Blaise Mesa
Reporter, Kansas City BeaconBlaise Mesa is based in Topeka, where he covers the Legislature and state government for the Kansas City Beacon. He previously covered social services and criminal justice for the Kansas News Service. He also worked as a reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal.
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Democrats have proposed reducing child care costs, making housing more affordable and raising the minimum wage. Republicans want to pass property tax reform, cut waste and address rural health care costs. -
Under pressure from President Trump, some Kansas Republicans want to gerrymander congressional maps in order to oust Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids. But Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins said he's about 20 votes short. -
These state hospitals can’t find full-time staff. Contract nurses are needed to serve patients, but expenses keep going up. -
Kansas got $451 million from a Biden administration grant for "Broadband Equity, Acess and Deployment." But after the Trump administration told states to rethink how to spend the money, Kansas rolled back its proposal. -
Kelly, a Democrat, said that she has repeatedly asked the Republican attorney general to sue on behalf of Kansas but he has refused. Meanwhile, Kris Kobach argues that he is in charge of the state's prosecution or defense. -
Shawn Koch saved hundreds of threatening emails from her ex, Christopher Koch. He threatened to kill her, get her fired, keep their children from her and ruin her life. -
More than 100 rural grocery stores in Kansas closed their doors from 2008 to 2018. But an initiative that invests in rural communities is keeping small groceries afloat. -
The federal government is trying to withhold funds from the state. But there is a way Kansas can keep the money. -
The federal government asked for Social Security numbers, addresses and other personal information from food assistance recipients in Kansas. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly won’t hand it over, and Republicans say that the state could lose federal funds as a result. -
People trying to kick addiction should have access to medical detox programs, but these treatments aren’t widely offered in Kansas.
