A longtime Coolidge resident was honored for achieving a special milestone. Abner Alford, a veteran of World War II, celebrated his 100th birthday last week. Alford served in the Army as an X-ray technician from January 1942 to January 1945.

Speaking of Coolidge, city employees may see their paychecks increase by 10%. Coolidge city employees have not received raises for several years, leaving the city in need of catching up with other communities. The final decision on any raises will be the council’s decision, though members seemed receptive to the idea.

Lastly, in state news, Maricopa County became the first county in Arizona to ban TikTok on any government-owned devices. The ban approved by the Board of Supervisors in Arizona’s most populous county will take effect immediately. Supervisor Thomas Galvin said the risk was too great, as the app can collect county data that can easily be requested by the Chinese government.