Valley 101

It's not often you see a "bee delay" at a baseball game. But that's exactly what happened at the Arizona Diamondbacks-LA Dodgers game on April 30. A swarm of honeybees decided to make camp on the netting behind home plate at Chase Field. It became a hero moment for beekeeper Matt Hilton. He even has his own baseball card now. But Arizona's native bees would never swarm like those honeybees. In fact, Arizona doesn't have any bee species that build a hive or make honey. And that's because the Western Honeybee, also called the European Honeybee, is an invasive species. Worldwide, there are around 20,000 described bee species. Across the U.S. there are roughly 4,000 known species. And Arizona, more specifically the Sonoran desert, is home to at least 15% of bee species. "Pretty much anytime you try to do a survey anywhere in Arizona, you find new species all the time compared to any other sampled region on the planet," said Tanner Bland, the Tucson Bee Collaborative program coordinator. "Currently the Sonoran desert seems to be the most biodiverse (bee) region on the planet." The majority of Arizona's bees are solitary individuals that don't build hives. And they sometimes come in brilliant colors including reds, purples, greens and blues. Hear all the bee facts in this episode of Valley 101. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With summer around the corner for Arizona residents, the opportunity presents itself to spend more time at amusement parks and on thrilling rides. However, the theme park scene in the metro Phoenix is scarce — and there are only 10 operating roller coasters across the entire state. With a growing population in the Valley and potential space, why doesn't Arizona boast its own version of a Disneyland? This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, pays a visit to both the past and the future to explain the different variables that factor into developing a theme park in the Valley, and how challenges inhibit Arizona's creation of a Disneyland-esque park all its own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Earth Day from Valley 101. Today we're resharing our episode on recycling in the Valley. You might have noticed that not every city recycles equally. Different cities within the Valley have different rules. Why is that? Why is there not an across-the-board set of items you can and can't recycle? In this episode of Valley 101, Amanda Luberto breaks down the reasons why where you live affects how and what you can recycle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Cine Capri theater opened in the mid-1960s, going to the movies was a glamorous event. It was for families, but it was also for lavish decor and a deserved night out. Before the multiplex, one movie a night would be on display. It was a high time for films. And here in Phoenix, George M. Aurelius wanted to expand his theater business as that type of theater was going out of style. They were ready to design a state-of-the-art facility that would blend in well in Uptown Phoenix and also adapt to the changing film distribution style happening at the time. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we draw back the curtains on the history of the Cine Capri theater, how it adapted in the 2000s and its current status as home to the Phoenix Film Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While exciting, one should never look directly at the sun, even during a solar eclipse. Instead, make sure you pick up some approved solar eclipse glasses. In recent years, there has been a rise in counterfeit eclipse glasses being sold. So how do you know if the ones you have are real? In this episode of Valley 101, producer Kaely Monahan sits down with the Republic's Ultimate Arizona reporter, Tiffany Acosta to chat eclipse safety, viewing spots, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

April Fools' Day embodies the spirit of pranks, so in honor of the holiday, Valley 101 explored how a prank orchestrated by Arizona State University students went viral in 2015. Four ASU students spearheaded the effort to prank the University of Arizona during the football season. It was the fall of 2015, and the Territorial Cup – the rivalry game between the two colleges – was approaching. Ben Kaufman, a senior at the time, was leading the charge and wanted to do something more creative than the usual rival banter. The students decided to take a page out of history and fool Wildcats over a land purchase. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, revisits the prank between the two rival colleges that went viral and how its elaborate scheme fooled students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sedona Miller was a well-to-do woman from Gorin, Missouri. She married Theodore Carlton Schnebly, or T.C. as he was commonly called, on Feb. 20, 1897. They moved to what would later be named Sedona in 1899. At the time there were only a few families homesteading in the red rocks region. The story goes that T.C., who was the first postmaster of the area, applied to have it named either Oak Creek Crossing or Schnebly Station. But the names were rejected by the postmaster general for being too long. The brother of T.C., Dorsey Ellsworth, suggested the community be named Sedona, after the beloved woman who made an impression on the surrounding families. She was an active member in the area, fulfilling multiple roles despite the family's hardships. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, explores the traits Sedona possessed and why her family was in and out of Arizona – and the magnetic pull they had to return to the scenic region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When she started teaching in the late 1920s, teachers were only allowed to educate in English, even though her students were predominately Spanish-speaking. This was enforced so heavily that students and teachers would be reprimanded for speaking in their native language. Students were expected to learn English on their own time and teachers were expected to encourage Anglo culture in the classroom. Maria Luisa Legarra Urquides of Tucson decided to change that. As the first person in her family to get a college degree, Maria Urquides valued education above most things. Early in her career in the Tucson Unified School District, she noticed her students were not only losing the ability to speak their native language, but they were losing their connection with their culture. She defied the laws at the time to bridge the gap with her students at the segregated Davis Elementary School, where she taught for the first 20 years of her career. In 1948, she was switched to the mainly Anglo Sam Hughes Elementary School, where Urquides saw the difference in education within the same city. And in 1955, she was tapped for a new adventure at Pueblo High School by then-Principal Albert Brooks. Urquides, along with a select few others, were to start an innovative bilingual education system because of their passion for cultural and linguistic pride amongst Mexican-American students. This week on Arizona HERstory, a Women's History Month series by the Arizona Republic podcast Valley 101, we explore the life and impact of Maria Urquides. From a small girl selling tortillas in the barrio in Tucson to sitting on committees for multiple U.S. presidents, Urquides is seen as the "mother of bilingual education." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interest in women’s sports, particularly at the college level, is skyrocketing. According to Nielsen, which collects audience numbers across different media, the 2023 NCAA women's final drew nearly 10 million viewers – up 103% from the previous year. But this is a recent development. The story of women's sports is long and hard-fought. And one of its champions is a woman who took no guff from anyone. In this second episode of Arizona HERstory, Season 2, Valley 101 explores the life of Ina Gittings − the "grandmother" of women's collegiate sports in Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This year's annual HERstory series kicks off with Annie Watkins, an impactful historical figure for Flagstaff's African American community who shaped local politics and education. She also helped found the Flagstaff chapter of the NAACP and helped integrate local institutions in the 1950s. This week's episode of Valley101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, shines a light on Annie Watkins and the role she played in Flagstaff politics and education — and how influential women like herself have been outcast in Arizona's history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like much of the country, Arizona had revolutionary Black activists fighting for their community during the 1950s and 1960s. It may seem like a small scale compared to more famous names like Martin Luther King Jr or Malcolm X. But like how voting in a local election impacts your day to day more than voting for President, the civil rights leaders of Phoenix and its surrounding cities changed the way Arizona is shaped today. One such revolutionary, Dr. Lincoln Ragsdale Sr., was on the forefront of desegregation in the city, but his time fighting for racial freedoms went far beyond schools. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, we share the legacy of Dr. Lincoln Ragsdale Sr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buried in Arizona's time capsule lies a story that continues to be dug up over time: the tale of the infamous "Trunk Murderess," or Winnie Ruth Judd, a woman accused of double murder who escaped a state hospital several times and told different accounts of the story through the years. There's been speculation over the years about whether Judd committed these violent acts by herself and the motive that prompted her to kill her friends. Did she kill them due to a scandalous affair gone wrong? Was the murder out of self defense and facilitated by a lover? Different accounts over time, some from Judd herself, show Arizonans that the full story of that night is clearly unknown — and it may stay that way. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, dives back into the case of the "Trunk Murderess" and the plot holes that have haunted Arizona for decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*Since this episode originally aired, the bill to make Pluto the official state planet of Arizona was passed into law.* Science was forever changed, thanks to an observatory in Flagstaff named after Percival Lowell, one of the first minds to explore the potential of water on Mars and theorize about undiscovered planets. In 1930, the Lowell Observatory announced the discovery of a ninth planet at the end of the solar system: Pluto. Now, almost 100 years later, a state representative is proposing to make Pluto the official state planet. This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, we dive into the history of Pluto, the scientific breakthrough in its findings and why an elected official wants it to represent Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the cactus makes a beautiful natural ornament in the Valley, the wild plant also provides nutritional benefits from its fruits and spiny pads. Some of the cactuses, including the prickly pear and the Saguaro, bear fruit that can be eaten in a variety of ways. Cactus is slowly seeping its way into food culture in Arizona, hidden in dishes across local restaurants and sold in grocery stores. Arizonans can also look one step closer for edible cactus: in their backyards. While removing a Saguaro cactus entirely requires a separate procedure, it is legal to pick the fruit off of the cactus on private property with permission. This week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, goes on an adventure with a local forager and discusses how to collect cactus, how to eat it and other tips to help Valley residents start their wild journey into the edible desert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that cats can make nearly 300 facial expressions? Who is closer related to humans: dogs or cats? In this episode, Kaely Monahan sits down with fellow producer Amanda Luberto to discuss some surprising cat facts and where to meet Arizona's local "celebri-kitties." And don't worry if you're allergic – this episode comes cat hair free! Be sure to check out the webpage for this episode to see pictures of all the cats mentioned in this episode. Find us on azcentral.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When people think of Phoenix, they probably first think of heat. This goes for both Phoenix the city and Phoenix the mythological bird, said to have risen from the ashes after dying in an explosion of flames. The fire bird and the sweltering city not only have heat in common but the the concept of rebirth as well. When Jack Swilling stopped here in 1867, he saw opportunity for growth and revitalization — if only water could be found. Inspired, he moved his canal company to the Salt River Valley from Wickenburg, and crops came soon after. This early move launched Phoenix's growth. Now it's the fifth-largest city in the United States. Who decided this city should be called Phoenix? And why? This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, we explore the origins of Phoenix's name and the man who gets the credit. Note: This episode originally ran in 2019, with reporting by Téa Francesca Price. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today the nation recognizes the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrates his leadership in the civil rights movement in America. It's been a national holiday since the early 1980s, after Congress deemed his unwavering commitment to equality worthy of a united time of reflection. Martin Luther King Jr. Day wasn't always a state holiday in Arizona, even after it was observed by the federal government. And the activists of Mesa had a specifically difficult time getting the civil rights leader's birthday honored. In a story that involves a parade, hidden audiotapes, the National Football League and a fight for recognition, Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, brings you a look into Mesa's history with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before light rail, another kind of streetcar rolled on Phoenix streets. From the late 1880s until after World War II, electric trolleys connected Phoenicians with the heart of the city. Those who lived far from downtown could easily access the services and goods there without having to walk or ride a bicycle or horse into town. And it was cheap! During its heyday, hundreds of residents would ride the streetcar for just a nickel. It would take them from as far as Glendale to the state Capitol building, around East Lake, and up and down what would become Seventh Street and Avenue. Despite the trolleys' popularity, it faced financial troubles and a conspiracy by motor and oil companies to drive trolley companies out of business. Valley 101 producer Kaely Monahan explores the rise and fall of Phoenix's trolleys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to 2024!! We are off this week to celebrate the new year, but can't wait to be with you again starting next week to dive into your questions about Arizona. Have a safe and happy holiday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are off this week to celebrate the holidays with our families. Thank you so much for listening to us all year long. We have some holiday themed episodes for you to listen to in our archives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices