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.
EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Firefighter Joey Cruz was honored with an Employee Excellence Award last week for his fire safety outreach to preschoolers at the Edwardsville YMCA. The award recognized Cruz’s interactive and educational sessions designed to teach young children about fire safety....
ROXANA — The Roxana High School football team will face St. Joseph-Ogden in the second round of the Illinois High School Association Class 3A playoffs at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at Roxana High School. The game will be streamed live on Riverbender.com, thanks to the Roxana Booster Club...
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — Mayor Mark Kupsky presented a $5,000 donation to the Fairview Heights Area Food Pantry on Thursday morning, Nov. 6, 2025, to support families facing increased food insecurity amid the ongoing government shutdown and cuts to SNAP benefits. The donation aims to help th...
EAST ST. LOUIS - Cynthia Roller, a seventh and eighth-grade English language arts teacher at Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence in East St. Louis School District 189, has been named an honoree for Emerson’s 2025 Excellence in Teaching Awards. The recognition highlights her dedication...
MADISON COUNTY — A Madison County jury has awarded $27.5 million to a 21-year-old motorcycle accident victim injured in a July 4, 2023, collision in Highland. The jury returned a unanimous verdict this week after a four-day trial before Judge Patrick King, finding the pickup truck driver 100...
ALTON — A vehicle crashed into a building under renovation on the 2500 block of College Avenue late Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, causing structural damage but no injuries, authorities said. At 9:56 p.m. Nov. 6, emergency crews from the Alton Fire Department and Alton Police Department responded...
JERSEYVILLE - Amelia Jumper, a freshman cross country runner for Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100, qualified for the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Sectional meet. She also accomplished a goal of breaking 20 minutes at the 2A Cross Country Regional in Taylorville with a time...
EDWARDSVILLE — Metro East Lutheran High School sophomore Lucy Doyle set a personal three-mile cross country record at the 1A sectional meet at Trenton Wesclin on Nov. 1, 2025, finishing with a time of 18 minutes, 59.7 seconds. Doyle also recorded a time of 19:32.0 at the 1A Trenton-Wesclin Regional...
ST. LOUIS — Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has announced that her office is adding a new count to its ongoing quo warranto case seeking the permanent removal of Alfred Montgomery from his position as St. Louis city sheriff. The additional charge alleges Montgomery violated Missouri...
PIASA — Addy Walden, a senior setter for the Southwestern Piasa Birds girls volleyball team, played a key role in the 2025 season, earning recognition as the Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month. Walden, who also competes in girls' soccer for Southwestern in...
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