Dunkin' Gives Firefighter Free Coffee

Dunkin' visited Charlotte Fire Station 36 on Oct. 29 to hand out coffee and doughnuts to the crew. The company marked the occasion with National First Responders Day. During the visit, the chain presented firefighter Jerome Taylor with a gift of free coffee for one year. This reward recognized his specific actions during an emergency call on March 4.

Taylor was standing on a second-floor breezeway at an apartment complex when an incident occurred. A woman fell from a railing on the third floor. Taylor caught her in midair to prevent a worse fall. The Charlotte Fire department subsequently awarded him the Award for Bravery for that rescue.

In a separate legal matter, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson filed a suit against Dollar General. Jackson joined the Federal Trade Commission and other states in the lawsuit. The group alleges that Dollar General repeatedly charged customers more than the advertised shelf prices. Jackson's office stated that Dollar General stores failed thousands of state pricing inspections. The office also reported receiving nearly 30,000 complaints about pricing discrepancies. Dollar General operates more than 1,150 stores in North Carolina.

Dollar General responded to the lawsuit by saying that occasional price differences between the shelf and the register do happen. The company stated that employees are instructed to correct these errors. Dollar General added that it has strengthened its pricing accuracy procedures. It also said it cooperated with the FTC investigation. The retailer criticized the FTC's proposed financial settlement and noted that it tried to negotiate a deal before the suit was filed.

The Clearing House Payments Company announced plans to open a client operations center in Charlotte. The company will invest $11.5 million in the facility. This expansion will create 200 jobs. The new facility will include a client engagement center and corporate offices. The Clearing House processes more than $2 trillion each business day through wire transfers and automated clearinghouse transactions. The expansion is supported by partnerships involving the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and state economic development agencies.

First Citizens Bank will sponsor a free home-buying workshop on Nov. 19. The event, titled "Ready? Set? Go! A Roadmap to Home Ownership," is hosted by Pride Magazine and Ascension Communities. It will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Friendship Baptist Church at 3400 Beatties Ford Road. Networking begins at 9:30 a.m., and lunch is provided. The workshop covers credit scores, financing options, and the housing market. Bank representatives will help participants develop step-by-step plans for purchasing homes.