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.
SPRINGFIELD - The September area unemployment rate for the Illinois Section of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area was 3.8 percent, a decrease of -0.7 percentage points from the September 2021 rate of 4.5 percent. Some of the local city results in September were Edwardsville at 2.8 percent...
TRENTON - Roxana's girls' cross country team has had an amazing season and the Shells added another big accomplishment Saturday at the IHSA Class 1A Trenton Regional, with a fourth-place team finish to advance to the sectional this weekend. At Wesclin High, McGivney had three of the top ten spots,...
BUFFALO GROVE - Edwardsville's girls' tennis program is always strong under Head Coach Dave Lipe and his staff. The girls had considerable success in both the sectional and state tournaments in the post-season. Lipe's girls won the sectional championship at home on Oct. 15 and then performed well...
JERSEYVILLE - When someone sees the special Mass kit at a Veteran’s Day Mass at St. Xavier Parish Church in Jerseyville, they need to understand the meaning behind it. The kit dates all the way back to the Vietnam War and the special relationship Father Marty Smith has with a Vietnam Chaplain...
BLUFFS - Calhoun's girls' volleyball team moved to Thursday night's IHSA 1A Regional Championship match against Camp Point after a 25-17, 25-15, win over Triopia at Bluffs. Calhoun head girls volleyball coach Melissa Zipprich said her team played very well with few errors. "Our front row was strong...
Below are the Halloween parades, trick-or-treat dates and times, and events in area communities. Parade October 27 East Alton Halloween Parade, 7 p.m. Bethalto Halloween Parade, 6:30 p.m. October 29 Wood River Halloween Parade, 10:30 a.m. Hartford Halloween Parade, 1 p.m. October 3...
EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville High girls' volleyball team opened up its postseason run with very little trouble in taking a 25-11, 25-9 win over Granite City in the IHSA Class 4A regional Tuesday night at Lucco-Jackson Gym. It was the start of the Tigers' bid to return to the state finals at Illinoi...
ALTON - An alleged threat was posted on social media last night involving Alton High School and heavily shared overnight, Alton School District No. 11 Superintendent Dr. Kristie Baumgartner said in a statement. "Administration began working immediately with law enforcement to determine the origin...
EAST ST. LOUIS – A 20-year-old Cahokia Heights man has been arrested on a variety of charges from Aggravated Kidnapping (Class X Felony), Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault/Weapon (Class X Felony), Aggravated Unlawful Restraint (Class 3 Felony), Aggravated Battery/Great Bodily Harm (Class 3...
ALTON - Craig and Amy Lombardi, Madeline Eades, and the Alton Athletic Association, along with Al Womack of the Alton Boys & Girls Club, formulated a brilliant idea this summer for a program to boost the Redbird spirit in the community. Residents may have noticed banners of Alton High School...
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