Happy Hump Day!

Make sure you check in with Grace Ryan in Narromine tomorrow morning. 

In the meantime, why not keep an eye on the regional pages for regular news updates:

DUBBO | NARROMINE | WELLINGTON | NYNGAN | THE RIDGE | WESTERN MAGAZINE | 

8:55am: Students' passion for education rewarded

Indigenous scholarship and merit award winners at Charles Sturt University were jumping for joy yesterday, following an assembly to congratulate the early childhood and primary education students on their success.

8:50am: BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT! 

For those of you celebrating your glory day - HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We wish you all the best for the day. 

Did you know you share July 16 with non other than the mighty Will Ferrell? 

Call him what you want; Frank the Tank, Ron Burgundy, Megamind or Chazz Michael Michaels - he's done it all in movies. 

8:45am: Need some inspiration? The good people at Buzzfeed have struck gold with 11 Inspirational People Who Turned No Into Yes. 

They had it tough. But these inspirational people turned their adversity into great success, and went on to change the world for the better.

8:40am: It's been a big week for the Australian swimming community:

8:30am: X FACTOR CATCH UP

 If you're one to get easily addicted to television shows, then by all means come join me on the X Factor bandwagon. 

Now we have to wait until Sunday night for the next round of auditions, so why not take these next few days as a chance to catch up on the acts which have captured Australia's attention.

The X Factor Australia 2014 kicks off with jilted-at-the-altar story

The X Factor. The ineffable “it”. The je ne sais quoi. That elusive quality that makes one stand out, that marks a person as not just a performer, but a star.

Keep an eye on Dean Ray in the competition. The country bred Chinchilla boy is sure to steal a few hearts:

8:25am: Our man of the hour Nick Kyrgios seems to have ruffled a few feathers

It all started at a Wimbledon media conference, after the up-and-coming tennis star blamed the rapper's music for his poor start in his third-round match.

Despite winning his match in four sets against Czech player Jiri Vesely, the 19-year-old critiqued his performance by saying he lost the first set thanks to his pre-match music choice.

''Today was a bit of rap, actually,'' Kyrgios said, talking about his music selection. ''I came out really flat, so hopefully I won’t listen to that again. It was actually Drake. Didn’t do the job for me.''

These comments managed to make their way back to Drake, who got a little upset that Kyrgios would blame a bad tennis performance on his music.

8:20am: Do you battle with the curse of sea legs? Have a read about the calmest places to cruise for people who get seasick. 

8:10am: No doubt you've all heard the news about Ian Thorpe bravely stepping out of the closet -  Jill Stark, senior writer for The Sunday Age, shares a similar story:

Study shows gay athletes face rampant homophobia

It started with whispers in the change rooms and ended with a call from his coach.

At 18, Jay Claydon had told close friends and family he was gay. They accepted him. But inside his rugby club, he didn't feel safe coming out. He was right to be fearful.

8:00am: Are the mid-week blues getting you down? While you're sitting down to breakfast have a flick through our school holidays gallery.

7:55am: Here's a little celebrity goss for you - we're not sure how accurate it is, but nevertheless there's an adorable photo of Prince George to make up for it. 

7:50am:  Check out our local sporting talent from the weekend! 

7:40am: Gerard Baden-Clay guilty of murder

Former prestige Brisbane real estate agent Gerard Baden-Clay has been found guilty of murdering his wife Allison two years ago.

A jury, comprising seven men and five women, found the 43-year-old guilty of killing his wife at their home in the leafy Brisbane suburb of Brookfield on April 19, 2012, and dumping her body in nearby Kholo Creek at Anstead.

7:35am: And now for our top story of the day:

SOME western region towns are among the worst offenders when it comes to swearing in public, NSW crime statistics show.

In 2013, Coonamble topped the state for the rate of offensive language incidents recorded by NSW Police, the second year in a row it had done so.

Walgett was ranked second of the 132 local government areas recorded.

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) figures, which showed rates per 100,000 population, ranked Bourke fourth and Gilgandra sixth.

7:30am: And now for the regional and national headlines: 

Search crews find body of second Mt Bogong snowboarder Martin Buckland - Police and rescue crews have confirmed a body found on Mount Bogong is that of second missing snowboarder Martin Buckland. 

TWO Warrnambool brothers out for a morning’s fishing had the ride of their life yesterday when an adult whale latched onto their anchor and towed them about 60 metres before they cut it free.

The Abbott government has rescued its financial advice laws thanks to an eleventh-hour deal with the Palmer United Party, but the changes have drawn harsh criticism for increasing red tape and diminishing the rights of investors.

People who fail to report suspected domestic violence by their neighbours, friends or family could be prosecuted under changes advocated by Labor senator Nova Peris.

The Financial System Inquiry's interim report is not just about the banks. The inquiry has a surprising amount to say about superannuation, retirement incomes and financial advice. For example, the report questions whether gearing, or borrowing to invest inside a super fund should be allowed.

7:15am: Let's have a squiz at what's making headlines today:

DUBBO: For as long as she can remember, Simone Taylor says she has been fascinated with history.

DUBBO: Community nurses from across Western NSW will find out about the most up-to-date practices when they attend the Primary and Community Health Nursing Education Conference tomorrow.

DUBBO: TREMENDOUS efforts of unsung heroes, the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), are being commended after they rescued a cat which was stuck up a tree last week.

DUBBO: There were no injuries reported but a car was damaged following an incident at Dubbo yesterday afternoon.

NARROMINE: Narromine's Isaac Thompson is a football star in the making, representing the shire, Western Division and NSW in rugby league championships this year.

NARROMINE: The Narromine News and Trangie Advocate has been inundated with feedback relating to council's decision to move the Cenotaph.

WELLINGTON: Commuters on the XPT from Sydney to Dubbo will save 15 minutes and the train will be able to travel 20 kmhs faster. The positives from the completion of the $4.1 million bridge upgrade at Wellington's Gobolion st.

7am: Good morning Dubbo and welcome to wonderful Wednesday!

You are here with the one and only Laura McIntyre in Dubbo. 

Here's this morning's weather.

Dubbo / Trangie / Nyngan: Dubbo will reach 15 with a possible clearing shower, Trangie 16 and Nyngan 18. 

Cobar / Bourke: are also in for possible showers. Cobar will reach 18 and Bourke will reach 19.