Most of all stay warm everyone. 

8.50am: Prolific bush jockey Greg Ryan has been given six-week suspension by stewards following an inquiry which took place at Dubbo racecourse on Thursday. 

Stewards who found he had erred in his judgement twice when riding well-backed favourite Grey Pariz in the Kings Hall Jewellers Class 2 Handicap (1320m) at Dubbo on June 20.

"The only reason we're here is because of imbeciles on Twitter," he told the hearing.

"These people get on there and say what they want, and a lot of it is defamatory. Then here I am facing questions about my integrity."

Ryan will appeal the ban. 

8.40am: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Are you celebrating your birthday today? If so you share the day with Kirk Pengilly from INXS. 

Would you love to give your friends or family members a birthday shout out on The Morning Grill? Email their details to thegrill@fairfaxmedia.com.au and we will wish them Happy Birthday LIVE on our blog. 

8.30am: Police are calling for witnesses after an armed robbery at a store on Myall Street on Thursday evening. 

Police have issued a statement saying two men confronted a woman at the store, threatening her with a syringe and a pair of scissors. 

Anyone with information are asked to call police on 1800 333 000.  

8.25am: Dubbo College Senior Campus has been excluded from this season's University Shield rugby league competition while six players will face a Country Rugby League (CRL) judiciary hearing next week as the fallout from the Astley Cup brawl continues.

Three students from Dubbo's Senior Campus, two players who were sent off following the brawl and one student who came from outside the field of play to join the fight and kick an Orange student, have all been suspended for 20 days while the school will take no part in the University Shield, a state-wide competition in which they made the semi-finals last year.

And should Orange High School hold on to the 2014 Astley Cup this year? That's the question being asked by Bathurst today. 

The Western Advocate have called for the cup to be presented to the Bathurst High team, saying they are the only ones who deserve the honour of being crowned 2014 champions.

8.20am: Gold and Copper has been found near Wellington.

Impact Minerals managing director has confirmed small indications of gold and copper have been found at the Old Commonwealth Mine near Wellington, leading to belief they could be part of a larger deposit under the ground.

What would you do if you struck gold on your property? We could think of a few things this Friday morning. Comment below and let us know. 

8.10am: Did you miss the #TBT galleries on our website this week? NARROMINE went back to July 2008 while DUBBO looked at July 1994. 

Why not catch up on the galleries this morning and take a trip down memory lane over breakfast. 

8am: Can you help NYNGAN police? They are seeking witnesses to an assault at the Duck Creek Races. 

A 23-year-old man was allegedly punched and kicked to the ground by two other men between 5.30pm and 6pm.

7.50am: It's circus time in DUBBO with the Great Moscow Circus opening this week. 

Daily Liberal photographer Louise Donges went behind the scenes on Thursday to capture some of the stars in action during rehearsal. 

Take a look at all her photos here. 

7.40am: Making news across the region and around the state today: 

* GULGONG: The Zone 6 Inaugural Stockmans Challenge was held at the Gulgong Pony Club grounds on the weekend and despite the miserable weather the challenge was a huge success.Members from pony clubs within the Zone 6 region came and represented the clubs by competing and preforming in a range of activities and the skill that the young members exhibited was phenomenal.

* BATHURST: Mayor Gary Rush says Bathurst’s year-long bicentenary celebrations in 2015 could be worth almost $90 million to the city’s economy. He was speaking yesterday at the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association meeting, where he went into great detail about the plans for the celebrations.

* ORANGE: Orange drivers continue to put children’s lives at risk by speeding through school zones with speeding offences double  what they were two years ago. 

* STATE: New mother Teaghan Gordon has praised paramedics for saving the life of her son, born prematurely at home late last month in Port Macquarie. 

* NATIONAL: One of the last untouched 'time capsules' from the First World War has been glimpsed for the first time, as Australian scientists and historians finally managed to film inside the historic wreck of the HMAS AE2 submarine.

7.20am: Taking a look at what's making headlines around the region today: 

* We have some sad news from overnight with reports that police have found a body of a man they believe went missing back in May. 

* Dubbo College Senior Campus has been excluded from this season's University Shield rugby league competition while six players will face a Country Rugby League (CRL) judiciary hearing next week as the fallout from the Astley Cup brawl continues.

* Mystery is surrounding Sam's Warehouse in Dubbo with the store advertising it is closing down.

* And sport in our region has taken another hit after a young Cowra player suffered facial injuries in Narromine on Wednesday night. 

7am: Good morning everyone and welcome to a wonderful Friday. You are here this morning with Lynn Pinkerton in DUBBO as we wrap up the working week. 

If you have a news tip or event coming up that you would like included in the Morning Grill email thegrill@fairfaxmedia.com.au. 

Taking a look around the region at your weather: 

Central West Slopes and Plains (Dubbo, Trangie and Nyngan): Areas of frost in the south early this morning. Patchy fog early this morning. Mostly sunny afternoon. Light winds in the morning then becoming light in the late afternoon. A top of 17 in Dubbo, 19 in Nyngan and 17 in Trangie. 

Upper Western (Cobar, Bourke): Sunny. Light winds becoming W/NW 15 to 25 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the evening. Daytime maximum temperatures see 18 for Cobar and 20 for Bourke