Regional Business Digest

REGION

Ceremony planned at GM

LORDSTOWN — General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner is scheduled to speak at the Lordstown plant Thursday.

According to a written communication from the United Auto Workers, a special ceremony will kick off at 2 p.m.

Cal Rapson, UAW international vice president of the GM Department, said Gov. Ted Strickland and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher are also scheduled to visit the same day.

The Chevy Cruise, which is expected to make an appearance at the ceremony, and the recent start of the third shift at the plant may be the reasons for the ceremony.

Clothing store opens

NILES — Fashion Replay Consignment Boutique, 5460 Youngstown-Warren Road, has opened for business.

The shop sells juniors, misses and plus size casual clothing, along with handbags and jewelry.

NATION

Beef recall expanded

OMAHA, Neb. — A review of Nebraska Beef Ltd.’s records prompted Thursday’s recall expansion because USDA investigators determined the company’s practices couldn’t effectively control E. coli bacteria on June 24.

About 1.36 million pounds of beef is now included in the recall that began Aug. 8 after the company’s meat was linked to an E. coli outbreak in 10 states and Canada.

The initial announcement recalled 1.2 million pounds of primal cuts, subprimal cuts and boxed beef that were made on June 17, June 24 and July 8.

Nebraska Beef’s intact meat products have been linked to 27 illnesses in Canada, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Fiesta production begins

DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it has begun production of its new subcompact Fiesta at a plant in Germany.

The vehicle is the first product to come out of Ford’s new global development process, which aims to produce global models that are tailored to regional tastes but have the same underpinnings. It’s slated to go on sale in stages between now and 2010, starting in Europe.

The Cologne Stamping and Assembly plant is the first Ford assembly facility to build the new car, with production at Ford’s Valencia assembly plant in Spain set begin in January.

Asian production is scheduled to begin later this year in China and Thailand, Ford said.

Vindicator wire and staff reports