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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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. -
Foster children moving to new homes might mean a new school district. That means education records, course credits and other information need to be transferred to a new school. That can delay enrollment. -
Researchers and grocery stores say the Republican-backed law, which will reduce federal food benefits, only makes it harder for markets to survive because the profit margins are already so low.
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Congregate care facilities house foster children in settings ranging from drop-in day programs to inpatient mental health care. Advocates say these buildings need more oversight to curb suspected abuse of children. -
Even the poorest-drawing baseball teams can attract more than 1 million fans in a year, far more than any football stadium. As Kansas and Missouri continue their border war over Kansas City sports teams, should they be focused on courting the Royals over the Chiefs?
