Guardian Paws Animal Hospital opened near the border of Georgetown and Leander in early January.

Meet the owner: Owned and operated by veterinarian Dr. Jubilee Goodner, the clinic provides preventive care, diagnostics, hospitalization and advanced surgeries and treatment options for area cats and dogs.

• 2025 Kauffman Loop, Bldg. 2, Ste. 200, Georgetown

Texas State University will offer an aviation science degree program at its Round Rock campus beginning this spring, according to a news release.

What’s happening: The university announced Jan. 14 that it partnered with Georgetown-based Genesis Aero to expand its aviation program to the Round Rock campus. The program will provide students with a pathway to certification and licensure required for professional pilots, and Genesis Aero will provide the flight training at the Georgetown Executive Airport.

What else: Those who completed the program could find a variety of opportunities for professional piloting jobs, including working for commercial passenger airlines, cargo airlines, delivery services, federal government services and more. Nearly 17,000 openings for commercial pilots are projected each year, on average, over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Check out the top six trending stories in the Austin area for Jan. 12-15. 

1. Round Rock council gives initial go-ahead for speed limit reduction on Greenlawn Boulevard

2. LongHorn Steakhouse saddles up for Bastrop opening

3. Tunnels complete for Lake Travis deep-water intake project

4. Updates on 8 current and future transportation projects in Georgetown

5. Check out 13 of Leander’s latest launches, leavings and local leaps

6. From Thai food to beer: Check out 6 business updates in Dripping Springs

With the new year beginning and resolutions underway, individuals may look into body contouring procedures to feel more confident in their bodies, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sanjay K. Sharma said. 

Affiliated with Ascension Medical Group, the University of Texas Dell Medical School and the University of Texas Medical Branch, Sharma said these procedures are common in the Austin area due to the community’s culture of being outdoors and trying to stay healthy. He spoke with Community Impact about how body contouring works, ideal candidates and tips for community members to know when looking for a provider. 

What is body contouring?
Body contouring is a broad-based category in plastic surgery. Any part of the body can be contoured. It can be from areas that are sort of stubborn fat deposits. Patients sometimes want to know how they can get rid of isolated pockets around the abdomen, legs, thighs or arms.

Five Republican candidates are running for a six-year term on the Texas Railroad Commission in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Katherine Culbert, Hawk Dunlap, Bo French, James "Jim" Matlock and Jim Wright are vying for the Republican nomination for a seat on the railroad commission. The winning Republican candidate will face Jon Rosenthal in November, and the winner of that election will begin serving on the commission in January 2027.

Rosenthal, a state representative and oilfield mechanical engineer, is running uncontested in the Democratic primary. Community Impact runs candidate Q&As for contested races only.

The context: The railroad commission regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry, according to its website, while the state's railroads are under the control of the Texas Department of Transportation and the federal government.