by Travis Mateer
The AI image above is a creative rendering of Public Information Officer, Whitney Bennett, giving out a BILL for information while an ALPHA investor boards his private plane. Something similar happened to me yesterday as I attempted to do a follow up story on the collapse of Wags Capital and the growing realization that the former Missoulian building will NEVER be the kind of condo towers Aaron Wagner and Cole Bergquist envisioned for this prime piece of riverfront property.
The information I wanted from the police department included ALL the 2024 police reports related to the address of the former Missoulian building at 500 S. Higgins. I have sources who have told me that before boarding up the property in late spring, the interior had become a makeshift homeless shelter with several beds found inside the building. I also heard from a woman working at Bridge Pizza that last Thursday a LARGE police response occurred in the parking lot of the building, leaving the parking lot closed for the entire day.
What happened? I don’t know because my broke ass refused to shell out the $26 dollars I was quoted for the privilege of obtaining PUBLIC information. When I sent a subsequent email to our PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, I just got quoted the same price. When asked more basic questions, Officer Bennett chose to just NOT respond.
Before we get to my disenfranchisement, let’s take a look at some of the original reporting about this development project, including the funny claims from publisher, Jim Strauss, about the newspaper getting “walk-in traffic” at their new location. Here’s a quote from a 2021 article:
The Missoulian will move to a different location within the city. The printing press has already been removed from the building. The newspaper is now printed in Helena and trucked back for delivery.
Missoulian publisher Jim Strauss said the newspaper’s staff will move out of the building in early 2022. The exact location of the new office will be announced once additional details are hammered out.
“We have a large amount of walk-in traffic and the new location will be great for our customers and great for our staff,” Strauss said.
I’m highlighting this claim because, as far as I know, there has NEVER been “walk-in traffic” allowed at the Missoulian’s new location, which I covered in August of 2022. I even took a picture.
Back when Wagner was shit-talking this entire town, the Missoulian helped him attempt to rehab his image with this article. From the link (emphasis mine):
“I just want to apologize to all the people I offended,” Wagner said. “I was immature and childish in some of my responses. I know better and should have been sensitive to the concerns of the locals.”
However, as is common on social media, some commenters harshly attacked the project. One commenter with the username roxann_no-e posted, “Locals hate you, bro. You’re ruining Missoula.”
Other commenters took offense to other posts Wagner has made on his Instagram account, including a black screen with the words “Do Not Comply,” a reference to Wagner’s stance against vaccine mandates.
“We posted some videos on Instagram and immediately got met with pretty angry folks,” Wagner said. “Locals pretty much said we were gentrifying Missoula and they didn’t want us here and we needed to take our development and money and everything back to where we came from.”
Wagner responded to scores of commenters angrily. In one response, he wrote, “Land abduction (with crying tears emojis). I paid $10mm for the land …More than your life and soul is worth … so here’s a little tip … f— off and get a life (with a middle finger emoji).”
The f— was spelled out.
I had forgotten that our legacy media was SO CONCERNED about coercing people to get jabbed with experimental Big Pharma products that Wagner’s stance on vaccinations became a part of the local conversation about gentrification. How fucking stupid, but that’s what I’ve come to expect from local media: utter stupidity.
Last week, while I sustained a perjury-laden deluge of testimony regarding my threatening behavior, the judge pushed back against my petitioner’s demand regarding my blog content and the attempt to ban me from downtown on Mondays and Wednesdays so that the people who are allegedly terrified of me can enjoy a TRAVIS-FREE zone for City Council meetings.
The judge explained to me, after denying my petitioner’s hope for a Monday/Wednesday ban, that she (the judge) was going to maintain the condition set by Judge Eli Parker that I am FORBIDDEN from making in-person appearances at City Council. This wasn’t disenfranchising me of my rights, it was further explained, because I had the ability to attend meetings virtually. This is based on TWO assumptions: one, that the technology works, and two, that I have the financial resources for an internet connection and/or smart phone.
Last night, I followed the process for joining virtually SEVERAL TIMES, but guess what? It didn’t work. I wonder why?
I’m going to wrap up this post with something that our PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER is more geared to dealing with, since my right to obtain public information without the barrier of an exorbitant costs is NOT within her skillset to handle.
So, what can Whitney Bennett, the PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, handle? How about police fashion? Is that more her speed? (emphasis mine):
The Missoula Police Department is working to educate the public about a change to officer uniforms.
In recent years, some officers shifted from the traditional uniforms to external carriers, where more equipment is carried on the chest instead of the belt.
Whitney Bennett, the department’s public information officer, said it’s important for the public to know the reason behind the different style of uniforms.
“We’re not necessarily wearing these to be more military-like or be more tactical and look tougher,” Bennett said. “What it is, is it’s more our health and our wellness.”
Before you think I’m being sexist, it’s actually the Missoula Police Department singling out women for needing safety training. Why else would they host a safety event JUST FOR WOMEN this Friday at the Butterfly House? (emphasis mine):
The Missoula Police Department invites community members to attend a free “Personal Safety for Women” luncheon, offering valuable safety tips and resources. The event will take place on Friday, November 1st, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Balsamroot Conference Room, located in the Butterfly House, 1075 South Ave W #2.
This event is open to the public, with 60 spots available, and requires registration. Attendees will gain practical knowledge about personal safety and self-defense, with presentations including:
Defensive Tactics Trainers: Offering guidance on the legal use of force in self-defense.
A representative from Reflex Protect: Discussing non-lethal defense products and situational awareness strategies.
Domestic violence awareness: Tips on what to do when you suspect someone is in a domestic violence situation.
Yes, ladies of Zoom Town, it’s important to have SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, and that is precisely why I’ve made sure those working on the Hip Strip understand that the DEVELOPMENT WHORES who run this town have been conned by an ALPHA CON, and the result is a building that’s been vacant for years now, thus attracting the kind of people women might want to avoid as they jog along the river trail and consider cutting through Wagner’s blighted property to shop at cute stores, like Betty’s Divine.
I’ll also add, down here, that part of MY situational awareness includes knowing that Whitney Bennett was one of the first police officers on scene at the Poverello Center on January 3rd, 2020, when Sean Stevenson was allegedly assaulted by JUST ONE other black man by the name of Johnny Lee Perry. Since both black men are now dead, with Johnny having been shot in the back by the Sheriff’s Office, maybe I should have a chat with this woman who seems to have been promoted to help our fair city control narratives so that no one knows what can be done to people in the shadows of our liberal utopia.
If you appreciate my perseverance to citizen journalist the BIG HOLE no one else in legacy media appears capable of filling, consider donating to Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF). Tomorrow I’ll be taking a look at a surprisingly candid op-ed assessment by Jeff Bezos regarding the decision to NOT allow his legacy media product to endorse one of the most pathetic presidential candidates this country has ever seen, so stay tuned.
And, as always, thanks for reading!
