Departing: The Wright Amendment The Love Field-neutering regulation finally bit the dust on October 13, 2014. Cheap flights, from Love Field and DFW, abound.
Arriving: Parking Nightmares at Love Field The downside of Wright's removal was quickly felt. Love sold out of parking spaces Thanksgiving week and quickly announced plans to add 4,000 additional spots by 2017.
Departing: Ron Washington The former Rangers manager blindsided everyone when he quit the team on September 5. In his only public comments since, he cited infidelity as the reason for his resignation. Ex-Pirates bench coach Jeff Banister will take the reigns in 2015.
Arriving: Rajon Rondo The Mavs front office slaked their early season thirst for perimeter defense by acquiring the Celtics point guard. Sure, he can't shoot a lick, but it's been fun watching him and Tyson Chandler get to know each other.
Departing: Free Plastic Bags Dwaine Caraway said he had the votes, and he did. A one-time use plastic bag will cost a nickel in 2015. The cries of the masses at 7-Eleven seeking hangover remedies on New Year's Day are already building.
Arriving: Susan Hawk Hawk capitalized on Craig Watkins' largely self-inflicted wounds to become the only Republican to win Dallas countywide office in 2014. Throughout her campaign, and Watkins' lame-duck period, she's played it close to the vest, but she has said she'll continue Watkins' laudable exoneration work.
Departing: "Tony Romo Can't Win in December" After the Cowboys were blown out by the Eagles on Thanksgiving, the odds they wouldend a four-year playoff drought seemed high. All Romo did after the Philadelphia embarrassment was win, locking up a division title and tying for the best record in football at 12-4.
Arriving: Svelte Dwaine Caraway Dallas swaggiest city council member made the most of the city's wellness plan for employees by ditching, at last check, 32 pounds from his 304-pound high-water mark.
Departing: Wendy Davis as a Viable Candidate for Major Office Davis rose to prominence on the back of her filibuster in favor of abortion rights. While that made her popular with liberals nationally, it was never going to play in Texas. Throw in her bizarre support for the open carry of handguns (a stance she recently flip-flopped) and an utter inability to articulate meaningful plans for policy and Greg Abbott's blowout was inevitable.
Arriving: Dallas' Long-awaited Transportation-for-Hire Ordinance A bevy of new regulations will go into effect in April, including new licensing and insurance requirements for app-based services like Lyft and Uber. Our guess: You won't notice much of a change. They'll both still pick your drunk ass up whenever you need them to, assuming you can successfully navigate your iPhone.
Departing: Vonciel Jones Hill Term-limits ensure that Hill can't stand for re-election in May. She'll have some time to clean her pool, at least.
Arriving: A.C. Gonzalez' Ministry of Information Announced at the beginning of December, the city's public information office and city manager's office plan to shoot information directly into the public's veins, via a new website and better use of public access TV, among other things. Council member Philip Kingston said he was worried about the new media apparatus being used for propaganda. Judging from the mayor's new year's address, his concerns may have been justified.
