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
Forget Cicadas, Illinois Has Plenty Of Creepy Spring Bugs Coming
I know, you've been thinking about the billions and billions of cicadas that are going to come popping out of the ground in the next few weeks and you've completely forgotten (unless you're seriously bug-phobic) about the creepy-crawlies that make their presence known every spring here in Illinois. Don't worry, the bugs haven't forgotten.
Trying To Save Money? These Are Illinois’ Most Affordable Places
Where would you go if you were told that you had to leave the Illinois city or town in which you currently reside, but had to stay within Illinois' borders? Well, if you're looking for a lower cost-of-living, here are about 50 places in our state where you get more bang for your buck.
Warning: These Illinois Spring Flowers Can Be Deadly To Your Dog
Sure, it's nice to see winter in the rearview mirror because that means warmer weather, sunshine, and flowers blooming are coming soon. The downside to the seasonal change in Illinois is that some of the most common and beloved springtime flowers in our state can really make your dog sick...or worse.
Scam Calls In Illinois: That Call From Amazon Wasn’t From Amazon
They'll send you fake emails, they'll send you fake texts, and because those two scamming methods work so well, scammers will also call you and pretend to represent Amazon.com. The goal is the same for all three techniques: get a hold of your money and/or your personal information. Here's what to look for.
Is Illinois Planning To Get Rid Of “Right Turn On Red?”
We've been turning right on red in Illinois (and most of the rest of the country) for 50-plus years, but now several places are banning the practice while others consider doing so for a reason that maybe you don't think of while making that right turn on red.
Decline It! Illinois Residents, Skip Calls From These Area Codes
Most of us are aware that there are scammers out there trying to trick you into clicking on fake emails and/or texts so they can get your personal information or money, but did you know that you could find yourself being taken by doing nothing but simply answering a call from certain area codes?
Check Out The Weird Things Illinois Is Asking “Dr. Google” Online
Depending on how you conduct your searches, going online to figure out if your medical symptoms mean anything can be a smart move, but many times we get things wrong and freak ourselves out. Regardless of the outcome of their searches, these are some of the stranger medical-based things that we Illinoisans have been asking Google over the last year.
Coyotes In Illinois: There Are A Lot More Than You Might Think
We're currently in the middle of coyote mating season here in Illinois, in case you were wondering why there have been some unusual yipping and howling noises during the nighttime hours. If you grew up with the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons like I did, you probably thought coyotes were something that only people in the southwest U.S. have to deal with---and we were both wrong. You'll be surprised by the number of coyotes that call Illinois home.
Illinois’ New I-Pass Stickers: Here’s How To Order Them Online
The new I-Pass stickers are available, and there are several ways for you to get some for you and your vehicle(s), whether it's an in-person pickup or an online order. Keep in mind that you don't have to get the stickers at all right now as long as your plastic transponder hasn't hit its expiration date.
Illinois Cicada Spring Invasion: Do You Know About Their Pee?
By now, you've probably heard about this once-every-200-years emergence of cicadas we're about to experience this spring here in Illinois and some other places. There are going to be billions, if not a trillion of these bugs surfacing throughout Illinois, but the one thing not many are discussing is the problem with cicada urine.
These Are The Hardest To Pronounce Town Names In Illinois
From difficult to say Native American town names to old-world town names that we've decided to pronounce differently, Illinois has got a tongue-tying city or town name for everyone.
Check Out These Illinois Animals On The Endangered Species List
There are far more endangered and threatened animal species in Illinois than I have space to write about, but here are a few you may have heard of, and maybe a couple of animals you didn't even know were living in Illinois.