ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR

EVAN MUSIL, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

For the last three months, I’ve been aware that Thelma means business, but I didn’t quite know the extent of the justice she serves. I missed the film when it showed during the Milwaukee Film Festival, but sold-out screenings basically guaranteed it would return as part of Milwaukee Film’s “Best of the Fest” series. It’s been showing at the Downer Theatre for the past few weeks, and I finally had the chance to catch it. In this charming caper, the 93-year-old Thelma falls for a phone scam and loses $10,000. Instead of shaking it off like her family suggests, however, she takes action – Mission: Impossible-style. What follows is a wild escapade that’s equal parts funny and sincere. The premise easily lends itself to laughs – and Thelma wielding a gun sure is a riot – but the film presents its nonagenarian characters with a lot of dignity and courage. Catch it in theaters while you can – it’s plenty fun with an audience.

CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

BRIANNA SCHUBERT, ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR

Dining Editor Ann Christenson wrote about Joy Ice Cream Social in the June issue, and the Tosa ice cream spot just celebrated its first anniversary on the 4th of July! So I really had no excuse to not go try this spot out. And oh my goodness, it was a delight! The whole place is adorable, from it’s ice cream cone tiled floor inside to its blue roof outside. The ice cream was delicious too – I ordered a scoop of cookie dough in a waffle cone. Just perfect. 

Want more great Milwaukee events? Check out our calendar! 

UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, one of the city’s oldest sports complexes, will play a critical role in the Republican National Convention this month.

The arena is one of three main venues for the four-day event, alongside Fiserv Forum and Baird Center. All three are part of convention security’s “hard zone,” meaning the area will be controlled by the Secret Service and require credentials to enter.

But Panther Arena is no stranger to major events, including presidential speeches. Here’s everything you need to know about the venue ahead of the RNC.

Where is the Panther Arena?

The arena is in downtown Milwaukee, at 400 W. Kilbourn Ave.

Has Panther Arena hosted political events before?

Though former president Donald Trump will likely deliver his convention speech from Fiserv Forum, the Republican presidential candidate has actually spoken at Panther Arena previously.

In January 2020, Trump hosted a campaign rally at the arena as part of his re-election bid. His remarks at the time largely focused on national security.

On top of thousands attending the rally, Trump’s speech also drew a few hundred anti-Trump protestors outside the venue. Ahead of the event, Trump’s visit sparked campus controversy at UWM, given the arena bears the university’s name. The school’s chancellor eventually issued a statement clarifying that UWM neither owns nor controls booking decisions at the Panther Arena, beyond its own events.

How old is Panther Arena?

Panther Arena is Milwaukee’s original sports and entertainment complex, according to the arena website. 

Built in 1950, it was initially named Milwaukee Arena. It became the Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena in 1974 and the U.S. Cellular Arena in 2000. The arena got its current name in 2014, when UW-Milwaukee bought the naming rights for the venue.

Alongside 8,910 permanent seats, the arena has a total capacity of 12,700 people — about two thirds of the size of Fiserv Forum, which has a total of 17,500.

Which teams play at Panther Arena?

The Panther arena is currently home to basketball, hockey and soccer teams: the Panthers, the UWM men’s basketball team; the Milwaukee Admirals, the city’s National Hockey League team; and the Milwaukee Wave, the Major Arena Soccer League team.

But the arena’s history in professional sports goes far beyond these three teams, according to its website. It has also hosted international sporting contests, including a 1998 Davis Cup semifinals match, part of the international men’s tennis tournament, and a Golden Gloves Boxing match versus Russia in 1996.

Closer to home, it hosted the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships in 2003.

What are concerts like at Panther Arena?

According to its website, the arena was “born in the era of rock ‘n’ roll” — and celebrated it hard.

The venue has hosted stars including Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Green Day, the Beastie Boys and Run DMC, among others. Iconic singers, like Frank Sinatra and Neil Diamond, have also played the venue. 

Panther Arena still regularly hosts live music events, from the Milwaukee Public Schools music program’s annual festival to R&B artists KEM and Ledisi earlier this year.

TyTy Washington Jr. is coming off his first season playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The former Kentucky star finished the year with averages of 1.3 points per contest while shooting 30.0% from the field and 33.3% from the three-point range in 11 games.

According to Evan Sidery, Washington Jr. will now become an unrestricted free agent.

Via Sidery: “The Bucks did not extend a qualifying offer to TyTy Washington.

Washington averaged 18.5 points and 8.5 assists while shooting 42.6% on threes for the Wisconsin Herd.

The former Kentucky guard could be an intriguing development signing for a team in unrestricted free agency.”

Washington Jr. was initially the 29th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

He has played two seasons for the Houston Rockets (and Bucks).

His career averages are 3.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest while shooting 35.6% from the field and 24.4% from the three-point range in 42 games.

Washington Jr. has also spent a lot of time in the G League.

His career averages are 22.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 44.9% from the field and 37.2% from the three-point range in 32 regular season games (31 starts).

At just 22, some teams will likely be interested in bringing him in for training camp.

The Bucks finished the 2023-24 season as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 49-33 record.

They lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.