10 years of amNY:The biggest headlines of 2003

The Big Apple was certainly a different place in 2003.

Getting a taxi meant you had to have enough cash on hand, navigating the streets meant you actually had to unfold a paper map and more commuters had their headphones in CD players than iPods or iPhones.

Although most of the big news events of that year took place before amNewYork hit the streets on Oct 10, these moments stand out as the moments of 2003.

The year started off with a nation at the brink of war, and New Yorkers took to the streets to protest the planned invasion of Iraq. Despite a massive blizzard that left several inches of snow on the ground, 400,000 people marched near the UN and Union Square on Feb. 15, resulting in close to 300 arrests.

At the end of March, the city's health department enacted Mayor Michael Bloomberg's smoking ban in indoor restaurants and bars. Despite the initial protest from Gotham's puffing populace, the ban was effective in improving the health and was a lead factor in the 15% drop in city smokers between 2002 and 2011, according to the city's health department.

On July 23, shots rang out at City Hall when Othniel Askew murdered City Councilman James Davis. Askew harbored a grudge against the Brooklyn councilman and was eventually shot dead by a cop on the scene.

New Yorkers raced for their flashlights and candles on Aug. 14, when the city, as well as most of the east coast, faced a blackout for 29 hours. Unlike the 1977 blackout, which resulted in several riots and crimes, New Yorkers stayed cool under presser with very few major instances.

The power outage was caused by a technical glitch at an Ohio utility that dominoes into other grids east.

The state and other cities around the world eventually adopted similar smoking bans.

On Oct. 15, the Staten Island Ferry crashed as it was docking into the St. George Terminal around 3:21 p.m. Eleven ferry passengers perished and 71 were injured.

The ships' captain, who allegedly was unconscious, later pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges and served an 18-month prison sentence.

Ten days after the ferry incident, the New York Yankees lost the World Series to the Florida Marlins at the stadium with a shutout loss. It was the last World Series game with Joe Torre's tenure with the team.