A rabid bat has been found in Trenton, according to the Trenton Police Department. The Indian Brown Bat was sent to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and returned a positive test result for the disease, and while police say citizens should be cautious, there is little cause for widespread fear.

The Trenton Police Department reminds citizens of the dangers of wild creatures. Bats, skunks, opossums, raccoons and other wild animals frequently come into populated areas looking for food. These creatures sometimes carry contagious diseases such as rabies and distemper. These diseases can be passed onto your family pet or to humans if contact is made.

Still, bat rabies accounts for only about one human death per year in the United States. Dogs, often considered "man's best friend," attack and kill more humans annually than die from bat rabies in a decade.

Statistically speaking, pets, playground equipment, and sports are far more dangerous than bats. Clearly, bats do not rank very high among mortality threats to humans. Nevertheless, prudence and simple precautions can save lives. (www.batcon.org)

Most bats are valuable allies, well worth protecting. Worldwide, they are primary predators of vast numbers of insect pests that cost farmers and foresters billions of dollars annually and spread human disease. In the United States, little brown bats often eat mosquitos and can catch up to 1,200 tiny insects in an hour. An average-sized colony of big brown bats can eat enough cucumber beetles to protect farmers from tens of millions of the beetle's rootworm larva each summer. Bats play key roles in keeping a wide variety of insect populations in balance. Yet, they rank as North America's most rapidly declining and endangered land mammals. The largest known cause of decline is exaggerated human fear and persecution. (www.batcon.org)

A good rule to follow would be to not to attempt to feed or touch them. If you observe these creatures acting strangely do not touch them, instead contact Animal Control or the Police Department. If you have these creatures near your home you can contact the Clinton County Animal Control at 618-594-4483 to have them removed.

For more information on bat rabies visit the Bat Conservation International at www.batcon.org. For more information on rabies visit the National Center for Infectious Disease at www.cdc.gov.

Wesclin's school board passed what is officially called a "tentative budget" Monday night, but unofficially it might be called a "very tentative budget.'

With uncertaintly still looming as to what the state of Illinois will contribute to the educational process in 2007-2008, Wesclin administrators presented a budget that assumes the same level of per capita state aid and grant monies the district received last year.

"We really don't know what type of budget we're going to end up with," said Wesclin superintendent Dave Daum. "With the state in flux as far as its budget situation, there are many things that could happen to affect it. This is a very conservative budget because of that uncertainty. Basically, we need the governor and the state legislature to come to an agreement soon."

If all of the ifs and buts hold true, the district expects to operate in the black this year, carrying forward $626,384 in residual funds forward to next year. Most of that money is already spoken for, even though it's not likely to be spent until next fiscal year.

The district's life-safety fund will receive revenues of $765,400 this year, if the board decides to move forward with a bond issue to pay for needed improvements to Wesclin facilities.

The district is in the midst of a ten-year life safety survey mandated by the state of Illinois. The survey consists of an architect inspecting buildings and grounds and formulating a punch list of improvements toward which the district must show progress.

On Monday, the school board approved bid-letting for a new alarm system at St. Mary Parish Center in Trenton, which is used by Trenton schools for physical education and assemblies. The project--one of the required improvements for the 10-year survey is expected to cost about $18,000, but superintendent Daum said "that's a very rough estimate." The project will be paid for by the district's building fund rather than life-safety in order to speed up the process.

Even though the life-safety bonds are likely to be sold this fiscal year, the project won't be completed, nor completely paid for, until the next financial period rolls over. Wesclin will carry about $490,000 forward to next year, which will mean an anticipated fund balance of $542,677 next July, when a new fiscal year begins.

The board also passed on Monday a resolution allowing district administrators to execute a $750,000 interfund loan from Wesclin's working cash fund to the education fund. The maneuver will only be used on an "if needed" basis, according to superintendent Daum. "We don't want to cash in CD's, but we need to have the flexibility to do that."

The district receives about $350,000 per month in state aid, but those payments are being delayed while legislators and Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich fight over the state budget.

- 1907 -

Sirolus Padfield and Miss Tillie Brede of Summerfield went to Belleville Tuesday and were married.

Orders for Trenton coal are coming in very fast and the company will be compelled to work full time taxing the plant's full capacity to keep up.

A party of men from here left on a river excursion down the Mississippi Tuesday. Destination is Memphis, Tenn. and their trip will extend over a period of five days.

Tuesday evening a number of citizens met Senator Hopkins at the depot. The evening accommodation stopped in each city between Salem and St. Louis so he could meet his friends.

Born to Sid Sullins and wife a girl on Sunday.

- 1917 -

Fred Ambros, 48, died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Tony Witt on Wednesday.

H.B. Lanter will give a $25 reward for information leading to the party who ran into his rig with a Ford touring car Saturday on the State Road east of Trenton.

Wm. Ranz won first prize for the best cart in the mule colt show given by Martin Faitz. Joe Ziegler was second and Oscar Haury third.

F.M. Vogt is taking lessons in driving a Metz racer and it may be that he will enter the auto racing field in the future.

- 1927 -

Fire on unknown origin caused a $3000 loss to the Hertenstein Merc. Co. of New Baden last Saturday night.

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Peters are the proud parents of a daughter born on August 22.

Bernardt Heithaus died on Aug. 23 at the age of 49. The funeral took place Sunday afternoon.

In the future, the Trenton post office will close on Sundays at 10:45 a.m.

Prof. J.R. Moore, supt. of the Trenton Public Schools the past five years, has accepted a position in the East St. Louis School System.

- 1937 -

Clinton County has a farm population of 8,740 of which 25 are colored and the rest white according to a bulletin from the Agriculture Department in Washington.

Dr. Rudolph Kurz, who has spent the past year at San Antonio, Texas, is visiting his parents and expects to locate in Southern Illinois for the practice of his profession.

Word was received here Friday that Miss Annie Imming of Carlyle died at the Breese hospital.

- 1947 -

This week the city of Highland is celebrating its centennial and the whole city is festive.

A heavy 8 x 12 steel plate was spiked down to the railroad tracks one mile east of Carlyle and the engine of a B & O fast train left the tracks and plunged down an embankment.

Henry Lampe, Aviston carpenter, was seriously injured when he fell off a scaffold while working at the school building there.

Mr. and Mrs. Edw. Harpstrite announce the birth of a grandson to their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Roper of St. Louis.

- 1957 -

Miss Marie Trame and Elmer Venhaus of Aviston were married Aug. 20 in St. Mary Church.

Miss Alvina Riemann, 71, died at the home of her niece, Mrs. A.J. Heinkicke in Geneva, N.Y. last Thursday.

Adolph Koehler, 80, of Summerfield died at the Highland Hospital on August 21.

Aviston Community High School will inaugurate its 25th year with the opening of school and Vocational Agriculture will be introduced.

- 1967 -

The St. John congregation will hold its final service on Sept. 3 in the church that has served as a place of worship for almost 100 years. The new church is nearing completion.

Mrs. Frank Schulte, nee Mary Kues of Aviston, died in St. John Mercy Hospital, St. Louis at the age of 85.

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Neumann will observe their 60th wedding anniversary Sunday.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Higgins on Aug. 17 and a son to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Korte (Mary Margaret Deien) of Pierron on August 17.

Martha Harpstrite, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Harpstrite, was one of the musicians who performed with the Southern Illinois Symphony in the SIU ballroom.

Miss Helen Voegele and Robert C. Achenbach Jr. were married in St. Paul Church in Highland on July 22.

The marriage of Miss Dianne Krausz and Roger Gildig was solemnized Aug. 26 in St. Peter Lutheran Church, New Memphis.

- 1977 -

No, Virginia, Trenton is not going to have a medium security prison. About 150 people made that clear at a public hearing. Trenton had been one of 18 cities under consideration.

Leander Horstmann was named village president of Damiansville at the first municipal election ever held there.

The Harpstrite family reunion was attended by 102 descendants of John B. Harpstrite at the New Baden Legion Home.

Century 21 Blankenship Realty will open an office in Trenton on Sept. 1.

- 1987 -

Donna Lemons and Bruce Dickman announced their engagement. The couple plans an October 3 wedding.

Julie Marie Brichler and David Addison Woodul were married July 19 at Evelyn Chapel, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington.

Rev. Fred H. Renschen, 71, pastor of St. Mary Church in Sesser, died August 25.

There are six candidates vying for four openings on the Wesclin School Board. Incumbents Gary Dulle, Robert Oster, Daniel Wiegman, and Patricia Groennert as well as John Fridley and Deanna Acker.

Kevin and Kathy Huelsmann of Trenton are happy to announce the arrival of their third child, a daughter, Vanesa Kristina Huelsmann.

Carolyn Sue Weihe and Todd Anthony Welz were united in marriage on June 13 in Trinity Lutheran Church, Centralia.

-1997-

Gary Rieger registers his daughter, Rachel, a fifth grader, for school. School will resume on September 2nd.

Trenton Clinton County League baseball team stuns Beckemeyer 18-0.

Mike Adkins, Christian Concert Artist, will be in concert at New Life Christian Center on August 24th.

Elsie Bergdolt, 94, of Trenton, died Friday, August 17, 2007 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Breese. She was born December 26, 1912 in Trenton, daughter of Jacob and Emma, nee Kraemer, Bergdolt, and they both preceded her in death. Other precednts included sisters Katie Becker, Anna Kunz, Mary Bergdolt, and Margaret Saathoff; and a niece, Martha Robertson. A sister, Emma Graesser of Trenton, survives, along with 14 nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and a great great nephew. Ms. Bergdolt was a retired elementary school teacher from the Summerfield School. She also taught in Collinsville and Bethalto during her career. She earned her two-year teaching degree from McKendree College in 1934, and later completed a four-year degree by attending night and summer classes there. She spent some summers teaching Mennonite and UCC Bible schools in Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, and Oklahoma. She was a member of St. John United Church of Christ in Trenton. The funeral was Monday from St. John United Church of Christ. Interment Summerfield Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the church and will be accepted at St. John UCC or through Moss Funeral Home in Trenton.

Condolences to mossfuneralhome.com

Ruth E. Donnewald, 79, of Breese, died Saturday, August 18, 2007 at Rose Wood Care Center in Northbrook, Illinois. She was born in Breese June 18, 1928, daughter of Alvin and Lenore, nee Bingham, Holtgrave, and they both preceded her in death. She married James H. Donnewald June 24, 1953 at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Breese, and he survives in Breese. Children, grandchildren, siblings, other relatives and friends also survive. The funeral was Tuesday from St. Dominic Catholic Church, Breese. Interment St. Mary Cemetery, Carlyle.

For complete obituary and condolences, mossfuneralhome.com

Robert B. "Bennie" Fields, 76, of Breese, died Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at his home. He was born August 2, 1931 in Washington, Indiana, son of Francis "Bernie" and Mary "Olive", nee Grider, Fields, and they both preceded him in death. He married Alice M. Kues on January 30, 1954 at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Breese, and she died September 3, 2005. Other precedents included a son, Mark Fields; a granddaughter, Brooke Robert; two brothers, Thomas Fields and Jim Fields; and brothers- and sisters-in-law Al Isaak, Orville Kues, Clem Isaak, Ann Burhorn, and Raymond and Mary Kues. Surviving are his children, Monica (Phil) Venhaus and Matthew (Chris) Fields, all of Breese; Michael (Marlene) Fields of Germantown, Luke (Deb) Fields of Breese, and Pete (Angie) Fields of Highland; a daughter-in-law, Jan (Tom) Hustedde of Breese; 18 grandchildren, Aaron (Keeli Zerrusen) Fields, Adam (Jamie Boeckmann, Fields, Alicia Hustedde, Andrew Hustedde, Andrea Hustedde, Addison Hustedde, Chad Venhaus, Ryan (Anna Beckmann) Venhaus, Allison Venhaus, Josh (Larissa, nee Peters) Fields, Beth Fields, Katie Fields, Austin Fields, Maggie Fields, Myranda Fields, Caleb Fields, Carli Fields, and Jordyn Fields; a brother, Jack (Joan) Fields of Columbia; a sister, Mary (Ted) Haar of Breese; brothers- and sisters-in-law Marie Fields of Breese, Kathy Fields of Napa, California, Bob Burhorn, Henrietta Isaak, Rose Isaak, Esther Kues, and Florence and John Duncan; and cousins, including Ken and Marguerite Dauphin. Mr. Fields was a heavy equipment operator and worked in construction before his retirement. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served in the Korean War. He was a member of St. Dominic Parish in Breese, and Local 520 Operating Engineers in Swansea. Benny was very involved in all aspects of the City of Breese and St. Dominic sports, including baseball and basketball and as a former athletic director and coach. He was "grandpa" to many children. A funeral mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday from St. Dominic Catholic Church in Breese, the Rev. Pat Peter officiating. Interment St. Dominic-St. Augustine Cemetery, Breese. Memorials may be made to All Saints Academy, St. Dominic Parish, or to Breese Litttle League, and will be received through Hempen Funeral Home in Breese.

Condolences to hempenfuneralhome.com