Columbiana County is dividing settlement money from Dollar General amongst county food banks. 

In 2022, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit against Dollar General based on price discrepancies. In 2023, a settlement was reached for $1 million. Of that settlement money, $750,000 went to the office of the Attorney General, and $250,000 was used to cover penalty and investigative costs. 

Attorney General Yost decided that the $750,000 would be given to Ohio's food banks and asked each county auditor to pick one who would be awarded their share. The money was then disbursed to each county based on the number of Dollar General stores in their county.

Columbiana County Auditor Nancy Milliken determined that Columbiana County's share would be divided equally across the county's food pantries. 

Milliken stated that the county's share was $14,226.77 and worked with Mahoning Valley Second Harvest Food Bank, which advocates for hunger relief organizations in Mahoning, Columbiana, and Trumbull counties, to distribute the funds.

100% of the funding is being dispersed as grants to 24 food pantries in the county, each receiving $592.78, with one receiving an extra 5 cents for rounding.

Under the settlement, Dollar General agreed to provide enough staffing coverage to keep shelf prices current. For customers who find an item that costs more than the shelf price, the company has to honor the shelf price and fix the incorrect price within 24 hours. District managers also have to conduct random price checks.

However, Milliken advises consumers always to be aware of how much they are being charged for goods, no matter where they shop.