Valley 101

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the federal government systematically took Native American children from their homes and shipped them to boarding schools across the U.S. to assimilate them into western society. Arizona is home to one of those boarding schools. How did it change from 1891 to 1990, to become more academic and even a point of pride for Native American students? And what was it like to be a student through the ages? Listen to this episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, to find out. Special thanks to The Heard Museum, for allowing Valley 101 to record in its exhibit and the audio of musician Russel Moore to be included in this episode. This story was reported by Shondiin Silversmith and produced by Taylor Seely. Follow Shondiin on Twitter: @DiinSilversmith Follow Taylor on Twitter: @taylorseely95 Follow Valley 101 on Twitter: @valley101pod Submit your questions to Valley 101 at Valley101.azcentral.com. 

Legend has it, the concrete pad and stone wall are all that's left of an upscale restaurant called Cloud Nine that mysteriously burned down in the 1960s. Who built a restaurant up there and how? What was it like in its heyday? And what led to its demise? Valley 101 host and producer Kaila White dug into newspaper archives and public records to find the truth, encountering some interesting characters along the way. Music in this episode includes “Arizona Moon,” “La Costilla,” and “El Tajo” by Blue Dot Sessions. Want your question about metro Phoenix answered? Submit it at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. And follow us on Twitter @valley101pod.  

As we talked about in last week's episode, the Valley is going to grow. For part two in our exploration of our population, we're looking ahead. Just how many people are we talking about adding? And what will that additional population mean for our economy and housing? What about our transportation and water? Want your question about metro Phoenix answered? Submit it at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. And follow us on Twitter @valley101pod.  

We've been collecting your questions for more than two months now and one topic keeps coming up: the Valley's population. So we're taking two episodes to answer your population-related questions.   In this week's episode, we look at how Phoenix and the Valley got so big. When did we start growing? And what fueled that growth?   Be sure to listen next week when we explore the future population of the Valley.   Want your question about metro Phoenix answered? Submit it at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. And follow us on Twitter @valley101pod. 

Positioned just northwest of downtown Phoenix, the Melrose District's mile-long strip of gay bars, vintage stores and eateries line Seventh Avenue with pride flags, murals and a rainbow crosswalk. But how did the Melrose District gain its reputation as a queer-friendly space? What even makes it one? Valley 101 producer Taylor Seely and Arizona Republic reporter Garrett Mitchell trekked the "fruit loop" talking to historians, shopkeepers, bartenders and residents to get a glimpse at why the Melrose District is Phoenix's go-to gayborhood. Want your question about metro Phoenix answered? Submit it at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. And follow us on Twitter @valley101pod.  

Is it related to the mythological phoenix, a bird that lived for hundreds of years, died in an explosion of flames, and would be reborn from its ashes? It would make sense, given that Phoenix summers set us on fire and yet here we are still. Who named our city? And was it ever called something else? To answer those questions, Valley 101 producer Téa Francesca Price dug into Phoenix's history. Want to submit a question for Valley 101 to answer? Visit valley101podcast.azcentral.com. 

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has Terminals 2, 3, and 4. But have you noticed there's no Terminal 1? At least not anymore. Valley 101 producer Taylor Seely investigates why. Tell us your questions about metro Phoenix at valley101podcast.azcentral.com or find us on Twitter at @valley101pod. You can reach Taylor on Twitter @taylorseely95. 

Putting your recyclable items into a blue bin is only step one. After it’s picked up, where does it go? What happens to it? And what can you do to help the process? Kaila White, a reporter and editor for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, visited a materials recovery facility in north Phoenix to find out. Tell us your questions about metro Phoenix at valley101podcast.azcentral.com or find us on Twitter at @valley101pod. You can reach Kaila on Twitter at @kailawhite.

What creates the brilliant red and pink sunsets in Phoenix? Local folklore says that the pollution in Phoenix shapes our sunsets. But is that true? Katie O'Connell, the head of podcasts for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, found out.    Tell us your questions about metro Phoenix at valley101podcast.azcentral.com or find us on Twitter at @valley101pod. You can reach Katie on Twitter at @katieoc.

Every year, there are dozens of car crashes involving wrong-way drivers in Arizona. How does metro Phoenix compare with other metropolitan areas across the country? What is causing this problem, and can we do to stop it? Arizona Republic and azcentral.com producer Téa Francesca Price investigates. Tell us your questions about metro Phoenix at valley101podcast.azcentral.com or find us on Twitter at @valley101pod. You can reach Téa on Twitter @_tfprice.

Some claim gentrification has ruined Roosevelt Street in downtown Phoenix. Others boast that the area is safer and more walkable than before. And is it still artsy? Arizona Republic and azcentral.com producer Taylor Seely investigates. Tell us your questions about metro Phoenix at valley101podcast.azcentral.com or find us on Twitter at @valley101pod. You can reach Taylor on Twitter @taylorseely95. 

Ever wonder what Roosevelt Row was like before it was developed? Or why there are so many wrong-way crashes in Phoenix? The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com podcast team will answer all of your Valley-related questions in our new show launching on Monday, Feb. 18. We'll pick one question a week to investigate and take you with as we report. Each episode will give you the facts in 10 to 20 minutes. We want to hear your questions! Submit your questions at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. Or follow along on Twitter @Valley101pod.