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 - Savanna Lewis led the way for Edwardsville with a hit and two RBIs on a day where the Tigers only had four hits, but took advantage of eight walks and various other miscues, scoring eight times in the second inning en route to a 15-0 Southwestern Conference softball win over Collinsville...
GODFREY - Larry Niel Moehn, an educator and longtime gymnastics coach and business owner who spent more than three decades as a professor at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and operated Mid-Illinois Gymnastics and Dance Academy for more than 60 years, died Monday, March 30, 2026. He was...
PIASA — Southwestern boys soccer senior Eben Makler has signed a letter of intent to play soccer for Greenville University, said head boys soccer coach Steve Mitchell. Coach Mitchell said Makler, a center midfielder who also plays “back and front,” will be a boost to the Greenville...
FERGUSON, MO. - A track meet involving 20 schools was ending Tuesday evening, March 31, 2026, at the STEAM Academy at McCluer South Berkeley High School in Ferguson when gunfire erupted in the parking lot as people were leaving, killing a 14-year-old boy and critically injuring a 15-year-old...
EDWARDSVILLE - Captain Jerry Endicott has retired from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the agency has announced. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said Endicott served in multiple roles, including as a Patrol Division deputy sheriff and as jail administrator. Madison...
Key takeaways: Some people put off health screenings and appointments in the winter. Spring is the perfect time to do a reset and see what you need. Everyone should get a yearly physical. Talk to your primary care provider about what other screenings and vaccines you need. Spring can...
ALTON - Alton Police Officer Steven Vaughn has embraced his role with energy, positivity, and a strong commitment to service in his first year. Officer Vaughn and Officer Luke Atkinson are the 2025 Alton Police Rookie Officers of the Year, citing their performance during their first year on the job...
ALTON - The Alton Police Department has named Officers Luke Atkinson and Steven Vaughn as its 2025 Rookie Officers of the Year, citing their performance during their first year on the job, including responses to high-risk calls in Alton. More about Vaughn in a separate story on Riverbender.com....
EAST ST. LOUIS — A 62-year-old man accused of robbing a federally insured bank in O’Fallon, Illinois, appeared in federal court last week to face a bank robbery charge, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois. George E. Habermehl Jr. is...
EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, that an Edwardsville man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of home invasion and aggravated battery in an attack at a Glen Carbon residence. Circuit Judge Kyle Nap...
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