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DUBBO | NARROMINE | WELLINGTON | NYNGAN | THE RIDGE | WESTERN MAGAZINE
8.49am: In other entertainment news this morning:
The young actress who played Mel Gibson’s daughter in the 2000 film The Patriot has died at her parents' home in the US. Skye Bartusiak’s boyfriend reportedly found the 21-year-old actress unresponsive on her bed on Saturday before her mother tried to resuscitate her.
George Clooney says he thoroughly enjoyed publicly battling the Daily Mail, after his win against the paper. Early in July, Clooney called the tabloid out on an article they published about his fiancee's mother. The paper then issued a public apology to the star, which he, in turn, publicly rejected.
“It’s just fun to slap those bad guys every once in a while, knock ‘em around,”
- George Clooney told Variety.
Last night's Masterchef was a scary challenge as cooks were told to make something without any time limit or ingredients list. To find out what happened or relive the moments click here for our recap.
Peter Vincent comments on why Triple J needs to stay public.
"There are three certainties amid the current call for Triple J to be sold. The national youth network can be annoying as all get-out, despite such reservations it serves its audience and privatisation would change the first two realities..."
We want to know what you think:
8.38am: Is it your birthday today? If so HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You share your birthday with tween star Selena Gomez and American Actor David Spade. You also share your birthday with the most watched baby in the world. Prince George will be turning one today.
8.33am: Did you catch the Voice 2014 Final last night? *Spolier alert* Anja Nissen took out the title and Coach Will.I.Am announced he will sign her to his label! A very successful night for the 18 year-old.
Here is the songstress belting out a Whitney Houston hit!
8.23am: Making front pages around the region this morning:
8.15am: As a mother with two sets of twins, Angela Hutchinson of DUBBO can describe her day-to-day life in two words: very hectic.
Ms Hutchinson has four-year-old fraternal twin girls and fraternal twin boys who are six-months-old, yet no one in her family dating back to her great grandparents has ever had twins.
"If you run out of milk it's a really shitty experience. It takes longer to get everyone in the car than it does to do your shopping."
- Angela Hutchinson
8.08am: While you're sitting down to breakfast why not see if you were snapped out and about in DUBBO over the weekend? Check out our gallery here to see what was happening.
8.01am: Medicare local dieticians are saying no to fad diets.
The paleo, five and two, no-sugar and Atkins diets should be thrown out the window if you want to live a healthy lifestyle, according to Medicare Local dieticians.
Dietician Jessica Melmoth said fad diets may provide short-term results, but were difficult to sustain, along with diet pre-packed meals and miracle weight-loss pills.
Ms Melmoth said fad diets may provide short-term results, but were difficult to sustain, along with diet pre-packed meals and miracle weight-loss pills.
"People just put the weight straight back on again. A fad diet is a weight-loss diet that promises fast weight loss without a scientific basis."
- Jessica Melmoth
7.48am: Taking a look at today's top story.
A Central West couple were victims of the horrific downing of the MH17 plane on Thursday.
Michael Clancy and his wife Carol, who had just retired and headed to Europe for a holiday have been revealed as passengers on the doomed plane. Mr Clancy was a teacher who was remembered fondly by former school staff when he was there in 1986.
"These tragedies when they hit home really tell the harrowing story for families but also the connection that we feel for them,"
- Wellington catholic priest Father Tony Hennessy.
The death toll is rising as authorities find out more about the MH17 crash. Our thoughts are with the families and communities affected by this horrific incident. The Australian death toll is now at 38.
7.42am: Traffic conditions have changed on the Newell Highway.
CHANGED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS FOR NEWELL HIGHWAY UPGRADE INVESTIGATION WORK
Motorists are reminded changed traffic conditions will be in place for early work for the project to build south bound overtaking lanes on the Newell Highway at Parkes.
Roads and Maritime Services will carry out geotechnical investigation work for the future highway improvement work expected to be carried out in coming months.
The investigations will be carried out on weekdays from 8am to 5pm, weather permitting, from 14.5 kms to 16 km north of Parkes.
Alternating traffic conditions will be in place for the safety of workers and road users.
A reduced speed limit of 40 km/h will apply on the highway through the work site.
For the latest traffic information, visit www.livetraffic.com, download Live Traffic App or call the Transport Management Centre on 132 701
7.39am: Here's what is making local and national news this morning:
Bathurst and Dubbo have a health inspector to enforce non-smoking legislation but ORANGE does not, which is not good enough says one Orange councillor. Councillor Neil Jones said legislation that banned smoking within four metres of a public building was useless if there was no one around to enforce it. He wants to do something about it.
ANZAC Day falls on a Saturday next year and according to the NSW Public Holidays Act no additional day will be granted for the national remembrance. And that’s precisely the way it should be, according to members of the Orange RSL sub branch, who believe a public holiday on Monday in lieu of the day would be unnecessary.
Growth in education and health could re-establish ORANGE’S status as the biggest regional centre in the central west. In the latest population projections from NSW Planning and Environment, based on historical data, Orange is set to fall behind the population growth of Bathurst and Dubbo. Bathurst will swell to a population of 51,550 by 2031, Dubbo will grow to a city of 46,500 people and Orange will lag third with 46,250 people.
The co-naming of Mount Panorama does not mean a name change, race fans have been assured. It would not lead to any changes to motor racing in BATHURST, nor would result in any alterations to the sign on the side of the mountain.
Nine schools in the BATHURST Diocese will stop work next Wednesday morning to protest threats to pay, conditions and job security by Catholic employers. They will rally at the Paddy’s Hotel from 9.30am to 10.30am, all dressed in red, and will be addressed by a number of speakers, including IEU organiser Jackie Groom.
A man who failed to appear at court to answer charges of driving while disqualified, second plus offence, has had a Section 25 Crimes warrant issued against him. Matthew Taylor, 24, of Carlingford Street, BATHURST, did not appear to answer charges of using an unregistered and uninsured class A vehicle, drive a motor vehicle during a period of disqualification (second plus offence) and rider without helmet with two passengers without helmets.
Prime Minster Tony Abbott has lashed the ''absolutely shambolic'' situation at the site of the downed Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, as he dispatched former defence force chief Angus Houston as his personal envoy in Kiev and began the sombre task of speaking to the families of the 37 Australian dead.
A prominent Australian jihadist who reportedly commanded 300 militiamen and orchestrated clashes in Syria has been arrested in neighbouring Lebanon. The arrest of Hussam Sabbagh, in Lebanon's second city, Tripoli, has again underscored the substantial involvement of Australians in the violence and chaos gripping the Middle East, following swiftly after an 18-year-old from Melbourne killed at least five people in a suicide bombing in Baghdad.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has granted a permanent visa to a refugee who arrived by boat, despite fighting the boy's case in the High Court and signalling he would not be swayed when the court found against him.
7.22am: Here's what is making local news this morning.
DUBBO'S total population will grow by just 15.6 per cent by 2031, according to the latest projections released by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment. The figures suggest the local government area will hold 46,500 people in 17 years' time, an extra 6250 people than in 2011.
Crews will continue to make repairs to the local electricity network this week after more than 8600 homes and businesses lost power on Sunday afternoon in DUBBO and WELLINGTON. Essential Energy regional manager northern Ben Williams said the power network switched itself off after it sensed a problem.
Teachers and support staff from St John's Catholic College DUBBO will rally at Aussie Cabins on Wednesday to protest threats to pay, conditions and job security by Catholic employers. Eight Catholic schools in the region will also be stopping work, including James Sheahan Catholic High School, Catherine Mcauley Primary School and St Mary's School at Orange, and Assumption Primary School at Bathurst.
Speeding offences in DUBBO school zones have almost doubled in the past 12 months, despite heavy penalties and campaigns to cut the high-risk activity. Six Dubbo school zones are still waiting for installation of flashing light systems to heighten driver awareness that they are entering 40 km/h school zones. Some are in busy traffic locations.
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Back to the news:
Local firefighters honed their skills at a special weekend training exercise in Wellington designed to practise working safely at heights. Crews from WELLINGTON undertook the training on Saturday and officers from DUBBO Delroy Fire Station had their turn Sunday. Western region zone commander Adam Dewberry said the training would come in handy when firefighters had to access roofs or help State Emergency Service (SES) crews in the wake of a major storm.
What has been described as the “mass murder” of passengers on Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has had a tragic impact on LITHGOW, with the fear that a young Lithgow woman is among the dead. The Northern Territory News and Territorian was yesterday afternoon reporting that among the almost 300 passengers booked on the doomed flight was Emma Bell, aged in her early 20s, a graduate of Lithgow High School.
There are many trucks and road crews on the 353 road from WELLINGTON to Dunedoo getting straight to work on two of the three unsealed sections of the major thoroughfare. Wellington Council will soon receive stage by stage funding in total $4.7 million to complete the road.
7.07am: Good morning and welcome to your Tuesday Grill!
You're grilling with Grace this morning
Your weather this morning-
DUBBO / TRANGIE / NYNGAN: are mostly sunny, Dubbo and Trangie will reach 17 and Nyngan will get to 19.
COBAR / BOURKE: Cobar will be mostly sunny with a top of 19 and Bourke will have a frost and then sunny with a top of 20 degrees.
