The Leander Chamber of Commerce hosted a grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new office at 103 N. West Drive on May 5.

What happened? During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Madeline Phillips, a representative from Travel Texas—the state's economic development and tourism office—recognized Leander as a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community.

“The visitors center is more than just a building,” Phillips said. “It's an investment in the future of Leander.”

The setup: The chamber, which was previously located at 100 N. Brushy St., plans to continue to expand the facilities at its new site. Chamber leaders hope to construct a training room capable of accommodating 100 people to house the organization's micro groups. Additionally, the chamber is seeking to construct a visitors center with a business incubator and three meeting rooms on the site of the current parking lot.

Noble Dental Studio is set to open its doors for business in Leander next week on May 11.

The overview: The dental studio, which is a solo private practice operated by Sahar Ghamsari, DDS, offers general dentistry.

“I founded Noble Dental Studio to bring my nearly 10 years of experience as a dentist into a practice centered on quality, honesty and non-pressured care, where patients feel heard, educated and truly cared for,” Ghamsari said in a statement to Community Impact.

The details: According to Ghamsari, the office seeks to offer “quality-first, personalized care” with a “commitment to serving and growing with the Leander community.” In addition to evening and Saturday hours, the practice will offer same-day treatment. The office is in network with many major insurance companies, Ghamsari said.

• 1561 Hero Way, Ste. 110, Leander

A medical-surgical unit and an electrophysiology unit are part of a $27.7 million expansion to the St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, announced May 7 by the St. David's HealthCare system. 

The overview: The recently-added fourth floor of St. David's Round Rock Medical Center will be occupied by the future unit and lab, as the hospital system plans for long-term care in fast-growing Williamson County.

The details: With 34 beds, the $16.7 million medical-surgical unit will increase the hospital's total capacity from 209 beds to 243 beds upon completion, according to a news release from St. David's. This unit will provide care for patients with acute and post-surgical needs. 

The expansion includes a second electrophysiology unit, doubling the hospital's capacity to diagnose and treat heart rhythm disorders. The unit will cost $6.7 million and requires $4.3 million in facility upgrades. 

Electrophysiology is a specialty focusing on the heart's electrical system, according to the news release.

As health care costs continue rising in Texas and across the nation, state lawmakers are working to understand the factors that make health care unaffordable and what can be done to rein in prices.

The big picture: About 5.2 million Texans, or 16.7% of the state’s population, did not have health insurance in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

For years, advocates have called on Texas lawmakers to pass laws to drive down health care costs and improve access to health insurance. During a two-day hearing April 30 and May 1, a Texas House committee examined why health care costs are rising. Lawmakers will discuss potential policy solutions later this year, committee chair Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, said.

What's happening: Yale University professor Zack Cooper said that since 2000, U.S. health care spending has grown three times faster than inflation. The average health insurance premium for a family of four is $27,000 per year, he said.

“Every family is basically buying a new Toyota Corolla worth of health insurance," Cooper told lawmakers.