Riley O'Neil has logged more hours behind a microphone than any other Rockford radio personality, starting out with his hiring at WROK in February of 1983. He’s also the longest-tenured morning show host in WROK's 100-year history, with 22 years as the host of the WROK Morning Show. He’s a multi award-winning commercial producer, voice-over artist, and much sought after product and service endorser for multiple local businesses. In addition to hosting the WROK Morning Show with Joe Dredge, Riley also writes for 1440WROK.com, covering everything from Illinois' best local restaurants, to some of the wildest and funniest things Illinois residents have gotten themselves into, and everything in-between.
Riley O'Neil
There Are Only 14 People In Illinois’ Smallest Town
I keep thinking of the theme song from Cheers. Except in this place, everyone not only knows your name, they know everyone in your family's name, your pet's name, your Social Security number, and the height and weight of your childhood imaginary friend.
Travel Site Names The 10 Most Boring Places In Illinois
I guess we have to ask ourselves if Illinois is a boring state or not. Just the title of this piece alone seems to say that there are a lot of boring places in the Land of Lincoln, so we've boiled it down to ten. A high school teacher once said to be that places aren't boring, but people certainly can be. It also helps to understand the what may bore one person can thrill another one. Let's see if that's true in Illinois.
Check Out The Rockford BBB’s Top 10 Local Scams Of Last Year
Like anywhere else, our area has its scam artists who are looking to get as much money and information out of you as they possibly can by any means available. The means available to them are a big list of scams that have been proven to work all across the country. Today, we'll take a look at the scams that had the most success in Northern Illinois last year in 2023.
Why Don’t Illinois Squirrels Freeze To Death In This Weather?
As we continue to deal with temperatures that are well below zero, I've noticed that seemingly every other living creature is keeping a very low profile except for Illinois' squirrels. They're running around everywhere, and don't seem to be affected by the brutal cold at all. So, why aren't they freezing to death?
Weather Questions: How Safe Is It To Eat Illinois Snow?
Based upon personal experience and observation (in other words, I've done it and seen others do it, too), it's fairly certain that you won't die from eating Illinois snow...at least not immediately. But, are you running a health risk by chowing on some of that snow that we have in abundance here in Northern Illinois?
Here’s Some Things To Try When It’s Sub-Zero In Northern Illinois
You're probably thinking that you're already doing things while it's sub-zero here in Northern Illinois. Things like shivering, swearing, shaking, cursing, complaining, whining, and trying to remember what warm weather actually feels like don't count. I'm talking about some interesting (and semi-interesting) things you can only do when we're really in a deep freeze.
Rockford School Makes List Of State’s Best Elementary Schools
Not only does this particular Rockford school make the list of the top ten best elementary schools in Illinois, it's also on the list of the top ten best middle schools our state has to offer.
Illinois Is Home To One Of The Country’s Most Expensive Commutes
I apologize if the photo gives away the city in Illinois that boasts one of the most annually expensive commutes. I'm sure that if you hadn't seen the photo you would have been shouting guesses like New Milford, Byron, Leaf River, or Caledonia.
While It Snows, Check Out These All-Time Rockford Weather Records
The snowstorm we're currently experiencing has the potential to possibly drop up to 11 inches of snow in the Rockford area before it's all done, but is that enough to set a Rockford weather record?
TSA: Here’s How Many Guns We Found Last Year At Chicago Airports
There are legal ways for you to travel with a firearm, but unfortunately too many people seem to think that they can just toss a gun in their bag and make it through security at the airport. The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) would like you to know that you're going to get caught.