Berkley Square

Circus Circus and the Riveria along Las Vegas Blvd.

I-15 under construction

The Copa Room where Sinatra, Davis, Martin, Lawford and Bishop held court

The Congo Room souvenir photo cover (The Sahara)

Atomic Liquors has anchored East Fremont since the above-ground testing days of Las Vegas history.

Fremont Street in the late 1950s:

The Yucca Motel:

Fremont Street the mid-1950s:

The Holiday Motel:

The Gateway Motel (next door to Dona Maria's):

The Somerset Motel:

April Corbin at the Las Vegas Weekly has a wonderful article this week about the multi-generations of people who have called Las Vegas home for the last 75 years.  One of those in the spotlight is Gretchen Payne, wife of former Las Vegas News Bureau Manager Don Payne.  But Gretchen's roots in the community go back to her childhood.  She was born in a small house on Fremont Street back in 1935 and has called Las Vegas home ever since.

Her father taught science at Las Vegas High School and she is a wealth of information not only on the history of the high school but also all the changes she has witnessed as Las Vegas grew from a dusty railroad town to the entertainment capital of the world to the metropolis of the 21st Century.

Ms. Corbin also spotlights a number of natives who are all glad to call Las Vegas home.

Check it out:  Las Vegas Weekly

 Las Vegas Blvd. South between Sahara Avenue and Russell Road will close to vehicular traffic at 6:30 pm on Friday evening Dec. 31st and will only reopen at 3 AM after the revelers have dispersed and the street cleaners have done their jobs.

The Nevada Highway Patrol will begin shutting down the following onramps and exit ramps on I-15 at 5;30 PM, Tropicana Avenue, Flamingo Road and Spring Mountain Road.  The Harmon Overpass and all Strip pedestrian walkways will close at 6.

The overnight low is forecast to be in the 20s so be sure to bundle up.

With New Year's Eve kicking off a long-holiday weekend this year, it was announced that firework displays will return to famed Las Vegas Strip.

Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority  announced today that the New Year’s Eve celebration known as America’s Party: Las Vegas New Year 2011 will include a spectacular fireworks show fired from seven rooftop locations along the Las Vegas Strip.

The firing locations (from the south, heading north) include the following resort properties:  MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Aria, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island (TI), Venetian and the Stratosphere. 

Fireworks by Grucci of New York will again coordinate the pyrotechnic display.   Locally, Fireworks by Grucci has produced many of Las Vegas’ largest special events and grand openings, including the official Las Vegas Centennial celebration.

 In addition to designing the pyrotechnic display, Fireworks by Grucci will, once again, work directly with the Clark County Fire Department and Building Services to ensure both fire and structural safety guidelines.

The Fremont Street Experience will have live music with 13 Tribute bands performing under the canopy on Fremont Street.  Music from Green Day, Led Zeppelin, Heart and others will play well into the new year and keep an eye out, Mayor Goodman says he will be there, as he has for the last 12 years, intermingling with the crowds.