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.

Illinois’ State Bird: 5 Things You May Not Know About Cardinals

They're here in Illinois throughout the winter, spring, summer, and fall, so pretty much everyone is familiar with them. However, there are some things that you may not have noticed about Illinois' official state bird.

The Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower Lights Up Illinois Skies This Week

We're just coming off of the super-rare appearance of the Smiley Face in the Sky and the peak of the Lyrid Meteor Showers last week, and now we get another sky show with the Eta Aquariids this week.

Illinois Mosquitos: These Flowers Help Keep Them Out Of Your Yard

How do you keep spring and summer's most hated and despised bugs away from you this year? You could go with sprays, zappers, or those blue-light gadgets that suck them in--or, you could plant some really pretty flowers around the areas where mosquitos and you share the same space and get rid of them, or keep them from hanging around to begin with.

Illinois Stargazers: Rare Smiley Face In The Sky Comes Next Week

A smiley face in the sky isn't the only cool celestial event that will take place over the next week or so. We've also got some pretty spectacular meteor showers to check out, too.

Illinois Man Trying To Become Among Oldest To Climb Mt. Everest

Back in 2021 a 75 year old man from Northbrook, Illinois became the oldest man to make it to the summit of Mt. Everest. Now, another Illinois man is hoping to add his name to the list of the oldest men to conquer Everest this year.

Illinois Puppy Scams: Still A Thing, And Still Breaking Hearts

There have always been scams involving animals, but the pandemic was when one of the nastiest animal-based scams really got rolling. People were looking for animal companionship, and scammers were quick to realize they could take advantage of those looking for the perfect dog. The problem is that the scam works so well, it's never gone away. It's just gotten bigger.

200K Pounds Liquid Egg Products Recalled In Illinois, Nationally

This recall on liquid egg products sold in Illinois, Arizona, Colorado, California, Florida, and Iowa is due to concerns that the products may have been contaminated with a cleaning solution.

Illinois Turkeys Are Everywhere: Here’s How Many Our State Has

I've lived in Illinois my entire life, and I've never seen as many wild turkeys out walking around than I'm seeing right now. So, like anyone, I had to do some checking to find out just how many wild turkeys there are in the state of Illinois. I'm surprised at the answer.

AI Scams In Illinois: Here’s How Scammers Do It To You

At this point, it's gotten to where we see AI everywhere and everyday. All sorts of consumer technology brags about being powered by AI---but keep in mind that all sorts of scams are also now being powered by AI, too.

Dogs In Illinois: Here’s The Annual Cost In Illinois For Your Pet

We recently learned what the average annual cost is of having a child in Illinois, so for those who may be torn between having two-legged kids or four-legged ones, here's what you can expect to spend each year on having a dog in our state.