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
Moving Companies: Where Illinois Ranks In Residents Looking To Go
For the longest time, Illinois has been at or near the top in states leading the nation in "outbound migration," or more simply put, "moving away." Now, some new data from moving companies names the top 3 states in the country where residents are packing up trucks and heading for the state line. We're one of them, but where do we rank?
Coming To Illinois Next Spring: Billions And Billions Of Cicadas
Sure, we've had cicadas around here before, but next May will bring tens of millions of them out of the ground here in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, as Brood XIII cicadas emerge with numbers as high as 1.5 million cicadas per acre!
Illinois Parents Would Go To Jail For A Real Life “Home Alone”
Sure, it's just a movie, and everything worked out in the end. However, if Illinois parents forgot their 8-year old at home over the holidays in real life while they flew first-class off to Paris, they'd be getting a tour of Illinois' legal system.
Banning Right Turn On Red In Illinois? Here’s Why It Could Happen
Up until around 50 years ago, there were only a few western states that allowed a right turn to be made at a red light or stop sign. That all changed when the oil embargo/crisis that happened in the middle 70s prompted the federal government to push all states into changing their right turn on red laws.
When People Leave Illinois, They Go Mostly To These 3 States
We've been hearing for years about something called "Outbound Migration" here in Illinois, which is a fancy way of saying "kissing a state goodbye." Illinois may no longer be the state leading the nation in outbound migration, but we're near the top. Ever think about where you'd move if you left Illinois?
Northern Illinois Town Named One Of America’s “Most Christmassy”
Having looked around a bit at different cities and towns in Northern Illinois, I can safely say that there are lots of towns around these parts that really do it up for Christmas. However, there's one place that stands above all the rest when it comes to bringing in the holiday season.
Cantaloupe Recall In Illinois Expands With 6 New Salmonella Cases
Even though the recall has been in place for almost 2 weeks, reports of people being sickened, hospitalized, and even dying after eating salmonella-tainted cantaloupes keep rolling in from Illinois and multiple other states.
Moving? These Are 50 Most Affordable Places To Live In Illinois
Illinois may no longer lead the nation in outbound migration (a fancy term for someone leaving a state), but that doesn't mean that Illinois residents aren't looking to the most affordable spots in the state for relocation. If you had to leave where you live now, which of these Illinois cities and towns would you consider?
Illinois Gets A Good Look At Two Meteor Showers In December
Sometimes weather just doesn't cooperate when you want to stand outside at night at catch a really cool meteor shower taking place overhead, and you miss it. Well, in December you'll have not one, but two different opportunities to see the last meteor showers of 2023, so the weather odds are good you'll get a peek yourself.
Here’s Every Illinois Joint Featured On Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
I just read about a guy who's planning a cross-country road trip to visit every place that Guy Fieri has featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. He's planning on hitting every single restaurant in every single state over the course of a year or so in order to accomplish this "bucket list" item. Here's how many Illinois Triple-D restaurants he'll be stopping in to see.