Valley 101

Peacock’s hit reality TV series “Love Island USA” wrapped it's seventh season on Sunday, July 13 after leveraging millions of viewers worldwide for its juicy summer drama. However, Season 7 had an unusual run despite many rocky relationships in the villa and bombshells “taking your man.” The drama went beyond Fiji when several accounts of public backlash rose against contestants online. Arizona co...

If you've ever been to an Arizona Diamondbacks game, you've heard Bobby Freeman. You may not know you have, but you have. There's no way around it — he's been the organist for the team since they started play in 1998. A self-taught musician, he is part of the team that keeps Diamondbacks fans entertained, even when the team doesn't. In this week's episode of Valley 101, we travel to Chase Field to...

Happily, metro Phoenix has some great pizza places. Places? Joints? Choose your own colloquialism. Your favorite pizza place says a lot about you. So who has the best? Lucky for us, we have a way of figuring this out. The Arizona Republic's 2025 Phoenix Pizza Poll... This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, host ⁠⁠Bill Goodykoontz...

Arizona has been home to many musical acts — some born and raised here, others who found fame along the way. But who's the biggest artist to come out of the Grand Canyon state? Is it Alice Cooper? Stevie Nicks? Linda Ronstadt? The answer might surprise you. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, host ⁠Bill Goodykoontz teams up w...

Monsoons are an ancient phenomenon, bringing heavy bursts of rain and wind to the Valley. But there's much more to know about this season. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond. Tom Frieders, the warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, and Sean McLaughlin, a meteorologist at Arizona’s Fam...

Drownings are an unfortunately part of covering news in Arizona, but one has captured more attention than normal. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we discuss the case of influencer Emilie Kieser's son and drowning prevention. Submit your question⁠⁠ about Phoenix! Subscribe to ⁠⁠The Watchlist⁠⁠, our Friday media newsletter. Follow us on ⁠⁠X,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagra...

Sonoita is one of three American Viticultural Areas in the state, and due to their higher elevation, they make excellent locations in the desert to grow wine. Unlike the greater Phoenix metro area, these parts of Arizona don't see triple-digit temperatures nearly every day in the summer and they also get a lot of rain. Arizona is home to more than 150 wineries now and small towns are dependent on...

Pretty much everyone can tell you their favorite spot around town to dine. Sometimes it’s the newer classics like First & Last or Valentine. Sometimes it’s standard Valley must-haves like Chuck Box for a burger or Long Wong’s for wings. While you can take a suggestion from just about anyone why not ask the experts. When Arizona's best chefs step away from the oven, stove or grill, where do they li...

It gets hot in the Valley. Perhaps you’ve noticed. But no matter how hot it gets, even on a 118-degree day in the middle of August, someone is going to be out jogging. You can count on it. But if they end up on the mountain, and they end up not being able to bare the heat, what should be done about it? In this week’s episode of Valley 101, we talked with Caitlin McGlade, a reporter for The Arizona...

Windows-open season is about done. Now it's all on the mighty air conditioner, the reason we can all make it through another desert summer. But something about air conditioning units in Phoenix is a little different than the rest of the country. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and ⁠⁠azcentral.com⁠⁠, we answer the question: Why do homes in Phoenix have air conditioning un...

Flagstaff makes it easier to see the stars and explore the galaxies. It has also set the standard for how we should care and protect our night skies. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and ⁠azcentral.com⁠, we answer the question: How did Flagstaff become the world's first international dark sky city? ⁠Submit your question⁠ about Phoenix! Follow us on ⁠X,⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠T...

Among the known laws like following the speed limit or no drinking in public places, Arizona also has a bunch of wacky laws. Some are particular to Arizona like laws against saguaros and some are just...odd. This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond by the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, Bill Goodykoontz is joined by Stephanie Innes to go over the 8 weirdest laws on Ari...

April 2, 2025 marked Bill's 35th year at The Arizona Republic. That's a long time to do anything, much less work at the same media company. So much has changed in those 35 years, in media, in Arizona and in his own life, it seemed like a good time to sit back and take stock for a moment. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, he sits down with producer Amanda...

Continuously, Arizona drivers are ranked among the worst in the nation. Just last year, a Forbes study using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Census Bureau ranked Phoenix and Tucson in the top 10 cities with the worst drivers. So why are the roads in Arizona particularly dangerous, and what is being done about it? This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The A...

Few people know the power of local TV more than Mary Jo West. She was a Phoenix news anchor for years, which of course cemented a place for her in the Valley's consciousness. She was the Valley's first woman news anchor, co-anchoring with Phoenix legend Bill Close — who was not thrilled about having her around. She battled sexual harassment, depression and more. But West is far more than all of th...

Walter Cronkite, the longtime anchor of the "CBS Evening News," was often called "the most trusted man in America" and he probably was, certainly in terms of media figures. Arizonans might be familiar with the ASU journalism school: The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. But Cronkite, a graduate of the University of Texas, has no ties to Arizona. This week on Valley 101,...

Wallace and Ladmo was a television show unique to Arizona. Yes, it was technically a kids show. But not like any other kids show you have seen. It was funny. Not cute funny. But really funny. And it is an important part of Arizona history. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, using never before heard interviews, we answer the question: Why is Wallace and La...

A lot of things make a city cool: great bookstores, a thriving food scene, good local music, that kind of thing. But a film festival really puts it over the top. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we answer the question: How has the Phoenix Film Festival stuck around for 25 years? And how has it changed? Submit your question about Phoenix! Subscribe to Th...

It is not a secret that Arizona averages more than 300 sunny days per year. It is part of the reason why people move here in the first place. Yes it's hot -- like really hot -- but there are no tornados, hurricanes and most importantly, snow. (for the most part) But that's not the only reason why Arizona has become a hot spot of future pilots. And it's long history with aviation goes beyond the cu...

Climate has always been a big deal in Arizona. In a good way, once upon a time, not in a record-heat kind of way. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we answer the question: Can people still move to Arizona for the climate and clean air? More importantly, should they? We spoke with a couple of people who know a lot about climate, and climate change: Joan M...

The days of cheap seats with a beer and a hot dog in the grass beyond the outfield at a spring training game are long gone. The cheap seats at least, the beer and a hot dog are still there. But now they've been supplemented by a manner of gourmet options. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we talk about the most iconic spring training foods. We spoke with...

It’s an easy one-liner to say there are places in the desert that make you feel like you’re on Mars, but the bright red rocks and unique formations in Sedona do feel like you're on another planet. In the last few decades, Sedona has gotten attention from visitors as one of the premiere places to go for spiritual healing. The new age movement brought flocks of people to its buttes, canyons and trai...

The pronunciation of "Casa Grande," an Arizona city, has sparked popular debate. Some pronounce it with a distinct "e" sound at the end ("Casa Grande"), while other drop the "e" and say "Casa grand." This week on Valley 101, a podcast by the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, we talk with former 12 News anchor Vanessa Ruiz and artist and co-owner of True West magazi...

Like the rest of the county, the 1950s in Arizona were a deeply divided time. Education, housing and public places like hotels and restaurants everywhere were segregated by race. It might not be the first place people think of when it comes to the civil rights movement, but Arizona had key leaders that drew that attention of national voices like Martin Luther King Jr. Most work was all being done...

It's not as dumb of a question as you might think it is. Once you may have looked out your window and saw the strangest thing. White flakes, falling from the sky! What on earth could this be? If you’ve lived in metro Phoenix all your life this may take a little explanation. This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we spoke with Tom Frieders, warning coordinatio...