217 Today: Curbs can be a physical and social barrier for wheelchair users. One program teaches kids to roll past them

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Occupational therapist and Skills on Wheels volunteer Maria Fuchs guides 12-year-old Savannah Healton through some wheelchair skills. Savannah's parents, Matthew White and Chanda Healton, observe and learn to be able to help her as she practices.
  • Photo: Elizabeth Gabriel / Side Effects Public Media

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Today’s headlines:

  • One of the two protesters arrested during last Friday’s Pro-Palestine rally at the University of Illinois was arraigned in the Champaign County Court on Wednesday. 
  • Wednesday marked the 16th annual Illinois Muslim Action Day, or IMAD, at the Illinois Statehouse.
  • A top obesity doctor in Illinois says the state should provide expensive injectable weight-loss drugs to poor and disabled residents.
  • Soon a trillion cicadas will emerge in the area. Gardeners have advice to keep them from hurting trees, and it involves something ballerinas wear.
  • The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team added former Evansville Forward Ben Humrichous from the transfer portal.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a program called Skills on Wheels that helps students navigate challenges they might face when using their wheelchairs.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Jade Marceau, Dave McKinney, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Colin Hislope and Elizabeth Gabriel.

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Stephanie Mosqueda

Stephanie Mosqueda is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with minors in Spanish and public relations. She is the 217 Today producer and a reporter for the Illinois Student Newsroom.