Hey Jeremy, got your text, figured I'd answer it here as it might help others later.
You said you determined it wasn't the head light switch causing your dash light/stereo issues - did you replace the headlight switch or just check wiring?
Regardless, the other thing to check if you're having problems with instrument clusters is to pull the cluster and give a close look at the plastic flexible circuit board that runs all across the back of it. If you've been blowing fuses, it can also result in a circuit burning out on the circuit board. Look and trace along the copper circuit trails and look for burned out sections - they pop just like a fuse does when overloaded. Check this link to see how to remove the gauge cluster and speedo cable:
http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Interior/Instrument_Cluster.htm
If you find one, you can scrape the plastic coating off on each side of the blow out and solder a jumper wire across it, or get another board from a junkyard cluster.
As far as the corner pilar/dome lights: There's an easy and cheap fix for those.......
You can get these lights at Advance Auto Parts for $6 a pair. No cutting or modifying the pilar panel. Just use some flat material like thin paneling, sturdy plastic sheet or sheet metal to make a backer plate for the screws to go into and wire it up.
If you need/want even more light that's super easy to install, go find a '90's Chevy S-10 and grab the rear view mirror with these cool map lights. Just run power and ground wires up under the headliner and down the A pilar to a power and ground source and you're done.