Kansas City’s fencing scene boasts elite coaches and athletes from around the world — a community that traces back to school desegregation efforts. Plus, how a Wichita book collector is keeping the state’s ‘firsthand history’ alive.

The sport of fencing is surging in popularity in the United States. Kansas City’s fencing scene has drawn high-profile coaches from around the world and athletes showcasing top-tier swordsmanship. As KCUR’s Noah Taborda reports, that excellence dates back to a world-renowned coach at a local high school.

The rarest books can sometimes command hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction. Still, collecting and selling rare books isn’t exactly a stable business, and the vast spread of the internet hasn’t helped. But Philip McComish of Wichita, Kansas, is determined to keep the lost art of rare book collecting alive. For 40 years, the owner of Watermark West Rare Books has adapted his business to a changing market. For “The Range” at member station KMUW in Wichita, Celia Hack reports.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Lisa Rodriguez and Gabe Rosenberg.

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