Month: September 2022

by Travis Mateer

Although the City Club School Board lunch was a little on the dry side, I’m glad I went, and not just because I helped my table raise the issue of technology’s down side as it relates to kids and the concerns parents like me have as we battle the ubiquitous screen battles at home.

No, I’m glad I went because I ALSO got to see how a reporter like Skyler Rispens frames the event, especially after her little “New to the Beat” trip to DC, which was funded, in part, by groups like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

With that in mind, here is the opening of Rispens article for the Missoulian:

Low teacher pay and educational equity topped the public education topics at a City Club Missoula event on Monday afternoon.

Experts included McCall Flynn, executive director of the Montana Board of Public Education, Lance Melton, executive director of the Montana School Board Association and State Representative David Bedey (R-Hamilton), who also chairs the Legislature’s Education Interim Budget Committee.

“I think a compelling case for change can be made that our current education system is based upon a model that was appropriate and highly effective in the 1900s when we were industrializing this country,” Bedey said. “But now the economy has changed and the approach that we need to education is different.”

Yes, the panel was there to address change, and the conversation was driven by the questions each table developed. Some tables had important people running for office, like Monica Tranel, so of course her question is a part of the news article.

Another question that OF COURSE must be included is the question about WORDS. That’s because our community is very literate and language oriented. Here’s the part about–GASP!–words that might be REMOVED from the road map:

Another commenter noted that the Board of Public Education is considering recommendations from the Office of Public Instruction that eliminate words like “equity” and “ethics” from teacher preparation standards and asked what steps are being taken to protect minority students.

“While I can’t necessarily explain why words like ‘equity’ are being removed and possibly replaced by ‘equality of opportunity,’ which is in our constitution,” Flynn said, “I can tell you that we still very much understand our role to set those minimum standards.”

She provided the crowd an analogy to better understand the role of the board as a group in the middle of a lake, each with an oar, trying to get to land, which represents a perfect public education utopia flushed with resources and free of controversy.

“You can imagine we may not all be rowing at the same speed, we may not be going to the same points on land, but we’re all generally trying to get somewhere,” Flynn said.

In the analogy, the board provides a road map and general idea of how to get to where you’re going.

“Our school boards really then take that road map and determine how they want to implement that on the local level,” she said.

I included this long and torturous analogy because Skyler Rispens included this long and torturous analogy. Because words are important.

Here’s the thing, I didn’t just ask about technology. I asked about whether or not there are ways to assess the impacts of technology on things like our kids mental health. This was a big part of our table’s conversation, but it didn’t make it into the news article. I wonder why?

I know people want to just move on and pretend like this time last year wasn’t an insane flex by local school boards to impose a “health” strategy many parents provided strong arguments against, the kind CNN alarmist Leanna Wen now thinks harmed her son, but if we don’t question what happened under the lucrative alarmist spell cast by corporate media, the next round is going to be worse.

For now it’s all good because Joe Biden declared the pandemic over. Here’s his comment from the 60 Minutes interview:

“We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lotta work on it. It’s — but the pandemic is over. if you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it’s changing. And I think this is a perfect example of it.”

Whew! I’m glad we can all breathe better knowing it’s over. Thanks Joe!

And thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

I strapped on my rollerblades to enjoy the result of the river front development scheme commonly referred to as Expo ’74 on Sunday. It was very enjoyable. Here’s my video summary of how this development came to be:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/751056314?h=badbfcbd89&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

If you don’t feel like listening/watching my summary, here’s a more official one:

When a group of Spokane business leaders and property owners convened in 1959, they had a lofty goal of revitalizing and renewing downtown. High on the list was renovation of Havermale Island, then the site of rail yards, tracks and warehouses. The group funded a commission that recommended a variety of public bonds, tax increases and federal money, none of which gained much traction, including two bonds defeated by vote. They had to scramble for a new plan.

Enter King Cole and his vision for Expo ‘74.

So, here’s my takeaway: if the business community wants something bad enough, it doesn’t matter if the voters say no, they will find a way to get it.

This week the peasants supposedly get treated to information about what’s in store for the Fox Theater site. Isn’t that exciting?

In similar news, my question about why the Top Hat is no longer a music venue has finally produced an answer (sort of) with the news that live music is “returning” to the Top Hat this fall. Isn’t that exciting?

Yes, there are many exciting things happening, including City Club today discussing school board policy. I got my ticket for the event, which I am very excited about!

Maybe I’ll ask for an apology regarding the policies forced on my children that even a CNN analyst, Leanna Wen, is finally second guessing. Why? Because the idiotic masking policy harmed HER OWN SON! From the link (emphasis mine):

I accept the risk that my kids will probably contract covid-19 this school year, just as they could contract the flu, respiratory syncytial virus and other contagious diseases. As for most Americans, covid in our family will almost certainly be mild; and, like most Americans, we’ve made the decision that following precautions strict enough to prevent the highly contagious BA.5 will be very challenging. Masking has harmed our son’s language development, and limiting both kids’ extracurriculars and social interactions would negatively affect their childhood and hinder my and my husband’s ability to work.

Parents like me, who looked at the cost/benefit and said NO, were condescendingly dismissed and demonized, and now we’re supposed to just forget about what was done to our children? I don’t think so.

Thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

Spokane is not Missoula, but it has the same chemical demons twisting the body of the man who has been standing beneath the street light outside for hours, in roughly the same spot. I think about filming him from my hotel balcony, but decide not to. What’s the point? You’ve already seen it. It’s nothing new.

On Friday a stubbly faced dude with a crazed look in his eye whipped out a knife while chasing a man he claimed stole his backpack. This happened right in front of me, in the middle of the crosswalk, just across from the Missoula County Courthouse. I had just left my studio a block away, for lunch, but decided calling 911 was a more pressing matter.

The outcome? I don’t think the man was even booked, but I haven’t followed up after NOT seeing his name pop up on the jail roster. Because I’m disgusted. And tired.

In that moment I should have realized Missoula’s 10 year plan to end homelessness was indistinguishable from this man’s murderous intent to stab the alleged thief of his belongings, and I should have ABSTAINED from alerting the authorities. 

Despite several onlookers applauding my intervention, and the police officer who took my statement saying he’s glad I called, I had the sneaking suspicion others in our community would only see value in the numbers these two men represent on some excel sheet attached to a grant for a job the more naive claim to be working themselves out of.

Later that day, I saw the man who was being chased in an empty storefront, all fucked up on something, near the stretch of concrete where kids regularly chalk happy pictures and inclusive phrases. 

“Why was that guy chasing you with a knife?” I asked.

“Oh shit, really? A knife?” He replied, oblivious.

After telling him to cut that shit out, I left him to pass out and maybe die. At least the other guy who has been sleeping there started cleaning up every once and awhile after I gave him a motivational speech.

Did I mention I’m fucking tired?

A day before the knife incident I saw Mr. Logjam walk into MRA, where a doting Ellen Buchanan ushered him into the conference room with a window visible from the sidewalk. 

Did I snap a picture? No. You see, I’m trying to be sensitive, considering Ellen acted kind of weird right before I entered the glass doors to City Council last Monday. So weird, in fact, I put in a public records request to see if the private security firm the city has a contract with might have a certain journalist on a watch list or something.

What else am I to think after Ellen Buchanan sees me entering, heads straight to speak with the private security guy, then scurries to her office, which is adjacent to the hallway leading to Council chambers, and locks the door?

Maybe Ellen Buchanan was just rushing to tell her favorite “reporter” about her big HINT that something BIG is coming next week, so he could turn around and write marketing garbage like this:

“Capital V Partners in April announced their intent to take over the project and, at that time, they said they were wrapping up due diligence. That’s about where the updates ended.

But on Thursday, when asked by a board member, Missoula Redevelopment Agency Director Ellen Buchanan hinted that a long-anticipated update could be coming.

“There is a lot of interest and a lot of movement,” she said. “We’ll know more next week about what’s going on.”

Yes, Missoula picked its back-alley technocrat Mayor JUST IN TIME! 

I assume this project is why Nick Checota was stopping by, but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the guy who had to bow out from the last development scheme on this prized parcel doesn’t get a sneak peek of what’s to come.

Whatever monstrosity gets built, I’m sure Nick will get his piece of the action through some privileged back channel, like a piece of the stage, or an enclave to peddle boutique weed from.

Thinking of drugs and the opportunists positioning themselves to monetarily benefit from the recently legalized one, I went back out on the balcony to check on the tweaker. Yep, still there. And this time I DID take a little footage to prove I’m not just making this up for effect.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/750919911?h=8724bdb429&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

You see? Making things up for effect is not my style. I’ll leave that to directors of non-profits who can’t unite anyone and should be shown the way to a graceful departure from official duties.

No, Spokane is not Missoula, it’s just the urban armpit of eastern Washington where I was born to a dad who didn’t die like his baby sister and brother did shortly after birth because of an anti-nausea pill later pulled from the market. I learned that from my aunt, along with the babies names: Robin and Gregory.

What are we to do with so many emotionally stunted dads? The woman who interrogated me on the basis of concerning allegations told me, in so many words, GROW UP AND GET OVER IT!

No, Spokane is not Missoula, and Missoula is not Seattle or Kansas City–all places where I was supposedly growing up. And, like anywhere else in this country, all places writhing with chemical demons like an end-times hellscape from Hollywood.

It’s quite late and, as I’ve mentioned, I’m tired. So good night tweaker, and good night youth, good night wolves howling at the moon, and good night shepherds in gleaming white hats, I hope nothing sneaks in during your alcohol naps.

by Travis Mateer

Yesterday I attended the kick-off to the campaign to convince voters they need to finance two more buildings at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. Despite claiming this will be a great thing for the community, maybe 20 people actually showed up, and I think most of them probably came for the free LemonDairy drinks.

Did I have a free LemonDairy? Yes. Was it delicious? Yes. Am I now supporting this bond to build two buildings for cows and hockey players? Hell no. And neither should you.

The slogan VOTE FOR OUR FAIRGROUNDS is really dumb because we don’t need to vote for something we already have. I guess saying VOTE FOR TWO BIG BUILDINGS didn’t have the same, disingenuous ring to it. But they are pretty nice looking buildings.

As I sat at a picnic table waiting for the Ice Rink board president, Ryan Yearous, to speak, I considered the offensiveness of this bond being pitched during an election cycle with double digit tax increases at the City AND County level, not to mention the other bond for the Sheriff’s Office payout, and the mill levy for sustaining homeless services.

And then I saw this:

This guy must be a lot of fun for cops and Poverello staff who ALL must be cynically scoffing at how this whole criminal justice thing is supposed to work. From the link (emphasis mine):

“Missoula Police officers responded to the Poverello Center after Virinder Brar threw a rock through a big window, causing it to shatter,” Arnold said. “On scene, witnesses told officers that Brar was upset because he was denied staying at the Poverello for the evening. Brar had also been throwing rocks at sleeping guests. He was also yelling and screaming at them. Witnesses were able to provide officers with Brar’s name, clothing description, and the direction of travel he left on.” 

According to court documents, two people who were outside the Poverello told officers that Brar had been asking people for “crystal” and when they said no, he started throwing rocks at people and saying he was going to kill them. 

Another staff member found the rock that was thrown through the window. The window was large and double-paned. The rock traveled through the exterior window and also caused an interior window to spiderweb when it hit it. The rock was also wrapped in the lottery ticket that Brar had tried to redeem.

“Officers located Brar near the Poverello Center and took him into custody,” Arnold said. “Officers took photos of the scene. This case is still under investigation with the Missoula Police Department Detective Division. This is the fourth time Brar has been arrested by the Missoula Police Department since September 3, 2022. Two of the previous arrests were for felony charges and one was for a misdemeanor offense.”

The cost of the Sheriff/Homeless taxpayer package is around $9.4 million. The Fairground ask is more than double that.

I know there’s a baby in there somewhere, but there’s also A LOT of dirty bathwater. It’s going to be difficult work getting in there and finding what needs to be truly rescued, but I’m going to try.

And to those who have been around the block a few times, and who think yesterdays tactics will play with tomorrow’s POA (power of attorney), you should really think twice about continuing on your current trajectory.

My suggestion? Enjoy a brain-freezing LemonDairy, they are truly delicious! Thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

It’s a bold claim, but Lowell Hochhalter is a bold man. And no, this is not a joke. There are more people than just the founder of the LifeGuard Group who apparently think a combination of training and passion makes them synonymous with being a cop.

The Montana Beer and Wine Distributors Association (MBWDA) claims that, with the help of the LifeGuard Group, they will come close to DOUBLING the police force in Montana. How will they do this? Please watch this six minute video so you can see for yourself the full context of this absurd claim.

The name given to this beer truck army activation scheme is the SENTINEL PROJECT. If that sounds exciting, it might not be too late to catch this amazing movement, led by Lowell Hochhalter, at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet, which just happens to be this evening.

While thinking of a beer truck army combatting human trafficking is patently absurd, I don’t want my snarky approach to this audacious claim to undermine the serious problems with just about everything this project represents.

The full version of the video describing the Sentinel Project, which you can see here, must be watched to appreciate. What will you see? Stereotypical descriptions of trafficking victims, boxes of beer, drone shots of pretty Montana landscapes, drone shots of beer trucks driving across those landscapes, and some exploitive platforming of two victims of trafficking for promotional purposes, to name a few.

Now, I know I can be very critical, especially when there’s a supernova of context that can’t be publicly put forward yet, but there ARE some helpful tidbits from this video I’d like to highlight in the form of quotes.

Here’s Detective Guy Baker:

“If you don’t know what to look for, you could be looking right at something and you truly don’t see it for what it is, right?”

And here’s Lowell Hochhalter:

“Once you know what to look for, you’ll see it…It’s in plain sight…it’s right there.”

Yep, gentlemen. I agree.

And ladies. We of course have ladies along for this ride as well, and by the looks of the two in the picture above, I think they know how to apply makeup.

And that’s important. Not to ME, but to Lowell Hochhalter, who has an interesting quote about Jermain Charlo and makeup that I heard on the Stolen podcast, which I wrote about here. And here’s the quote:

“This isn’t my language, this is the language of a perpetrator: “she’s very marketable. Tall, slender, exotic looking, dark hair, took care of herself. Knew how to apply her makeup. Very marketable.”

There are other excerpts from the Stolen podcast that you just have to hear, but to hear it you have to go to Spotify, because it’s an exclusive Spotify product. That said, let’s try playing a few audio clips for journalistic purposes. Here you go:

Thinking in terms of “products” might be helpful for more than just Detective Guy Baker, who uses that word to describe women in the video. One might even look at the LifeGuard Group itself as a product, one that’s been HEAVILY invested in by the Gianforte Foundation for use by the AG’s office.

Behind the scenes of this post there are some ugly games being played by political forces I would assume would see opportunity here, but those forces are in total disarray and thus unable to challenge a group tied to a political party sitting on a billion dollar state surplus, especially while local discontent continues to simmer over the coming tax hikes.

To the representatives of that political power who have the position to do something, but choose to focus on other, more personal things, here is the dude you are protecting wishing death upon his enemies from the pulpit.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/749826840?h=5e5b96a580&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

Thanks for reading AND watching!