Riley O'Neil

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.

Warming Up Your Car In Illinois: Legal Or Illegal?

No one enjoys hopping into a frigid vehicle on a cold morning, so a lot of people here in Illinois and throughout other cold-weather states choose to warm up their cars first. It makes for a nicer and more comfortable commute, but is doing that legal or illegal here in Illinois?

Illinois Winter Weather Questions: Is It Safe To Eat Snow?

Snow-eating hasn't really been a thing so far this winter in Northern Illinois, but just like the southern half of our state getting hit with piles of snow over the last few days, Northern Illinois will get our share sooner or later. When we do, here's what you need to know about eating snow in the Land of Lincoln.

Periodical Cicadas In Illinois: Will We See Them Again In 2025?

Depending on how many cicadas you had around your place last year, you've really got to be enjoying the fact that those noisy little bugs have been quiet for the last few months. The question now is whether or not cicadas are going to show up for a 2025 encore in Illinois.

Illinois Is Really Cold, So Why Don’t Squirrels Freeze To Death?

Sure, you might catch a deer or rabbit once in a while, but other than squirrels, we don't see many of Illinois' small animals out and about when the temperatures really drop off in the deep freeze. Why are Midwestern squirrels impervious to cold?

It’s Time: Here’s Illinois’ Best Spots For Winter Eagle Watching

When it comes to wintering eagles, there's only one state in the entire country that has more of them than Illinois does: Alaska. Economically speaking, taking a day trip to any of these places in Illinois to watch wintering bald eagles is going to be a lot cheaper than heading north to Alaska.

New Owner: I’m Turning Jordan’s Illinois Mansion Into A Timeshare

The man who just bought Michael Jordan's Highland Park Mansion a month or so back says that he's not personally moving into the former Jordan estate, but instead is going to open it up as a timeshare for anyone (with some money) who's always wanted to stay where Michael Jordan once lived.

Road Salt In Illinois: Here’s How Much The State Uses Each Winter

We've all heard our region called "The Rust Belt," which is not the most pleasant description, but this region and several others around the nation are also called "The Salt Belt" due to the usage of road salt during wintertime conditions. So, how much salt do you think Illinois goes through each winter season?

HGTV Calls This 2025’s Most Charming Small Town In Illinois

The gang at HGTV know a thing or two about great places to live, so they decided to name the top 50 most charming small towns in America, giving some recognition to one small town in each state. If you've spent any amount of time in Illinois, you might think Galena would be their choice...but it's not.

Language Alert: Illinois And Wisconsin’s Favorite Swear Words

A recent study shows that 58 percent of American adults swear sometimes or quite often (I fall into the second category, unfortunately). However, as I'm sure you'll agree, not all swear words are created, used, or enjoyed equally. Here's a rundown on the swear, cuss, or curse-words that Illinois and Wisconsin residents love and use the most.

Rockford BBB Announces “The Top 10 Scams Of 2024”

Near the beginning of each year, the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) puts out their list of the top 10 scams of the previous year. Some of the scams are tried and true and have been around for years, but every year some new scam or scams work their way onto the top 10 list because they've worked so well for the criminals that use them.