrator at the Arizona State Capitol Museum
Michael Cady, a retired teacher and volunteer at the Arizona State Capitol Museum

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