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.
Billy Marquez, the uncle of 18-year-old Miguelito Villegas De Santiago, who died in a fatal shooting on Jan. 1, 2023, in Collinsville, has organized a GoFundMe for the final expenses of his nephew. "Miguelito passed away within a few hours after the shooting and his family is torn apart," his uncl...
ST. LOUIS - It is rare for someone to be on a team that wins a national championship and recently Alton’s Lily Freer received her championship ring in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). She is a member of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL program on the girls' 17 and under team. The ECN...
COLLINSVILLE - Collinsville Police has released information about a double fatal shooting early New Year's Day morning in the city. This is the Collinsville Police report: At 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, January 1, 2023, the Collinsville Police Department received a 911 call of a disturbance of gunshots...
ALTON - The New iMerge Community Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for youth, is off and running in strong fashion after a large turnout on Friday night at 200 W. Third St. in Alton. IMerge is the name for the new operators of the old Riverbender Community Center. “I was very happy about tonight’s...
COLLINSVILLE - At 2:10 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call of a shooting and a male subject shot in a nearby vehicle in the 3300 block of Princeton Ave., Collinsville, Illinois. The male victim was transported to a St. Louis area hospital, where...
ALTON - At approximately 5:10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, the Alton Police Department was notified of a shooting at the Fresh Cuts Barber Shop in the 1600 block of Washington Avenue, Alton, Chief Jarrett Ford said. "Officers arrived and located one subject who had been shot while inside the business,"...
ALTON - The Alton Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred in the 1600 block of Washington Avenue around 5 p.m. on Friday. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford confirmed the shooting had occurred and police were at the scene. One person was transported by ambulance to an area hospital....
ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Illinois State Police today provided preliminary information about a two-vehicle traffic crash that occurred at 6:27 a.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2022, on U.S. 50, just east of North Rieder Road, Lebanon Township. A 60-year-old male from Breese - Keith E. Van Ness - was reported...
JERSEY 44, URSULINE ACADEMY 39: Jersey used both a big second and third quarter to win the Duchesne Tournament title over Ursuline Academy 44-29. Tessa Crawford had a big game for the Panthers with 28 points, while Bria Tuttle added five points. Jersey is now 10-7, while the Bears go to 8-4. The...
MASCOUTAH - Alton's Head Girls' Basketball Coach Deserea Howard had an appropriate summary of the Redbirds' big 52-51 victory over top-notch O'Fallon in the Mascoutah Tournament Thursday night: "We just made history." "At the beginning of the year, we said we really wanted to win the Mascoutah...
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