Since our last newsletter, the Crosswind team has seen some big changes. We moved here to a fantastic new office just four blocks from the Texas State Capitol. Several staff additions are bringing new talents to the team while we take on new clients.
Don’t forget to check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts for the latest Crosswind updates!
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We polled the Crosswind team to come up with this summer’s best music festivals, concerts, and nighttime jams for your aural pleasure. Want to float down a river with Snoop Dog? How about celebrating American independence with Willie Nelson? Whatever your style, we’ve gotcha covered.
Blues on the Green – Presented by H-E-B, Austin, TX, July 13th & 18th
Float Fest – San Marcos, TX July 21-22nd
Stubb’s BBQ Gospel Brunch – Austin, TX, every Sunday
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX, events weekly
The Elephant Room – Austin, TX, nightly jazz
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Five ways to beat the Texas heat
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Summertime is about having a blast. In Texas, that blast can feel like it’s coming straight from the surface of the sun. Here are five tips to help you stay cool and take advantage of Texas’ unique delights.
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1. Embrace a Texas summer tradition by tubing down one of Central Texas’ pristine rivers. Don’t know where to go? Try some of these top spots.
2. Thirsty? Cool off and learn about the unique Texas origins of the frozen margarita while you enjoy your summer BBQs, breakfast tacos, and Blue Bell ice cream.
3. Water parks like Schlitterbahn & Hurricane Harbor offer some great summer deals for parents and kids alike, including package deals with Six Flags.
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4. Take a beach trip to Corpus Christi and check out a Crosswind favorite: the Texas State Aquarium and their 4D shark exhibit!
5. A Texas brewery boom means cold brews and good company in nearly every corner of the state. Plan a road-trip with friends to some of the best taprooms around.
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President Donald Trump recently announced plans to add a new branch to the U.S. military apparatus: the Space Force. This sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces would replace the current Air Force Space Command (AFSC). With NASA’s Johnson Space Center located in our very own Houston, TX, the Lone Star State could become one of America’s most important centers of space talent.
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Texas State Aquarium ramps up animal rehabilitation efforts
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In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and unseasonably cold waters during this last winter, Texas State Aquarium’s Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Center gave thousands of animals new hope.
Learn about the Recovery Center’s work and a special survivor named “Champ” using the link below. Champ, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, was maimed at an early age and brought to the recovery center to heal. After arriving to the aquarium at a size no larger than a post-it note, Champ is not yet strong enough to go on display at TSA’s “Coral Reef” exhibit.
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The Texas Innovation Alliance, of which the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is a key member, recently began accepting proposals for automated driving plans to help Texas cities improve traffic infrastructure. One third of driving trips in the U.S. are shorter than two miles, yet each of those trips crowds up roadways.
Austin has already issued a press release announcing that Capital Metro, the City of Austin, and local service providers will begin using electric-powered autonomous shuttles downtown in the next few months.
Find out how Austin and other Texas cities are leading the way toward smarter transportation.
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Looking ahead: Mid-terms 2018
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UT Austin’s Texas Policy Project & the Texas Tribune (UT/TT) released a June poll of the upcoming electoral showdown between Senator Ted Cruz (R) and Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D, TX-16). With Cruz leading O’Rourke by 5-points (+/-2.83%) heading into mid-summer, neither campaign can afford complacency.
Our take: Uncertainty is key. 20% of survey respondents reported either no opinion or someone else when asked which candidate they would support as of June 8th-18th. One-in-five potential voters is a big pool of unknowns. As election day approaches (don’t forget to register!) we can expect the number of ‘no opinions’ to shrink.
For the Cruz camp, ensuring Republicans turn out in high numbers minimizes the risk of an upset. The problem: the incumbent Senator struggles with a marginal favorability problem. The UT/TT poll found that while 41% of Texans held a “favorable” opinion of Cruz, slightly more, 42%, said they had an “unfavorable” opinion. A one-percent difference is no mountain, yet Cruz remains the only Texas official elected to national office with negative or near-negative favorables.
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As for O’Rourke, visibility and cultivating a statewide messaging strategy will be key. According to the UT/TT results, 40% of Texans either had a neutral opinion or don’t know how they feel toward the El Paso congressman. While unseating an incumbent is not unheard of in this election cycle, O’Rourke faces the daunting challenge of trying to become the first Democratic Senator from the state of Texas in over twenty-five years.
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