TODAY AT IMS:  The track will see a nice day.  Even if there is a brief morning shower, by afternoon, it will be sunny and a great afternoon of temps in the 70s.

THIS EVENING:  It will be a fantastic evening with pleasant temps along with cool skies.

OVERNIGHT:  It will be a comfortable night with lows dropping into the low 50s and upper 40s.

THURSDAY:  Slightly warmer air will try to build back in during the day.  This will nudge highs up to the upper 70s for highs.

8-DAY FORECAST:  Looking ahead to the Pole Day and Bump day at IMS, or whatever weekend plans you may have, it should be a dry and warm weekend.  Highs will climb into the mid 80s both days.  Rain chances will return Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Overnight temperatures will be in the 50s.  Forecast highs are in the range of 75-80 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday.

Even warmer air is on the way for the weekend, with highs in the middle 80s on Saturday and Sunday.  The next best chance for rain isn’t until early next week.

Overnight temperatures will be in the range of 55-60 degrees.  Forecast  highs on Wednesday and Thursday are in the range of 75-80 degrees.  Even warmer air arrives for Friday and the weekend, with highs in the lower and middle 80s.  Right now after Wednesday, the next best chance for rain is early next week.

The vote on the judicial nominating commission was unanimous after three of Dickson’s colleagues endorsed him.  “If you’re asking me what we should be looking for in a chief justice,” said Justice Mark Massa gesturing toward Dickson, “I think he’s sitting there.”

“What I would look for if I were you,” said Justice Steven David who then simply nodded in the direction of Dickson prompting laughter.

“We couldn’t ask for a better person at this particular time,” said Justice Robert Rucker.

Dickson replaces Randall Shepherd, who served as chief justice for 25 years.  At age 70, he will reach the mandatory retirement age of 75 before his first 5 year term is up.  He may leave sooner.  When asked how long he will stay, Dickson said, “I don’t know.  I really don’t know.  It kind of depends on a lot of personal issues, the issues of filling out the court.”

The five member court has seen two retirements this year and another may be on the way.  That’s because Justice Robert Rucker faces a retention vote in the November election and he may choose to avoid it.  Dickson expects him to make a decision by July.

THIS EVENING: It should be a quiet evening here.  There may be a few rumbles of thunder in northern Indiana, but it should stay away from us for the evening hours.

TONIGHT:  A cold front will approach Indiana after midnight tonight.  There doesn’t look like there will be a lot of moisture to go along with the front, but we could squeeze out a few showers and rumbles of thunder after midnight.

WEDNESDAY: There may a few spotty showers or thunderstorms early in the morning, then the weather should clear out nicely and the rest of the day will be fine.  Highs will be a touch cooler, but still mild into the mid 70s.

8-DAY FORECAST: Overall a pretty quiet pattern over the next week.  There is some better news for the weekend.  It looks like rain chances will hold off until Monday.  It will however be a warm weekend.  Highs will reach the mid 80s both Saturday and Sunday.

There is a weak weather system that will move into central Indiana early Wednesday morning.  Clouds will increase Tuesday night and there is a chance for a stray shower or storm starting early Wednesday morning.  This weather system will not have a lot of moisture, so rain chances are slim.  There also isn’t much cool air, so high temperatures will stay near 80 degrees.

In 1990 Senator Lugar created the Lugar Excellence in Public Service series better known simply as the Lugar Series.
It’s a training ground for Republican women that has been copied around the country.  The 18 women in this year’s Lugar Series class are in Washington, DC this week for a series of events that began with a briefing at the offices of the Republican National Committee.

The four day trip to Washington is part of an annual curriculum that has been repeated 21 times.
Plans call for the series to continue next year.  “And while he’s leaving office next year, his legacy is something we can grow on and build on,” says executive director Anne Hathaway.

“No matter how much time the Senator has left in office he’ll always be an example we can all learn from,” says participant Lindsay Quandt.

When Lugar lost to fellow Republican Richard Mourdock he took time to emphasize his belief in public service.  “I still counsel young citizens to consider elective public office,” said Lugar in his concession speech.  And a number of Lugar Series graduates were on hand.

There was an even bigger crowd at a Lugar Series luncheon where the Senator spoke in February.  The Lugar Series is a big part of his legacy.  “We’ve had narly 400 women go through the series,” says participant Sherri Contos, “and most of them are involved in public service somewhere.”

The daylong seminars that teach history, public policy, and politics may change but, says Hathaway, “Republican women will need to be identified and trained in the future and we’ll be here to do it.”  Look for Lugar to stay involved, too.

At least 12 states have developed programs similar to the Lugar series.  Participants compete for the right to take part in it and the Series estimates that 85% of the graduates have increased their involvement in public service.