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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Few addiction treatment centers in Kansas let children come to treatment. That makes it harder for parents to get help.
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A Lansing prison riot in 2020 made national headlines. Another riot in 2022 injured corrections officers. No inmates have been charged in either incident.
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Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a plan for hundreds of millions of dollars in tax relief over her objection to a dramatic shift to a flat income tax rate. But her veto also halts two tax-relief proposals she championed.
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Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s rejection of the bills sets up another veto override fight with the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature. Lawmakers already overrode her veto to a bill banning transgender girls from playing girl’s sports.
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Housing vouchers are going unused because tenants are having so much trouble finding places that will take in subsidized rent.
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The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature passed a bill into law that bans transgender girls and women from participating in girls and women’s sports. The lawmakers had failed twice in past years to override vetoes by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
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Community mental health centers in Kansas are becoming certified. That means more money for providing services, which could bring expanded programs.
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Appealing placement decisions to the Kansas Court of Appeals would mark a new, controversial step.
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Children with intellectual disabilities and behavioral problems sometimes have more serious problems than families can handle. And the results can be tragic.
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Police departments in the state already can alert each other to officers who've been disciplined at past jobs.