BUSINESS DIGEST ||

Workers recalled

LORDSTOWN

The United Auto Workers Local 1112, which represents the assembly plant workers at the General Motors Lordstown Complex, was able to get 15 members recalled from layoff after a lengthy discussion with management.

The members will be temporarily used to assist in coverage within their assigned departments, according to a Local 1112 informational flier recently sent out.

When the third shift was cut in January, UAW Local 1112 had more than 600 layoffs.

More layoffs are expected this summer when GM slows down the line to reduce its inventory of the Chevrolet Cruze to align with demand for the compact car.

YSU tries to acquire property for center

YOUNGSTOWN

Negotiations for a space to house the Mahoning Valley Innovation and Commercialization Center are underway between Youngstown State University and the property owner. The location of the property hasn’t been released.

The MVICC will be an advanced manufacturing lab where high school and college students and entrepreneurs can all work together and where engineers, machinists and welders can interact.

The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers’ Coalition, YSU, Eastern Gateway Community College, career and technical centers, Youngstown schools and the Youngstown Business Incubator are all project partners.

To pay for the lab’s construction, YSU’s research foundation received $3 million from the state capital bill. It also received $200,000 from Detroit-based Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow to cover the cost of operations design. YSU also is hoping to receive more funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission for the project.

Dollar General store opens

NEW SPRINGFIELD

Dollar General’s newest store at 13889 Woodworth Road is now open. Dollar General will celebrate the store’s official grand opening at 8 a.m. next Saturday with free prizes and special deals. Additionally, the first 50 adult shoppers at the store will receive a $10 Dollar General gift card, and the first 200 shoppers will receive a tote bag with complimentary product samples, among other giveaways.

Jury awards $110M in baby-powder case

TRENTON, N.J.

Johnson & Johnson has been hit with a multimillion-dollar jury verdict for the fourth time over whether the talc in its iconic baby powder causes ovarian cancer when applied regularly for feminine hygiene.

Late Thursday, a St. Louis jury awarded $110.5 million to Lois Slemp, 62, of Wise, Va., who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. She blames her illness on her use of the company’s talcum powder-containing products for more than 40 years.

Besides Slemp’s case, three other jury trials in St. Louis reached similar outcomes last year, awarding the plaintiffs $72 million, $70.1 million and $55 million, for a combined total of $307.6 million. The company says its product is safe, and it plans to appeal the latest verdict, as it has the other three.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1231.830.79

Aqua America, .71 32.160.43

Avalon Holdings,2.45-0.08

Chemical Bank, .2749.22-0.04Community Health Sys. 9.62 0.01

Cortland Bancorp, .2818.730.23

Farmers Nat., .1614.60-0.05

First Energy, 1.44 28.83-0.04

Fifth/Third, .5224.80-0.11

FirstMerit Corp.,--

First Niles Financial, .1210.500.00

FNB Corp., .4814.49-0.04

General Motors, 1.5233.760.61

General Electric, .9229.210.01

Huntington Bank, .28 12.99-0.06

iHeartMedia Inc.,2.000.00

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9286.98-0.12

Key Corp, .3418.74-0.16

LaFarge, .34--

Macy’s, 1.51 28.970.05

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 159.20-0.59

PNC, 2.20123.11-0.34

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.60164.56-0.86

Stoneridge 18.30-0.15

United Comm. Fin., .12 8.59-0.04

Selected prices from Friday’s 4 p.m. close.