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 Are Some Fun Things To Try When Illinois Temps Are This Cold

When you've hit the point of being tired of hearing your own voice complain about how cold it is and how much it sucks, you should take a minute to have a little fun with frigid temperatures.

Freezing Illinois: Is Wearing Socks To Bed A Good Or Bad Idea?

Maybe wearing socks to bed when the temperatures are really low and energy prices are really high seems like a good idea, but there are definitely two camps when it comes to socks in a bed.

Do Dogs In Illinois Really Need To Wear Coats In Cold Weather?

When Illinois' weather starts to take a frigid turn, you start seeing more and more dogs sporting winter coats, Of course, from a fashion angle, they look fabulous, but do Illinois dogs really need a coat for anything other than compliments?

Rockford Warming Centers Are Open And Ready With Heat

As of this morning, a new record low temperature for this date in Rockford has been set at -11 degrees with a wind chill or feels-like of 30 degrees below zero. If your heat goes out or can't keep up in this weather, it can be deadly dangerous, so here's where you can go to make sure you and your family stay safe and warm.

HGTV Calls This 2025’s Most Charming Small Town In Illinois

The gang at HGTV know a thing or two about great places to live, so they decided to name the top 50 most charming small towns in America, giving some recognition to one small town in each state. If you've spent any amount of time in Illinois, you might think Galena would be their choice...but it's not.

It’s Cold In Northern Illinois–But Is It Record-Breaking Cold?

With current "wind chill" or "feels like" temperatures anywhere from 5-15 degrees below zero, you've got to wonder just how cold it has to get before we're experiencing record-breaking temperatures in Northern Illinois. Looking at the forecast, we could get very close...which sucks, quite frankly.

“Windchill” Is Out In Illinois–Here’s What To Officially Call It

For the longest time, we've called how the wind makes you feel when it's cold out "windchill." Some people will use the term "feels like" to describe the same thing. However, change is inevitable, so here's what the weather experts would now like us to say instead of saying windchill or feels like.

Illinoisans Should Avoid Calls From These Area Codes In 2025

Taking a call from an unknown number and/or source can be a real problem, regardless of where the call is coming from. It gets even worse when you take a call from one of several area codes that are known to be used by phone scammers. Just answering could cost you some serious money.

The “Home Alone” House In Winnetka Sold For Over The Asking Price

The famous Illinois home of the McCallister family in the movie Home Alone was listed for sale over the summer, and now not only has it been sold, it was sold for a quarter of a million dollars more than the previous owners were asking for.

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.