Dan Brannan is Content Director of RiverBender and EdGlenToday.com. Dan started at Riverbender.com/Edglentoday.com in December 2014. He is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL with degrees in Journalism and Psychology. Having previously served as the Executive Editor of The Telegraph in Alton, his 17-year tenure led the paper to over 350 awards including several General Excellence awards in the Illinois Press Association, Illinois Associated Press, Freedom Communications, Southern Illinois Editorial Association and Journal Register Company contests. Brannan was chosen to lead Freedom Communications' national pilot on social media.
He is the author of eight nonfiction books including: "The Courage to Live," a biography about Donna Gustavel, a young woman with multiple disabilities; "Everyday Angels," an inspirational book of moving human interest stories; "Live Life to the Fullest: Stories of People Coping With Diabetes" which is endorsed by the American Diabetes Association; "Boy Giant: The Story of Robert Wadlow The World's Tallest Man;" "Damn Cold and Starving" written with Sgt. Marion Ray; "You Can't Kill the Dream" co-written with fellow journalist Ande Yakstis; and "A Life in Parts," the story of Loretta Goebel and endorsed by Beatle Paul McCartney.
Dan, an avid exercise enthusiast, is a member of the American Diabetes Association and lives in Maryville. Dan has two children in college - Savannah and Sierra.
ST. LOUIS - A Belleville man admitted in federal court on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, to choking and assaulting a woman on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park, according to a plea agreement detailing an incident that began during an argument in Belleville, Illinois, and ended on a service road...
GREENFIELD - Carrollton is off to a powerful start in the postseason after a 73-31 shellacking of South Fork on Tuesday night, Feb. 17, 2026. Hadley Lake led all Hawks scorers with 19 points and Hayden McMurtie and Brookelyn Eilerman added 14 points apiece and Chloe McAdams contributed 8 points. Angeli...
ST. LOUIS — Boeing said Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, it is relocating its Defense, Space & Security business back to the St. Louis area, a move the aerospace and defense contractor framed as a way to place leadership closer to a major production hub. The business, known...
COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville, Illinois, Police Department has named Officer Guiseppi Coppotelli its January Officer of the Month after he made 13 arrests during the month, all stemming from self-initiated activity, the department said. In a statement, the department said Coppotelli’s arrests...
EDWARDSVILLE — A 24-year-old man was killed late Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, after Illinois State Police said a pursuit ended in a crash involving a pickup truck that struck a downtown Edwardsville building. Illinois State Police on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, identified the driver in the fatal accident...
QUINCY - Civic Memorial High School senior Marlee Durbin had an outstanding game in the 3A Quincy Notre Dame Regional on Tuesday night, Feb. 17, 2026, scoring 21 points, which led all scorers and paced her team to a 54-42 victory. CM teammate Isabelle Edwards had 13 points for CM, and Marley Ogden...
HARDIN - Calhoun bounced back from a loss with a 75-55 win over Pittsfield on Tuesday night, improving its record to 23-4. Calhoun led 19-9 after the first quarter and 34-23 at halftime. Pittsfield cut into the margin in the third, outscoring Calhoun 19-16, but Calhoun pulled away in the fourth quarter...
FERGUSON - A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Shannon O’Brien, a 28-year-old woman who was found with at least one apparent gunshot injury in Ferguson, Mo., St. Louis County police said on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. O'Brien was a graduate of Edwardsville...
GILLESPIE - Two Gillespie High School seniors interested in veterinary medicine toured the Animal Medical Center of Litchfield recently, speaking with clinic staff about careers in the field, according to a message from Jordan Bartok, the school district’s Gear Up district coordinator....
EDWRDSVILLE – Rowan Weller led Edwardsville with 18 points, but his final two were the most important, as his buzzer-beater in the lane went in as time expired to give the Tigers a critical Southwestern Conference boys basketball win 47-45 over Belleville East Tuesday night, Feb. 17...
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