217 Today: He used education to escape a violent childhood. Today, he wants to help kids in similar

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Shamar Betts, 23, walks in a park in Urbana near his home. After a difficult past, he says he’s working toward his goal of becoming a guidance counselor and mentor for children.
  • Photo: Photo by Madison Holcomb / Illinois Student Newsroom

Tuesday, January 9, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

  • Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ Carbondale Health Center has been up and running for two weeks now… and staff there say they’ve already seen several out-of-state patients.
  • There is hardly any ice on Lake Michigan — with less than a fraction of one percent currently covering the lake.
  • Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign say the use of Tylenol during pregnancy can cause language delays in children.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about one young man in Urbana who used education to escape a violent childhood. Today, he wants to turn his experiences into lessons for kids.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Anna Savchenko and Madison Holcomb.

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Farrah Anderson

Farrah Anderson is a 2024 graduate of the University of Illinois. At Illinois Public Media, Anderson works as a general assignment reporter focusing on police and investigative stories.