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Valley 101
Valley 101
Author: The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com
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Whether you're a longtime Arizona resident or a newcomer, chances are there's something you've always wondered about the Valley. From The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com comes Valley 101, a weekly podcast where our journalists find answers to your questions about metro Phoenix and beyond. From silly to serious, you tell us what to investigate. You can submit questions at valley101.azcentral.com or reach us on social media @azcentral. This show is hosted by Bill Goodykootz and produced by Amanda Luberto.
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Love it or hate it, Christmas music has started playing on radio stations and in grocery stores.
Beth McDonald hosts "Beth and Friends" on KEZ 99.9 FM. She's been playing Christmas music for 41 years. In the past, she would start after Thanksgiving. This year, she started music on November 5.
This week on Valley 101, we explore why Arizonans are asking Beth McDonald to kick off Christmas music early. We also brought on Bill Goodykoontz to share his complicated views on the seasonal earworms.
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Guests: Beth McDonald, Bill Goodykoontz
Host: Madison Knutson
Producer: Madison Knutson
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November is designated as National Native American Heritage Month. According to the Department of the Interior, it's a time to recognize the contributions that indigenous communities have made to the United States.
One Valley 101 listener had the question: What's the best Native American restaurant in the Valley?
A quarter of Arizona is designated tribal land, and there are many different Native American restaurants. We're going to cover one in Wild Horse Pass.
In this week's episode of Valley 101, reporter Martiza Dominguez explores the old and new of Native American food.
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Guests: Ryan Swanson, Mario Ettsity
Host: Maritza Dominguez
Producer: Madison Knutson, Amanda Luberto
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Recently, two Arizona bars made it on USA Today's 29 best bar list: Carry On and Gracie's Tax Bar.
These bars couldn't be more different. One is a highly themed, cocktail experience. The other is a friendly dive bar in a former tax office. However, both these bars shine bright, nonetheless.
This week on Valley 101, host Bill Goodykoontz talks to Arizona Republic dining reporters about what makes these bars among the best in the country. He's also joined by the owner of Carry On Theodore Myers to discover what it's like to make it on this kind of list.
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Guests: Bahar Anooshahr, Endia Fontanez, Teddy Myers
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Madison Knutson, Amanda Luberto
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You might know what it's like to walk through a haunted house. It's exhilarating, scary and just a little bit annoying. But what is it like on the other side?
This week on Valley 101, host Bill Goodykoontz talks to two people who know what it's like to be behind the scenes scaring people at the 13th Floor Haunted House.
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Guests: Kyle Seichard, Lauren Garris
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Madison Knutson
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You might've heard screeching outside after the rain this year. Don't fear, it's just the Sonoran Desert Toad.
This toad appears during the monsoon season to reproduce. More importantly, this amphibian has a special ability. They're psychedelic!
In this week's episode of Valley 101, experts join producer Madison Knutson to explore the danger and importance of this Arizona amphibian.
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Guests: Thomas Jones, Blythe Kelly, Candace Lewis
Host: Madison Knutson
Producer: Madison Knutson
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This week on Valley 101, host Bill Goodykoontz talks to one of the few people who can say Dwayne Johnson has played them in a biopic, extreme fighter Mark Kerr.
We explore what it's like to have a superstar depict your life, the hardships of having your worst qualities displayed on the silver screen and what Kerr's time as a roadie for bands like The Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi was like.
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Guests: Mark Kerr
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Madison Knutson
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If you find yourself thinking, "This summer wasn't that bad," you're not alone. The Valley 101 crew feels the same way
But are our senses tricking us into thinking triple digits aren't that bad? '
This week, Producer Amanda Luberto sets the record straight with the help of a state climate expert and some definitive data.
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Guests: Erinanne Saffell
Host: Amanda Luberto
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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State fairs across the country are often known for being places full of large, fried, and trendy foods. Arizona is no different.
This week, host Bill Goodykoontz and The Arizona Republic dining team explore the trendiest foods of the Arizona State Fair, including lots of hot honey and Dubai chocolate.
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Guests: Dina Kaur, Tiffany Acosta, Endia Fontanez
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Madison Knutson, Amanda Luberto
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A story from U.S. News & World Report crossed the desk of our host Bill Goodykoontz this week that crowned the chihuahua as the most popular dog in Arizona, but why is that doggie the favorite of the Grand Canyon State?
And why does Bill Goodykoontz seem to dislike cats so much?
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Guests: Joe Casados
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Madison Knutson, Amanda Luberto
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It’s coming up on fall! A time where America seems to be jumping up in joy, donning their cardigans and proclaiming their love for leaves, apple cider and, of course, pumpkin everything.
Arizona is no different … at least in spirit.
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Guests: Roger Naylor, Jim Dublinski
Host: Kaely Monahan
Producer: Madison Knutson, Amanda Luberto, Kaely Monahan
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The weather is triple digits, it's dry as a bone and the city landscape is overrun with strip malls. Yet, Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the nation and the population is growing fast.
So why are people moving here and more importantly, why do they stay?
This week on Valley 101, we ask an advocate and someone who returned why the Valley of the Sun has people falling in love with it every day.
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Guests: Mayor Kate Gallego, Sean Mclaughlin
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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Football season is finally back and the ASU Sun Devils are expected to deliver on their high expectations.
At least according to Tim Healey, the longtime announcer of the Sun Devils football, basketball and baseball teams. He's called ASU football for 38 years, 10 on TV, 28 on the radio. So he'd know.
This week on Valley 101 we answer the question: What's it like to call Arizona State football games for almost 40 years?
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Guests: Tim Healey
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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Everyone has their own definition of the well-worn phrase "comfort food." Pizza, burgers, whatever it is that takes your mind off stress and helps you chill out qualifies.
How about fried chicken?
This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we spoke with the winner of our fried chicken poll, the co-owner of CC's on Central about what makes good fried chicken and how to best make it at home.
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Guests: Sharon Cunningham
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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Something Arizonans hear a lot is that we're running out of water. While the state has enough water to not induce complete panic yet, conservation methods are being put into place and Arizona's long-term water supply is being considered more often by policymakers.
But if water is such a precious resource in Arizona, is it really a smart idea to use it to grow marijuana?
It's becoming a major industry in the state, leading many to joke that maybe a 6th C should be added to the state's mantra: cannabis.
This week on Valley 101, we talk with the director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU, to give us a sense of where our water is being used. Then, a cannabis brand shares how their grow is using as little water as possible.
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Guests: Sarah Porter, Jake Ritter
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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The rumors might be true... the desert heat is hot– maybe even hot enough to cook your breakfast.
Just ask the town of Oatman, Arizona, where the annual egg fry competition has become a long-standing tradition. If anyone can confirm the myth, it's the participants.
But as it turns out– there is always more to the story.
In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we explore this Arizona heat myth, with the help of a climatologist, food safety expert, and small-town competition to answer the question: can you really cook an egg on the sidewalk in Arizona?
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Guests: Bobby Mursick, Erinanne Saffell, Heather Miller
Producer: Abby Bessinger
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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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Guests: Roger Naylor, Michael Salerno
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producers: Abby Bessinger, Amanda Luberto
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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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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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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?
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Guests: Bobby Freeman
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Abby Bessinger, Amanda Luberto
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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.
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Guests: Endia Fontanez, Jeff Carlberg
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Abby Bessinger
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Harkins popcorn got whack after the pandemic ended because they haven't brought back the flavored seasonings
Why does the background music have to be so loud? I have a hard time hearing what is being said.