Arizona's economic recovery is flattening out statewide, with job growth outside the Phoenix metro area for this year and next predicted to be anemic.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas is getting ready for the year of the snake. The casino capital celebrates Chinese New Year — also known as lunar new year — in a big way, with feasts, exhibits, performances and other events at outdoor festivals and at casino-resorts like Bellagio and The Venetian.

Mesa police are warning the public to be on the lookout for “hooded bandits” who are robbing stores and restaurants in East Mesa.

Mesa Police and Fire responded to a fire in the roof of China China Restaurant at 4 a.m. Friday.

Glasses are lined neatly one after the other, grouped together by pattern. Wine glasses, champagne flutes, goblets, tumblers — some colored, cut or etched — fill the cabinets that line all of the walls of The Glass Urn in Mesa.

It certainly won't match the boom years of the last decade.

Integrating business with food, adding his own creations with a customized touch on every dish, Sam Szeto is known as “Dragon Sam” to his customers and friends.

There is no denying Kobe Bryant is a great basketball player. And there’s no deny that nobody knows that better than Kobe Bryant. When it comes to an opinion of oneself in the pecking order of NBA royalty, Kobe makes Michael Jordan look like a self-deprecator. (“What? Me, great? Aw, shucks …”)

A Tempe small-business owner and recent Arizona State University grad will embark Saturday on a 30 day adventure to China sponsored by CheapOair as a finalist in its Traveler of the Year contest.

C-Fu Gourmet (2051 W. Warner Road [480] 899-3888). This Chinese eatery is best known for its daily Dim Sum, a kind of snack lunch full of tasty dumplings and pastries, served between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. And with good reason — it’s the best in the East Valley, highlighted by the shumai (pork dumplings) and shrimp rice noodle roll. Their dinner service is also a winner, offering nearly 200 options and 13 “regional specialty sauces.” $$

To tip or not to tip?

SCOTTSDALE -- P.F. Chang's is being acquired and taken private in a deal valued at $1.09 billion.

“The city of Mesa built brick enclosures around the down town dumpsters. Now the homeless and drug addicts have more privacy when they decide to make them a home. How dangerous is this, not to mention a complete waste of money!”

Scott and Lori Morgan are owners of SoZo Coffee, 1982 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. (480) 726-7696 or www.sozocoffee.org

It’s become tradition in recent years — or at least the programmers at a certain cable superstation would like us to believe — to find the holiday cult-classic “A Christmas Story” on the tube at any odd hour of the day each Dec. 25.

Retirement hasn’t kept Pete Sampras off the tennis court.

Despite his official exit from the game eight years ago, Sampras has spent much of 2011 playing competitive tennis, including a televised match against Andre Agassi in Madison Square Garden, several exhibitions in China and his participation in the 12-city Champions Series.

Glenn Hamer

There are fewer undocumented immigrants in California now because many are finding the American dream south of the border.

Erik "The Red" Denmark, reigning Arizona Hot Dog Eating Champ, will join a group of top competitive eaters at an finest competitive eaters in the country will battle it out at an official Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Qualifier at the Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe June 11.

The roly-poly Po is back in "Kung Fu Panda 2," with high energy, some lovely visuals and peppy, playful voice work, as always, from star Jack Black.

Coffee drinkers are facing a tough wake-up call: Retailers are finding it increasingly difficult to hold the line as rising commodities prices percolate through the system.