The former head of the New Mexico Environment Department has been appointed to lead an oil and gas industry group that represents producers around the state.

The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association on Friday announced Ryan Flynn as its new executive director.

Flynn replaces Steve Henke, who retired after six years with the association. Like Flynn, Henke also was a former government official, having worked in the Bureau of Land Management's field office in Farmington.

  Commentary:  In response to former New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn moving to work at the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, the lobbying arm of the oil and gas industry in our state, CVNM Political & Legislative Director Ben Shelton released the following statement:

  The investigation into the Aug. 21 shooting of an armed man on Lohman Avenue is complete and the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office has concluded that two Las Cruces Police officers were justified when they discharged their weapons resulting in the death of 36-year-old Juan Gabriel Torres.

Torres, of Las Cruces, was shot shortly after 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, after he lunged toward an officer on Lohman Avenue. Officers tried to save Torres’ life immediately after the shooting. He was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center where he died.

  LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Today, District Attorney Mark D’Antonio announced that a convicted rapist charged with a laundry list of crimes was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and tampering with evidence.

Late Thursday, a jury found Dean Rieck, now 57, guilty as charged. He was facing one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of tampering with evidence, both fourth-degree felonies.

Silver City was flooded after more than two inches of rain fell within a few hours.

Silver City Sun-News reports (http://bit.ly/2bImggr ) that the Thursday storm caused accidents and flooded streets and creeks.

The Big Ditch was also near full capacity.

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Information from: Silver City Daily Press, http://www.scdailypress.com

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Public colleges and universities in New Mexico are bracing for budget cuts as state lawmakers prepared to deal with a budget shortfall of up to $650 million.

Albuquerque Republican Rep. Jimmie Hall told The Santa Fe New Mexican reports (http://bit.ly/2bIoDzP) that many lawmakers consider higher education one of the easiest areas to cut.

Hall, the vice chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee, says constituents, lobbyists, legislators and staff have all told him to start by reducing higher education funding.

  (Las Cruces, NM) – September is National Preparedness Month. This national campaign is a month-long effort hosted by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through its Ready.Gov Campaign. This year’s theme, “Don’t Wait, Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today,” emphasizes the importance of making a plan before disaster strikes and ensuring that your plan is discussed and practiced. 

  Silver Spring, MD – Achieving the Dream (ATD) re-designated Doña Ana Community College (DACC) as a “Leader College,” a national honor awarded to institutions in the ATD National Network that have shown three years of steady improvement in two outcomes that measure student success.

“Leader College status represents a sustained, successful effort to build a student-centered culture,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of Achieving the Dream. “Colleges that stay focused on the hard work of transformation deserve to be recognized when they make measurable progress.”

  Santa Fe, NM – Attorney General Hector Balderas announced today that the New Mexico State Supreme Court ruled to uphold the murder convictions and related charges against Rigoberto Rodriguez, who was convicted of double murder in August of 2013 in the Second Judicial District. In January of 2010 Rigoberto Rodriguez and his co-conspirators robbed and shot David Maldonado to death, and then stabbed Connie Maldonado with a knife causing her to bleed to death.

Athletics officials with the University of New Mexico have partnered with ride-booking service Uber to provide fans with transportation to and from University Stadium for all home football games.

The university made the announcement Thursday, saying the three-year partnership will extend into the 2019 football season.

An official pick-up and drop-off zone will be established across from the stadium's north entrances. Signs will be placed throughout the stadium to help fans locate the area.