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It began mostly as a matter of convenience for a few thousand Southern Nevada residents who wanted to be closer to their county seat. A century later, Clark County is the bright, loud engine of the Silver State, with nearly 72 percent of its population and a similar share of its economy.

The county marked its centennial on Wednesday with modest fanfare that capped a seven-month run-up of mostly educational events -- a sharp contrast to the birthday blow-out Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman threw in 2005 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the land auction that launched the state's largest city.

Fewer than 82,000 people lived in Nevada when Lincoln County was split in two and the southern half renamed in honor of railroad baron William Andrews Clark on July 1, 1909. At the time, the brand new county was home to about 3,100 people, roughly 4 percent of the state's population.

Today, more than 2 million people call Clark County home.

MONDAY

FLU DIAGNOSED LATE

A 33-year-old Clark County man who died June 28 of the H1N1 virus was not diagnosed until well into his 13-day hospitalization, the state's chief health officer revealed.

Whether the slowness of the diagnosis played a role in the first death of a state resident from the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, is unknown, Dr. Mary Guinan stressed.

The man, who had no underlying health issues, was not diagnosed until a couple of days before his death, Guinan said.

TUESDAY

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

Fresh off three terms as North Las Vegas mayor, Mike Montandon kicked off his Republican gubernatorial run with a literal one: 5.2 miles from his old City Hall office to his campaign headquarters on one of the hottest days of the year so far.

Red-faced and sweating, Montandon, 45, said he is challenging Gov. Jim Gibbons for the Republican nomination in next year's election because he believes the governor lacks a vision to get the state back on its feet.

WEDNESDAY

LICENSE REINSTATED

In a unanimous decision that infuriated both an infected patient and a state lawmaker, the state Board of Medical Examiners lifted the 13-month suspension of the medical license of Dr. Eladio Carrera, a doctor linked to a hepatitis outbreak.

Lyn Beggs, the board's general counsel, said the infections of Carrera's patients "most likely" occurred outside his presence.

Carrera is free to practice medicine again, but he will receive 24 months of probation, a public reprimand and a $15,000 fine.

THURSDAY

MOTHER CHARGED

A 23-year-old woman was charged with second-degree murder after the drowning of her 5-year-old daughter, who on Tuesday was left in the bathtub unattended with the door closed, police said.

Raven Gibbons also was charged with child neglect with substantial bodily harm.

FRIDAY

OFFICER NAMED

The Las Vegas police officer who shot and killed a sexual assault suspect Wednesday has been identified as Jeremy Hendricks, 30.

Hendricks and another officer were interviewing the suspect at a convalescent home near Alexander Road and Rancho Drive when the suspect fled.