Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

A new president has been named for two Ascension Seton locations in Central Texas. Megan Drake is the president of the Ascension Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle, alongside the hospital’s Bastrop location.

Drake has a background in health care administration and experience leading operational excellence, strategic growth initiatives and advancing quality patient care, according to a news release.

Quote of note: "We are thrilled to welcome Megan to Ascension Seton Hays and look forward to the vision and leadership she will bring to our hospital and the communities we serve," Jamie Youssef, CEO for Ascension Texas, said in the release.

Career history: Drake spent the last seven years as a chief operating officer at St. David’s HealthCare and recently served at the St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. Before working in Austin, Drake served as the chief operating officer at Shelby Baptist Medical Center, a 252-bed hospital in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Hays County Commissioners Court approved a resolution establishing a 180-day emergency water protection review period for high-usage development applications, including data centers, and creating a review board to evaluate the proposals June 23.

The overview: During the temporary review period, commissioners will not consider discretionary approvals related to industrial projects that utilize high amounts of water, within the county’s legal authority, according to the resolution.

A closer look: In addition to the 180-day emergency water protection review period, the approved resolution will create the Hays County High Water Demand Development Review Board, an advisory board to the Commissioners Court and Development Services Department.

The review board will be composed of commissioner-appointed participants with a variety of experience and knowledge on water availability and the region.

The board will evaluate proposed industrial developments requiring large amounts of water and their potential impact on the region and surrounding area, according to the resolution. They will make recommendations to the Commissioners Court based on their findings.

A San Marcos wig company will open its doors this July, providing support and education for women experiencing hair loss.

The full story: Prairie Fire Hair will hold its grand opening, open house and free wig education workshops this summer. The business provides personalized wigs to women battling hair loss in an effort to help them build confidence, said founder Kelly Engram.

The company offers curated human hair and synthetic wigs, educational resources and free one-on-one consultations. Customers have access to personalized wig customization services as well, including color refinement, fit adjustments and styling recommendations.

Meet the owner: Engram, a Texas State University professor, founded Prairie Fire Hair after being inspired by her own experience with alopecia.

“Prairie Fire Hair was created to help women experiencing hair loss find confidence through personalized wig solutions, education and compassionate support,” Engram said.

• 2108 Hunter Road, Ste. 106, San Marcos

An apartment complex in Cedar Park and a central kitchen for the Austin State Support Living Center, or ASSLC, are among the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Cedar View ($82 million): Cedar View will include approximately 425 apartment units and approximately 12,000 square feet of indoor amenity space.

2. Austin SSLC Replacement Kitchen Building ($11.1 million): This project involves the new construction of approximately 9,600 square feet of space for a central kitchen facility at the Austin SSLC Campus.

3. Lakeline Boulevard Shared Use Path ($7.4 million): This project includes the construction of approximately 4 miles of 8- to 10-foot shared-use path from New Hope Drive to Little Elm Creek.

4. Connie's Last Stand ($3 million): This project involves the renovation of a 2,244-square-foot historic home with a 1,000-square-foot glass conservatory addition to be used as a restaurant.

5. Old Stagecoach Road from Center Street to Six Creeks Boulevard ($1.7 million): The roadway will be reconstructed to include pedestrian elements.

Changing drinking preferences are hitting retail shelves across Central Texas, with THC- and CBD-infused drinks increasingly positioning themselves as alternatives to traditional alcohol.

A closer look: Shayda Torabi, the cofounder of RESTART CBD + THC—a hemp retailer based in Austin—said many consumers are drinking less alcohol while actively looking for an alternative with an effect, not just a mocktail—what she referred to as the “sober curious movement.”

“People don't just want an adaptogenic drink, they don't just want a fizzy knockoff cosmopolitan. They want that drink that they're subbing alcohol for to have some experience, to have some effect,” Torabi said. “I think that's where cannabis beverages have really nicely parlayed into this next generation of consumers.”

What you should know: Torabi explained that many consumable hemp products can range from 2 milligrams to 10 milligrams of THC, but some products contain dosages as high as 100 milligrams. For first-time users, Torabi recommends starting with a low dose, around 2.5 milligrams of THC.