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
Man Biking All 50 States Gets His Butt Chomped By Illinois Dog
Throughout the state of Illinois today, several people are going to call their dog a "big pain in the ass," but only one of those people is going to be literally and provably correct.
Wow! The Crazy Number Of Spam Calls Illinoisans Get Every Week
How widespread are spam calls? Think about this for a second: over the last year, nearly 60 million Americans say that they lost money as a result of being phone-scammed for a nationwide total of almost $30 billion.
Illinois’ Most Expensive Homes Can Be Found In These Suburbs
So let's say that the current economic climate has no hold over you, and you're looking to spend some serious money rather than doing everything you can to stretch what you have (like so many of us are doing). You've decided to drop serious cash on a house.
These Foods Have Had The Biggest Price Increases In Illinois
A couple of weeks back, I challenged you to guess which food staple has gone up the most in price at your favorite grocery store. Not to be a spoiler for my own story, but the answer turned out to be eggs.
Illinois Movie Theaters Are Bracing For A Popcorn Shortage
I understand that many of you are probably unfamiliar with the word "shortage," because everything you want and need is in abundant supply here in Rockford and across the fruited plain.
Illinoisans Are Being Tricked By People Claiming To Be From Amazon
Bad actors pretending to be someone that they are not isn't a new phenomenon. However, it's one that seems to just keep going and growing strong, stealing people's money and making off with their identifications, passwords, user-names and more.
Illinois Is Home To One Of The Country’s Most Expensive Commutes
I apologize if the photo gives away the city in Illinois that boasts one of the most annually expensive commutes. I'm sure that if you hadn't seen the photo you would have been shouting guesses like New Milford, Byron, Leaf River, or Caledonia.
Checking Out Illinois’ 7 Castles Should Be On Your Summer To-Do List
As a fan of the castle concept, it's pretty cool knowing that Illinois has that many. It's even cooler to know that several of those castles are surprisingly close to Rockford.
Little Known Gem: You Can Take A Week-Long Cruise In Illinois
So you want to have a really fun, week-long cruise experience, but you're not really that into the idea of leaving the United States, given the current crazy state of the world.
Wisconsin Couple Attacked By Bear That Charged Through Window
So, what do you think happens when you look out your window and see a bear eating out of your birdfeeder and you decide to yell at it to go away?