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 — A 12-year-old golfer from Glen Carbon scored his first hole-in-one Saturday, March 28, 2026, during a charity scramble at Cloverleaf Golf Course, drawing an abundance of cheers from a clubhouse full of witnesses. Ronan McGinnis made the ace on March 28, 2026, while playing Cloverleaf...
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County prosecutors have charged Connor Will, a 30-year-old Eureka, Mo., man, in connection with an officer-involved shooting during a reported home break-in and hostage situation early Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Shrewsbury, Missouri, authorities said. The St. Louis...
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The St. Louis County Police canceled an alert on Monday afternoon, March 30, 2026, after detectives determined there was never a missing or abducted child reported from the 9800 block of New Hampshire Avenue in the Affton-Southwest Precinct, the department said. The...
ALTON - Alton High School sprint sensation Rayna Raglin delivered a record-setting weekend at the Illinois Indoor Championships in Chicago. She won both the 60-meter and 200-meter races. The Redbirds' Raglin won the 60 meters in 7.42 seconds after running 7.42 in the preliminaries to qualify for...
GRANITE CITY - Granite City Works is ready to resume steel production in Granite City, Illinois, restarting one of its two blast furnaces after the Metro East mill has been idle for more than two years, union officials said. The planned restart by April 1, 2026, is being viewed by union members as...
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — The St. Louis County Police Department is investigating the reported abduction of a 5-year-old girl who went missing Monday morning, March 30, 2026, after she was reportedly taken in a stolen vehicle from a residential block in the county. St. Louis County Police...
GRANITE CITY - The Granite City Police Department promoted three officers during a ceremony on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Granite City, elevating one sergeant to lieutenant and two officers to sergeant. The department said it held a promotions ceremony and announced the advancements...
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police detectives are investigating an officer-involved shooting early Sunday in the 7500 block of Murdoch Avenue in Shrewsbury, Mo., after a tactical officer shot a suspect during a domestic disturbance call, authorities said. The shooting happened just...
ST. JACOB - Melissa Oelke, a 21-year-old St. Peters, Mo., woman who was reported missing after leaving her home Thursday morning, March 26, 2026. Law enforcement reported on Saturday, March 28, 2026, that she was found deceased in Madison County, Illinois. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office...
ALTON - The Alton Museum of History and Art, closed since the COVID-19 Pandemic era in 2020, and Executive Director Brian Combs spoke on "Our Daily Show!" with host C.J. Nasello on Friday, March 27, 2026, about the museum and its future. Combs cited ongoing building problems; the museum is located...
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