Valley 101

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What is the most scenic view in Arizona? Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

Arizona has a different kind of beauty. Those craggy rocks and scrubby little bushes start to look better, if you look in the right places.

If you don’t like the terrain or the view in the part of Arizona you’re in, you can just hop in your car and drive for an hour or two and find something extremely different.

This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, host Bill Goodykoontz talks with an Arizona author and travel writer and, the consumer travel reporter for The Republic to answer a question we posed to readers: what is the most scenic view in Arizona?

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Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Watchlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, our Friday media newsletter.

Guests: Roger Naylor, Michael Salerno⁠

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bill Goodykoontz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Producers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Abby Bessinger⁠, ⁠Amanda Luberto ⁠

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Why do the Grand Canyon fires feel personal? Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

The fires burning at the Grand Canyon are now the the fifth-largest blaze at a national park in recent history. It's destroyed the historic lodge and has spanned nearly 17,000 acres of forest. The destruction has Shelby reminiscing and reflecting on what being from Arizona means to her.

This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, Republic editor Shelby Slade shares a personal essay about how Arizona's namesake made her fall in love with her state.

Read Shelby's article here

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Guests: Shelby Slade

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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What is the controversy behind an Arizona “Love island” contestant? Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

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 contestant Cierra Ortega was removed from the villa, though she was not the only one.

This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we answer the questions: What is the controversy behind an Arizona “Love island” contestant and what this scandal may mean for casting reality television contestants moving forward.

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Guests: Dina Kaur

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Abby Bessinger, Amanda Luberto

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What's it like to be the Dbacks organist? Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

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 talk to Freeman to answer the question: What's it like to be the organist for the Arizona Diamondbacks?

⁠⁠⁠Submit your question⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ about Phoenix!

Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Watchlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, our Friday media newsletter.

Guests: Bobby Freeman

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bill Goodykoontz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Abby Bessinger, Amanda Luberto ⁠

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Where's the best pizza in Phoenix? Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

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 chats with Endia Fontanez, the food and dining reporter for The Republic and the lucky winner of the contest, Jeff Carlberg.

⁠⁠Submit your question⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ about Phoenix!

Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Watchlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, our Friday media newsletter.

Guests: ⁠Endia Fontanez, Jeff Carlberg

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bill Goodykoontz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Abby Bessinger

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What's the biggest band to come out of Arizona? Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

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 with Republic pop music critic and reporter Ed Masley⁠ to settle the debate.

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Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Watchlist⁠⁠⁠⁠, our Friday media newsletter.

Guests: Ed Masley

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bill Goodykoontz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Abby Bessinger

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When does the monsoon REALLY start? Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

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 Family stations answer the question: When does the monsoon REALLY start?

Submit your question⁠⁠⁠ about Phoenix!

Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠The Watchlist⁠⁠⁠, our Friday media newsletter.

Guests: Tom Frieders, Sean Mclaughlin

Host: ⁠⁠⁠Bill Goodykoontz⁠⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠Abby Bessinger

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Why has the drowning death of Emilie Kiser’s son struck such a chord with people? Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

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.

Guests: Lori Stauffer, Elena Santa Cruz⁠, KiMi Robinson

Host: ⁠⁠Bill Goodykoontz⁠⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠Abby Bessinger⁠⁠

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How can wine grow in Arizona's changing climate? Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

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 them for tourism and economic boosts. So how are vintners adjusting to climate change in the desert and how is it impacting the wine industry overall?

This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, we take a look at how changing weather patterns are affecting wine growing and how Arizona can even grow it in the first place.

Submit your question⁠⁠⁠⁠ about Phoenix!

Guests: Michael Pierce, Corey Turnbull, Brian Freedman⁠

Producer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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Where do Arizona's chefs like to eat? Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

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 like to dine?

This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com about metro Phoenix and beyond, we sit down with the Republic's dining and nightlife reporter Bahar Anooshahr about her new series Chef's Night Out.

⁠⁠Submit your question⁠⁠⁠ about Phoenix!

Guests: Bahar Anooshahr⁠

Producers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda Luberto⁠

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