This has been a nostalgic year for Walt Disney Pictures, producing a new "Winnie the Pooh" movie and rereleasing "The Lion King" in 3-D. Now Disney brings back the Muppets, which the studio officially acquired the rights to in 2004 after years of collaborations like "The Muppet Christmas Carol" and "Muppet Treasure Island." The Muppets' latest film outing, which was pitched by Jason Segel and Nick Stoller, is a winner in just about every respect imaginable. It is crystal clear that all the people involved with the picture share nothing less than complete admiration for the Muppet legacy. The end result is a warm, delightfully corny, refreshing, and funny gem that will appeal to nostalgic adults just as much as it will to kids being introduced to the Muppets for the first time.

This has been a nostalgic year for Walt Disney Pictures, producing a new "Winnie the Pooh" movie and rereleasing "The Lion King" in 3-D. Now Disney brings back the Muppets, which the studio officially acquired the rights to in 2004 after years of collaborations like "The Muppet Christmas Carol" and "Muppet Treasure Island." The Muppets' latest film outing, which was pitched by Jason Segel and Nick Stoller, is a winner in just about every respect imaginable. It is crystal clear that all the people involved with the picture share nothing less than complete admiration for the Muppet legacy. The end result is a warm, delightfully corny, refreshing, and funny gem that will appeal to nostalgic adults just as much as it will to kids being introduced to the Muppets for the first time.

It’s hard to find a weak spot on Veronica Shi’s impressive résumé. The senior at Tempe’s Corona del Sol High School excels at everything she puts her mind to, including music, math, science, community service and English literature.

Kylie Butler has a crazy notion that she is going to dunk in a game before her career is done at Desert Vista.

You see them all over - scraggly-looking desert bushes that smell like turpentine after rain. Native tribal people here used them safely and effectively for thousands of years for a wide variety of ills, including colds and flu, viral infections of all sorts, and even cancer.

You see them all over - scraggly-looking desert bushes that smell like turpentine after rain. Native tribal people here used them safely and effectively for thousands of years for a wide variety of ills, including colds and flu, viral infections of all sorts, and even cancer.

The Higley defense intercepted six passes and the offense rushed for 314 yards as the Knights defeated Phoenix Washington 28-12 in a 4A nonregion game at Washington Friday night.

HOUSTON - Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, who last played quarterback in the Sugar Bowl during his final game at Florida State, could have been pressed into service Sunday as the team’s emergency signal caller.

HOUSTON - Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, who last played quarterback in the Sugar Bowl during his final game at Florida State, could have been pressed into service Sunday as the team’s emergency signal caller.

ATHENS, Greece - For the second time in history — and the first time in 20 years — the United States has an Olympic women’s g ymnastics allaround champion.

ATHENS, Greece - For the second time in history — and the first time in 20 years — the United States has an Olympic women’s g ymnastics allaround champion.

LONDON -- When reigning world champion Jordyn Wieber failed to qualify for the women's all-around final, the logical assumption was: This is Gabby Douglas' time.

BEIJING - No runner-up finish to her friend and rival this time. American Nastia Liukin won the biggest prize of all. 

Ever since he could swing a rope, Wyatt Althoff has been competing in rodeos. Now, at 21, the former Gilbert resident is the nation's All-Around Cowboy, a title he won at the 60th annual College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., in June.

Phoenix is doing all it can to make sure a Suns-Lakers postseason sequel makes its Hollywood premier at the end of the month. But the Lakers have to play their part as well. They have to get to the playoffs and finish seventh in the West. The prospects for both took another hit Friday as the Suns won an unsightly, 93-85 slugfest at US Airways Center.