Henderson mayor touts milestones in State of the City address

Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero delivered her fourth State of the City address, highlighting progress in public safety, economic growth, education and infrastructure. She confirmed that the Reimagine Boulder Highway project remains on schedule and within budget, noting it is more than 71 % complete and on track to finish by the original August 2027 deadline. Romero pointed out that nearly 20,000 feet of underground storm drains have been installed, traffic signals have been upgraded at 17 intersections, almost 400 new street lights have been activated and new center islands are under construction to improve pedestrian safety. On public safety, Romero said the Henderson Fire Department enjoys a 98 % resident approval rating and has expanded its capabilities with the Tethered Drone Program, launched in 2024, and the addition of Battalion 14. The Henderson Police Department has lowered its vacancy rate from over 13 % two years ago to below 6 %, which is under the national average, aided by record‑breaking academies that produced 65 graduates combined in September 2025 and April 2026. She also cited a 30‑day drone pilot program in which unmanned aircraft arrived first on scene more than 71 % of the time and resolved over 16 % of calls before officer deployment. Romero reported declines in several crime categories: crimes against citizens fell 7 %, property crimes dropped 13 %, violent crime decreased 18 % and deadly crashes were down 25 % compared with the previous year. She added that the Ride Smart, Stay Safe e‑bike safety campaign has generated over 250 stops, 12 workshops and distributed more than 300 helmets since December 2025. The city has secured funding to make the drone program permanent and received $750,000 in federal funding for a Crisis Negotiation Command Vehicle. Romero stressed that safety is a collective effort, stating, 'Safety is not the responsibility of one department or one group of people. It is shared. That is what better together looks like in action.' She also remarked, 'For me, this is personal. Just like each of you, my family drives these roads. I live here, and the people I love are here. And I know that every day, our officers and first responders are working to make sure they are safer.' Sources: FOX5 Vegas Read the full story at Las Vegas Review-Journal →