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.

Here’s The Yearly Cost Of Being A Dog Owner In Illinois

Did you know that the annual expense of dog ownership in Illinois barely scratches the surface compared to raising a child? Let’s break down the numbers.

Illinois UFOs: Check Out The 34 Sightings Reported In 2025

Illinois and Wisconsin have had the exact same number of sightings this year. Here's what Illinois residents say they saw.

Fireworks In Illinois: Here’s What’s Legal And What’s Not In 2025

While most of the country can go ahead and enjoy a backyard/front yard/driveway fireworks show on the 4th of July or New Year's Eve without fear of being ticketed or arrested, Illinois remains one of the few states that has other ideas.

Illinois Cardinals: Things You Didn’t Know About Our State Bird

The Northern Cardinal is the official state bird in more states than any other, so let's take a look at a few things that maybe you didn't know about the cardinals that populate Illinois.

Illinois’ 2025 DNR Wild Turkey Survey: Here’s How Many There Are

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is asking for Illinoisans to help them out with a survey of wild turkey sightings around the state so they can get a more accurate estimation of the overall wild turkey population and how well it's doing on a yearly basis.

If Illinois Has These All Summer, Why Are They Called June Bugs?

Those brown-shelled beetles we call June bugs are a summer staple in Illinois—curious how they keep showing up into August?

Travel Time: Illinois’ Most-Googled Summer Vacation Spots

Even if you can't afford more than a "stay-cation" this summer, it doesn't mean that you can't fantasize a little bit about a summer vacation to someplace special by Googling summer vacation spots that appeal to you. That's what Illinoisans have been doing, and here's the list of the 5 most Googled summer getaways by Illinois residents.

Illinois BBB Warns Of “Tariff Scams” Targeting Illinois Residents

For those who've been told that the reason their package(s) has been delayed because of "tariff issues," or "tariff delays," you should feel reasonably certain that you're being scammed or being set up to be scammed. Here's what the Better Business Bureau says you should be doing.

Retired Illinois Nun Taken For $400K In Sweepstakes Scam

Scams are happening all over the country at all times, but it sure seems as though Illinois residents have been getting hit extra hard over the last few months. Everyone, regardless of age, has a target on them, but attempted scams on seniors are skyrocketing.

New Study Names Illinois’ Wealthiest Small Town–Any Guesses?

We know all about the wealth that can be found in the bigger cities, but what about shining a spotlight on the smaller, quieter towns in Illinois that are doing real well for themselves? A new study takes a look at Illinois' wealthiest small town, along with the wealthiest small towns in our neighboring states and across the country.