Cruze launch goes off smoothly

LORDSTOWN — It was a moment for celebration at the Lordstown General Motors Complex here, when the company kicked off official production of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze.

Accompanied by cheerleaders and the Boardman High School marching band, Mark Reuss, GM’s North America president, and Gov. Ted Strickland led a red, white and blue caravan of the first Cruze cars into the festivities. They rode in the first Cruze.

The pair then presented the Chevy All-Stars, a group of 18 local Chevy dealers, with the first Cruze key.

“I learned a long, long time ago that you can never count out the Mahoning Valley,” Strickland said today. “The only thing stronger than Valley steel are Valley people.”

For the complete story, see Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com