If you do let me know. There’s a job there I’d be perfect for and I’d like to gather some info.
I’ve never worked for Gatehouse, but they are the parent company of a network of newspapers in my area. I co-own an independent paper pretty much smack dab in the middle of them. Not sure I’d have a lot of helpful info, but you’re welcome to PM me and ask specifics.
My people are from near there. Many small towns, full of German Lutherans who are nearasdammit to Mennonites, and speak German among themselves. Don’t go wandering in fields that don’t belong to you. There are a lot of hidden stills and marijuana patches around there. Definite redneck territory.
Chester is the home of the Menard State Prison. Everyone there is basically connected either with the prison or with farming. It’s a little too far away from St. Louis to run up to the big city on a whim.
It’s also near that spot where part of Illinois is west of the Mississippi River, so don’t try that bar bet down there.
It’s across the river from my hometown, and most people would cross to Missouri for cheap gas or to Illinois to play the lottery. There’s really not much to it other than small town living (if that suits you). The land is quite scenic, part of the “Little Egypt” region of Illinois. Lots of roads to cruise and levees to ride, as well as the Great River Road scenic tour and the Shawnee National Forest. It’s the home of Popeye and has a festival each year. It’s also not too far from the home of Superman.
Be prepared to drive, most enjoyments are relatively distant if you’re not used to it. A trip to St. Louis isn’t too far (about an hour and a half), if you want to do “big city” things like go to a cards game or to six flags. Carbondale is also fairly close, with SIU bringing in a large college population.
My childhood was spent on the Missouri side, but I don’t think it’s so different across the river. As limegreen says, the area is largely German (Lutheran and Catholic) and overwhelmingly redneck, but I know plenty of bleeding liberals who manage just fine.
Oh, and there are lots of ‘orl’ wells. ‘Warsh’ your clothes and ‘borl’ water. My great-grandparents (farmhouse halfway between Percy and Steeleville) finally got indoor plumbing in the 1980’s, so there isn’t a whole lot of fancy living. Go down to the Kaskaskia River and buy buffalo carp out of the river from old men in concrete block buildings overrun with cats… sniff I think I’m going to have to go down home purty soon. I miss it sometimes.
Wow, can’t say we were that rustic. Maybe that’s how them Ill’noiseans like it, but we were very fancy in Missouri, what with our indoor plumbing and store-bought fish. 
Truthfully, I lived in just an ordinary small town, a little bit larger than Chester and apparently on the showy side of the river.