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Welcome to Happening in Henderson, the weekly show where hosts Mark and Joleen serve up Henderson’s news with equal parts insight, cynicism, and sharp-edged humor. From local headlines and community events to crime updates, school district drama, weather forecasts, sports highlights, and brutally honest restaurant reviews, nothing is off limits.
Whether you’re a lifelong local or new to the 890xx life, this is the place to stay informed… without falling asleep.
MARK: Welcome to Happening in Henderson for Monday, November 2nd, 2026. I'm Mark.
JOLEEN: And I'm Joleen. Today, we're talking about Cowabunga Bay suddenly closing its doors, a tragic weekend of flooding that left one person dead, and the latest on Henderson's affordable housing push.
MARK: Let's get into it with the news that's going to ruin a lot of summer plans for 2027. Cowabunga Bay is officially done.
JOLEEN: It's honestly a shocker, Mark. After twelve years, the ownership group announced they aren't coming back for the 2027 season. It feels like the end of an era for local families who just wanted a place to cool off without driving to the Strip.
MARK: I'm sure the neighbors are mourning the loss of screaming children and the smell of overpriced sunscreen. It's a prime piece of real estate though, so I'm sure it'll be replaced by something incredibly exciting, like more luxury condos or another storage facility.
JOLEEN: Oh, stop it. It was a place families looked forward to. The owners say they're focusing on Cowabunga Canyon in Summerlin, and twenty-twenty-seven passes will be honored there. They'll keep the Henderson property maintained and secured while they decide its future.
MARK: If I'm betting on it, it's mixed-use development. That's the Henderson way. If you can't slide down a giant plastic tube into a pool of chlorine, you might as well live in a studio apartment on top of a juice bar.
JOLEEN: Well, we had plenty of water this weekend, and it wasn't the fun kind. That storm on Friday was absolutely brutal.
MARK: It was a mess. Henderson Fire crews had to respond to three separate water rescues. One person unfortunately didn't make it. It's the same story every time we get a heavy downpour; people underestimate the washes and the flash flooding.
JOLEEN: It's heartbreaking. One person dead and three others were pulled from their vehicles. It really shows how fast things can turn dangerous here. People see a little bit of water on the road and think their SUV is a submarine.
MARK: Nature has a way of reminding us that we live in a drainage basin for a mountain range. The severe thunderstorm warning on Sunday didn't help matters either, keeping everyone on edge after that Friday disaster.
JOLEEN: right The good news is the forecast for the rest of this week looks a lot more like the Henderson we actually pay to live in. Today, we're looking at a high of 69 degrees with nothing but sun. It's actually perfect patio weather if you can find a patio that isn't still drying out.
MARK: Sixty-nine degrees is acceptable. It's that brief window where I don't have to choose between heatstroke and a massive electric bill. Tonight should drop down to 52, so maybe find a light jacket.
JOLEEN: Tuesday is looking similar, high of 67 and mostly sunny. Then we've got a little warm-up. Wednesday hits 70, Thursday 69, and by Friday and Saturday, we're back in the low 70s. It's basically a seven-day run of 'don't complain about the weather'.
MARK: Oh, I'll find something. But at least the forecast looks mainly dry through next Sunday. We've had enough storm drama for the month. I'd prefer a boring, sunny week where the only thing falling from the sky is bird poop.
JOLEEN: There's also a court update in the case of Andre Thigpen, the Henderson man accused of killing his sister and her partner. Police say the two were found with gunshot wounds near Lake Mead and Warm Springs on October twenty-third.
MARK: The arrest report describes an alleged argument over cleanliness. That's a horrifying accusation. These were two people's lives, and a family is left with the loss. What happened when he went to court?
JOLEEN: At his October twenty-seventh appearance, the twenty-two-year-old was held without bail, according to FOX5's court report. A status hearing was listed for December first. The charges are allegations, not a conviction.
MARK: That's a terrible loss. There is some better news for families trying to find a home, though. Casara in West Henderson is planned for three hundred ninety affordable apartments near Las Vegas Boulevard and Larson Lane.
JOLEEN: And Sunrise Ranch is a separate community near Broadbent Boulevard, with a hundred forty-four apartments. Sixty are reserved for young adults aging out of foster care. That's a chance to get some stability at a point when starting out can be hard enough.
MARK: Sixty homes set aside for those young adults matters. With Casara, the federal land transfer is complete, but the apartments are still planned. I'll celebrate the paperwork moving forward--and save the bigger celebration for people getting keys.
JOLEEN: Getting a place you can afford is what counts. The brokerage Henderson Luxury Residences was calling twenty-twenty-six a 'Great Housing Reset' in its January twenty-fifth guide, predicting two-to-three-percent price growth. I'm interested in what that means for a household, not just what looks cheerful in a market headline.
MARK: A reset sounds a lot more dramatic than a two-to-three-percent forecast. If we're going to have a housing slogan, I vote for 'a payment you can live with.' That would look good on a yard sign.
JOLEEN: I'll take that over another campaign sign. But there is an election at City Hall that comes with ice cream: Kids Vote. Children eighteen and under can go with a registered voter and choose between cookie dough and rainbow sherbet tomorrow.
MARK: At least someone's vote ends with something sweet. Usually, we just vote for which tax we'd prefer to pay. I'm backing rainbow sherbet, although cookie dough is going to have a very effective ground game.
JOLEEN: You can campaign for sherbet, but let the kids cast the ballots. Early voting finished October thirtieth; tomorrow, November third, is the in-person Election Day session. Today is ballot drop-off only at City Hall. So save the flavor debate for tomorrow.
MARK: I'll try to keep it civil. The actual political commercials have me ready to move into a cave in the Black Mountains. I'd need provisions, though. Preferably bread. Tell me about the bakery story.
JOLEEN: La Asuncion Panaderia in Las Vegas was busy with pan de muerto orders for Día de los Muertos. The owner told FOX5 last Thursday that customers were buying bread for their altars. It's a tradition with a lot more behind it than just picking up something sweet.
MARK: That's the kind of tradition I'd stand in line for. A lot more appealing than standing in line because someone on TikTok called a place a 'hidden gem.'
JOLEEN: And if you want to get outdoors afterward, Greenbow Park just opened at the old Three Kids Mine site near Lake Las Vegas. They've got pickleball courts, which should give you something else to complain about.
MARK: Three and a half acres, with trails and skyline views, on an old mine site. I like that kind of makeover. A park beats another place for me to complain about vacant land.
JOLEEN: It's a great use of the space. And for the sports fans, the Vegas Golden Knights have been keeping us busy. They had a mixed week, though. They beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 last Tuesday, which was great.
MARK: But then they went and lost to the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Friday. It was a bit of a letdown. I suppose you can't win them all, especially when the Devils decided to actually show up and play.
JOLEEN: They can bounce back at Boston today, then Pittsburgh tomorrow, Tuesday. It's a busy road trip.
MARK: And hockey's only part of it. UNLV estimates the region had nearly nineteen thousand sports-related workers in twenty-twenty-five--more than double the roughly eighty-five hundred a decade earlier. That's a lot of jobs riding on people deciding to get off the couch.
JOLEEN: The biggest share is in fitness and recreational sports centers, too. UNLV puts sporting-event visitors' direct spending in twenty-twenty-five at about eight hundred sixty million dollars. That's a lot bigger than jerseys and foam fingers.
MARK: Now we're known for gambling, cheap buffets, and a hockey team that occasionally breaks our hearts. It's called progress, Joleen.
JOLEEN: And before we get too carried away with hockey, there's something to put on the calendar: Henderson's Veterans Day ceremony is this Saturday, November seventh, at ten a.m., at Water Street Plaza Amphitheater.
MARK: Water Street is actually becoming a place people want to visit, which is a miracle in itself. Just watch out for the road construction. It feels like Boulder Highway has been under construction since the Eisenhower administration.
JOLEEN: It's getting there! The paving and intersection work is moving along. It's just part of living in a growing city. You have to endure the orange cones to get the nice roads.
MARK: At this point, the cones should have their own ZIP code. But here's a price tag I like: November is Senior Pet Month at the animal shelter, with half-off adoptions for pets seven and older.
JOLEEN: That is sweet. An older dog or cat still deserves a home and someone to spoil them. If you've been thinking about adopting, meeting a senior pet seems like a pretty good way to start November.
MARK: It's a good deal. Probably the only thing in Henderson that's half-off right now. Anyway, that's the bulk of the news: a waterpark closing, housing plans moving forward, and what looks like a sunnier week ahead of us.
JOLEEN: It's a lot to process, but that's why we're here. We'll keep following the city's news and those Golden Knights scores.
MARK: Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode. If you have a story we should follow or a local tip, email us at henderson@thehappeningnetwork.com.
JOLEEN: Yes, please do! We love hearing from you. We'll be back next Monday with more of what's happening in our corner of the desert. Have a safe and sunny week, Henderson.
MARK: Try to stay dry. See you next week.