Texas Children’s Hospital in North Austin has become the first pediatric hospital to have its own helicopter based in Austin.

The helicopter will allow Texas Children’s Hospital to provide faster critical care to more patients across Central Texas.

In their own words: “[The helicopter] represents Texas Children's long-term investment in this region and a commitment to bringing world-class pediatric, neonatal, and maternal care closer to home,” said Jeff Shilt, Texas Children's president of Austin and Central Texas, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 12.

How it works: Through the new helicopter, Texas Children’s may pick up patients from community hospitals who need specialized pediatric care and transport them to the North Austin hospital.

The mobile intensive care unit is operated by Texas Children’s Kangaroo Crew of registered nurses and respiratory therapists who can begin providing ICU therapies to stabilize patients at their bedside before arriving at the hospital.

The impact: The Austin-based helicopter can travel within a 120-nautical-mile service area, including Waco, San Antonio, Houston and College Station.

The cities of Cedar Park and Leander are hosting a joint celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Here’s what you need to know.

The details:

• Where: Cedar Park Recreation Center, 1435 Main St.
• When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19
• Free to attend
• The event will begin with a march, which will leave from the Cedar Park Recreation Center at 10 a.m.
• A celebration inside the recreation center will follow, with performances from dancers, musicians and spoken word artists from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Attendees are encouraged to bring donations of food and hygiene products. The cities are partnering with Brighter Days Food Pantry and The Healthy Hygiene Project.

Texas health officials are proposing sweeping new regulations on the state’s hemp industry, including raising the fees required to sell and manufacture consumable hemp products by roughly 10,000%.

The overview: In late December, the Texas Department of State Health Services published a slate of proposed rules regulating consumable hemp products. The proposals include:

• A prohibition on sales to customers under 21 years old
• Stricter testing and labeling requirements
• Guidelines for product recalls
• Tens of thousands of dollars in annual fees