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.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against Donnovan Gray, 51, of O’Fallon, Mo., for his alleged involvement in a violent altercation that occurred on Renshaw Drive. Gray faces two counts o...
GILLESPIE - Anna Reiniesch, a 39-year-old woman from Gillespie, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to fulfill her final wish of visiting the Tennessee mountains. Reiniesch, who is on hospice care due to liver failure and Stage 5 kidney failure, hopes to make the trip at the end of August. "I have...
BELLEVILLE - This past weekend, children of #TeamScott members took part in the Military & Family Readiness Center's (M&FRC) "Kids Understanding Deployment Operations" (K.U.D.O.S) event, an initiative designed to give them a firsthand experience of a service member's deployment. The event, held at...
ALTON - Alton's James H. Killion Park was the recipient of a large Metro East Park and Recreation project grant recently. The Killion Park restoration project received $81,233 in funding from the grant. The Village of Bethalto also received a $300,000 grant for trail development on the Erwin Plegge...
ST. CLAIR COUNTY - The Metro East Park and Recreation District Board of Directors approved several grants for St. Clair County recently. The goal of the project grants is to enhance public parks, regional trails and recreational facilities. In Madison and St. Clair counties, the grants total $11.4...
HARTFORD - Raymond and Billie Spann of Hartford recently submitted a form to be included in Riverbender.com's Love Stories with their story. The couple said they began their relationship on June 20, 1994, and were married on July 28, 2017, and attribute the success of their relationship to their dee...
SCHAUMBURG – The Gateway Grizzlies trailed early against the Schaumburg Boomers on Sunday afternoon, but Collin Sullivan (6-4) settled down for a “quality start,” and the offense woke up in a big way with a six-run sixth inning to take the lead for good in a 7-3 victory at...
BELLEVILLE — The St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency announced on Sunday, July 21, 2024, that it has received 1,800 damage assessments following the flash flooding that occurred on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern described the flash flooding incident as...
BELLEVILLE — This week, the Southern Illinois Construction Advancement Program and Southern Illinois Builders Association are providing local students with a firsthand look at various construction trades through a series of educational visits in the Belleville area. St. Clair County Chairman...
ALTON — Mark Springman, owner of Catdaddy's bar, has long been a pillar of the Alton community, known for his generosity and kind spirit. Recently, friends and community members have gathered to celebrate his contributions and the lasting impact he has made. Don Huber, a former Alton...
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