Month: December 2023

by Travis Mateer

Philadelphia, Long Island and Missoula have something in common. What could it be? That’s right, all three locations have development projects financed by the Rockefeller Group being built in their communities. 

Here’s the Missoulian describing the Missoula project:

A large national property developer is in the first stages of building a $40 million, 203-unit high-end apartment complex in the South Hills neighborhood of Missoula.

Rockefeller Group, a nearly 100-year-old company based in New York that constructs, owns and manages real estate across the country, is building a development called the Pine Apartments at 5001 Hillview Way in Missoula.

It’ll be part of a larger housing development called Wildroot.

Isn’t this wonderful? Sure, a slow replacement of Missoulians by those who can afford the skyrocketing cost of housing might irreparably change the fabric of this community, but who is going to stop it? Face it, Missoula, other people want this place for themselves, and if they have the money, then they can buy it.

Here’s more from the article showing how done this place is for those WITHOUT deep pockets (emphasis mine):

“With Pine at Wildroot, Rockefeller Group is expanding our residential portfolio to Montana, one of the nation’s top 10 states for population growth,” said Dave Klebba, managing director for Rockefeller Group’s Rocky Mountain region. “Missoula is consistently regarded as one of the most desirable places to live in the country and given our project’s proximity to the University of Montana, combined with the increase in population, we are confident that this project will be very successful.”

See? People with money want to live here, and the Rockefeller Group is more than happy to oblige these NEW Missoulians with a trendy place to call home.

If you don’t like what is happening to Missoula I have a simple question for you: what are you going to do about it? Nothing. That’s what you’ll do, Missoula. How do I know you will collectively do nothing significant to stop the transformation of Missoula into an elite enclave for the deep pocketed people? That’s an easy question to answer, but instead I’ll use a picture.

Yes, a community that allows a man to be euthanized by the Sheriff’s Office, and then doesn’t bat an eye when his alleged assailant is shot in the back by that same Sheriff’s Office less than a year later, is NOT a community that is capable of dealing with the reckoning that would come by acknowledging what happened to Sean Stevenson. So Sean’s death is ignored, and Johnny’s death is ignored, and this town just goes about its business like it’s NOT a hotbed of misery and violence for those without the money to thrive in Zoom Town.

No, the important people in Missoula are too busy celebrating our County buying a mountain, and if there’s scrutiny about official narratives, it’s more than likely directed at locations, like Holland Lake, and not people, like Sean Stevenson.

To back up this claim, here’s the Holland Lake people scrutinizing the claims of water quality by the Forrest Service:

On Monday, Save Holland Lake, a Condon-area nonprofit, reacted with skepticism to Forest Service reports of finding no groundwater contamination from the sewage lagoons that serve the Holland Lake Lodge and campground. They say a delay in testing produced results that probably didn’t reflect the contamination that occurred several weeks ago.

“We were given a number of excuses why this was delayed and didn’t happen,” Roberts said in a release.

…

In the Flathead Forest release, DEQ Water Quality Division Administrator Lindsey Krywaruchka is quoted as saying, “DEQ appreciates the Forest Service’s coordination and response through the process and we are pleased the samples showed no contamination of ground or surface water.”

But Save Holland Lake is not pleased, because the Flathead National Forest told their people something slightly different during a meeting on Wednesday.

If this level of scrutiny was applied to the narrative that Sean Stevenson was attacked by only ONE person in the men’s dorm of the Poverello Center, then maybe the Stevenson family wouldn’t still be in the dark, nearly 4 years later, about HOW their family member acquired bruises all over his body. This simply isn’t possible if the ONE person who assaulted Sean only choked him out, as claimed by law enforcement.

If Sean Stevenson was a lake where rich white people recreated, then the false narrative about his death wouldn’t be allowed to stand, but Sean is NOT a lake, he’s a dead human being with a family that deserves REAL answers about how he was rendered unconscious inside the men’s dorm of the Poverello Center.

Soon I’ll be moving into a new phase of bringing attention to what’s happening (and not happening) in Zoom Town, and that new phase will have a new blog to accompany it, so stay tuned!

And, if you’re so inclined, Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF) is still accepting donations, or you can use the donation button at my about page.

Thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

A young man getting a scholarship isn’t usually a newsworthy event, but when that scholarship offers a path to becoming a globalist, well, I guess the Missoulian would like you to know about it.

From the link (emphasis mine):

Missoulian has been selected for a highly competitive program that will send him to China to study Mandarin and global affairs.

Of the roughly 4,200 global applicants to Schwarzman Scholars, Brendan Campbell, 25, was one of only 150 people selected. Campbell, who attended Target Range and then Hellgate High School before heading east to Yale University, will spend one year in Beijing working toward his graduate degree and immersing himself in the language.

Whereas many of his fellow awardees might aspire toward careers in international business or global affairs, Campbell plans to root his experience in how he can benefit his home state.

“It’s always been about Montana,” he said.

If this was JUST about a young men getting educated, I wouldn’t be writing this post, but it’s not. No, this is about politics, so before we get to Senator Tester, let’s take a look at Brendan Campbell’s Facebook page.

See that? Brendan Campbell was a field organizer for Montana Democrats. Isn’t that interesting? What’s even MORE interesting is how this Missoulian article uses this China-bound scholar to shame Senator Tester for not loving China as vigorously as, say, the Biden family loves China. From the link: (emphasis mine):

This opportunity comes at an interesting moment for the born-and-raised Missoulian, whose home state has made curbing the influence of China a priority in recent years.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester launched an investigation into federal intelligence systems after a suspected Chinese spy balloon floated into U.S. airspace above Billings in early 2023. Tester also introduced language in the defense spending bill that prohibited people or businesses from China, among other countries, from buying U.S. agricultural land, and he calls China the “greatest threat facing our nation” in a recent campaign ad.

Do I agree with Tester about China being a threat? If we’re talking about regular Chinese people then no, I don’t think they are threats. But if we’re talking about the Chinese GOVERNMENT then YES, I think we have a problem, but it’s not JUST the CCP we have to worry about.

The corporations who give ZERO FUCKS about inflicting misery on mankind in order to make a buck are ALSO a big part of the problem, so imagine my keen interest in discovering just which corporation is behind this Schwarzman Scholarship. From the link (emphasis mine):

Schwarzman Scholars was started in 2015 by Stephen A. Schwarzman, a billionaire and chairman and CEO of private equity firm Blackstone. It would be easy to be lulled into admiration by the prestige of Schwarzman Scholars, with its 4% acceptance rate and long list of notable supporters including diplomats and elected officials.

Campbell, a neuroscientist with a diploma from Yale who then worked as a community organizer and raft guide, says he’s grappled with his own participation in a system that he thinks can inflict harm and perpetuate inequality — whether it be his alma mater, the Schwarzman program or the other privileges he’s enjoyed that have gotten him to this point.

Is this a fucking joke? Does the Missoulian really think anyone who reads this shit is going to be impressed by a “community organizer” after our “community organizer” President conned America with HOPE and CHANGE before letting Citigroup pick his cabinet in 2008?

If you’re curious what corporate soullessness looks like, check out this amazing video which is apparently real and NOT a fucking joke (like anything produced by the Missoulian):

It’s fascinating to see the Missoulian use this scholarship and budding Democrat operative in order to highlight Tester’s political strategy of China-bashing, which is part of a larger strategy to be a better conservative than the idiots who run the Montana Republican Party. 

Is this kind of covert political coverage something we can continue to expect from the Missoulian’s new editor, Stevie Kiggins? Since Tester’s race will be one of the most important ones to watch for the people who think this stuff matters, I’ll do my best to keep an eye on the Missoulian’s coverage, if only to tear it apart.

To support THIS coverage of local happenings, Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF) is one way to help, or you can make a donation at my about page.

Thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

Is it too early to call Missoula’s newest effort at producing local journalism a failure? Probably, but that’s not going to stop me from questioning what kind of “juice” this media platform is giving its readers, starting with an article by Kathleen Shannon, titled Periscoping Parenthood.

Before we get to the article, let’s check out The Pulp’s about page to see what exactly this new media platform’s mission actually is. From the link:

Launched in September 2023, The Pulp’s mission is to produce in-depth journalism that informs and engages the people of Missoula and western Montana and advances transparency, equity, and democracy.

We’re building a news organization that reflects, serves, and connects people in and around this fast-changing town. We aim to promote discourse, reveal Missoula’s complexities, and create community.

Our journalism is smart, fearless, innovative, accessible, and, occasionally, irreverent.

Fearless, in-depth journalism? If that were the case, then this fluff piece on a parenting program subtly injecting politics into its non-profit work wouldn’t read the way it does, starting with the emotional manipulation that begins the piece. From the link:

Quinn is an outgoing teenager who’s into reading, paintball and the Gaelic game of hurling, which looks like a mix of lacrosse, rugby and ultimate frisbee. 

Some of Quinn’s best interpersonal qualities also made the pandemic particularly hard on the 17-year-old, who uses they/them pronouns. In turn, Jobyna McCarthy, Quinn’s mom, struggled to support them. She felt they were navigating choppy seas alone. McCarthy couldn’t see then that she’d find a lifeboat in a new Missoula program.

Ah, yes, that little “pandemic” in 2020 is a great place for FEARLESS journalists to begin their “in-depth” reporting on a program intended to help parents. Was the risk of Covid to our kids as serious as the media was telling us at the time? If you think the answer is YES, go thank a FEARLESS reporter for lying to you for their paymasters. Let’s continue.

The United Way program intended to “help” parents is called the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI). Here’s more from the article describing this program (emphasis mine):

PLTI is housed within the Zero to Five program at the United Way of Missoula County, which implements systems changes for young children, who don’t receive centralized support until they start school. 

It’s a free, 20-week civics and leadership course designed to promote agency among youth caregivers to advocate for children within their communities. PLTI is relatively new to Missoula, but the program started in Connecticut in 1992 and a national structure, the National Parent Leadership Institute, was developed in 2012. There are currently sites in 18 states and three tribal nations. 

I emphasized where this program started because it’s also where the Executive Director of United Way came from, so it’s not surprising this is now coming to Missoula. What else will this Pulp article tell us about how United Way is going to help parents in Missoula with this “free” program? (emphasis mine):

The curriculum gets into the nitty-gritty of how systems like elections and government work. It also helps participants understand their relationship with those systems—inequities and all. Critically, PLTI also offers benefits like childcare, free meals and transportation assistance to participants during programming.

PLTI Site Coordinator Sam Duncan said it’s meant to bring together diverse caregivers—“people who would have never come upon each other and who have a lot of things not in common.” Participants bring a range of experiences and ideologies, and the group’s process of building trust, Duncan said, is “a microcosm of a functioning democracy.”

How does learning about elections and government help to raise kids? This sounds more like brainwashing than something that will ultimately help kids. What else does this program do?

Participants design a community impact project during the course of the program. Once the program is over, the parent leaders can take their projects with them out into the world and, ideally, find them a more permanent home. Past projects include creating civil discourse around gun reform, developing a cooking class for kids, creating parenting programs focused on dads  and increasing access to education and economic opportunities for refugee families.  

Cool! It appears that parents are potentially transformed into liberal foot soldiers by this program, which isn’t surprising when you know who you’re dealing with, and that’s people like Grace Decker, who is deeply involved in this program. Here’s more from the link (emphasis mine):

Half of the 20-week course, made up of 10 biweekly classes, is, essentially, Civics 101. But the other half is much more personal, said Grace Decker, Zero to Five Missoula’s strategic collaboration coordinator.

During those first few weeks, Decker said, “folks are talking a lot about racism, they’re talking a lot about structures and systems and how those are built. They’re talking with each other a lot about their experience of identity and how that has influenced their lives.” 

I’m sure they are talking a lot about racism, but not about things like the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office euthanizing a black man on January 5th, 2020. No, that case won’t help local Democrats, and this program is clearly run by people who are VERY political, even when they shouldn’t be.

For additional context on the United Way’s political role in this community, here is more of MY reporting, reporting you won’t see ANYWHERE else.

Is School Board Member Grace Decker Violating MCPS Ethics Policy? (December 18th, 2021)

No Mask, No Meeting Vs. No Arson, No Jail (January 12, 2022)

School Board Member, Grace Decker, Hilariously Frames Herself As Non-Political In Daily Montanan Op-Ed (February 14th, 2022)

Will United Way’s Magic Touch With Homelessness And Meth Now Be Extended To Child Care? (June 1st, 2022

It’s Time For United Way Of Missoula To Find A New Executive Director (June 16th, 2023)

If you appreciate the context you get with my coverage, consider supporting Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF), or you can make a donation at my about page.

Thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

How could I utter such heresy about Griz Nation after a miraculous DOUBLE overtime win this weekend? The victory clenched a championship appearance for the Grizzlies, Bobby Hauck could be coach of the year, and this playoff run will probably go down as one of the greatest in Griz Nation history. Am I trying to get lynched by a mob of angry Griz fans?

Maybe the smiling football player pictured below has something to do with it? Would Griz fans recognize the linebacker who deflected Brett Favre’s pass on 4th and 6 during Super Bowl XXXII? 

The football player’s name is John Mobley, and he knew the man euthanized by the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office on January 5th, 2020–an incident I’ve written a few posts about over the last few years. How does this connect to Griz football? And why should anyone care?

Before Sean Stevenson was taken off life support by the Coroner (aka, the Sheriff’s Office), he DID get to experience a Griz football game as a guest of his supervisor at Sun Mountain, Scott. Isn’t that nice? More importantly, did the Griz WIN? 

I don’t know the answer to that question and SO MANY other questions surrounding Sean’s death, then Johnny’s death, then other deaths, some reported by local media, and some NOT reported. But hey, life goes on, right? 

I know that’s what families like the Stevenson family are expected to do, and it’s what they TRY to do. I know this because I’ve talked intensely to members of this family since Sean’s death, and even met a bunch of them on my road trip recently. 

Where do they live? Well, I won’t get specific, but I looked up the mileage and it’s a little over 100 miles from where the Griz will be playing their championship in Texas. What a small world.

Will the Griz bring home the trophy for the locals who haven’t been displaced yet? Eager fans will find out on January 7th, which is two days after the 4th anniversary of Sean’s death. 

Will I be watching? Maybe, but not from Montana. I’ll be on the road listening to songs like this:

If you like the idea of me leaving, maybe THAT is a reason to support Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF), or you can make a donation at my about page. 

Thanks for reading!

by Travis Mateer

The property management company was kind to give me a little extra time to extricate myself from a bricks and mortar space I couldn’t have afforded to keep even if I wanted to. I also got some financial credit for my key problem. Thanks guys!

Sure, the thought of leaving behind a graffiti mural did cross my mind, but that wouldn’t be a good example for my children, who I speak honestly to about some of the struggles their dad is going through. Sometimes those conversations are unavoidable, like when a police officer calls while I’m with my kid to ensure my presence at a coffee shop wasn’t a pre-planned act of stalking (it wasn’t).

This was a big week for me, and not just because I officially exited my studio space. For the past 3 years I’ve been dedicated to regularly publishing content at Zoom Chron, and that dedication has slowly but surely increased the views and clicks my content gets. This week I hit the mark I achieved last year, so that guarantees my end-of-year numbers will exceed the previous year’s numbers, but I have to ask myself an important question at this point: at what cost?

Would I change anything if I could? Hell no. I wouldn’t have the insights I have gleaned about this world had I not gone through everything I’ve gone through these last few years, so while the cost has been high, I don’t regret paying for it. And sometimes I even find ways to amuse myself–not with murals, but with some Dr. Seuss cards and a few push pins.

That’s right, queens, the circus is all yours now! Hopefully you’ll approach adversity with the kind positive attitude Lacy is clearly exhibiting after being arrested for her second DUI offense, which includes a charge of negligent endangerment.

Yes, that’s right, when life throws a DUI lemon at you, make some lemonade daiquiris with it!

Now for the review of the week, which may require a stiff drink or pungent toke for levity. 

When Grief Becomes An Industry No One Wins (December 11th, 2023)

Why Are You Going To City Council To Complain About The Holy War? (December 12th, 2023)

Missoula’s Urban Camping Impotency Continues With A New Mayor Kicking The Can (December 13th, 2023)

Sexism Against Women Isn’t Even Half The Story, But Don’t Tell That To The Missoulian (December 14th, 2023)

The Illusion Of Public Safety And The Complicity Of Mainstream Media (December 15th, 2023)

If you appreciate the perspective I bring to local happenings, then please consider supporting Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF), or you can make a donation at my about page.

Thanks for reading!