Mike O'Callaghan. By general consensus the best governor modern Nevada had, and one of its better human beings, too. As a journalist, a volunteer, a force for change and a man with an unwavering grasp of right and wrong, he will be missed.
Caroline O'Callaghan. You can't use the "behind every great man" homily here—beside was more accurate. She'll also be missed.
The first 99 years of Las Vegas history. Even though the year from which we're dating the Vegas Centennial—1905—only saw the auctioning of land in what would become Las Vegas. The city itself didn't incorporate until 1911. Hey, any excuse for a shindig.
The Desert (boom!) Inn
Paris Hilton's virginity. (Whoops! We said that last year, and we were wrong then, too.)
Our Flava. A promising soul-food buffet on Sahara and Nellis closed after a few tasty months.
Peggy Ryan, 81-year-old dancer extraordinaire
Our cherished vision of Las Vegas as a two-gossip-columnist town. Goodbye, Timothy McDarrah of the Las Vegas Sun!
The (crunch!) La Concha
The old-fashioned definition of "vindicated." It used to be that becoming a state's first elected official to be impeached, not to mention being fined $15,000 for being found guilty of breaking the law, wasn't a good thing. Thanks, Kathy Augustine!
The long, useful run of the Las Vegas Monorail
The long, useful run of Siegfried & Roy's Father of the Pride. OK, it's not technically cancelled, but no one's expecting it to be renewed.
Comdex. Just when we were getting used to the gridlock at Desert Inn-Paradise, too!
Treasures' liquor license
More of the view of Red Rock. But at least we have very many pretty houses to look at!
Affordable housing
The other half of Lake Mead
The Guinness World Records Museum
Some of our skepticism about Downtown. With First Friday finally taking off, visible construction on swank lofts and the gigantic World Market Center and similar signs of incremental progress, we now have six more molecules of optimism about the city center than before. Then again, we've lost ...
Our last, absolutely final molecule of hope for Neonopolis. We know—we say that every year.
That Vegas-based doctor show Rob Lowe starred in. We asked around about the title, but no one could remember having seen it.
Rodney Dangerfield. Just when we need a good laugh, too.
Thousands of pairs of cuticle scissors at the airport security check
The long, useful run of the Algiers
Grass! Since January, nearly 4 million square feet of grass in neighborhoods run by homeowners associations have been replaced with desert landscaping.
Pairoj Chitprasart. The cabbie who died after being set aflame, allegedly by homeless man James Scholl. No one should perish this way.
Our final reason to care what John Kerry thinks about anything
Our relative disregard for Canada
Ronald Reagan
Our comfortable ignorance that Linda Ronstadt is still around
The cottage industry of writing about the Binion "murderers"
Any respect whatsoever for the terrorist "alert" system. On the other hand, our tired-of-being-jolted-by-fear level is at an all-time high!
Richard Ziser as a candidate. But not as an object of ridicule, as this item indicates.
The silly idea that maybe, just maybe, the entire middle of the country doesn't hate gays. Maybe Ziser wins after all.
A Barry Manilow-free Las Vegas Hilton. Remember the good old days?
"... And I approved this message"
Saturday Night Fever at the Sahara
Lee Masangkay. The 17-year-old died senselessly after a vicious youth-gang beating at the Boulevard Mall in August—one more indication, if you needed one after the 311 Boyz, that violence is far from an adult pursuit.
Wet 'N Wild. But at least it's dying for a good cause: a 3,000-room nautical-themed resort. Finally! We've been saying for years that the Strip needs a good nautical-themed resort.
America's Party. After two years in Vegas, the Fox network's New Year's Eve show has abandoned us to become yet another broadcast originating from Times Square.
The hammerhead from Shark Reef
The hammerhead from City Council—Michael Mack is stepping down
Our belief in Britney Spears' old-fashioned conception of marriage.
New Serenity. After making adult films for 12 years, local resident Serenity announced her retirement. The winner of numerous AVN Andy Wangards, she will be inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame next month.