KJZZ's The Show

The cost of keeping kids busy during the summer has skyrocketed. Where does that leave kids from low-income families when school is out? On screens. Plus, what's next for the Diamondbacks after they traded some key players at the deadline?

There has never been a successful third party in Arizona politics, but the No Labels Party is back and aiming for the middle. Our Friday NewsCap panelists discuss that and more of the week's top stories. Plus, a troubled Phoenix high-schooler attends a wilderness therapy program, with tragic results.

Goodbye rat men, hello messy girls. This year's crop of TV protaginists is flipping the script. We'll hear what it means when goofy sidekicks become main characters. Plus, who's tracking your data, who they're selling it to and why you should care.

Former state lawmaker and immigrant activist Alfredo Gutierrez has died. From SB 1070 to education, we'll hear how he was a force in Arizona's politics, working to build consensus and standing up for his beliefs. Plus, using shade to keep your summer garden alive through the scorching heat.

Arizona has seen an increase in the number of new HIV cases since 2020. We'll hear from a specialist about how Maricopa County became an HIV hotspot. Plus, we meet a Phoenix chef who walked away from the industry at the top of his game.

In 1997, thousands of Phoenicians saw mysterious lights in the night sky. A new film explores how those sightings altered the course of people's lives. Plus, Arizona's Turquoise Alert system gets its first test.

Campaign finance numbers are in for Q2, in advance of next year's elections. Our Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, singer-songwriter Ben Kweller on maintaining a spirit of adventure, even in times of tragedy.

The human brain is wired to forget upsetting stories and memories. We'll hear why it is important to think hard about hard things. Plus, one local veteran says layoffs at the VA are the first steps toward privatization.

Gov. Katie Hobbs is calling for an investigation into the decision to let a small fire burn at the Grand Canyon earlier this month. We'll hear how the Dragon Bravo Fire erupted into a devastating balze. Plus, a collection of essays chronicles one writer's drift from centrist Democrat to revolutionary.

Thousands of Arizonans are diagnosed with Valley fever every year. Scientists are working on a new, faster way to make that diagnosis. And, using public art to throw shade — and protect hot cities from extreme heat. That and more on The Show.

The Trump administration has cut millions of dollars-worth of funding for the arts. One Valley theater company on what those cuts will mean for them. Plus, is junk journaling the analog answer to doom scrolling?

Arizona Democrats have voted to oust their party's chair just six months after electing him to the job. Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, how far is too far when it comes to sports fans heckling their rivals?

Arizona's public universities start their fall semesters in the coming weeks and are facing a good deal of uncertainty. A longtime regent on what the near future may hold. Plus, the memoir of a child held in a migrant detention facility during the first Trump administration.

A few years back, Arizona lawmakers were talking about a big desalination plant as a way to boost the state's water supplies. We'll hear why augmentation projects may have to be scaled back. Plus, a look at the results from primary elections in Arizona's 7th Congressional District.

New Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano takes over a department mired in controversy. Former Sheriff Paul Penzone discusses how he can move forward. Plus, what's behind the decrease in Black Major League Baseball players?

There are a lot of questions about how provisions in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” will impact Arizona and its budget. The Show looks at some of the possibilities. Plus, the argument for bisexual Americans to make themselves more visible in the current political climate.

It's the home stretch for the primary in the race to replace the late Congressman Raúl Grijalva. Our Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, the rivalry between two pioneers of the birth control movement in this country.

DNA is increasingly being used as a way for us to learn about ourselves – our pasts and futures. We'll discuss the implications of DNA as a commodity. Plus, the legal battles between Maricopa County Supervisors and the county recorder continue in court.

President Trump recently launched a new line of fragrances called Victory 45-47. We'll hear what they smell like and why they matter. Plus, how a pingpong playing robot could help older people stay in their homes.

The desert ecosystem is often described as a fragile one – especially a thin layer found just under the soil's surface. We'll learn what biocrust can tell us about our environment. Plus, a summer camp for kids who are serious about clowning around.

After the 2024 election, the Republican Party claimed that Latino voters had shifted dramatically to the right. We'll hear from one GOP consultant who says the reality is more complicated. Plus, the lasting legacy of a controversial orphan train.

These days a lot of protests are taking place on a weekly basis. But it wasn't like that when the Haymarket Squares started making political music. We're revisiting some of our favorite Tiny Desert Concerts from over the years.

Much of what we know about UFO experiences comes from the lifelong project of two Arizonans. A look back at Jim and Coral Lorenzen, the cofounders of Tucson's Aerial Phenomena Research Organization. Plus, the elusive definition of patriotism.

It wasn't easy to get caught on video making a campaign gaffe in 2007, but John McCain pulled it off. The strange history of an impromptu song that helped derail his presidential ambitions. Plus, how Democratic Socialists in Phoenix are responding to Zohran Mamdani's primary victory.

Which is more subversive, outrage or joy? We'll speak to two activists about their respective recipes for resistance. And, six months in, a look at the Trump administration's impact on the environment.

Arizona has a budget. We'll look back at the contentious legislative season. Also, with another bone-dry summer on tap, we'll explore the origins of the fifth-annual Monsoon Fantasy League. And a new novel follows a family trying to preserve human history amid a climate disaster. That and more on The Show.

As the clock winds down on the fiscal year, the Arizona Legislature has dealt with a lot of budget drama. Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, Pastor Warren Stewart Sr. on nearly 50 years behind the pulpit.

Arizona lawmakers have approved what some are calling the most significant piece of water legislation in years. The impact the ag-to-urban bill may have. And, what happens to the psychology of a top baseball prospect when his star fades.

A self-described “punk kid from Scottsdale” just received a 2025 James Beard Award. He says the restaurant industry could help shape U.S. immigration policy. Plus, a beloved hub for independent art in downtown Phoenix shuts its doors.

College sports is entering a new era as universities will be able to pay student-athletes directly. We'll hear what that could mean for those athletes and their sports. Plus, how new textile technology can regulate your body temperature with fabric.

We have a pretty good sense of what the past looked like — but we're less familiar with what the past tasted like. We'll hear from a cookbook author who bakes vintage recipes from across the country. Plus, the ancient history of underwear as a status symbol.

The dispute between Maricopa County Supervisors and the county recorder has ratcheted up. Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, the new head of Arizona Opera on how the genre found him.

Plants are often a topic of discussion around Arizona — usually around whether they use too much water or provide wildfire fuels. Why one botanist says we should think about plants differently. And, Phoenix's city archeologist on why archeology is more than just artifacts.

Amid reports of people asking AI to do things like help with their mental health issues or find romantic partners, a writer decided to ask it a simple question. Why it ended up being a disaster. And, as temperatures climb, the role of shade in trying to mitigate that heat.

More kids are being diagnosed with autism than ever before — and that's gotten a lot of people's attention. Find out about increasing awareness and understanding of autism among children. Plus, what Latin American folklore can teach us about modern life.

The Trump administration says it's trying to root out waste, fraud and abuse through DOGE. A look at efforts to make Arizona government run more efficiently. And, how a master piano player combats performance anxiety. That and more on The Show.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has joined other Democratic governors in opposing the use of National Guard troops to quell protests in LA. The Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, a therapist on celebrating Father's Day without a father.

The clock is ticking on a new state budget, with the fiscal year ending in a little more than two weeks. Hear from a key lawmaker on where negotiations stand. Plus, a pioneering Native journalist reflects on a 50-year career.

We hear a lot of talk these days about “toxic masculinity,” but has that phrase lost its meaning? Meet a podcast host taking ownership of the male experience. Plus, you can smell it before you see it: the scourge of the screwworm.

There's a lot of uncertainty at universities across the country, with funding cuts and new directives from Washington. We'll get the view from the University of Arizona. Plus, how understanding autism can inform our understanding of right-wing men.

There's a lot of economic uncertainty right now, and much of that is coming from the federal government. We'll hear how it's impacting the economy in Arizona. Plus, a crisis of meaning amongst American men.

A Republican candidate for governor proposes getting rid of Arizona's state income tax. Our Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, a northern Arizona choir whose members aren't just performing to entertain.