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This Kansas business is keeping marbles alive

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There’s a community of collectors, artists and kids keeping the marble culture alive in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Plus: A lucky pig in eastern Kansas managed to cheat death after jumping off a truck transporting it to a feedlot.

Kids and adults have played with marbles for generations, and marble-like games date back to ancient civilizations. Although marbles may seem a bit old-fashioned compared to today’s selection of digital and online games, the Moon Marble Co. in Kansas has been cranking out colorful orbs of small sizes since 1997 — and inviting the public to see the process. KMUW's Lu Anne Stephens reports.

About 130 million pigs are slaughtered annually in the United States. But each year, a relatively small number of them cheat death by jumping off the trucks transporting them to a feedlot or slaughterhouse. One “jumper” who was later named Gilbert was recently found along a highway in eastern Kansas. Kansas Public Radio's Matthew Algeo reports.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Peggy Lowe. It is produced by Carter Galloway and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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As KCUR’s public safety and justice reporter, I put the people affected by the criminal justice system front and center, so you can learn about different perspectives through empathetic, contextual and informative reporting. My investigative work shines a light on often secretive processes, countering official narratives and exposing injustices. Email me at lowep@kcur.org.
Carter Galloway is the summer 2025 intern for KCUR Studios. Email him at cgalloway@kcur.org
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