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.
ALTON — The Alton School District has appointed Rick Reinhart as head football coach after reviewing more than 20 applications, the district announced. The district said Reinhart, who served as an assistant coach last year, will lead the Alton High School Redbirds as the program begins a weight...
EAST ALTON/BETHALTO - A man wanted in a murder investigation was arrested Tuesday morning, March 3, 2026, in the parking lot of Eastgate Plaza in East Alton, and local officials said the case was separate from a federal operation last week in Bethalto in which four employees of a Mexican restaurant...
EDWARDSVILLE - A large MBI tractor-trailer caught fire on Interstate 255 and drove off the road to an exit ramp, briefly closing the ramp before firefighters extinguished the blaze, officials said on Thursday morning, March 5, 2026. The fire involved an MBI tractor-trailer that pulled over on a ramp...
EDWARDSVILLE - A late-night fire at a Captain D’s restaurant in Edwardsville rapidly drew multiple fire departments to the scene, and the fire was contained quickly by those efforts. However, the fire and smoke left the building too damaged to reopen immediately, according to the Edwardsville...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On CNN today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called out Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after he criticized the media for making “the President look bad” by focusing coverage on the six American servicemembers who have been killed in...
EAST ST. LOUIS – Illinois State Police special agents arrested 30-year-old Corey C. Ayers of East St. Louis on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the April 2025 shooting death of 22-year-old Jamya T. Dukes of Granite City, authorities said. The arrest...
NOKOMIS — Jacksonville Routt pulled away from Bunker Hill in the second half to earn a 67-50 victory Tuesday night, March 3, 2026, in the IHSA Class 1A Nokomis Sectional semifinals. Bunker Hill carried a strong first half into the break, but Routt came out strong after halftime to secure th...
CARLYLE - The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is asking the public for help as it investigates the death of 41-year-old Carlyle resident Sadie L. Tull, who was found dead at her home in the 2100 block of Fairfax Street in Carlyle, Illinois. Tull was discovered with a single gunshot wound...
PLEASANT PLAINS — Quincy Notre Dame used a second-half push to pull away from Roxana and secure a 59-47 victory Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in an IHSA Class 2A sectional boys basketball game at Pleasant Plains. The win was the 29th of the season for Quincy Notre Dame, which has one loss. Roxana’s...
WOOD RIVER - LeBron Reed is entering his senior season with the East Alton-Wood River Oilers for track and field and plans to continue his running career in college, building on what he described as a breakthrough year in cross country. Reed said the success of his first full cross-country season...
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