Day: May 15, 2023

by Travis Mateer

In what looks like a recurring series from the Missoulian about homeless people with NOWHERE TO GO the reporter, David Erickson, does an impressive job barely mentioning illegal drugs, like meth. Instead the readers of the Missoulian are treated to propaganda bullshit like this (emphasis mine):

A lack of affordable housing, steadily pushing people to the brink and over the edge into homelessness, is Montana’s most intractable problem.

“I think affordable and attainable housing is probably the No. 1 issue facing working families in Montana,” Gov. Greg Gianforte said at a press conference in April.

An influx of wealthy newcomers since the start of the pandemic has exacerbated an already severe shortage of places for people to live. Building hasn’t kept pace with population increases. Borrowing costs have skyrocketed along with interest rates. The price of labor and materials have made building new homes much more expensive. Landlords are taking advantage of those factors and raising rents, and out-of-state investors are snapping up everything from multifamily apartment buildings to mobile home courts in Montana.

Companies aren’t paying wages high enough for local workers to compete for available rentals with remote workers drawing big-city paychecks. When older homes are demolished to make way for new complexes, low-income renters are evicted, left with few options in an expensive market.

Meanwhile, a lack of mental health services has left an untold number of people on the streets dealing with undiagnosed or untreated illness. Federal statistics say about one-fifth of unsheltered people have a mental illness or are dealing with substance abuse, but surveys in other cities have found that percentage to be much higher.

The part of the quote in bold is the ONLY reference I could find in this lengthy article about homelessness, and that’s a problem. Why? Because, if a news outlet can so effectively downplay this MAJOR factor of drug abuse in the homeless equation, then what else are they distorting for their readers?

For MY readers, it took me all of 15 minutes to find (on Facebook) the connection between Eric Tennant and meth dealing, and that connection John Cave.

How do I know John Cave is a meth dealer? Well, because he was arrested selling meth out of the Authorized Camping Site (ACS) last year, that’s why. From the link (emphasis mine):

On October 14, 2022, Missoula Police Department officers arrested a male for possessing 2.5 grams of methamphetamine.

During the officer’s interaction with the male, the male said that he had bought $100 worth of methamphetamine and that he had smoked two “bowls” worth of the substance from the pack that was located on him. The male told the officer that he bought his meth from a male named Cave at the Missoula Authorized Camping Site. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold has more.

“Officer responded to the Authorized Camping Site on Clark Fork Lane for a report of a person selling illegal drugs there,” Arnold said. “Officers on the scene spoke with the security guards and were able to see video surveillance of the suspected area and the tent involved. In the tent, officers observed drug paraphernalia, weapons, and other items associated with illegal drug activity.”

Omitting the reality of rampant drug abuse is an incredible DISSERVICE to those in Missoula with eyes and functioning brains. It also IS NOT HELPING those on the streets wasting away as we discuss the finer points of jobs many of these people DO NOT WANT and the housing some of them would TURN DOWN if offered.

What else is lurking amongst the drug abusers living like animals in our idyllic mountain town under a BIG SKY? Maybe some occult imagery will help. This is another image taken from Tennant’s Facebook page:

If you can’t clearly see the Sigil of Baphomet, here it is without the asshole flipping off the camera:

Another person I suspect is helping homeless drug abusers acquire their poison also popped up on Tennant’s list of friends. Here’s the same reporter from the Missoulian giving a platform to Heather Hays last October, enabling her use emotional manipulation in a last-ditch effort to keep their open-air drug market active for customers:

Heather Hays, a resident of the camp, said she was upset that city officials believe that there has to be electric heat and private security guards in order for the camp to remain open.

“I am near furious hearing the lies that have been told to you about the things that have been done,” she said. “We have generators that we share. We are a community, we are a family, we take care of each other.”

Hays said she’s researched other legal homeless camps.

“I’ve seen other states that have done this,” she said. “That fact that (Pehan) thinks that we need such an aggressive on-the-ground (security) there — we are all adults. We had jobs just like you, but one bad thing happened to us and we ended up here. You’re making us out to be animals in that place. We’re human. If you take this away from us during the winter months, you’re killing us.”

The bold parts represent the emotional manipulation I find most offensive because I know, from seeing the results, that people ARE living like animals, and it’s THE DRUGS that are fucking doing it. Why is the reality of this so fucking impossible for local media to accurately report on?

About 20 minutes after this article posts today, I’ll be at City Club listening to the LOCAL MEDIA DEATH WATCH and what, if anything, local leaders want to do about it. Since so many of them seem to have an allergy to truth and transparency, I imagine it won’t be much.

If you want to make an impact in the local media landscape, my VERY BIASED suggestion is to support ME through Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF), or by making a donation at my about page.

Thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

On Friday I randomly spoke with some young people who knew Joey Thompson after striking up a conversation outside City Hall. It’s good to know my BIG MOUTH can be an asset sometimes instead of a liability.

What did I learn from this conversation? And did the things I was told confirm what I had already been hearing about what MAY have happened to Joey Thompson? I’ll answer those questions in this post, but first, the official confirmation of identity from the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office:

What happened in the early morning hours of April 11th before Joey went missing? If I was a Detective, the two young men I’d be looking at are Kasen Konop and Dylan Seat, both apparently hanging out with Joey at a bonfire in the woods on the night he disappeared, or was left behind by his “friends”.

Kasen, according to multiple sources, shaved his head and took off to Superior, Montana, after Joey went missing. He also deleted social media posts. Does that sound suspicious?

The other young man, Dylan Seat, is someone the grapevine seems to be very interested in. I’m interested as well, considering his mother, April, works at the Hope Rescue Mission and is a big part of the church scene I’ve been investigating.

Speaking generally, a handful of churches in Missoula feature leadership and congregational enablers who have exhibited a dangerous lack of discernment when it comes to very difficult populations to work with, like ex-cons (rebranded as “returning citizens”) and victims of sexual assault. One red flag that you may be dealing with a local church that has the WRONG priorities is association with a national chain called the Dream Center, based in Los Angeles.

In February, 2022, I wrote about this national chain and connection to a local church, River of Life, and a “non-profit”, the LifeGuard Group. Since then I’ve continued to look into this world as an outsider and former homeless service provider with the help of a very knowledgeable insider, and the picture forming is incredibly alarming.

To begin understanding what’s going on with these religious dynamics, you have to try and see groups of marginalized people as a sort of physical terrain where spiritual turf-wars can break out between God’s fractured and very confused foot soldiers trying desperately to save souls.

I’m not intending to disparage the well-meaning people who can, and do, accomplish good work with miraculous outcomes. That said, when you start adding certain things into the mix, like money and politics, shit can go south quickly, even after starting with the best of intentions.

One of the things I’ve been hearing from the people I’ve talked to about this case–people CLOSE to this case–is the lack of communication from authorities and the frustration that lack of communication creates. I can confirm this phenomenon exists, considering it’s now been TEN DAYS since I called and left a message with the Detective from the Sheriff’s Office assigned to this case.

Maybe the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t want to hear what I have to say about the church dynamics involved in this situation because they, themselves, are COMPROMISED by those same dynamics, thanks to their Chaplain, Lowell Hochhalter, and the board president and pastor of Engaging Heaven Church, Derek Talley.

Do you see the kind, loving power of Jesus Christ flickering like the hopeful light of salvation behind Derek Talley’s eyes? Is that light powerful enough to SAVE wayward souls, like “returning citizens”, or other men with a history of violence, but DIVINELY sanctioned by national brands, like the Dream Center?

As a fallible human myself, I don’t feel well-positioned to answer that question. But, as a Gonzo-led independent journalist, I absolutely DO feel well-positioned to examine the fruits of the men claiming divine appointment from GOD in their local efforts to allegedly help people, like those who go missing, and those who might be involved in the dark practice of human trafficking.

Let’s take a moment to examine the WORD of God, as translated by Engaging Heaven’s religious leadership on their website (linked above). From the link (emphasis mine):

If the screenshot is too difficult to read, let me highlight some of the things I’d like the leadership of Engaging Heaven to consider when it comes to MY calling.

Pastor Derek and Jen believe that God is going to awaken the hearts of His children. They believe that God wants to see Missoula saved, set free and delivered. He wants to transform lives. They want to see people realize God’s spirit lives inside of them and therefore we carry the power to do all He has called us to do.

Yes, I have a similar belief, and to confirm my belief I can reference both synchronistic insights, which I strongly feel are divinely guided, and the sacrifices I’ve made in order to follow what I’ve learned from those insights.

The Holy Spirit gives us power to be His witnesses to our families, communities, and to the ends of the Earth.

…

We will not just be hearers of His Word but also doers. We love the communities we live in and reach out to them to love them like Christ loves us. We are servant-minded and look for opportunities to help those who cannot help themselves. We care for the poor and broken-hearted and strive to share the love of Jesus with them. We believe in signs, wonders, and miracles. The gifts of the Spirit were not just for a specific time or specific believers – they are for every believer, every day.

Yes, I ALSO have beliefs similar to these, so when I find institutional deviation from what’s being claimed, it puts fire to the feet of my own calling because ultimately I don’t think Jesus is very happy with a good portion of his followers here in Missoula.

It’s like I told Lowell Hochhalter’s son, Carson, after knocking on the door of the LifeGuard Group’s office in the Florence Building: there’s still time for people to do the RIGHT thing with what they know instead of the MONEY thing, which too often seems to be placed on a higher pedestal than other principles, like TRUTH and JUSTICE.

On Sunday I took another drive to the area Joey Thompson went missing, specifically the wooded area where his red hoodie and phone were found (but not together, apparently). The more details like this that I check out, the less it makes sense that Joey would somehow end up in the river, much less 40 miles down stream.

If Joey Thompson truly was alone in this remote part of Missoula when he went into the river, then it will never be known exactly how that occurred because the only person with that knowledge is now deceased. I do not think that is the case, though, so I’ll keep doing what I can to find answers.

To help my efforts, there’s Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF), and the donation button at my about page.

Thanks for reading!