Allie Nash - TheStatehouseFile.com

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce released a report Friday that shows different regions in the state have varying water conditions and will face different types of water concerns in the coming years.

A nominating committee selected Rush - who was appointed to the state's highest court less than two years ago - to replace Chief Justice Brent Dickson, who plans to step down later this month.

Officials from Missouri, West Virginia, Alabama, South Dakota and Hawaii have also sponsored the resolution, which calls for federal officials to let states "determine the appropriate mix of energy sources to meet it electricity needs."

Officials from Madison, Marion, Hartford and Hamilton counties were among those who came to a listening session in Noblesville hosted by U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks, R-5th District, and state Sen. Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis.

Heroin use among those 12 years and older jumped by nearly 80 percent from 2007 through 2012, according to a recent study by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. More than 669,000 people used the drug in 2012. And Indiana is not immune from the heroin epidemic.

Women from around the state are invited to apply for the 2014-2015 class of The Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series.

Ivy Tech Community College has appointed former Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel to serve as the chancellor for the school's new southwest region, which includes the Evansville and Tell City region with their Terre Haute locations.

The Senate Education Committee won't move legislation to let virtual charter school students participate in sports at traditional public schools, the chairman said Wednesday.

Supporters say it would give students who are not headed for four-year degree programs more opportunities to prepare for the types of technical jobs that will be available in the next five years.

Those looking to invest in abandoned housing could enjoy a faster process under a bill approved by the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee.