Jobs rally in Connersville

CONNERSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - Thousands of people are expected to attend a jobs rally in Connersville. The city has been named a finalist for a new Carbon Motors plant.

24 Hour News spoke with Mayor Leonard Urban on the phone yesterday, and he says he's confident that Connersville will land Carbon Motors.

Connersville was once a booming manufacturing town. However, the has lost about 9,000 industrial jobs over the last 20 years.

Mayor Leonard Urban says landing Carbon Motors would be a huge moral boost. “It means hope, for once instead of announcing that we are losing something, we would like to announce that we are gaining something,” said Urban.

The city is one of three finalists for Carbon Motors new manufacturing plant. Signs around town point to Wednesday afternoon's jobs rally. “We're about what, 5th highest in un-employment, Elkhart has beat us, we're at 15.9 percent, but you have to remember for 10 years we've been the highest in the state,” said Urban.

If Carbon Motors chooses Connersville that could mean about 13 hundred jobs for the city. Produced here would be the E-7, Carbon Motors' state of the art police vehicle.

People in Connersville are keeping their fingers crossed. “We really need it, we need it bad don't we,” said Connersville resident Becky Grubbs.

Thousands are expected to attend Wednesday's rally. Connersville's city Hall will be closed during the rally, as well as many Government offices across the county.

All signs point to Connersville landing Carbon Motors. “The company has said all along that they wanted to make up their mind at the end of this month, we're nearing the end of the month,” said Urban.

The rally will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the former Visteon plant on Western Avenue in Connersville. Governor Daniels is expected to attend.

Carbon Motors also plans to bring one of its E-7 state of the art police cars to the rally.