Valley 101

Elizabeth Montgomery, a Community Relations and Events Producer for The Arizona Republic, is teaming up with Valley 101 in this week's episode.  During Black History Month, she wrote a column about moving to Metro Phoenix. Montgomery had lived her whole life in Atlanta, Ga. After moving here, she realized quickly that Atlanta and Phoenix are very different.  One of the biggest differences is the population of African Americans in each city. Atlanta is 52% African American, while Phoenix is just under 7%. Soon after her arrival, Montgomery searched for her community, for the people, businesses and art that would help her feel at home. And she found it. In today's episode, she's sharing her tips to learning to love your new home. Montgomery teamed up with producer Maritza Dominguez to share her journey of finding a community in Phoenix.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before social distancing became the norm, people used to gather. We'd get together for barbecues and cocktails, catch a movie or see a concert.  But in world shaped by the coronavirus pandemic, the thought of 3,000 people from North Dakota congregating in a Mesa park seems distant. Still, that's exactly what happened on March 1.  Perhaps the largest gathering of North Dakotans outside of the state, the North Dakota picnic gives transplants like reporter Rachel Leingang the chance to reconnect with those who sound and feel like home. A first-time attendee, Leingan decided to play a game: she attempted to find an unknown relative on a Saturday morning, 1,400 miles away from her hometown.  Did her experiment work? And how did she feel afterward? Find out in this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Producing the episode this week is podcast editor Katie O'Connell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before anti-segregation milestones like Brown vs. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, black tourists were prohibited from staying at most hotels. One of the few options for minority travelers in Phoenix was The Swindall House, also known as the Swindall Tourist Inn. Located at 1021 E. Washington Street, the inn is named after its second owners, Golden and Elvira Swindall. But its story begins with a Belgian immigrant in 1913. And rumor has it that famous black performers like jazz pianist Count Basie and athlete like baseball player Jackie Robinson stayed there. But efforts to locate a guestbook to verify those claims have failed. In fact, much of the building's history has been lost to time. Producer Taylor Seely spent two months uncovering the Swindall House's rich history, significance and lasting legacy for this episode of Valley 101. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1946, the Arizona State College mascot was the Bulldogs. But the Bulldog mascot was one of the most popular, then and now, so the football booster club decided it needed a new mascot that was more unique. That's when local attorney and member of the organization Water Craig suggested the Sun Devil.  Craig also knew the illustrator who would bring Sparky the Sun Devil to life. Berkeley Anthony was a former Disney animator in the 1930s and early 1940s. But the story of Berkeley's time at Disney, as well as his creation of Sparky afterward, has many twists and turns. Producer Maritza Dominguez will explore that story on this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. In this episode, you'll hear: How a small time Disney animator created the iconic mascot for ASU How Sparky came to live on the football field  How the legacy of Sparky the Sun Devil Continues  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stories about the new coronavirus are inescapable right now. The Valley 101 podcast team understands that can be overwhelming and difficult to parse through. So this week we're releasing a 15-minute bonus episode answering the essential frequently-asked questions about COVID-19. In this episode, health-care reporter Stephanie Innes tells you what you need to know to keep yourself and your family safe and informed during the outbreak.   Here's what we answer:  What's the difference between the coronavirus and COVID-19? How's it different from the flu? How does it spread?  How do you stay safe? What's social distancing? Why are people doing it? What does "flattening the curve" mean? Why flattening the curve is especially important in Arizona What's the worst-case scenario that could happen in our community? How long could this last? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each year when monsoon season hits, so do the headlines about valley fever. But what is valley fever? The answer lies in our soil. There's a type of fungus that lives in the first few inches of the soil in the southwest. When that fungus dries, it turns into microscopic spores. When those spores are swept up in haboobs, we run the risk of breathing them in, which could lead to an infection in our lungs. And it's not just humans who are at risk. Our pets can develop valley fever too. In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, podcast editor Katie O'Connell finds answers about valley fever before monsoon season hit. In this episode you'll hear: What valley fever is and what causes it What are the symptoms of valley fever Options for diagnosis and treatment of valley fever How to tell if your pet might have valley fever Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During monsoon season, from June to September, large dust storms often overwhelm Arizona. The storms grow more severe when the preceding spring and winter seasons are dry, which allows dirt to loosen. When dust storms hit certain criteria, they're considered "haboobs."  Haboob is an Arabic word that essentially means big, blasting winds, according to Andrew Deemer, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Phoenix and former linguist.  In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast that answers your questions about metro Phoenix,  Producer Taylor Seely breaks down the components necessary for a dust storm to be considered a haboob, plus how and when the word entered Arizona's lexicon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this week's episode, we're tackling a more subjective question, "What buildings would you say are the most iconic in the Phoenix skyline?"  There are a few ways to approach this question, from either an aesthetic standpoint or by evaluating a building's history.  But, thanks to the help of some expert sources, we've crowned one building the winner.  Listen to this week's episode, produced by podcast editor Katie O'Connell, to find out which one.  In this episode you'll hear: Alison King, founder of Modern Phoenix: The Neighborhood Network Michelle Dodds, city of Phoenix historic preservation officer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The creation of the light bulb in 1879 would forever shape our homes, streets and offices.  But by the 1950s, light pollution became a concern, as it effects both natural ecosystems and human health. In fact, studies have shown that light pollution can be linked to breast cancer. Today, the future of Arizona's dark sky could be threatened by light pollution. It's an issue dark sky advocates are working to ease.  This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, breaks down what the Valley is doing to mitigate light pollution.  In this episode, you'll hear: The components that make up light pollution.  The impacts of light pollution on the state's tourism and economy.  The steps communities in Metro Phoenix are making to combat light pollution.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are at least seven mountains in Maricopa County with letters whitewashed on the side. Have you ever wondered why they were put in? Or when? We'll give you one hint: It comes down to more than just community pride.  This week, Valley 101 digs into the history behind the "

Anne Ferraioli grew up in Phoenix, but she said she never paid much attention to Dreamy Draw Dam.  Then she noticed there wasn't any water in it. And when she started looking into it, the results were surprising.  Ferraioli found article after article about a possible U.F.O. landing site at the dam. What she didn't find was much information about its actual history.  Given the curious results, Ferraioli asked the Valley 101 podcast to dig into Dreamy Draw Dam's history. Podcast editor Katie O'Connell took her question and ran with it.  In this episode you'll hear: How the U.F.O. rumors at Dreamy Draw Dam began Whether or not the director of Open Minds TV thinks the rumors are true The history of the dam and its purpose today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The stories of how someone became or experiences homelessness are incredibly varied.  Lawrence Small, 41, has been homeless for two months after experiencing domestic violence. But this isn't his first time experiencing homelessness. He was also homeless in Seattle when he was 34 years old. "Seattle is different from Phoenix," Small said. "Seattle, they help homeless people out there. The housing, jobs. Phoenix don't do it." Homelessness continues to rise across the Valley. In 2019, there were at least 6,614 people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County. To understand what it's like to be homeless in Maricopa County, the Valley 101 team partnered with reporter Jessica Boehm and the Maricopa Association of Governments, otherwise known as MAG. Each year, MAG does a Point in Time survey of the homeless population in an attempt to understand patterns and trends leading to homelessness.  This year, we went with them during the survey. In this episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, you'll hear three stories from people currently experiencing homelessness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The next time you're beneath a palm tree, see if you can spot a small green bird with a peach-colored face hanging out in its fronds. Those are feral rosy-faced lovebirds.  Metro Phoenix is home to roughly 2,000 of them, although they're originally from Africa. A wild lovebird population started growing here in the mid-1980s. Their appearance created confusion and curiosity among local residents, especially those in the birding community.  So just how did they get here? This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, digs in to how they found a new home in the Valley. In this episode, you'll hear: How rosy-faced lovebirds got to the Valley Where you can find rosy-face lovebirds in the valley How they impact our environment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport grounded flights due to extreme heat for the first time in 1990. It happened again more recently in 2013 and 2017. But why can't planes fly in certain temperatures? Turns out, it has to do with performance data provided by plane manufacturers and airline safety procedures. For more on what exactly that means, listen to this week's episode of Valley 101 podcast.  In this episode, you'll hear: What it was like in 1990 when Phoenix Sky Harbor grounded flights. What four components are necessary for planes to fly.  Kenneth Wood, an American Airline pilot, explain why "performance data" was integral to planes being grounded in high-heat situations.   Related reading:  Nope, turns out it was technically never too hot to fly out of Phoenix Extreme heat could delay Phoenix flights Flying for the holidays? These hacks will help speed you through Sky Harbor Airport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrities. You love 'em or you hate 'em. Or, you love to hate 'em. We on the Valley 101 podcast team have a few we just absolutely gush over.  We're sure we're not swayed by the fact that they're from Arizona. This week, Katie O'Connell, Maritza Dominguez and Taylor Seely each share their favorite celebrity with local ties, plus stories of how the Valley inspired or shaped them. In this episode, you'll hear: How growing up in Arizona David Hallberg into a resilient world-class ballet dancer.   How Jordin Sparks became an "American Idol" winner and took to the stage on Broadway.   The story of Steven Spielberg's first movie premiere, which happened in Phoenix when he was 17 years old Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices