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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.

Pop-up coffee shop Jasper Coffee opened in November in the Steiner Ranch area, serving a variety of coffee drinks and cafe items. 

The details: Located inside A Health and Wellness Shop, the coffee shop serves seasonal coffee drinks such as the smoked pecan pie latte and maple sea salt latte. Other coffee drinks include the honey cinnamon latte and brown sugar latte, along with other classics such as flat white, cold brew and drip coffee.

Non-coffee drinks include a matcha latte, dirty chai latte and hot chocolate. The food menu features items such as egg bites with sausage or bacon, protein pumpkin bread and lemon blueberry bread, and breakfast tacos.

• 2900 N. Quinlan Park Road, Ste. 230, Austin

Check out some of the top trending stories in the Austin area Jan. 19-22.

1. PopStroke eyes spring opening for new Cedar Park venture

2. 11 new and coming soon Georgetown-area businesses

3. Austin ISD to retake Mendez Middle School following charter school partnership

4. Construction of Round Rock ISD's $31M Early College High School complete

5. Check out these 8 Pflugerville business updates

6. Monkey Sports coming soon to The Crossover in 2026

In the upcoming March 3 primary, voters will select the Democratic candidate in the race for Texas governor. Nine Democrats are seeking the nomination.

The big picture: Patricia Abrego, Chris Bell, Bobby Cole, Carlton Hart, Gina Hinojosa, Jose Navarro Balbuena, Faizan Syed, Zach Vance and Angela “Tia Angie” Villescaz will appear on the Democratic primary ballot for Texas governor.

Stay tuned: If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Democratic primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters May 26.

The winning Democratic candidate will face the Republican nominee in November, and the winner of that race will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

In the upcoming March 3 primary, voters will select the Republican candidate in the race for Texas governor. Eleven Republicans are seeking the nomination.

The overview: Republican incumbent Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term in the governor's office. He is challenged by ten Republican candidates: R.F. "Bob" Achgill, Evelyn Brooks, Pete “Doc” Chambers, Charles Andrew Crouch, Arturo Espinosa, Mark V. Goloby, Kenneth Hyde, Stephen Samuelson, Ronnie Tullos and Nathaniel Welch.

Stay tuned: If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Republican primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters May 26.

The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.