I consider myself lucky to have been born and raised right here in the Rock River Valley, a place that my family and my wife Amy's family have called home for generations. I was first hired at WROK in 1983, and except for a short departure, I've spent my entire career right here in Rockford. Halloween of 2019 will mark my 18th anniversary of hosting the WROK Morning Show, making me the longest-serving morning show host in the station's nearly 100-year history. Amy and I have been happily married for 28 years, with two (now grown) children, Spencer (who does voice-overs for audio books and commercial voice-over work, too), and Molly (a graduate of Rock Valley College who also dazzles with service at a popular local restaurant). I'm luckier than I ever thought possible. When I'm not here at the station, I can usually be found at one of Rockford's many great, local events, either as host/master of ceremonies, or as an attendee. If we should meet, feel free to buy me 1 to 7 drinks.
Riley O'Neil
Illinois’ Wasps Are Everywhere-Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Kill Them
It's late Summer heading into Fall, and Illinois' population of wasps and yellow jackets are really plentiful right now. Like many of us, your first instinct is probably to kill them on sight, especially if they're around your home. As much as you may want to end them, there are some pretty good reasons not to.
By The Numbers: How Much Alcohol Illinois And The Midwest Drinks
Remember when we got all those warnings early in the pandemic about being careful about how much wine, beer, and/or booze we were pouring down our throats while we were forced into locking down at home?
200 Illinois Skydivers Are Trying To Set A World Record This Week
As of this writing (Thursday morning, 9:30), two hundred skydivers are still trying to set the World’s Largest Vertical Formation record at Skydive Chicago that they began trying to set earlier in the week. Considering what they're attempting, I can understand why it hasn't happened yet.
You Feeling Okay? Life Expectancy In Illinois Drops By 2 Years
According to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), across the United States, life expectancy dropped to 77 years in 2020, down from 78.8 in 2019. Not one state saw an increase in life expectancy in 2020.
Mask Mandate Is Back At Illinois Driver’s License Facilities
When the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) says that it is fully adopting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new masking guidelines, it's a pretty safe bet that others will follow suit.
Illinois Remains One Of The Most Restrictive States On Fireworks
Here's a little sample of an exchange between several of my coworkers when we were discussing the upcoming 4th of July festivities in a staff meeting this morning:
Illinois Giving Away Millions In Vax Lottery, Here’s The Schedule
If you've gotten the COVID-19 vaccination, you probably did it to protect yourself from contracting the coronavirus, expecting no reward whatsoever beyond virus avoidance.
Illinois Department Of Transportation Warns Of Fake Texts, Emails
If you haven't received a phony email or text from someone purporting to be with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), just be patient because you probably will.
Deadly Algae That Can Kill Your Dog Is Growing In Illinois Lakes
If you recall, back in 2019, The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) were asking Illinois residents to be more vigilant about where they boat, ski, and swim over the summer due to blue-green algae "blooms" that are occurring in Illinois' lakes and rivers.
Illinois Has A New Vaccine Lottery–Here’s How It Works
Governor Pritzker figures that you might need an incentive to go out and get vaccinated against COVID-19, even after 70 percent of the state's adults have received at lease one vaccine dose.