Hot Head Burritos opening in Niles

March 27, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

NILES

A new Hot Head Burritos opens today at the Eastwood Mall complex on U.S. Route 422 next to Panera Bread outside the mall.

This is Hot Head Burritos’ fifth location in the area. It is the fourth location for franchisees Don Spence, Brian Spence and Rick Mills, who also own and operate restaurants in Austintown, Boardman and Hermitage, Pa.

Groundbreaking set

SALEM

There will be a groundbreaking event today at the worksite for the Holiday Inn Express, to be built on Cunningham Road on Salem’s east end, near Home Depot.

City officials, the Sustainable Opportunity Development Center and the Salem Chamber will join Wayne Martin, the general contractor, and the Forza Group for the ceremony at 9 a.m.

Bill offers incentives for natural-gas fleets

COLUMBUS

A bill sponsored by state Rep. Sean J. O’Brien of Brookfield, D-63rd, that would offer incentives to public and commercial fleets to switch over to using compressed natural gas as fuel cleared the Ohio House of Representatives by a unanimous vote Wednesday.

Modeled on successful efforts in other states, HB 336 offers tax incentives for five years to companies to help them cover the cost of switching to natural-gas vehicles. The bill also includes grants for local governments and nonprofits, which are not eligible to receive tax credits.

O’Brien’s bill beat out a competing bill in the House, and now moves on to the Ohio Senate.

Nissan recalls more than 1M vehicles

DETROIT

Nissan is recalling more than 1 million cars, SUVs and vans because the front passenger air bags may not inflate in a crash. It’s the company’s second recall to fix the same problem.

The recall affects the Altima midsize car, Leaf electric car, Pathfinder SUV and Sentra compact models from the 2013 and 2014 model years, as well as the NV200 Taxi van and Infiniti JX35 SUV from 2013. Also covered are the Infiniti QX60 and Q50 SUVs from 2014.

In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nissan says the vehicles’ computer software may not detect an adult in the passenger seat. If that happens, the air bags won’t inflate.

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for free. The recall is expected to start in mid-April.

Conn. OKs highest state minimum wage

HARTFORD, Conn.

Connecticut state lawmakers Wednesday became the first in the country to pass legislation that would increase the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2017, the same rate President Barack Obama wants for the federal minimum wage.

Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who recently appeared with Obama and several New England governors to tout the proposal, applauded Wednesday’s votes, saying he’ll sign the bill into law at the same New Britain restaurant where Obama dined earlier this month during a visit.

Vindicator staff/wire reports