Travis Breese
Investigative MMJ
Hello! I am a passionate, creative, detailed investigative reporter who prides himself on his news judgement. I have worked in broadcast news for almost 10 years and am looking for my next opportunity. I want to work in a competitive newsroom that's also embracing solutions to the changing media landscape. I'm excited to connect with you!
Investigative Reporting Reel
About Travis
My news journey began in 2015, when I decided to leave my home in sunny San Diego, CA to pursue a career in journalism at the University of Missouri. My time at Mizzou gave me a foundation of journalistic principles I still rely on every day.
In 2019, I took my first full-time job as a nightside bureau MMJ in the Iowa City bureau for KWWL. I was a “Swiss Army knife” for the newsroom, leading nightly newscasts, often doing sports on the weekends, and also fill-in anchoring at the main station.
In July 2022, I was offered a job to be an investigative MSJ for WHAS11 in Louisville, KY. While I have a lot of fun doing sports, I realized my true calling is in news. Over the last four years, I have established myself as one of the most well-sourced and fearless reporters in the market.
UPS flight 2976
UPS flight 2976 was an MD-11 cargo jet with 3 crew members on board that crashed on 11/4/25, killing 15 people south of the Louisville airport. My job in the newsroom was to investigate why this plane crashed. By interviewing industry experts and using open records from the FAA and FlightAware, we got many answers in the first two weeks. I also compared the crash to another incident from 1979.
UPS MD-11 that crashed was recently on the ground for six weeks, likely for maintenance
NTSB releases preliminary report into UPS cargo jet crash
Link between 1979 American Airlines crash and 11/4 UPS crash
Jamey Noel investigation
Jamey Noel was the sheriff of Clark County, IN from 2015 - 2022, and also a fire captain for 20 years. It came out in early 2024 that he and his family stole over $3.5 million from his nonprofit fire department over a five-year span. In 2024, this story became my sole priority and I gained a lot of clout in Southern Indiana by covering it. I became WHAS11’s Indiana expert from this point on.
Judge sends former sheriff back to jail for “60 Days In” after contempt of court hearing
New head of New Chapel EMS says Jamey Noel lied to organization for years
FOCUS finds lack of oversight for years in Jamey Noel’s largest government contract
Jamey Noel pleads guilty to 27 felonies, gets a 12-year prison sentence
Jamey Noel case | Why a former Indiana sheriff and his family face numerous felonies
Noel’s car collection nets $1.2 mil. for his restitution
Environmental reporting
Climate change, water quality and air quality are things that affect every one of us. I strive to do data-backed stories that show the affects of climate change all around us, and also give people context when their elected officials have to make decisions on energy production. The data center debate has been a great beat to practice these skills in 2025 and ‘26.
FOCUS: Debating the value of farmland vs. solar energy
Will data centers raise your electric bill?
Number of tornadoes increasing in KY. Experts cite climate change and better tech
Airport noise
With the UPS WorldPort, the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is a top five cargo airport in the world. The airport authority has bought-out land and offered free sound insulation to people in certain areas to try and mitigate noise. I found the program to install the free insulation moves at a snail’s pace, and people must sign a restrictive contract that lasts forever to get it.
Residents near Louisville airport wait years for sound insulation
“The cost of silence”, what landowners give up to get free sound insulation
Curbing gun violence
Like many large cities, Louisville experienced an increase in shootings during the pandemic and the numbers have stayed high. Our city leaders say they’re committed to solving the issue on multiple fronts, and its up to investigative journalists to explain their plans to viewers and evaluate their effectiveness. One effort has been “Group Violence Intervention”, or GVI, which is a strategy that involves speaking directly to young gang members and offering them another way in life.
Critics say Group Violence Intervention moving too slowly, lacks resources
GVI turns attention to juveniles, increases attendance
Indiana “GLOCK switch” law closes gap between state and federal courts
Social Media
Contact Travis
travis.breese1@gmail.com
310-490-4444
Investigative News Reporter
7 years of experience reporting
University of Missouri, Columbia, 2015 ‒ 2019