App stores retaliate against Fortnite for payment change

Apple and Google dropped the popular game Fortnite from their app stores after the game’s developer introduced a direct payment plan that bypasses their platforms.

Apple and Google both take a 30% cut from in-app revenue purchases in games, which has long been a sore spot with developers.

Fortnite is free, but users can pay for in game accessories such as weapons and skins. Its developer, Epic Games, said in a blog post Thursday that it was introducing Epic Direct payments, a direct payment plan for Apple’s IOS and Google Play. Epic said the system is the same payment system it already uses to process payments on PC and Mac computers and Android phones.

Google said Fortnite will remain available on Android, just not through its app store.

Frontier North told to spend $75M improving services

State regulators have signed off on a settlement meant to improve the quality of Frontier North’s landline phone service.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio opened an investigation a year ago after receiving numerous complaints about extended service outages.

The settlement requires Frontier to spend at least $25 million a year for the next three years on capital investments and to provide quarterly reports of those expenditures to the PUCO and the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel.

Frontier, which serves approximately 50,000 customers across Ohio, also must meet specific repair and restoration metrics and develop a plan to improve and reduce outages of 911 service.

Investment increased for Alabama automotive plant

Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, the new joint venture between the two auto companies, on Thursday announced an additional $830 million investment in its new Alabama plant.

Gov. Kay Ivey said in a news release that the investment in the new auto facility is now $2.3 billion, up from the $1.6 billion originally announced in 2018. The additional money will be used to incorporate cutting edge manufacturing technologies into production lines and training for the 4,000 workers the plant is projected to eventually employ, the governor’s office said.

Production at the plant, which is still under construction, is expected to start sometime in 2021.

Financial webinars offered by Credit Union of Ohio

The Credit Union of Ohio is beginning a weekly financial webinar series that covers topics such as credit scores, budgeting and identity theft.

The series kicks off at noon Wednesday. Most sessions will last 20 to 30 minutes and will be offered at noon every Wednesday and some Tuesdays. The classes are free and open to anyone.

To learn more and register, go to www.cuofohio.org.

From staff and wire reports

Dear Car Talk: I’m on a six-month visit to the East Coast from my home in the Pacific Northwest and brought my 2008 Toyota Tacoma with me.

While driving the Massachusetts Pike and the Taconic Parkway might give me the boogaloos, I’m actually more scared of all the salt on the roads and what it might do to my NW virgin undercarriage.

Everyone (including my new mechanic here) stares at my Tacoma and says it’s in really great condition, which only makes me worry more.

So, here’s a two-part question: How do I prevent the salt from settling in and doing its oxidizing worst to my pickup beauty? And, is going to those fancy car washes I see here sufficient to keep my “Silvie’s” under-regions tidy? Thank you! — Tami

Don’t worry, Tami. For six months, I