The Night the Yucca Bloomed Blue

Editor’s Note: This story is a work of fiction published in the fun spirit of Halloween. This story is on the opinion page and is a work of fiction, not a factual account of events in Cibola County.I am a cow with a bell-shaped mind. My thoughts go grass, water, sleep, calf.

Shivani

Editor’s Note: This story is a work of fiction published in the fun spirit of Halloween. This story is on the opinion page and is a work of fiction, not a factual account of events in Cibola County.

Letters to the Editor . . .

Animal ControlDear editor, I worked at the Cibola County Sheriff's Office for 18 years. We had no animal control officers, so we contracted with the City of Grants ACOs, who took calls in the county, which they rarely did.

State of Affairs

There’s a moment in the movie Across the Universe that’s stayed with me.Soldiers carry the Statue of Liberty through the mud while The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” fills the air.It’s haunting and beautiful — because it captures the weight of freedom in a way we rarely discuss.

The Postscript

“I had a very strange dream,” my sister said, “and you were in it. You want to hear?”“Sure.” “I was fired! I came to school, and my fob wouldn’t work.”My sister is a teacher. It is very unlikely that she would be fired and unlikelier yet that she would be fired without notice.

Wayfinding

I knew my students would be sad when I told them the NMSU Gym would be closed from October 1 to 3, 2025, for an event. This means they wouldn’t be able to play volleyball. I brought indoor games such as jacks, pick-up sticks, chess, and Uno.

State of Affairs

It is an incredible honor to share that I have been recognized with the 2025 Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award.

Op-Ed

I would like to express deep gratitude to our readers of the Cibola Citizen, the local newspaper serving Cibola County.

Letters to the Editor . . .

Dear editor, This coming Friday, October 10, 2025, from 8 am to 12:00 noon, the Village of Milan will be having its semi-annual Fall Cleanup. There will be rolloffs at the Village of Milan's Office Complex next to El Ranchero.

Your Voice Matters

CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. Local ballots don’t just list candidates—they often include ballot measures that ask voters to approve specific funding for community needs.