Valley 101

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In 'Wallace and Ladmo,' Phoenix had one of the most successful local children's shows ever Dec 16, 2019

Show notes

Did you know that Phoenix had one of the most successful local children's shows of all time?

"The Wallace and Ladmo Show" ran from 1954 to 1989, collecting fans like Steven Spielberg and Alice Cooper along the way. What made the show a success was its dark humor. Yes, it was a kids' show, but it featured characters like Aunt Maud, who liked reading tragic stories to children. Or Marshall Good, an unemployed "cowboy" from New Jersey who had never ridden a horse.

Kids may have tuned in for the cartoon, but high schoolers and their parents got the more offbeat jokes.

In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, podcast editor Katie O'Connell explores the history of this Valley original.

In this episode you'll hear:

Previously unaired interview audio with all three of the show's stars
Clips from the show's skits, including one with Muhammad Ali
Republic reporter Richard Ruelas, who has written two books on the show, sharing his childhood memories of it

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How did Phoenix get controversial giant pots as a public art project? Dec 09, 2019

Show notes

In the 1990s, Phoenix was in a public controversy over the public art project called Wall Cyle to Ocotillo. The country was going through a recession and the local residents were mad. Mad about the taxpayer money spent on the art, mad about the look of the pots, and mad the city choose out-of-state artists.

Eventually the public argument died down, but the curiosity about the project didn't. Almost thirty years later, Phoenix residents still have questions.

This week on Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dig deep into the history of Wall Cycle to Ocotillo, while also looking at the significance of public art.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Mags Harries and Lajos Heder, the artists who designed Wall Cycle to Ocotillo
Edward Lebow, current director of Phoenix's Public Art Program
Audio from a student mockumentary parodying the art project

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Where do real Christmas trees in Arizona come from? Dec 02, 2019

Show notes

Metro Phoenix isn’t exactly the idyllic location for Christmas. There’s no snow for building snowmen, the sweaters are often more for aesthetic than necessity, and the hot cocoa? Well, let’s just say Starbucks still keeps their plastic cups fully stocked.

But at the very least, locals can create their own holiday wonderland by decorating their homes, hanging twinkle lights, and ornamenting a Christmas tree. Those opting for a real Christmas tree may find themselves wondering: If we live in a desert, where do the real Christmas trees come from?

LINKS:

For information on how to purchase a permit to cut a Christmas tree from a national forest, click here.
For more information on our show, visit: valley101.azcentral.com.
Follow our show on Twitter: @Valley101pod
Follow our host on Twitter @kailawhite
Follow producer Taylor Seely on Twitter: @taylorseely95

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What's the cake-shaped castle by Loop 202 freeway? Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

It looks like a tiered wedding cake and is even painted a soft yellow like buttercream. Listen to learn its century-old history (and how to get tour tickets).

Click here to see photos and video from inside Tovrea Castle. Note: Those are only for subscribers to azcentral.com. You can subscribe at azcentral.com/join.

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Why is cotton one of Arizona's 5 Cs? Nov 18, 2019

Show notes

Last week, our Valley 101 podcast explored Arizona's five Cs, focusing on citrus and its decline.

This week, podcast editor Katie O'Connell digs in on another crop: cotton. The plant was included in thefiveCs after its boom in World War I, but it's struggled in recent decades.

To uncover more on cotton and its role in our state's identity, Katie spoke to Ron and Russ Rayner, a father-son duo who operate farms in the West Valley.

Their consensus was clear. Cotton is still a vital part of the state's identity, bringing in between $400 to $500 million to the state's economy each year.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Philip VanderMeer, a retired Arizona State University professor of American and Arizonan history
Ron and Russ Rayner, farmers from the West Valley
Archival audio from an educational documentary from the 1950s

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Why is citrus one of the 5 Cs of Arizona? What led to its decline? Nov 11, 2019

Show notes

If you grew up in Arizona as a young kid, chances are you learned about the five Cs of Arizona in school. But if you didn’t, maybe you’ve heard about them and wondered how they came to be.

What are those five Cs? How did Arizona even get this alliteration?

This week on Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we dive into the history of the five C's and answer the listener-submitted question, "what happened to derail the citrus industry in Arizona?" We also dig deeper into the impact the citrus industry hason Arizona's economy.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Philip VanderMeer, a retired Arizona State University professor of American and Arizona history
Selwyn Justice, a fifth generation citrus grower in Arizona
Archival audio from an educational documentary from the 1930s

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Six common light rail questions answered Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

The Valley Metro light rail debuted in 2008 as a public transportation option that proponents hoped would propel Phoenix into the big leagues of cities. It currently stretches 28 miles long, 8 miles longer than when it first opened. By 2050, Valley Metro plans for it to be 60 miles long. But since its opening, locals have a lots of questions. Reporter Jessica Boehm and producer Taylor Seely answer them.

The questions answered in this episode:

Why'd the light rail come to Phoenix?
Why's the light rail designed the way it is?
Why'd Phoenix choose a light rail over a monorail?
Does the light rail bring crime and hurt business?
What's best for taxpayers' wallets: light rail, bus or car?
Has light rail been successful?

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What are the most haunted places in Phoenix? Oct 28, 2019

Show notes

It's the Valley 101 podcast: Spooky edition!

You'll hear about graveyards, theater ghosts, and places where children's spirits are rumored to roam. Go on a haunted tour across Phoenix with us.

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Why are there antique dolls in the basement of Hanny's? Oct 21, 2019

Show notes

Imagine yourself walking down a dark, twisting staircase. There's light at the bottom, but not much. You come upon a scene as puzzling as it is creepy: fourteen dolls that look like they've been there for years, sitting around a table and lit by a singular bulb.

That's what you'll find in the basement of Hanny's, 40 N. 1st St, Phoenix. The downtown Phoenix bar and restaurant used to be a department store, which opened in 1947. The dolls weren't there then, so how and when did they get there? And more importantly, why?

That's the topic podcast editor Katie O'Connell will explore in this week's special Halloween episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.

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Who is Winnie Ruth Judd, Phoenix's infamous murderess? Oct 14, 2019

Show notes

Eighty-eight years ago, Winnie Ruth Judd traveled from Phoenix to Los Angeles with trunks oozing out blood. Initially, police thought the trunks contained illegal deer meat. After flies began circling the abandoned luggage, police opened the trunks, only to discover Agnes "Anne" LeRoi's full body in one and Hedvig "Sammy" Samuelson's dismembered body in another one.

The Oct. 16, 1931 murders put the then-sleepy city of Phoenix on the map. The murderous tale and subsequent court proceedings made national headlines. And with so many unanswered questions, the mystery behind Judd's story continues to capture attention.

Did Judd alone kill the two women? Why are there still so many questions surrounding the murder? How did she escape so many times from state hospital? In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, producer Maritza Dominguez explores the tale of the "Trunk Murderess."

In this episode, you'll hear:

Jana Bommersbach, author of the book "The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd", gives a look at Winnie's life before and after the murders. Marshall Shore, the "Hip Historian", describe what Phoenix was like in the 1930's. Winnie Ruth Judd, in a 1969 interview, tells her version of what happened that night.

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