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
These Bugs Want To Get In Illinois Homes Before It’s Too Cold
As cold as it gets here in the Rockford area, no self-respecting bug wants to get caught outside between now and March. So, they're looking to go rent-free for a few months at your place. Some of them will go completely unnoticed in your home, while others have a tendency to make themselves known.
Deer Mating Season: Here’s The Odds Of Hitting A Deer In Illinois
After reading about a horrific crash over the weekend in Indiana in which 3 people were killed when an SUV struck a deer, crossed the center median, and then crashed head-on with a pickup truck, I began wondering what the odds were of something like that happening to any of us who drive Northern Illinois' roads.
500,000 Illinois Residents To Get Share Of $100M From Google
I know, the headline would be much better if it were something like "1 Illinoisan To Get Giant Bag Of Money From Google" followed by (insert your name here), but you'll have to settle with sharing some of this money with your fellow Illinois residents.
Here’s The Date Northern Illinois Can Expect Its First Snowfall
Right about this time every year, the excitement about searching for the resting place of our snow shovels and windshield scrapers (also known as "where we tossed them last April") starts to build.
Walmart Hit With Illinois Class Action For Biometric Violations
Another day, and another really big company is finding itself on Illinois' hot seat for violations of the Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act, or BIPA.
Here Are The 15 Illinois Billionaires On Forbes New Richest List
If I had a dollar for every time I've wished I had a dollar for every dollar Ken Griffin, Illinois' richest man has, I might have enough dollars to actually make the Forbes "Richest List."
Every 4 Minutes And 18 Seconds, Someone In Illinois Moves Out
The U.S. Census Bureau released some population estimates a couple of weeks back that show Illinois is continuing to lose population at a record-setting rate.
How Much Longer Will Netflix Let Illinoisans Share Passwords?
If you're thinking "What's the big deal, doesn't everyone do that?" you certainly do have a point. Analysts estimate that the streaming service loses over $6 billion a year due to "account sharing."
Northern Illinois Has Migrating Hummingbirds For The Next 2 Weeks
A few weeks back, I told you to be on the lookout for migrating Monarch butterflies making their way through Northern Illinois, then on to the Mississippi Valley, followed by Texas, then on to their winter homes in Mexico. If your yard is like ours, you've probably seen quite a few, a you may for another week or so.
Over 87,000 Pounds Of Meat Sold In Illinois Has Been Recalled
No matter how you look at it, 87,382 pounds (43.5 tons) of meat is a fairly large amount of product to be yanked off Illinois store shelves and searched for in home refrigerators and freezers.