Luxury cosmetics brand Aesop could bring its skincare, haircare and fragrance products to Domain Northside, per a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.

The details: While a representative for the business did not confirm the new location or other details, the TDLR filing states construction on the store could be completed by July 2027. The Australian brand sells items such as facial serums and exfoliants, hand balms, body oils, hair grooming products and offers a perfume range. The brand also carries home fragrance items such as room sprays, candles and incense.

• 11624 Rock Rose Ave., Ste. 100, Austin

Austin ISD families may now access free meals through new food pantries at six elementary schools.

On Jan. 13, officials with the Central Texas Food Bank, AISD and Austin Voices celebrated the opening of food pantries at Barbara Jordan, Cook, Ortega, Padrón, Pérez and Walnut Creek elementaries.

Notable quote: “Learning cannot happen on empty bellies,” said Anurita Mittra, a Central Texas Food Bank official.

How it works: The Feeding Futures School Pantry program by Central Texas Food Bank allows families to receive up to 10 days worth of fresh produce, dairy, protein and pantry staples every week. The pantries are designed to provide a sense of agency and dignity for families who may choose which items they would like from an array of offerings, said Erik Salinas, community school coordinator for Austin Voices, an education nonprofit that helped organize the food pantries.

The impact: The Pérez Elementary pantry served more than 300 people in the first two weeks of opening in December, according to Central Texas Food Bank information.

Austin's light rail project cleared a key federal review in January, marking a "major milestone" in the multibillion-dollar transit system's ongoing development.

The details: Roughly half of the light rail's $7.1 billion price tag will be covered through federal grants that require an extensive Federal Transit Administration review and approval. As one step in that funding process, Austin Light Rail entered the FTA's National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, review about two years ago. The federal agency has now issued its record of decision for the transit system's Final Environmental Impact Statement, or FEIS, advancing the light rail program's planning and moving it closer to securing needed federal grants.

Quote of note: "Completing the Final Environmental Impact Statement and earning the FTA’s Record of Decision in under two years is a major achievement for Austin Transit Partnership and the community we serve,” ATP CEO Greg Canally said in a statement.

Austin's rail became the first major transit initiative to finish its FEIS within a federal guideline of two years, according to the ATP.

Check out the top six trending stories in the Austin area for Jan. 12-15. 

1. Round Rock council gives initial go-ahead for speed limit reduction on Greenlawn Boulevard

2. LongHorn Steakhouse saddles up for Bastrop opening

3. Tunnels complete for Lake Travis deep-water intake project

4. Updates on 8 current and future transportation projects in Georgetown

5. Check out 13 of Leander’s latest launches, leavings and local leaps

6. From Thai food to beer: Check out 6 business updates in Dripping Springs