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
Monarch Migration: Butterfly Viewing Peaking In Northern Illinois
As interesting as I find getting a good look at migrating monarch butterflies making their way throughout Northern Illinois on their way South for the winter, I've gotta tell you that learning the reason why they're called "butterflies" in the first place is even more intriguing.
$1.3 Billion: Why Hasn’t Illinois’ Jackpot Winner Come Forward?
A little over a month ago, $1.33 billion, the third-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, was won by someone who purchased their Mega Millions ticket right here in Illinois at a Speedway gas station in Des Plaines. When you look at that kind of money, you wonder why the winner has not announced themselves to lottery officials yet.
Flashback: Illinois Woman Sees Lincoln’s Face In A Clump Of Dirt
While certainly not the most attractive man to ever walk the face of the Earth, Abraham Lincoln is certainly one of the most recognizable, especially here in Illinois. You can see Lincoln's face on the penny, on the $5 bill, and splashed all over governmental buildings throughout Illinois and the nation.
High Health Risk: Illinois-Based Frozen Pizza Launches Recall
Another day, another product recall. This time the product being recalled is actually one of Illinois' favorite frozen food items, and one that I'm pretty certain is sitting in our freezer at home.
Some Call These Midwestern Foods Gross–Are They Right Or Not?
Over the weekend, I got an email note from a friend who formerly lived here in the Rockford area. In the email, he included a link to a piece about "classic" Midwestern food dishes he found on a website.
Illinois Sheriff Issues Warning About A Cannibal Spaghetti Cook
In the craziness of today's world and the round-the-clock news cycle, it's really difficult sometimes to figure out if something we're being told is fact or fiction. I'm not necessarily referring to politics, either. There's a lot of BS floating around about all sorts of things, and sometimes people fall for it.
We May Never Know Illinois Lottery Winner’s Name-Here’s Why
One lucky Mega Millions lottery ticket-buyer in Illinois is going to be a billionaire following Friday night’s $1.337 billion drawing, but the question is are we ever going to know that person's name?
Horrifying Illinois: How Starved Rock State Park Got Its Name
When you've lived in a state for your entire life, it's sometimes jarring to find out something about its history that you had absolutely no idea about.
Illinois Lottery Fever: What Illinois’ Biggest Winners Took Home
As of this writing, tonight's Mega Millions lottery jackpot stands at $660 million, which makes the 10pm drawing now the 3rd biggest jackpot ever. Only two billion-dollar jackpots have ever been higher; $1.537 billion won in South Carolina on October 23rd, 2018, and $1.050 billion won in Michigan on January 22nd, 2021.
What Happens When Midwest Woman Mixes Up Eye Drops With Nail Glue?
Mixing up your eyedrops with a tube of super glue sounds like something that you'd see in a sitcom or movie, but a Michigan woman will tell you that in spite of the cartoon-like premise, it actually does happen.