Wake County businesses are saying thanks to local first responders on Friday with all sorts of freebies and discounts.

Among the freebies: bowling, coffee, breakfast sandwiches, frozen yogurt and a bucket of golf balls at the driving range.

Discounts on restaurant meals, massages and go-kart racing are also being offered.

All law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency communications personnel - in uniform or with proper identification - are eligible.

Click here for a complete list of freebies and discounts during Raleigh/Wake County First Responders Appreciation Day.

This region cracks the top 10 (often at No. 1) on so many lists related to jobs, careers, doing business and such.

So it's almost shocking to see Wake County all the way down at No. 15 of Money Magazine's latest list of "Where the jobs are."

To be fair, it's a bit of a lagging indicator. The list of 25 counties is based on job and population growth 2000-2010, as well as places where unemployment was below the national average.

Rockwell County, Texas, came in at No. 1. Loudoun County, Va., was No. 2, and Williamson County, Texas, was No. 3.

The Tarheel Swimming Association has put its 41st annual summer recreational league into its history book, with the Prestonwood Piranhas again winning the overall title.

This year, the league grew to than 10,400 athletes ages 18 and younger on 78 teams from community pools around Wake County, TSA president Bob Goudreau reported.

Competition was held on Tuesday nights in June and July unless postponed to Wednesday because of storms. Nineteen teams won division championships.  

You may notice a lot of girls softball players in the Triangle this weekend and next week.

The PONY Softball Fastpitch National Championships are returning to the Wake County for the fifth year in a row.

Triangle swimmers don't just compete in the area. Some of them make a splash on the regional and national scenes.

Victoria Mitchell of the Marlins Of Raleigh-Wolfpack Aquatics is one of those swimmers with big achievements, and she added another this past weekend.

I may be on vacation, but it's Friday so we're still going to do a few freebies.

These days, when a company is acquired and job cuts loom the question of incentives inevitably comes up.

As for RBC Bank, the company was to receive $750,000 from Raleigh and Wake County officials for moving its headquarters from Rocky Mount.

But that money was not contingent on jobs.

State road crews are continuing to pick up debris from the April storms and tornados in Wake and five other counties, but the roadside cleanup will end soon.

The state Department of Transportation says the final pickup for debris stacked beside state-maintained roads in Johnston County will be Tuesday.

In four other counties, residents are asked to put debris on the roadside for final pickups that will begin Tuesday:  Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett and Robeson counties.

In Wake County, DOT says its crews will make their second sweep of state roads late this week and early next week.  June 15 is the deadline for roadside debris removal in Wake County.

Residents are asked to make two piles for building materials and tree limbs or other vegetation, and to keep travel lanes clear.

Do you have stacks of dusty old phone books taking up valuable space in your home? You can drop them off at one of four recycling sites in Raleigh through May 31 (or at any convenience center year-round).

Don't forget that Wake County and Raleigh Recycling will be sponsoring a one-day compost bin sale this Saturday, May 7, in honor of Compost Awareness Week.