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.
FAIRMONT CITY — Marleen Menendez Suarez, a local attorney, has seen a surge of clients seeking legal assistance since she offered to prepare guardianship and power of attorney documents for free in response to fears of deportation. Her Facebook post on Jan. 20, 2025, has drawn several individuals...
BELLEVILLE - On Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, the St. Clair County Drug Tactical Unit, with support from the Belleville Police Code Enforcement Unit, executed multiple search warrants as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. The operation targeted a residence in Swansea and Twinzo’s Smoke Shop...
EAST ST. LOUIS – An 18-year-old from O’Fallon, Illinois, has been charged with First Degree Murder in connection with a homicide that took place in December 2024. Ricky T. Clayton was arrested by the Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation’s Public Safety...
MADISON COUNTY – A collision involving a student and a school bus occurred Thursday afternoon, Jan. 30, 2025, near the entrance of Alton High School. The incident occurred when a student driving an SUV pulled out in front of the bus. The student sustained minor injuries and was transported t...
FREEBURG - A Freeburg man who was killed Tuesday night, Jan. 28, 2025, after stepping onto the roadway in the 4900 block of Illinois 13 and being struck by an oncoming vehicle has been identified. Illinois State Police identified the man as 35-year-old Dale Blanford. The incident occurred at approximately...
ALTON – Charges have been formally filed against an 18-year-old male in connection with a shooting incident that occurred on Jan. 28, 2025, in the 2100 block of State Street in Alton. The Alton Police Department announced today that Brandon A. Gray, a resident of Alton, has been charged wit...
BELLEVILLE — Amanda Kemezys, a former standout player at St. Louis University, is making her mark as a coach for the Belleville East Lancers girls' basketball team, which has seen significant improvement this season. The Lancers, now boasting a 17-8 record, secured a narrow 49-47 victory over...
EDWARDSVILLE - Alandyn Simmons led Edwardsville with 15 points, while Lainey McFarlin added 14 points, including a pair of big threes late, but Belleville East held off a fourth-quarter Edwardsville rally, blocking a three-point shot in the final seconds to hold on to a 49-47 win for the Lancers...
ALTON - Hank McClaine, a middle distances to distance runner at Alton High School, secured first place in the 5K Alton Great River Road Run, hosted by the Alton Road Runners Club, on a cold and snowy day just after Thanksgiving. McClaine completed the course with a time of 16:02.0, showcasing his stron...
ALTON - The East End Improvement Association is set to host candidate forums for Alton and Godfrey aldermanic, trustee, and mayoral candidates. On February 4, 2025, at the Great Rivers Hotel in Alton, the Alton candidates will introduce themselves and speak on their platforms. On February 11, 2025,...
Did you know Riverbender.com is free for you thanks to our awesome advertisers? We noticed you're using an ad block software. Please give our sponsors some exposure by disabling your ad blocking service for Riverbender.com.
