COVID-19 has presented a serious challenge to Cibola County. The infrastructure wasn’t where it needed to be to deal with the massive increase of internet usage, and it certainly wasn’t set up to help the people in especially rural areas. Because of this, many of Cibola’s students were left behind.

This year has flown by like a witch on a rocket-propelled broom. It is Halloween again and this year it is going to be different. Due to the COVID-19 world pandemic and increasing cases here in my home county of Cibola and the rest of our state “trick- or –treating- door- to- door” and Halloween parties as we knew in the past probably are not going to happen. We won’t be at Hillcrest parking lot this year handing out thousands of pieces of candy to our county’s kids that have enjoyed the “trunk or treat” event Bob Ewell started six years ago where classic car owners sit on tailgates or on opened trunk edges of their vehicle to hand goodies to hundreds of costumed children. There will be no “Haunted Mine” at the New Mexico Mining Museum this year either; museums are shut down per our state Governor’s order due to the rising number of cases.

It seems that Evelyn, Duke Marie and I watch more TV now than normal due to our home distancing during this world-wide COVID-19 pandemic. We primarily watch old car restorations. We have been challenged by not being able to get the parts we need to work on our old cars when we want them due to this pandemic. I have learned more patience. Evelyn challenges me …really?

More than 45 percent of the continental United States is experiencing drought. This summer’s sparse monsoon season has caused widespread drought across the west, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts will get worse during the months ahead because of the La Nina weather pattern.

HALLOWEEN Dear Editor; The Hallowed Evening prepares us to honor our heroes. It has the delight of seeing children excited, pretending to be strong, brave, beautiful, famous, and hoping to receive lots of sweet gifts.

We at the Cibola Citizen understand that the world is filled with a lot more questions than answers right now. While we strive to learn and inform the public with the most up-todate and factually correct information that we can, we can only do so much with our small staff and once-weekly publication. Please note that any story with information about the Novel Coronavirus, COVID -19, was relevant at the time it was published.

One of the most common questions I am asked on the campaign trail when I am meeting new voters is, “why are you a Libertarian?”. Great question! I am thrilled to hear this question so often.

On November 3, New Mexico voters will be asked to approve or reject two Constitutional Amendments and three bond measures. The Republican Party of New Mexico believes it’s in the public interest to oppose these statewide ballot measures.

The daily news of the COVID-19 world pandemic has lately been smothered by political ads like two ladles of gravy over one scoop of mashed potatoes. At times it is more than one wants to stomach. They are heaping it on like one fills a plate at an “allyou-can-eat-buffet”

Before we get into this column, I’d like to remind everyone to go vote! November 3 is Election Day, and it does not matter who anyone votes for, this is a prized right that we have, and we should exercise it. And we must respect that everyone has different opinions on issues, much like mine to follow.