Jobs + Growth

Illinois Jeep plant shutters indefinitely, shedding 1,200 jobs

Illinois Jeep plant shutters indefinitely, shedding 1,200 jobs

For the first time in 57 years, Belvidere doesn’t have workers finishing their shifts at the local auto plant. Jeep manufacturer Stellantis idled the plant indefinitely. It is one of the five biggest auto assembly plants in the world. In a city of 25,000, it’s a vital part of the local economy. The state has...

By Dylan Sharkey

Cathy Stuehmeier

Cathy Stuehmeier

“I’m preparing to retire now. I own newspapers. I’ve spent about 57 years in media. I started with the Centralia Sentinel, which was a daily local newspaper. I spent seven or eight years with the Sentinel and learned a lot from the past ownership.” “I was one of the first females to walk into the...