If nothing else, 2020 has been a banner year for drive-in theaters. They’ve popped up all over the country, including in Franklin, where the city’s Ballpark Commons created the first Milwaukee-area drive-in in nearly 20 years, Milky Way Drive-In.
This month the Drive-In is debuting some special programming for Halloween. Thursday through Sundays will be “Fright Nights” at the drive-in, featuring a mix of modern and classic horror movies for both kids and adults. The lineup is impressive, with selection ranging from “Ghostbusters” and “Beetlejuice” to “Happy Death Day,” “The Ring,” “It” and “The Babadook.”
Admission is $35 per car per screening (with the exceptions of Thursdays, which are double features). Tickets can be purchased at the theater’s website, and food and drinks will be sold through the ballpark’s concessions stands and from food trucks via app. There will be several ways to listen to the movies, either through outdoor speakers, the radio or an app.
The complete schedule is below.
Thursday, Oct. 1 (double feature)
6:30 p.m. – “Sinister”
9:15 p.m. – “The Strangers”
Friday, Oct. 2
9:30 p.m. – “Freddy vs. Jason”
Saturday, Oct. 3
9:15 p.m. – “Sleepy Hollow”
Sunday, Oct. 4
5 p.m. – “Corpse Bride”
Thursday, Oct. 8 (double feature)
6:30 p.m. – “Happy Death Day”
9:15 p.m. – “Room 237”
Friday, Oct. 9
6:30 p.m. – “The Goonies”
9:15: p.m. – “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (the remake)
Saturday, Oct. 10
5 p.m. – “The Addams Family” (the 2019 animated movie)
For the third year in a row the Milwaukee Brewers have made the playoffs, although this time there hasn’t been nearly as much ceremony as there was in 2018 and 2019. Tonight at 9:08 CST, the underdog Brewers play the first game of their best-of-three match against the league-dominating Los Angeles Dodgers — a series even the most optimistic Brewers fans don’t think leaves the team much of a chance of advancing. But still, the postseason is the postseason, and we’re grateful for at least the possibility the Brewers could pull off a historic upset this week.
This week has also given us another reason to be in a baseball state of mind, too: It marks the 20th anniversary of the Brewers’ final game at its beloved old ballpark, County Stadium.
We asked Radio Milwaukee staffers to share some of their favorite County Stadium memories, and from broken noses to luxury (and not so luxury) seats, they came up with some great ones.
County Stadium, back in the days when ballparks didn’t have roofs
Baseball games have always been one of my favorite sporting events to attend. On Aug. 7, 1996, I went to the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Baltimore Orioles game at County Stadium with my parents and three sisters. My oldest sister won tickets to the game through school, so we made an unusual weekday trip to the stadium to watch the game.
I can’t remember exactly when in the game this happened, but Eddie Murray stepped up to bat and hit a foul ball into the left field stands. And it landed, smack dab in the middle of my face, breaking my nose. I was rushed to the medical room where a doctor evaluated my injury and Bernie Brewer came to visit, giving me a baseball.
My mom got the ball that broke my nose from the gentlemen sitting in front of us (although from the way she tells the story, they weren’t so quick to give up a game ball). I got a wheelchair ride back to our car and we left before the game was over. Even though I have a mangled nose, baseball is still one of my favorite sporting events to attend and I have a great story about County Stadium!
Maddy’s poor nose
The storied ball
Justin Barney
My first game at County Stadium was Robin Yount’s 3,000th hit. I didn’t know who Robin Yount was. I didn’t know what a hit was. I didn’t really know what anything was. I was 2 years old. What I did know was that my dad was excited. And that made me excited. It’s still the thing that makes me excited about baseball. I’m a casual fan. I barely follow, but you bet, this weekend, I was out cleaning the garage with my dad and we had Uecker on the radio. As he called balls and strikes my dad told me about how he hated the Cardinals, how he cheered for the Red Socks in 1968 when we lost cause their players had the best sounding names: Rico Petrocelli, Carl Yastrzemski. And how his dad never drank a Coca-Cola again after the Braves left for Atlanta. I had a couple memories at County Stadium. Some good ones too. But my favorite memories are the ones I hear second hand from my dad.
Peter Adams
I have MANY memories from the old days at County Stadium. The first is music related and the second is Packers related!
The year was 1993. The date was June 2. Paul McCartney made a stop in Milwaukee at good ol’ County Stadium. I was there and it was amazing. Paul played on a stage set up in center field and I was literally in the last row behind home plate… aka (insert Justin Barney voice) THE FURTHEST YOU COULD POSSIBLY BE FROM THE STAGE! It didn’t bother me though. It was still one of my fondest live music memories of my life!
The year must have been 1984 or 1985. The Packers were playing the Minnesota Vikings. I was in the bleachers with my dad, cousins and uncle. Naturally, there were quite a few Vikings fans at the game. Amongst them was a kid whom I recall to be maybe 10 years old. The kid was sporting a fancy Viking ship-type head piece. A bunch of sloppy, drunk, rowdy Packers’ fans took the hat off the kid’s head and proceeded to toss it up, row-by-row, until the last person in the top row tossed the head piece overboard! Over the bleachers! How’s that for hospitality?! I don’t recall if the kid was crying or if his dad turned to fisticuffs.
Nate Imig
I’m an ’80s baby and started going to the ballpark in the mid to late ’90s, so it always seemed “old” to me. The team was never very good when I was growing up, but there was a sense of ownership I felt, even as a chubby little 8-year-old. This was my team, my Brewers, playing in crusty old stadium. It wasn’t posh, but it was ours. I went to a lot of games as a kid, with my dad especially, and because I played Little League, I loved to keep score in a specialized notebook I brought along with me to the game. I also remember the seating policy being a little more lax back then; if the crowd was sparse, which it often was in the latter days of County Stadium, the kindly ushers tended to turn a blind eye to a kid and his dad looking for a better seat in the 7th inning. We ended up getting closer to the action than we deserved on more than one occasion. Maybe my little notebook gave us that “lower deck” cred.
But even though most my memories of County Stadium are a little janky, there was one game I remember where it felt like we got the hook up. My dad would sometimes try to trade our tickets at the exchange window once we got inside, trying to find a better seat. One day, on a particularly cold day early in the season, my dad sprung for “skybox” tickets. At least that’s what he called it. The skybox was a section of the stadium that wasn’t quite a suite, but it was enclosed in glass. Looking back, I’m pretty sure it was the visiting team press box, for when the stadium hosted football games. And best of all, it had heat, which came in quite handy at those early season games, where there were often snow flurries in the air. Talk about luxury, especially in a stadium that didn’t have a roof.
I have a distinct memory of sitting in the heated room, crunching on my the Chex Mix I brought from home (the cost of the “skybox” tickets alone meant no food at the game), feeling like “ah, this is the life.” Having only ever sat in the upper deck — or sneaking downstairs later in the game — I had never known was it was like to sit in the “good seats.” It felt like such a gem, hidden within a run down stadium. We never sat up there again, but I’ll be forever grateful for my dad that day. It was worth it to spring for the good seats once, but not get too used to it. That’s my dad for you.
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If Major League Baseball’s regular season ended last night, the Milwaukee Brewers would be in the playoffs.
That’s an incredible turnaround for a team that, for much of this uncanny, abbreviated baseball season, has shown about as much life as the cardboard cutouts in the stands. For weeks nothing could go right for Milwaukee’s baseball club. Lorenzo Cain sat the season out. Christian Yelich might as well have. Batters like Keston Hiura slumped badly, and at times the offense disappeared for entire games. Earlier this month the Brewers even suffered the humiliation of a no-hitter against the Cubs.
But there’s plenty of recent precedent for the Brewers surging in September, and recently there have been signs that manager Craig Counsell might be able to pull off his late-season magic once again.
Some of the team’s hope has come in the unlikely form of late acquisition Dan Vogelbach, a first baseman of rare heft who was slumping even worse than the average Brewer when the Mariners dropped him this season. Since joining the crew, though, he’s been an absolute slugger, hitting nearly 400 with three homers, including two that counted for all five runs in the team’s victory Sunday against Kansas City. If this were a normal season, he’d be an enormous fan favorite, his grinning face would be plastered all over T-shirts.
But the real success story of has been the pitching, which has been exceptional. Brandon Woodruff has been an ace. Corbin Burnes is emerging as a Cy Young candidate. Reliever Devin Williams is beginning to make a case for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. And Josh Hader is still Josh Hader, one of the game’s most feared closers. If the team does advance to the postseason, it will be because of them.
Yesterday’s win against the Cincinnati Reds brought the Brewers to a 500 record (27-27) for the first time in ages and temporarily puts them in position for the National League’s No. 8 seed in the playoffs. Can they hold on? It won’t be easy: To do so, they’ll likely have to win tonight’s rubber match against the Reds and then hold their own in a season-ending five-game series against the Cardinals, which will be spread out over four days.
But their fate is in their own hands, and for the first time this season, the team has actually been fun to follow. 2020 might not be such a lost year for the crew after all.
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On the last Friday in July, I am usually getting my bike and gear, costume included, ready for what some Milwaukeeans have come to call “The People’s Holiday” – the Riverwest 24. It is one of my most favorite holidays of the year, but sadly this year, I, like the 2,000 other annual participants, won’t be riding.
This 24-hour volunteer-led bike race started in 2007 and goes through Milwaukee’s Riverwest and Harambee neighborhoods. It is a celebration of community, with points scored for every lap completed, but also offering additional points for each bonus checkpoint completed. Bonus checkpoints are opportunities for the riders to engage with their community directly through activities like sifting compost with Kompost Kids, purchasing food items for the Riverwest Food Pantry, cheering on the kids at the Kids 24 (a quick 24-minute bike race), or painting a map on one of the local schools’ concrete.
Participants also have the opportunity to eat dinner together before the race and breakfast together early Saturday morning at All People’s Church. The Riverwest 24 offers a plethora of ways for riders, volunteers, and viewers to build community and to recognize how wonderful that community is.
While pre-registration is closed, you are still able to purchase a shirt and support these local organizations today from 2-7 p.m. at Garden Park, located on the corner of Bremen Street and Locust Street. Masks are required and hand sanitizer and washing stations will be provided. To learn more about this year’s Riverwest 24, visit their Facebook page.
Can beer make a difference when it comes to racial justice? Milwaukee’s Company Brewing will answer that question with the release of a beer called Black is Beautiful.
Milwaukee’s Company Brewing is one of over 1,000 breweries from around the world to take part in the Black is Beautiful Beer initiative. The initiative was started by a Texas Black-owned brewery called Weathered Souls. They invited any brewery to participate by brewing their recipe for an imperial stout. The participating breweries would then have to donate 100% of the beer’s proceeds to a local organization that fights for racial justice or supports equality and inclusion.
“A lot of breweries put their own twist on the recipe. We brewed the recipe exactly as it was provided by Weathered Souls Brewing Co. and I’m really glad we did. It’s an awesome imperial stout,” said Company Brewing’s owner George Bregar
Company Brewing will be selling 16 oz. four-packs of the beer at their location in Riverwest.
In addition to Company Brewing, there are other local breweries taking part in the Black is Beautiful Beer initiative including 1840 Brewing Co., Broken Bat Brewing Co., Good City Brewing, Third Space Brewing, and Component Brewing Co.
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Joining the Milwaukee Bucks, who announced their schedule to return to play last week, the Brewers and their fans finally have dates, times and matchups to look forward to.
After weeks of negotiations between Major League Baseball and the MLB Player’s Association, on June 23, America’s pastime was mercifully announced to return in late July. Having originally been set to kick off at home four months ago at Miller Park, we now know that the Brewers season will begin in Chicago on July 24 along with the 59 other matchups making up the shortened season. This includes a home opener against the rival St. Louis Cardinals on July 31.
The 2020 season will focus much more on divisional play than normal in order to limit travel and see the Brewers solely face both their typical National League Central rivals and their American League equivalents. This includes series against the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals — teams which typically make up a much smaller percentage of a season for the Brew Crew (if they even face off at all).
Moreover, Milwaukee is also set to play an exhibition game against the White Sox on July 22 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago at 7:20 p.m. in place of the exhibition series they were set to have against Kansas City at home in March.
For the sake of player’s safety, there have also been some noteworthy rule changes made including putting an automatic runner on second base in extra innings to speed the process up, no restrictions on position players pitching and perhaps most importantly, designated hitters will be used across the league in order to help pitchers stay healthy and provide players with additional at-bats. The universal DH rule is most relevant to the Brewers in regards to Ryan Braun as it provides him an opportunity to see more play entering into the final guaranteed year of his contract.
Despite having a schedule and rule changes which benefit the team, the season is still set to occur within a global pandemic and as manager Craig Counsell announced on Monday, shortstop Luis Urias and pitcher Angel Perdomo tested positive for COVID-19, prior to Summer Camp beginning at Miller Park. Although the two were declared asymptomatic and part of the encouraging 1.2% of positive cases across the MLB’s testing results as a whole, it still creates concerns as more players across the league opt out of the season and concerns over the testing program arise.
And yet, it’s hard not to get excited that Milwaukee is currently set to see baseball this year and provide some normalcy in a year which is anything but.
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Last Wednesday, the Brewers unexpectedly announced that fans would be able to purchase one of 500 limited tickets to a Brewers game this season. The catch? Instead of a seat for yourself, a $50 purchase would instead net you a cardboard cutout of yourself to be placed in seats in or around the infamous statue of the team’s historic play-by-play sportscaster, Bob Uecker, which sits in Section 422 of Miller Park.
Just as quickly as the announcement came on Wednesday, the cutouts (deemed the “Cutout Crew”) sold out in 90 minutes on Thursday. Given the unique circumstances of this season and the fact that a portion of the proceeds went to the Brewers Community Foundation, it’s easy to see why. If you missed your chance to secure your paper persona however, you’re in luck as due to “popular demand,” more cutouts will go on sale tomorrow, July 7, at 10 a,m.
The cutouts will once again cost $50 and see a portion of the proceeds benefitting the aforementioned community foundation. As explained on MLB.com, fans can upload a photo online which will be transformed into a two-foot tall likeness with FOX Sports Wisconsin’s broadcasts of the games offering glimpses of the cardboard “Brew Crew” surrounding Uecker’s statue.
Among other guidelines, the team’s official site suggests participants wear team apparel, take a photo (not a selfie) against a solid-color background and only capture from your waist up.
The organization has made it clear that this is another limited opportunity and it’s safe to assume this batch of seats could sell out just as fast as the last. Moreover, given the uncertainty of fans being able to attend games at all this season and the fact that Miller Park will be becoming “American Family Field” in 2021, this may be your last opportunity to “attend” a game in Miller Park while it’s still under that famous moniker.
After playing their last game of the 2019-20 season nearly four months ago, the number one seed Milwaukee Bucks finally know when they can resume their dominant march toward the NBA Finals.
Late Friday evening, the NBA announced the schedule for all 22 teams returning to finish the 2019-20 season at Walt Disney World in a truly bizarre fashion. To make a rather complicated situation as simple as possible, these 22 teams will play eight final games selected from the regular season which was cut short by the pandemic in order to determine seeding going into a traditional playoff format consisting of 16 teams.
For Giannis and friends, the final regular season games will see them matchup against a host of formidable opponents and rivals from both the Eastern and Western conferences, making for a “can’t miss” stretch of games.
Friday, July 31 @ 5:30 p.m. – vs Boston Celtics
The last time the Bucks and Celtics fought in January of this year
The Bucks will see their first action against their longtime rivals, and current third best team in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics. Throughout the 2019-20 season, the Bucks matched up against the Celtics in two highly competitive bouts, splitting the season series 1-1.
Despite knocking the Celtics out of the playoffs last season, Boston has notoriously had Milwaukee’s number throughout franchise history and ended the Bucks playoff hopes five out of the seven times they have matched up. This includes twice in the Eastern Conference Finals and once in the 1974 Finals, meaning this beef goes back a long way and will provide an intense test for the team to kick off the season’s comeback.
Sunday, Aug. 2 @ 7:30 p.m. – vs. Houston Rockets
The Bucks one and only matchup against the Rockets so far
Two days later, the Bucks will finally have a chance to face the Houston Rockets again after initially beating them in their house to open the season. Although the Rockets currently sit sixth in the Western Conference, the season opener saw the Bucks down 16 points at the half and demanded a triple-double of Giannis to defeat Houston. In other words, it was no easy feat.
Moreover, Giannis and Rockets’ star James Harden have developed something of a feud which has been simmering since 2019, largely stemming from Giannis winning MVP over Harden last season. Given that the feud has only continued to build since their one and only matchup so far this season, this game will be an exciting peak at their budding rivalry and another solid test for Milwaukee.
Tuesday, Aug. 4 @ 12:30 p.m. – vs. Brooklyn Nets
A dominant performance by the Bucks shut down Brooklyn last time they met
Like the Rockets, the Bucks have only faced the Nets once before this season — and it too resulted in a Bucks win. Unlike the first two matchups of the season however, Brooklyn is a much less proven opponent this season as they are barely hanging on to their seventh seed in the East with a record below .500.
While the Nets were heavily aided by former Celtic, Kyrie Irving, in their first matchup, Irving’s season was ended in February to undergo shoulder surgery and thus this contest should provide something of a break for the Bucks before a heated fourth matchup.
Thursday, Aug. 6 @ 3 p.m. – vs. Miami Heat
To open the season at Fiserv Forum, the Bucks fell to Miami in a heart wrenching OT loss
Despite being the current fourth seed in the East, Miami has toppled Milwaukee both times they matched up so far this season. This included a deflating overtime loss to open the season at Fiserv and an uncharacteristically low scoring affair in March where Milwaukee lost 89-105.
Although another loss to Miami would likely do little to affect the Bucks standings by the time playoffs come, it would be nice to see them finally conquer the Heat and set a precedent going into the playoffs, in case they come face-to-face again.
Saturday, Aug. 8 @ 7:30 p.m. – vs. Dallas Mavericks
Giannis posting a massive 48 points wasn’t enough to take down Dallas in December
The Dallas Mavericks may not be a name you think of when you think of “Milwaukee Bucks rivals” but perhaps they should be for this matchup alone. If you’re confused as to why, the Mavs were the team which snapped the Bucks’ historic 18-game winning streak in their sole contest of the 2019-20 season back in December. Further, that win came without Dallas’ star, Luka Doncic, who should be in top form for this bout.
Monday, Aug. 10 @ 5:30 p.m. – vs. Toronto Raptors
The Bucks statement making win over the Raptors in Toronto from Feburary
There may not be a team more Milwaukee fans want to see the Bucks beat than the Toronto Raptors. The Kawhi Leonard-led team bested the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals last year to go on and win the NBA Championship and despite losing their aforementioned Finals MVP to the Los Angeles Clippers, have remained a dominant force in the Eastern Conference.
On top of that, there is rapper Drake’s now infamous trolling which fueled the fire even more. And yet, as of now, the Bucks have had the last laugh, beating the Raptors soundly both times they have faced each other this season. But one more victory couldn’t hurt, right?
Tuesday, Aug. 11 @ 8 p.m. – vs. Washington Wizards
In spite of an injured Giannis, the Bucks won their January game against the Wizards by 20 points with Middleton posting a career-high 51 points.
As dangerous as it can be to underestimate your opponent in any contest, if there was an opponent the Bucks could think least about in the lead up to Orlando, it may be the Washington Wizards. Not only have the Bucks beat the Wizards in both of their contests this season leading up to this point, but Washington is the team with the worst record heading into Disney at 24-40.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see this game used as an opportunity to rest players going into the final regular season game, but even so, that could make for a peak at the Bucks oft-overlooked depth.
Thursday, Aug. 13 @ TBD – vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Back in December, the Bucks last faced the Grizzlies and secured their 17th consecutive win at Memphis’ expense
Milwaukee’s regular season will end against the Memphis Grizzlies as opposed to the originally scheduled Brooklyn Nets. Having only played once before this season in December, and ending in the Bucks’ 17th consecutive win at the time, this game will provide Milwaukee a chance to secure another season series sweep and create some final momentum heading into the playoffs proper.
The first six games will all be broadcast nationally and the Bucks have announced that FOX Sports Wisconsin will also televise a number of games as well, although the specific games are not yet announced. The typical broadcast team of Jim Paschke, Marques Johnson and Zora Stephenson will return. Moreover, Ted Davis will return to call each game on WTMJ and the BMO Bucks Radio Network. More details on how to watch the games can be found here.
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Today is Juneteenth which to many is considered America’s second independence for African-Americans. On June 19, 1865, two months after the Confederate defeat and almost three years after Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation, a quarter of million former slaves in Texas learned of their freedom. And it was on this day these former slaves celebrated their newfound freedom. African-Americans around the country have been celebrating this date for years.
And in 2020 because of the protests and fight for racial justice, Juneteenth has become even more important. Corporations, states and cities have officially called Juneteenth a holiday and that includes big tech companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter. And a lot of these companies just learned the meaning of Juneteenth. While these gestures are appreciated, these tech companies have not done a good job with diversity and inclusion internally.
In a recent NPR story, Black people in Silicon Valley are demanding more from tech giants and startups when it comes to racial justice.
And that is why some Black techies are doing what they need to do bring attention to the issues in tech industry this Juneteenth. Here is a list of four virtual Juneteenth Black tech events that are taking place. From addressing mental health to addressing bias in A.I. to representation in gaming, there is something for everyone.
Juneteenth Conference
Juneteenth Conference is a free virtual tech conference made for and featuring Black people in technology. The conference celebrates Black Excellence and promotes community for Black people who are severely underrepresented in the tech industry.
Self-care and self-preservation are acts of liberation. In observance of Juneteenth, we wanted to create a safe space where our community could feel heard, nurtured and free. Join Black Girls CODE virtually on June 19 for a day of healing through the arts and conversation featuring poets Aja Monet, Chinaka Hodge and facilitator Autumn Brown. The event is free.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a fundamental change in the way we live, work and relate to one another. It is a new chapter in human development, enabled by extraordinary technology advances commensurate with those of the first, second and third industrial revolutions.
To this end, while big tech, large venture funds and brands have made public statements signaling their support of the Black Lives Matter Movement, is essential that our entire ecosystem of academics, researchers, technologists, professionals, executives, big tech CEO’s, founders, funds, philanthropists and government back up their performative rhetoric with financial resources into the Black tech, startup and venture ecosystem.
OHUB & ThePlug are joining forces to commemorate Juneteenth and present the new order of opportunity to ensure that Black Americans and beyond are equitable represented in the future of work, fourth industrial revolution and beyond as a path to shared prosperity and multi-generational wealth for all with no reliance on pre-existing multi-generational wealth. Branded Juneteenth 4.0, this three hour virtual event will feature influencers, Black technology ecosystem builders and white allies that are committed to this definitive purpose of creating #racialequity.
Axis Replay’s Juneteenth Celebration will take place online and feature panels on the history of Juneteenth, reform and change, the importance of voting, and inclusion in gaming. There will also be a Fortnite tournament. You can learn more about this event here and register at https://www.juneteenth.gg/.
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