Valley 101

Other big cities across the U.S. have been shaped by housing segregation and redlining, but did that happen here? Host Kaila White looks into this issue that reaches back to before Arizona was a state and it still impacts Phoenix today, maybe even affecting your neighborhood. References: - FDR recording “NNV 169-59 [dig].” from 1940 from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. - Ray Martinez recording from Arizona History, A Chicano Perspective (1985). F 820 M5 A77x 1985. Chicano/a Research Collection. ASU Library, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. - President Johnson Signing the 1968 Civil Rights Bill, April 11, 1968 from the LBJ Presidential Library. - Read Elizabeth Montgomery’s article on Lincoln Ragsdale, “the Arizona Civil Rights pioneer who helped integrate Phoenix.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever noticed a clear wire, strung between poles in different parts of the Valley? You can see it at the intersection of Scottsdale and Camelback roads, crossing diagonally along the canal, near Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. That's an Eruv. A boundary for observant, usually Orthodox, members of Judaism. The wire, which surrounds parts of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, allows the community to carry certain items outside of their homes on Shabbat, otherwise known as Shabbos or the Sabbath. But why does this Eruv allow them to carry things? And why do the rules exist in the first place? Learn all about the Valley Eruv in this week's episode of Valley 101. Read the transcript of the episode by clicking here. Follow Taylor Seely on Twitter: @taylorseely95 Follow Valley 101 on Twitter: @valley101pod  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It took months of planning, but on the night of December 23, 1944, 25 German prisoners of war POWs escaped from Camp Papago Park in Phoenix. They crawled through a handmade tunnel with hopes of heading home via Mexico.   Later known as "The Great Papago Escape," it was the largest POW escape on American soil during World War II.  And it happened in our backyard — literally. There are houses now where the camp existed.   In this episode, editor Katie O'Connell explores what happened that fateful night. And what can we learn from it now? Follow Katie O'Connell on Twitter: @katieoc If you have additional questions about this story, you can reach out to historian Steve Hoza directly by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you love restaurants or cooking shows, or you care about Arizona’s farmers, ranchers, or tourism, or you just want people to know our state is cool, you should know about the James Beard Awards. Considered the "Oscars of the food world," the James Beard Awards are the top award American chefs can win. So why did Arizonans stop winning? In this episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, host Kaila White teamed up with The Republic's dining editor Lauren Saria to explore Arizona's history and future with the James Beard Awards. Read the transcript of this episode by clicking here. This transcript is created in part by audio transcription software and lightly edited by a producer, so there may be slight deviations from the podcast audio. Follow Lauren Saria on Twitter: @lhsaria Follow Kaila White on Twitter: @kailawhite Follow Valley 101 on Twitter: @valley101pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the saying goes, "You are what you eat," then Chicagoans are deep-dish pizza or Chicago dogs, Philadelphians are Philly cheesesteaks, and perhaps New Mexicans are green chiles. But what about Arizonans? Does the Valley have a food to call its own? And if it does, what does it say about our culture? Producer Taylor Seely finds out on this episode of Valley 101. And be sure to submit your questions at Valley101.azcentral.com. Follow Taylor on Twitter: @taylorseely95 Follow Valley 101 on Twitter: @valley101pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost two million people in Arizona live in some sort of community association. How did we get here? The answer goes back to how the city developed after World War II. Valley 101 editor Katie O'Connell talked to real estate experts to find out the answer on this episode. Want your question answered? Submit it at valley101podcast.azcentral.com. Follow Katie O'Connell on Twitter: @katieoc. Follow Valley 101 on Twitter: @valley101pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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