217 Today: One man’s journey from living in poverty in Southern Illinois to prison to a PhD

Tuesday, January 20, 2025

Today’s headlines: 

  • On Armory Avenue in Champaign – between Second and Third Street – a sign designates the road as Honorary Chabad Way.
  • A Democratic state senator has filed a measure to prohibit ICE agents from becoming police officers in Illinois.
  • It’s hard for people to get into the University of Illinois with a prior conviction.
  • Danville’s NAACP Branch #3009 led a march in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., despite a morning wind chill of negative ten degrees.

In today’s deep dive, one man is the first to make the leap from a University of Illinois college-in-prison program to a U of I degree.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Sam Rink and Alex Degman. 

Stephanie Orellana