Development
Development
BY GRACE DICKENS & BEN THOMPSON
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Dell Children’s launches pediatric bone marrow transplants
Lakeway approves updated city plans Lakeway City Council approved updates to the city’s 2025 Comprehensive Plan on March 16. Diving in deeper Cities use comprehensive plans to steer deci- sions surrounding land use, transportation, infrastructure, community identity and more. Some changes in the plan include the cre- ation of a “dynamic core” zone on the future land use map, or FLUM, speci cally in areas along RM 620 and Hwy. 71 to “encourage investment while balancing new ideas with the local character and culture,” according to the updated plan. The city plans to launch a dashboard allowing residents to see progress on comprehensive plan goals, leave com- ments and provide feedback on what projects should be prioritized next.
Austin considers eminent domain for radio tower Austin is seeking to acquire a site north of West Lake Hills to build a new emergency and public service communications tower for the Greater Austin-Travis County Regional Radio System. Austin City Council was scheduled to pursue eminent domain proceedings for the west side property April 9, but the item was withdrawn from consideration. What’s happening The city may pursue eminent domain proceed- ings for the proposed GATRRS tower on 0.28 acres of land labeled 00 Mount Larson Road. Austin could launch legal proceedings against owner NW Communications of Austin Inc., Fox 7 Austin, after attempting to buy a portion of the media compa- ny’s property there. “The City and the property owner have been unable to agree on the value of the needed
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Dell Children’s Medical Center in Central Austin has become the rst pediatric hospital to provide bone marrow transplants, also known as stem cell transplants, in Central Texas. The advanced procedure increases the cure rate for pediatric cancer patients, Dell Children’s doc- tors told Community Impact . The hospital’s new stem cell transplant program means Austin-area families no longer have to leave Central Texas to receive lifesaving cancer care, said Dr. Amir Mian, the program’s medical director and division chief for pediatric oncology and hematology for Dell Children’s. “Previously, everybody had to travel out of town, and what it meant was leaving home for more than a month, sometimes even longer,” Mian said. “Now they don’t have to. ... Nobody has to leave town just to get lifesaving treatment.” How it works The transplant involves removing a patient’s
bone marrow and replacing older, damaged stem cells by administering new, healthy stem cells to pediatric cancer patients through an IV, Mian said. Stem cells form blood and immune cells and are found in bone marrow. These new stem cells travel to the patient’s bone marrow and begin producing healthy blood cells that may restore their immune system and eliminate the underlying cancer, he said. The treatment is administered when a patient’s cancer or cancer treatment damages or destroys their bone marrow. Looking ahead Next year, Dell Children’s is aiming to begin providing advanced CAR T-cell therapy and gene therapy, Mian said. These treatments involve collecting and reengineering stem cells to ght disease, said Dr. Shannon Cohn, pediatric oncolo- gist and stem cell transplant physician.
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Pediatric bone marrow transplants at Dell Children’s have eliminated the need to travel for advanced cancer care, a Dell Children’s physicians said.
acquisition,” city sta reported. The city values the land at $61,505, while the Travis Central Appraisal District assessed it at $1.83 million this year. Zooming out The radio system currently uses 17 towers across Central Texas that support city and county rst responders, local emergency service districts, and other municipalities and public entities. It also hosts state and federal agencies.
CHLOE YOUNG COMMUNITY IMPACT
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