Valley 101

Before Las Vegas became known as the quickie wedding hotspot, people flew to Phoenix. Or at least that's what Phoenix's Junior Chamber of Commerce hoped for.  The story dates back to 1937. The city had purchased Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport two years prior in 1935. Most states across the U.S. at this point had laws mandating a 3-day waiting period for couples wishing to wed. But Arizona didn't.  Capitalizing on that lack of regulation, the airport built a chapel and advertised fly-in weddings. The hope was to draw in Hollywood celebrities who wanted to marry quickly and under-the-radar, hopefully without paparazzi.    It wasn't a total success, but it wasn't a failure either. Listen to this week's episode of Valley 101, an Arizona Republic and azcentral.com podcast answering questions about metro Phoenix, to uncover the history of Phoenix's fly-in chapel.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, the West Valley is home to 1.7 million people, according to data collected by the Western Maricopa Coalition. And it’s still growing. The coalition anticipates that over the next 25 years, 49.5% of the growth in Maricopa County will happen in the West Valley. That's vastly different from what it was like in the beginning of the 20th century. Before Arizona had towns like Avondale, Goodyear and Litchfield Park, the West Valley was barren. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we're diving into the history of the Southwest Valley. What took it from the desert to what it is today? And we're doing that thanks to a question from listener Dale Arel, who asked how Paul Litchfield shaped the Valley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1964, at the age of 51, Richard E. Harris became the first Black reporter at The Arizona Republic.  His tenure came during a momentous and tumultuous period in our nation’s history. The year before, thousands were arrested while protesting segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Among them was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would deliver his famed “I Have A Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that same year.  President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The following year, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Phoenix was segregated at the time. Years of redlining and restrictive covenants had left their mark on the city. Harris was assigned to cover poverty in the city, telling the story of some of its most vulnerable citizens.  Later in life, Harris wrote that he “detested some of the paper’s ultra-conservative editorials and stories slanted in favor of the Establishment.” Still, he was proud of his tenure there and what he accomplished. In his 2004 autobiography "The American Odyssey of a Black Journalist," Harris wrote that he “proved to be as capable as most white peers and soon found news stories outside the stereotype bounds.” Today, Harris is remembered by those who came after him as a modest, humble man.  “And what I’d like to say about Richard Harris is that, you know, he wasn’t a physically large guy. But he had very broad shoulders, figuratively speaking,” said Art Gissendaner, who worked as the sole Black reporter at The Republic a decade after Harris. “And something I tell a lot of young people now is that where we are now, we all are standing on someone else’s shoulders.” In this week’s episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, Executive Editor Greg Burton explores the story of Harris’ life and legacy.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winter in Arizona means peak hiking season. The weather is beautiful, the landscapes are breathtaking and, because of COVID-19, the fact that you can socially distance in the open air while getting in some exercise is an added perk.  But if you take your dogs with you, there are some things you need to know. Maybe you’re new to the Valley and your transplant dog isn’t used to the desert terrain. But even if you’re a long-time resident, we’ve got some tips that you might not know. Consider this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, a toolkit for how to safely hike with dogs here. Producer Taylor Seely speaks with Bretta Nelson, a spokesperson for the Arizona Humane Society. Plus, an only-in-Arizona style story about running into a herd of cows while hiking from Valley resident Debi Palestina.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are the normal highway signs, ones that feature messages about travel times or road conditions.  Then there are the funny ones. Ones that say things like, "Cut off? Don’t get bad blood. Shake it off” in reference to a Taylor Swift song. Or “Aggressive driving is the path to the dark side,” a nod to “Star Wars.” Arizona isn't unique in having signs like that. The trend started with the Iowa Department of Transportation, but Arizona Department of Transportation spokesperson Doug Pacey thinks we may have perfected them. In today's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we're exploring the history of these signs and what it takes to write them. You'll also hear from Mitzie Warner, a Chandler resident who won a safety message writing competition.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you fell down the TikTok rabbit hole in 2020, odds are you probably came across one or two videos of people roller skating. It's a trend and hobby people took up to get outside during the pandemic. Valley 101 listener Antonio Moody is a teacher and heard about the exact same trend from his students. Some of them even thought of taking up roller derby. Moody asked the podcast team if there was a roller derby scene in Metro Phoenix.  In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, producer Maritza Dominguez digs into this community.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're a transplant to Arizona from New England, you may have been surprised at the seeming absence of cemeteries in the Phoenix area. After all, they feel like they're located at every corner in some northeastern states. That's how Christopher Bunce felt when he moved to the Valley in January of 2020. So he submitted a question to Valley 101, our newsroom podcast dedicated to helping Phoenicians better understand the place they call home. He asked, "Why does Phoenix have so few cemeteries?" Bunce thought it perhaps was because Arizona is a younger state. Cindy Lee, vice president of the Pioneers' Cemetery Association, offers a few other reasons in this week's episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey Valley 101 listeners! We're taking a week off for a little rest and relaxation. Thank you for all of your questions this year! We look forward to answering more of them in 2021. Let us know what's on your mind at valley101podcast.azcentral.com or on Twitter @Valley101pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For almost 20 years, the Outlets at Anthem decorated with the largest Christmas tree in Arizona. This year is no exception. Their 70-foot tall white fir tree weighs four tons after it's decorated.  How did that tradition start? And how does the mall know that its tree is the tallest in the state? Podcast editor Katie O'Connell found out during 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every winter, Arizona sees an influx of retirees that from out of state. They come to enjoy our mild sunny winters and to escape their snowy season. Many come from Midwestern states like Minnesota or Wisconsin. But what brings snowbirds to Arizona specifically? And once they're here, what's their economic impact on the Valley? In this week's episode, producer Maritza Dominguez digs into this phenomenon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barry Goldwater was a businessman, a Phoenix city councilman, and a prominent U.S. Senator from Arizona. He loved flying his plane across the state's diverse landscapes, and most would say he was a pretty good photographer. In the biggest race of his life, the 1964 presidential election, Goldwater lost significantly to Democrat Lyndon Baines Johnson. LBJ walked away with 61.1% of the popular vote and 486 electoral votes, leaving Goldwater with 52.   So why has Goldwater been called the face of modern conservatism? Why have some historians credited him for paving the way for Republican Party icon Ronald Reagan?  That's the subject of this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, that answers questions you ask about metro Phoenix. Producer Taylor Seely journeys through Goldwater's life with historians Michael Rubinoff and Brooks Simpson, stopping in at key moments in Goldwater's timeline that help explain his impact on contemporary U.S. politics.  In this episode you'll hear: How growing up in Arizona and taking over the family business amid President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal programs shaped Goldwater's political ideology.  Why Goldwater got involved in politics in the first place, starting with Phoenix City Council.  What made Goldwater unique for his time, and how his political brand redirected the Republican Party's ideological trajectory.  How Goldwater's conservatism compares to the conservatism of today.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cooling off during the summer months is no easy feat. While people in other parts of the country may retreat to the cooler depths of their basements, that's not an option here in Phoenix. Rather, it's not a popular option. Instead, folks across the Valley take a dip in a pool to find some relief. But why is that? Why do houses here tend to have pools instead of basements? Podcast editor Katie O'Connell found out the answer in this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport ranked number one in J.D. Power's 2020 North America airport satisfaction study. This made Valley 101 listener Gregory Yost wonder: why? What made the airport so satisfying to customers? This wasn't the first question about Phoenix Sky Harbor submitted to the team. Producer Maritza Dominguez teamed up with travel reporter Melissa Yeager to answer your questions about the local airport. They also answer questions about the safety of flying amid a global pandemic and why Sky Harbor doesn’t offer more international flights. In this episode you'll hear from:  Michael Taylor, a representative with J.D. Power Brian Znotins, the vice president of network and schedule planning with American Airlines  Kacey Ernst, a University of Arizona professor in the College of Public Health and an infectious disease epidemiologist  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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