Illinois quick hits: Wildfire smoke drifts into state; Cheatle resigns from Secret Service

Wildfire smoke drifts into state

Smoke from several wildfires burning in the western U.S. and Canada is now drifting across Illinois.

Light smoke combined with unhealthy ozone concentrations is creating unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, especially in northern Illinois. So far, this year’s fires are a fraction of the size of the blazes that broke out across Canada last year, contributing to numerous days of significant particulate matter pollution.

Cheatle resigns from Secret Service

A day after U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin called for the director of the Secret Service to resign following the assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump, Kimberly Cheatle has stepped down.

In a congressional hearing on Monday, Cheatle said her agency failed in its mission to protect Trump. Cheatle, an Illinois native, remained defiant that she was the “right person” to lead the Secret Service, even as she said she takes full responsibility for the security lapses. She resigned Tuesday.

Wienermobile flips after crash

The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile flipped over following a crash near Chicago Monday.

According to Illinois State Police, the Wienermobile struck another vehicle on Interstate 294, causing the driver to lose control, overcorrect and roll over. No injuries were reported.

According to the Wienermobile website, Oscar Mayer first deployed its fleet of six 23-foot-long Wienermobiles across the country in 1988.