Connersville News-Examiner

Carbon Motors offered a glimpse of how impressive Connersville's showing was when it sent out a news release on Thursday to several media outlets.

The release chronicled the stop in the city and read in part:

"Executives from Carbon Motors Corporation spent an intensely dramatic and emotionally filled 24 hours in the great State of Indiana this week in a further effort to evaluate potentially locating its operations in Connersville, Indiana. Carbon Motors is a bold, new homeland security company that has developed the Carbon E7, the world's first purpose-built law enforcement patrol vehicle. Independent projections forecast that Carbon Motors will create 10,000 new sustainable direct and indirect American jobs and will drive a $3 billion positive economic impact over ten years in the selected region.

"'Connersville was particularly devastated with the shuttering of their largest automotive component manufacturing plant recently, which employed approximately 4,800 residents at peak operation and has now driven a double-digit unemployment rate - in an area with a richly deep and important industrial history.

"The country needs to know what the City of Connersville accomplished on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, a day which was, by proclamation, established by Mayor Leonard E. Urban to be Carbon Motors Day. The outpouring of support from the over 7,300 citizens that received us was not only overwhelming but has made a lasting impression on all of us. From the great kids at Maplewood Elementary, to the grandparents who waited in line for hours to see us, and every generation and walk of life in between, we were truly honored to meet once again the true American spirit in all of us. Thank you Connersville, Indiana from the bottom of our hearts,' said William Santana Li, chairman and chief executive officer, Carbon Motors Corporation."

Li thanked Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels in the release and said Daniels played a pivotal role in December 2008 in persuading Carbon officials to consider Connersville.

The statement issued by Carbon Motors went on to say "this week was a completely flawless, thoughtful and meaningful display of what is truly American."

Carbon officials are expected to announce a decision sometime late this spring or during the summer. Sites in Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Carbon Motors Corporation bills itself as a bold, new homeland security company on a critical mission to design, develop, manufacture, distribute, service and recycle at end-of-life the world's first purpose-built law enforcement patrol vehicle.
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