Month: October 2022

by Travis Mateer

Over the summer I’ve gotten to know a guy on the streets named Doug. Last July I wrote a short piece about Doug and his claim that his grandpa, Norris Bradbury, worked on the Manhattan Project. Then, in September, I saw Doug get arrested, which I filmed and posted here.

When I first met Doug in July he told me about a situation that landed him in intensive care. Apparently Doug had been in jail for several months, then was released briefly, got drunk, and was arrested again, but upon discharge from jail, he supposedly had a seizure related to alcohol withdrawal.

Is that what really happened? According to Doug’s medical records, which he shared with me and asked me to document, there is some skepticism stated by the medical professionals about this supposed scenario.

When I ran into Doug yesterday (October 9th) his arm was in a sling. According to Doug, his injury occurred as a result of an arrest for being a disorderly person who failed to disperse. Doug further speculated that his swift discharge from jail was because they didn’t want to be financially responsible for his medical care.

Here’s the booking info from Doug’s latest arrest:

And here’s Doug talking about what happened to him, recorded yesterday afternoon in downtown Missoula:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/758570143?h=b8eeca4d0c&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

And here’s Doug’s medical report from his latest injury at the hands of law enforcement:

Instead of just blaming law enforcement for the violent experiences Doug claims to be having, I’m going to direct my proverbial finger at our elected leaders and the homeless industrial complex for creating a situation where people like Doug languish on the streets, frustrating the boots-on-the-ground people to the point of dangerous burnout.

Yesterday I interviewed another person on the street after she panhandled me for money. I initially said no to the request for spare change, but after giving it some thought, I grabbed a dollar from my studio and offered it to her in exchange for an interview, to which she agreed.

Before posting the brief interview, here’s a little background on Lorenna: she’s been on and off the streets for many years and is one of the more challenging people to work with. Though she’s in housing currently, she doesn’t have case management, and her behavior indicates she isn’t taking medication properly. I know one local coffee shop that has had to ban her because of her behavior. Here’s the interview:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/758733505?h=b9895e66b8&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

While I don’t condone violent behavior from anyone, the context to our current predicament as a community when it comes to addiction, mental illness, and the inability to manage keeping a roof over one’s head is important to keep in mind.

After today’s Bear Tracks bridge virtue-signaling ceremony is over, I hope some more tangible reasons for that $5 million dollar crisis mill levy are provided to voters instead of vague platitudes and emotional manipulation.

Ballots go out VERY soon, so time is of the essence. Thanks for reading! And if you value this content, please click here and consider donating.

by Travis Mateer

Imagine, if you can, the horror of losing your daughter. Add to that the suspicion that your daughter’s death didn’t happen the way authorities say it did. And then add a local media industry that can’t, or won’t, report on the mounting evidence that something is seriously wrong.

And why hasn’t the media reported on the mounting evidence?

Because, for over a year, there hasn’t been a criminal investigation. No investigation means nothing for conventional media to report on.

Well, that all changed on September 6th in the Rebekah Barsotti case.

Or did it?

The ON/OFF button is a simplistic way of describing how those in power seem to be able to play both sides of legal fences. This could be claiming a case is active or inactive, open or closed, or methods of determining how cases will be treated depending on the need of the moment, like shifting jurisdictions and other things I’m not ready to get into yet.

Returning to what changed on September 6th will be significant when understanding how impressive this ON/OFF button can be because the existence of a criminal investigation at the state level was made by David Barsotti’s counsel, Mineral Deputy County Attorney, Wally Congdon, and Judge Jason Marks.

The reason all these people were discussing a criminal case being conducted at the state level is because a lingering question regarding Rebekah Barsotti’s personal items–specifically, her laptop–is making a discussion about the criminal case necessary.

Where is the laptop now, how did it get to where it is, and why is it there? These are some basic questions a new player is this saga is trying to off-switch by claiming there is no state-level investigation into the circumstances of this case.

I don’t think this new player is ready for his close-up yet, so instead I’ll try to contextualize why I hope a criminal investigation is indeed happening, and that’s the strange case of David Barsotti’s caregiver, Sheila S.

I’m withholding Sheila’s last name for the time being because I hope she’s ok. Why do I hope Sheila S. is ok? Because of the unhinged, 17 paragraph email communication sent in her name to Rebekah’s Facebook page.

There are many reasons to think this is NOT Sheila, but I’m not going to get into any of that. You see, this is where something called INVESTIGATORS should be coming in to do their job. And if the local authorities in Mineral County are incapable, then state authorities need to step in.

Calling in the Division of Criminal Investigation is something Lance Jasper, a lawyer for Reep, Bell and Jasper, claimed should’ve happen LAST NOVEMBER in a Mineral County Commissioner meeting. To hear otherwise from that unnamed button pusher in the AG’s office is very strange.

Hopefully confirmation will come that there is indeed a criminal investigation. Then, who knows, maybe local media will finally get interested in this case. Anything is possible.

Thanks for reading! And if you’re feeling generous, you can find the donation button at my about page.

by Travis Mateer

Today’s post was going to be about a magical button, but instead it’s going to be another post about a bridge.

This bridge has some problems because America has some problems, and America has some problems because some bad people made some bad choices around the time of our last World War.

The sabotage of Crimean infrastructure comes on the heels of someone blowing up the Nordstream pipeline. At what point does the next explosion look like a mushroom cloud?

I hope the psychos who want a kinetic war with Russia take a break from blowing shit up, because I can’t write about the buttons I want to if some senile white guy who probably shits himself regularly hits the armageddon button.

Thanks for caring.

by Travis Mateer

Yesterday I was VERY excited to see a beer truck driver because I knew, after seeing Governor Gianforte this past week at Fairmont Hot Springs, that the chances were good this driver was a trained soldier in the fight against human trafficking.

The video below takes place BEFORE I spoke with the beer truck driver, who did finally recall the training about human trafficking after some prodding, though he wasn’t aware of how drivers like him were being used in a political PR campaign, so I told him.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/758289962?h=0dafe9bdf3&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

On the subject of bridges, the stage is being set for a grand show on Monday. What kind of amazing virtue signaling content will these signs display for the public?

Yes, that’s right, the graffiti artists are quicker than the virtue-signalers when it comes to content creation. Nothing surprising there.

What DOES surprise is how the topic of bridges in this town continues to trigger strong anger responses in me. The latest is the closure of the pedestrian bridge on the Northside, which opened to the public in 1999. Now, “extensive” repairs are needed, and that work is expected to start next year.

Here’s our new Mayor telling us this bridge is a top priority:

The City of Missoula closed the Northside Pedestrian Bridge on September 30 for safety considerations when significant fractures were discovered in the bridge decking and supports. The City has hired engineers to analyze the extent of the damage and design solutions to repair or replace the failing structures. The bridge will remain closed until repairs are completed. 

Mayor Jordan Hess says re-opening the bridge is a top priority for the City. “This is an important transportation corridor in Missoula. We recognize that and take it very seriously,” Hess said. When engineering consultants complete their analysis and renovation plans later this year, the City will select a construction firm to repair the deck and rehabilitate the masonry bridge supports. City officials hope to start construction in early 2023.

The bridge that will be dedicated on Monday has ALREADY had problems, and that’s PLURAL problems. The shitty material used for the walkways gets so hot in the summer, dog paws might be injured due to the heat. So they painted it over. Then there was the closure of the bridge due to weight-bearing concerns.

But hey, at least they’ve got the PR right!

Bridges in Missoula really fire me up! Isn’t it ironic that “bridges” can be divisive things in a community? I guess when you make taxpayers pay for a $4.5 million dollar bridge that hardly anyone uses, or a $800,000 dollar bridge for meth users that private security can’t seem to consistently open, people like me who pay attention (an affliction) get a little testy.

Oh well. Enjoy the weekend!

https://player.vimeo.com/video/758293764?h=2b58a4731b&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479

by Travis Mateer

It’s not every day that a Democrat in Montana like Ellie Boldman is quoted by the media kissing the ass of a Republican like Montana’s Governor, Greg Gianforte, but here it is (emphasis mine):

Overall, task force members said the preliminary draft was a good reflection of the many factors contributing to Montana’s worsening housing crisis. 

Boldman commended Gov. Greg Gianforte for creating the task force.

“For the wisdom to see, really, what I think was a crisis in our state,” Boldman said. “And to be really deliberate in trying to put together a task force that represented a lot of different interests.”

Wisdom? Really, Ellie Boldman? Isn’t that laying it on kinda thick?

While I’m tempted to quibble about words, there is a kind of political “wisdom” behind Boldman’s bold ass-kissing, considering Republicans will own the legislative session next year.

Thankfully the Missoulian isn’t acting like a conniving politician indirectly championing her own work on this state housing task force in its chokecherry assessment of the Governor’s housing report, which resulted from the work of the task force.

Here’s how the Missoulian framed the report (emphasis NOT mine):

A history book of chokecherries to the Montana Housing Task Force for its draft report suggesting a pile of ideas that have torn neighbors and neighborhoods apart in the recent past. Some Missoulians must still remember the feuds over “boundary line relocations.” The fights over calling that apartment in the detached garage an “accessory dwelling unit” or a “butt hut.” The “family definition” occupancy standard debate that pivoted on the legal difference between a house full of college student renters and a house full of nuns (really). If these terms seem vague, get ready for history to repeat itself with a lot of top-down pressure from Helena as the proposals to “require localities to allow accessory dwelling units on all single-family lots served by public water” and “prohibit localities from enacting an owner-occupancy requirement.” We’re not implying that Montana’s affordable housing crisis can resolve itself. But Gov. Greg Gianforte’s policy project would have saved a lot of time by recalling how its recycled ideas got received the last time someone trotted them out.

Throwing an entire HISTORY BOOK of chokecherries at our Governor is a mixed metaphor I can totally get behind. It’s also interesting to see how OLD ideas get deployed by this administration, especially on the heels of the fireside chat where some terrible NEW ideas were thrown out like they don’t stink.

Or maybe I’m wrong and opening cop shops to connect drug addicts to services and training an army of beer truck drivers to combat human trafficking are GREAT ideas.

Anyway, if political self-preservation is the goal, Ellie Boldman’s choice to give Gianforte (and herself, let’s not kid ourselves) political cover is probably a pretty good idea.

Thanks for reading!