In local news....

1. It's hot as hell here. According to WHAS-11 chief meterologist Ken Schulz, Louisville has had 27 days of 90 degrees or above this summer. Ugh.

2. So, what to do? Maybe...drink up! Perhaps to provide citizens with something to do over the weekend, the City Council of Louisville just voted (15-7) to allow Sunday sales of liquor.

The new law allows package stores as well as drugstores and other retailers to sell liquor or wine from 1 to 9 p.m. on Sundays.

This weekend will feature the first Sunday of liquor sales in this city since before Prohibition!

3. Who will be drinking? I don't know if he's a teetotaler or not, but one person that might be in a celebratory mood is the President of the University of Louisville, James Ramsey. He just got a big raise:

University of Louisville President James Ramsey received a glowing evaluation, a 5 percent raise and a potential bonus of nearly $98,000 yesterday from the board of trustees.

The package would bring Ramsey's compensation to just over $500,000 for the year if he gets the bonus.

One reason I find this interesting: According to the August 1 Daily Crimson, Harvard President Larry "Summers made $522,714 in salary in the fiscal year ended June 30." One member of Harvard's board thought this sum was outrageous, especially given the year Summers just had, and resigned in protest.

If you do the math, it works out that Ramsey's pay this coming year could be about 96% of Summers's annual pay.

That's good work if you can get it.