98 Neon Interior Electrical Problem

My sister's 98 Neon was having issues with the headlights flickering while driving, so I replaced the headlight switch. When I did, I noticed the black 9-pin connector was melted (from a short I assume), so I replaced that as well. The headlights now work fine.

Now, the lights for the gauges (tach/speedometer and gas) do not work, and neither do the lights for the A/C controls. However, the CD player works fine as do the lights on the dash for the seatbelt warning, check engine, and high beams on. All the lights inside the vehicle worked fine
before I replaced those parts.

I checked all the fuses, and they appear O.K. (meaning there is no obvious sign of them blowing). Any idea what the problem might be, or recommendations for further investigation would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Dave