Loretto Hospital offering free colon cancer screenings this month

The West Side hospital is offering free gastrointestinal (GI) screenings for uninsured or underinsured residents of Austin and surrounding communities in March. It’s especially important that African Americans get screened, because they are 20 percent more likely to get colorectal cancer and about 40 percent more likely to die from it than most other groups. oretto will also host a Facebook Live event on colorectal health Monday, March 8 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

New businesses coming to Chicago Avenue

Austin native Marseil Jackson plans to open an art gallery, wellness lounge and recording studio along a stretch of Chicago Avenue being developed as the Soul City Corridor. He’s purchased a vacant building in the 5800 block of Chicago Avenue to house Soul City Studios, which after renovations he aims to open early next year.