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.

America’s Largest Truckstop Opens In Illinois Next Month

One of Illinois' neighboring states is about to see its title of "Home To America's Largest Truck Stop" get stripped away by a brand new venture in West Dundee, Illinois that's set to open an even larger truckstop on the first of October.

Banana Shortage? Here’s Why One May Be Coming To Illinois Stores

There is a very real possibility that Illinois grocery stores could become "banana-free zones" in the very near future because of a potential strike by over 45,000 American dock workers.

Have You Ever Been To Illinois’ Oldest Restaurant?

We really seem to stack up at the door anytime a new restaurant opens for business, but when is the last time you visited an eatery that's been around since before Lincoln was president?

Yelp Reviews Say This Is Illinois’ Best Place For A Sandwich

If someone said to me that I could only have one type of food for every meal for the rest of my life, I would have no trouble answering with "sandwiches." Years ago, it would have been pizza, but when you think about it, what are there more varieties of, sandwiches or pizza? Even though there are lots of different pizzas, sandwiches have pizza beat in the numbers game by about 10-1.

Illinois’ Favorite Drinker: Here’s How Much Harry Really Drank

Longtime baseball broadcaster Harry Caray has been gone for 26 years, but his legendary drinking exploits are still talked about and referred to. Sometimes, legends turn out not to be true, but the legendary boozing that Harry did seems to be pretty accurate. Here's how much he drank, by his own count.

Travel Site Names Illinois’ 12 Most Charming Towns

When you think about charming towns in Illinois, it's almost inevitable that you'll have Galena cross your mind. Not to give anything away, but Galena is on the list of the 12 most charming towns in Illinois...and there are eleven other towns that really crank up the charm factor in this state, too.

Driving With A Dog In Your Lap In Illinois: Is It Legal Or Not?

We've all seen it happening, and maybe you're someone who does it, too. I think that most of us agree that driving with a dog in your lap is not exactly the safest way to travel, but is it something that can get you pulled over and ticketed here in Illinois? The answer is trickier than you might have thought.

Bees In Illinois: Ever Wondered Where They Go When It Gets Cold?

Some things migrate toward the south and warmer weather, other things dig in and hunker down for a long winter's nap, but what happens to Illinois' bees, wasps, and yellow jackets when the weather turns frigid?

Home Improvement Chain Closing Hundreds Of Stores, 11 In Illinois

After filing for bankruptcy a little over a month ago, this home improvement company has decided to close over 200 stores across the nation. They plan on having the closings completed within about 3 months.

Ever Been To Illinois Most Charming Small Town? (It’s not Galena)

There's no shortage of small towns scattered throughout the state of Illinois. Some are vibrant, some are rundown, but of all the small towns in the Land of Lincoln, one particular place gets the title of Illinois' most charming small town.