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.
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...
BELLEVILLE - Belleville East High School senior Aubrey Heins has been named one of four students nationwide in the National Art Education Association’s Rising Star Secondary Recognition Program for future art educators, and will be recognized at the organization’s 2026 national convention...
ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, sentenced Kirk Hall to 90 months in prison and fined him $3,000 for his role in a 2023 carjacking of a 72-year-old at a St. Louis County apartment complex. Hall, now 25, pleaded guilty in November to one count of carjacking...
DELHI - Delhi, Illinois, student Alyssa Smith, an 11th grader at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, has launched a GoFundMe seeking $6,000 after being nominated to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum: Medicine and Health Care at Yale University. The program is an eight-day program focused...
GODFREY - A trailer hauling corn overturned Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 17, 2026, at the Interstate 255/Illinois 111 interchange in Godfrey, prompting a multi-agency response and a cleanup expected to take multiple hours, Illinois State Police said around 1 p.m. Illinois State Police, the Godfrey Fire...
BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School senior Jude Breyer is closing out his high school career with a series of academic, leadership, and athletic accomplishments, highlighted by earning the Jesse W. Fell Scholarship at Illinois State University. Breyer, a Civic Memorial student, received the scholarship...
EDWARDSVILLE - After 27 years working in nearly every division of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Capt. William “Bill” Marconi is retiring. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, that Marconi, who began hi...
EDWARDSVILLE - Senior Kaylea Lacey and sophomore Claire Delahantny both led with 10 points each as top-seeded Alton broke away in the second quarter to take a 29-12 lead at halftime, going on to eliminate Collinsville 50-18 in the second semifinal of the IHSA girls basketball Class 4A regionals...
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