Valley 101
The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com
Whether you're a longtime Arizona resident or a newcomer, chances are there's something you've always wondered about the Valley.
- 14 minutes 43 secondsWhy is there a pool at Chase Field?
Baseball is back!
One distinguishing feature of Chase Field is the outfield pool. But how did it get there? And who made that decision?
This week on Valley 101, experts join us to answer the question: Why is there a pool at Chase Field?
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Guests: Greg Schulte, Derek Montilla
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Tori Weiss, Amanda Luberto
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30 March 2026, 12:00 pm - 16 minutes 25 secondsHow was The Wave discovered?
If there is one geological formation Arizona is known for, it is without a doubt ... the Grand Canyon.
But it's not the only too-awesome-to-comprehend natural formation out there. There is also the Wave, the unbelievable sandstone rock formation more formally known as Coyote Buttes North.
On this week's episode of Valley 101, we look into the history of the Wave — it's about 200 million years old, so it's got some — and answer the question: How was the Wave discovered?
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Guests: Mike Koopsen, Light Hunter Fatali
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Tori Weiss, Amanda Luberto
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23 March 2026, 12:00 pm - 16 minutes 3 secondsHow many people live in Phoenix?
People are often shocked when you tell them that Phoenix is the 5th largest city in America.
You can pick nits about metropolitan statistical areas, but it's clear that Arizona is not the Old West outpost people thought it was back in the day.
So how many people actually live in Phoenix? This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, we talk with the Republic's development reporter about some of the reasons that growth, while still happening in Arizona, may be slowing down.
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Guests: Corina Vanek
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Tori Weiss
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16 March 2026, 12:00 pm - 16 minutes 49 secondsWhat time is it actually in Arizona?
What time is it in Arizona might seem like a trick question if you don’t live in Arizona. But when you do, you know what time it is, because the state doesn’t mess around with Daylight Saving Time.
However, Arizona did observe Daylight Saving Time once upon a time. And you know what those words mean. There’s a story behind all that.
This week on Valley 101, we ask the question, “What time is it in Arizona?” And we follow up with, “Why doesn’t Arizona observe Daylight Saving Time?”
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Guest: Calvin Schermerhorn
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producers: Amanda Luberto, Tori Weiss
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9 March 2026, 12:00 pm - 19 minutesIs Cine Capri the best movie theater in Phoenix?
In this day and age, there are so many options on where to see a movie. If you want dinner and a show, there's a theater. If you want arthouse, there's a theater. The Valley even has 4 regulated IMAX theaters.
But one place in particular has created an experience for Phoenix movie goers since the 20th century.
This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we explore the history of Harkins' Cine Capri Theatre.
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Guests: Gayle Martin, Jason Carney
Host, Producer: Amanda Luberto
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2 March 2026, 12:00 pm - 20 minutes 12 secondsWere there Black cowboys in Arizona?
People's impression of cowboys is largely due to Hollywood. Actors like John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Clint Eastwood cemented the image of the rugged, handsome, White cowboys throughout their films.
While it made for good movies, it's not entirely accurate to how the West looked at the time.
There's plenty of history on vaqueros, or Mexican cowboys, in the West, but one demographic left their prints on Arizona history with their stories vastly untold: Black cowboys
This week on Valley 101, we answer the question: Were there Black cowboys in Arizona?
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Guests: Tricia Martineau Wagner, Tomari "TJ" Stevenson
Host, Producer: Amanda Luberto
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23 February 2026, 12:00 pm - 34 minutes 31 secondsWhy is the Nancy Guthrie case uniquely Arizonan?
One of the interesting things about the Guthrie story is that it is so deeply rooted in Arizona.
Obviously it's taking place here; Guthrie's home is north of Tucson, and the desert landscaping has played a part in how the case is progressing
It just feels like an Arizona story. Because it is.
This week on Valley 101, longtime the Republic reporter who has been covering the story, talks about the Guthrie case, the frustrations of making slow progress and the Arizona ties.
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Guests: Richard Ruelas
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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16 February 2026, 12:00 pm - 17 minutes 13 secondsWhen did Arizona become a state and what took so long?
When did Arizona become a state? The answer is easy enough to find.
What’s more interesting is how Arizona became a state, and even more interesting than that, what took so long.
This week on Valley 101, a podcast about metro Phoenix and beyond, we look at two different approaches to the question: When did Arizona become a state? And what took so long?
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Guests: Bob Boze Bell, Stuart Rosebrook
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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9 February 2026, 12:00 pm - 17 minutes 38 secondsDid a murder lead to a wishing shrine in Tucson?
In an unassuming dirt patch in Tucson's Barrio Viejo sits a shrine that is said to grant wishes.
But this altar is not like most. It sits at the site of a brutal murder that happened when a love affair went wrong in 1800s Tucson and is said to be the only true shine to a sinner.
This week on Valley 101, a podcast by the Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, you'll hear the true crime story that lead to a symbol of history and hope for the Mexican-American community in west Tucson.
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Guests: Abraham Cooper
Host, Producer: Amanda Luberto
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2 February 2026, 12:00 pm - 15 minutes 24 secondsHow does a restaurant stay essential?
The Arizona Republic has once again come up with a list of 100 Essential Restaurants in the Valley. Like every year, there are some iconic must-visits alongside some new places. Discovery is a big part of the fun.
But some places have been on the list for years. This week on Valley 101, we talk with the Chicago Hamburger Company about what makes a restaurant a staple and how it stays essential to a community.
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Guests: Felicia Campbell, Bob Pappanduros
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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26 January 2026, 12:00 pm - 13 minutes 7 secondsWhy does Arizona have so many specialty license plates?
For some people, a license plate can be something more.
It's a way for some drivers to express themselves, whether through witty (and not so witty) words and names and such, or through a speciality plate. You have doubtless seen both.
And in Arizona, there are over 100 ways to express yourself with a specialty plate.
This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we answer the question: why does Arizona have so many specialty plates?
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Guests: Bill Lamoreaux
Host: Bill Goodykoontz
Producer: Amanda Luberto
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19 January 2026, 12:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App