Austin, TX
Lutron and Meridian Host Austin, TX Specifier Event to Demonstrate the Transformative Power of Light and Sound
Lutron and Meridian Host Austin, TX Specifier Event to Demonstrate the Transformative Power of Light and Sound

Coopersburg, PA (June 17, 2024) – Lutron Electronics, the trusted leader in architectural lighting, motorized window shades, and lighting control systems, and Meridian Audio, the British Audio Technology Pioneer, recently brought together luxury design professionals to share in a bespoke dining adventure with curated lighting, memorable music, and culinary pairings. The event was produced in collaboration with leading manufacturers’ representative Bell & McCoy and home technology experts Captivate, Inc. The exclusive, invitation-only event emphasized how light and sound can shape experiences and heighten senses in ways that transform fine dining into fine art.
A combination of esteemed local architects and designers attended the event, observing the transformative nature of light and sound through an unparalleled sensory experience featuring Lutron’s Ketra lighting, Palladiom shades, and Meridian audio solutions. The goal? Awaken the senses and immerse guests in magical moments to generate ideas and encourage specifiers to share the promise of luxury experiences.
Six meticulously crafted creations were served from Uchi Austin, an award-winning Japanese restaurant, over the course of the evening. Lighting scenes and sound design were tailored to complement the mood and cuisine, adding a layer of sophistication that enhanced the overall experience without overpowering it.
Demonstration: Light and sound without limits
Two pairs of multi-award-winning Meridian Audio DSP9 Loudspeakers, finished in Piano Lacquer Black and Volcano Orange, immersed diners in authentic, natural, and lifelike sound throughout the venue.
Ketra’s Natural Light solution was integral to the event, offering flexibility in color temperature and light intensity that delivered the bright, white light needed to prepare meals and then transitioned to something softer when it was time to serve and entertain. The minimal profile, beautifully simple Lutron Palladiom Shades integrated seamlessly to help enhance and showcase the space.
“Lutron and Meridian are both focused on addressing the needs and desires of luxury homeowners. With Lutron + Ketra, it’s the power of light. With Meridian, that something is how customers experience sound. Together, our teams delivered a unique multisensory experience of the highest quality for our specifier guests.” said David Weinstein, Lutron’s Vice-President of Residential Sales.
“The evening showcased the great match between Lutron and Meridian, and our shared value propositions. Meridian is in the business of ‘goosebumps’ and our ambition for the event was to elevate the dining experience by seamlessly integrating natural, authentic and lifelike sound with the other sensory elements provided by Lutron and Uchi, enriching every moment with depth and emotion. Feedback from guests was exactly what we all would have wished for. It was very gratifying to hear that our award-winning Reference DSP9 loudspeakers were appreciated as much for their intentional design – ‘functional art’ – as for their powerful, high-end performance,” said John Buchanan, Meridian CEO.
One attendee commented on his personal experience, “This is about creating a 5-star experience for your home,” said Colin Slaughter of Ryan Street Architects. Andrea Alvarez of Matt Fajkus Architecture said of her experience, “Incredible evening. Very engaging and truly amazed by the product and all the possibilities it can have. I am leaving here with some great ideas.”
About Lutron Electronics (www.lutron.com)
Founded in 1961, Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., is headquartered in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. From dimmers for the home to lighting management systems for entire buildings, the company offers more than 15,000 energy-saving products, sold in more than 100 countries. In the U.S. alone, Lutron products save an estimated 10 billion kWh of electricity, or approximately $1 billion in utility costs per year. The company’s early inventions— including the first solid-state electronic dimmer invented by Lutron’s founder, Joel Spira—are at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.
About Meridian Audio (www.meridian-audio.com)
Meridian is a multi-award-winning British audio technology innovator with a rapidly growing automotive business. In home audio, Meridian is best known for the hi-fi and surround sound cinema products chosen for many of the world’s most astonishing residences and super yachts. For the demanding in-car environment, the company focusses on pioneering DSP and other software technologies, supported by deep expertise in electronics, hardware integration and system tuning. Many of the world’s most ambitious vehicle manufacturers trust Meridian to support their audio system design, adding value to their most premium systems through the addition of the Meridian brand. Meridian is a technology- driven business that invests around 15% of revenue in R&D, ensuring a full pipeline of innovations that deliver exciting upgrade paths for its customers.
Austin, TX
Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?
Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts.
Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average.
Texas, though, is a different story.
For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal.
“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.”
It all depends on the weather
How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.
Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather.
If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.
How can you treat allergies in Austin?
If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them:
- Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
- Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication.
- Take a shower before going to bed.
- Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
- Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
- Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen.
Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:
- Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
- Vacuum and sweep regularly.
- Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly.
- Keep doors and windows closed.
- Clean out the vents in your home.
- Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
- Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air.
- Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.
Austin, TX
Texas Primary: Breakdown of Texas races
Democrats tried to stop a mid-decade redistricting effort, but were unsuccessful. Now, we are starting to see some of the candidates emerging in those newly drawn districts. FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski gives a full breakdown.
Austin, TX
Remembering Jorge Pederson: Minnesota MMA fighter killed in Austin, Texas, shooting
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – A shooting on West Sixth Street in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning, killed three people and injured more than a dozen others, according to the Austin Police Department. APD confirmed one of the victims was 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, a Minnesota man who worked as an MMA fighter for the Med City Fighting Championships.
“You meet tons of fighters and there are people that stand above the rest that you find you enjoy or find the most amusing,” MCFC Co-Owner Matthew Vogt said. “He was definitely one of them.”
According to Vogt, Pederson was also the owner of a Minnesota business called Metro Movers. Vogt said the MMA competitor touched everyone’s hearts since his first day of fighting professionally in Rochester.
“As soon as we met him when it was the weighing time, we just loved the guy already because he had a great mission or spirit about him,” Vogt said. “He was a funny guy and great fighter.”
Vogt told KTTC when he first saw the news that Pederson was killed, he could not believe what he saw.
“I was looking, like, ‘Wait a minute. Is this one of his shenanigans or did something actually happen there?’” Vogt said, recalling the moment he saw a social media post regarding the shooting in Austin. “I confirmed with a few people and I’m just like, sometimes, some things happen that you don’t even like, you don’t even know how to respond to it because it’s just so out of left field that you don’t immediately have a response to it.”
MCFC confirmed there is an online fundraiser dedicated to supporting Pederson’s family. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $10,000 has been raised.
“He was someone that always could make anybody laugh,” Vogt said. “Support his family through the fundraiser and take a look at his Instagram especially to see how funny he was.”
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