City Cast Austin
📧 Abbott hides Musk emails
July 15, 2025 · Kelsey Bradshaw
☺️ Hello, Tuesday! We’re in the middle of our membership drive and I have a fun perk to discuss: Hanging out together! When you become a City Cast Austin Neighbor you’ll be invited to regular members-only events where you’ll hang out with me and the team and share ideas with other passionate Neighbors like you.
Join City Cast Neighbors today to make sure you’re on the list for our first ever member-exclusive event!
Plus, we’re giving away free City Cast Austin totes to anyone who joins us this week. I want at least 10 new members today to give out totes to! Do you want one?
What's CITY Talking About?
🏊 Officials Urge Caution After Lake Travis Reopens
Most of Lake Travis has been reopened after it was closed due to flood debris, bacteria, and fast flows over the weekend. Areas upstream of mile marker 36 and Sandry Creek Park are still closed, and county officials do not recommend recreational activity on the lake. [KXAN]
🫶 How To Cope Right Now
You may be feeling the collective grief permeating through Austin right now after deadly flooding hit the area last week. We’re all looking for ways to get through it, including how to talk to kids about what happened and how to honor the people we lost. [City Cast Austin 🎧]
📧 Abbott Won’t Give Up Musk Emails
KUT filed open records requests for emails between Gov. Greg Abbott and Elon Musk to get insight into the Tesla CEO’s influence at the Capitol. But Abbott’s office won’t give up the records, saying they are private, not of public interest, and potentially embarrassing. [KUT]
✍️ Petitioners Want Convention Center Construction Stopped
Austin United PAC is trying to collect 20,000 signatures to get a measure to stop construction at the convention center downtown on the November ballot. [The Austin Chronicle]
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Austin’s Best New Restaurants and Bars
Austin also has new restaurants and bars popping up. Check out our rolling list of new spots to try:
June 2025
🍳 Paperboy, 1401 S. Lamar Blvd.
Paperboy, which serves up delicious coffee and great brunch options, opened a new spot on South Lamar last month near Odd Duck in Bouldin Creek.
🍝 Poeta, 3012 Gonzales St.
Poeta has moved! The Italian restaurant opened in a new space off of East 7th Street at Swoop House & Wine Garden on June 10. Visit for yummy pastas and desserts.
🪩 East End Ballroom, 4715 E. 5th St.
East End Ballroom opened in June near Justine’s in Govalle. The ballroom offers coffee, cocktails, food, and live music.
What To Do
Tuesday, July 15
- ❓ The Little Gay Shop’s Queer Trivia: Beanie Baddies at Cheer Up Charlie’s | Downtown Austin
- 🎥 “Barry Lyndon” at Paramount Theatre | Downtown Austin
- 🩸 We are Blood - Blood Drive at Austin Public Library Central Library | Downtown Austin
- 🎶 Antone's 50th Anniversary Celebration: C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band w/ John Primer at Antone’s | Downtown Austin
- 👑 Drag the Ban! at ACC Highland Campus | Highland
Wednesday, July 16
- 🎥 “Rebecca” at Paramount Theatre | Downtown Austin
- 🐦 Commons Ford Bird Walk at Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park | West Austin
- 🧚 Woodland Faerie Trail Clean-up – Day 1 at Zilker Botanical Garden | Zilker
- 📰 Teen Journalism: Tell Your Community's Story Part 1 at Austin Public Library Central Library | Downtown Austin
- ⚽ ¡Vamos Verde! Live at Central Machine Works | East Austin
- 🎤 Nineties Karaoke at Volstead Lounge | East Austin
👏 One fun thing before I go! I want to give a warm welcome and round of applause to our very first City Cast Austin Neighbors: Nicole R., David S., Sherri C., Rob S. and Jessica L.
Join these founding members, who include my mom, of course, to support this newsletter. Don’t forget, your support comes with a tote bag big enough to fit a towel for dips at Barton Springs Pool! 🏊
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