Editorial

Good news for Ste. Genevieve job market

Like so many smaller communities, Ste. Genevieve, Mo., has struggled to keep jobs and find new employers. Last week, the town got good news: Sabreliner Corp., which provides maintenance and modifications for corporate and government aircraft, engines, systems and components, is opening a new plant to overhaul components for Air Force aircraft.

Sabreliner already has operations in Perryville and St. Mary, Mo., and wanted to keep its new operation in the same area. The plant in Ste. Genevieve is the result of a $40 million, six-year contract with Boeing Co. Sabreliner officials say they don't know if the contract will be renewed, but the existing building it plans to occupy in Ste. Genevieve would allow for doubling the workload in the future.

For now, Sabreliner is looking for 60 airframe mechanics or individuals who have technical-school training. Those jobs, which are expected to be filled by mid-summer, are crucial to the town, which is preparing for a cut in jobs at another major employer. Mississippi Lime Co. currently employs more than 400 workers but intends to cut about 100 jobs at the end of 2003.

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