217 Today: How a hidden box of love letters became a historical memoir of WWII

Arthur and Flo Schnell sit in the water at Flo Schnell’s family’s Catskill Farm.

Friday, April 4, 2025

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Today’s headlines:

  • Dozens of protestors gathered on the University of Illinois South Quad yesterday to demand better working conditions for graduate workers.
  • Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul likely isn’t going to take any action against two hospitals in Chicago that have stopped gender care surgeries. 
  • International students in Illinois and across the country are worried about losing their visa status.
  • Public transit agencies in downstate Illinois are worried about a fiscal cliff.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new memoir from local author Larry Schnell that explores the little-known role of music in war.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Michael Sweeney, Kulsoom Khan, Kristen Schorsch, Alex Degman and Anna Koh.

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.