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.

Local and family owned restaurant Baldinucci Pizza Romana has announced its plans to launch a second location at Domain Northside this spring.

What to know: The restaurant currently operates one location in West Lake Hills. Customers in the North Austin area will soon be able to get one of the eatery’s gourmet pizzas by-the-slice.

Community members can look forward to slices including Sausage & Honey, the Nonna and the Fig & Arugula with balsamic glaze.

How we got here: Baldinucci Pizza Romana first opened in October 2022 as a result of family generations with a passion for Italian cooking, as stated in a news release. The company is owned and operated by Salvatore Baldinucci, Patricia Baldinucci and Gabriel Baldinucci.

• 11501 Rock Rose Ave., Ste. 146, Austin

Plans for a pair of new amenity decks and public pathways around I-35 in Central Austin have been finalized, as the city works to complete design and financing strategies for its overall "cap and stitch" program tied to the state's ongoing highway expansion.

Austin City Council finalized a framework last spring for the local initiative to build out a series of amenity decks, including larger caps downtown and smaller stitches to the north. A final outline for the stitches between 41st and 43rd streets and the Red Line rail was completed this winter.

After a public open house and council reviews in the fall, city staff recommended "Option B"—one of four possibilities—for the northern stitches. The project would cover nearly 2.5 acres, with foundational roadway elements and future caps costing an estimated $69 million.

All four options were graded based on factors like transportation connectivity, safety, economic opportunity and project costs. Staff reported their chosen plan offered the best mobility and cost benefits.

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