A portion of East Cesar Chavez Street downtown will be closed Jan. 15-19 due to the decommissioning of a construction crane on the mixed-use Waterline tower.

What residents should know: One block of the east-west roadway will shut down between Red River and Trinity streets through the start of next week. The closure will take place early Jan. 15 and end the evening of Jan. 19, according to Austin Transportation and Public Works.

During the closure, the city recommends eastbound travelers take other roadways north to Fifth Street to cross I-35. Those traveling westbound are advised to take I-35 to Sixth Street.

The street closure is needed as public safety measure while the tower crane is dismantled, according to the city. Waterline's first phase, a 252-room hotel, will open later this year.

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.

Fast-casual eatery Jason's Deli is celebrating its 50th anniversary by honoring the fresh food, people and communities that have defined the restaurant, officials announced in a Dec. 30 news release.

The background: The deli was founded in 1976 by Joe Tortorice Jr. in Beaumont and has since branched out to 114 Texas locations and 235 delis nationwide in 27 states, per the release.

What's new: According to the release, the eatery is celebrating its anniversary by spotlighting new soups during the National Soup Month of January, while also rolling out new items, including the Deli-Bration Cookie—a sugar cookie topped with sprinkles—and returning others.

In their own words: “Our 50th anniversary is about staying true to what’s made Jason’s Deli special since day one—thoughtfully prepared dishes, diverse selections and genuine care for the people we serve,” Clare Wilson, vice president of culinary and R&D at Jason’s Deli, said in the release. 

Central Texas dentists have been feeling the effects of a nationwide shortage of dental hygienists, facing difficulties filling vacant positions to serve a growing number of patients

Zooming out: A 2019 study by the Texas Department of State Health Services projected that the demand for dental hygienists would outpace supply from 2018 to 2030. In Central Texas, the shortage of dental hygienists was projected to increase by 116.4% from 2018 to 2030, according to the report.

What they're saying: “As the population increases, new patients are coming into practices in Austin,” said Dr. Shailee Gupta, local dentist and member of Capital Area Dental Society. “Without the proper number of hygienists to go with these practices or community centers, there's no way to be able to meet that demand.”

The approach: To help counteract this shortage, Austin Community College opened an expanded dental hygiene clinic at its Eastview Campus this fall, nearly doubling the program’s annual cohort of students from 18 to 34. 

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