9am: That's it from me this morning. Hope you enjoyed a morning of informative news mixed with pointless sheep puns and cat songs. Have a great weekend and until the Grill is back on Monday, keep up to date with all your local news here.
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8.50am: It's getting close to the weekend and for plenty of people out there I'm sure that means a Friday or Saturday night at the club or pub tearing up the dance floor. I thought I'd help you out and give you a bit of dance music to get you through your Friday and what better way to do a dance video than combine it with cats, which just seem to be in everything on the internet.
This has got to be my new favourite most annoying song ever. Try not humming this tune all day, I definitely have been last couple of days. Enjoy!
8.45am: Getting close to the end of my grilling this morning but here's a few of today's crime stories and news from the courts.
* Magistrate Andrew Eckhold has adjourned affray charges against five men accused of being involved in a racially-initiated street fight.
* A man with a chequered traffic history has been warned he is at risk of going to jail for driving while disqualified.
* A man with a history of violence has been granted bail after the alleged victim of serious domestic violence offences went interstate and declined to give evidence by audiovisual link.
8.40am: Happy birthday to anyone in western NSW celebrating their birthday today!
If it is your special day today then you're born on the same day as Candian rap star Drake, who orignally shot to fame on the TV show Degrassi (classic viewing!). The man born as Aubrey Drake Graham is 27 today and has sold close to 10 million records worldwide.
Also born on this day is English soccer star Wayne Rooney. Rooney, 28 today, rose to prominence as a teenager at Everton but has become a global superstar at Manchester United and has scored some cracking goals in his career. Despite my own dislike of The Red Devils, this goal has got to be close to the best of them all.
8.30am: ARIA Award-winning band Thirsty Merc will hit Dubbo this weekend and they are sure to put on a great show at Dubbo RSL Club.
The Daily Liberal has five double passes to giveaway for lucky readers to see Thirsty Merc here in Dubbo this weekend. For your chance to win just click on this link and fill in the form for your chance to see them play songs such as 20 Good Reasons and In The Summertime this Sunday night.
8.25am: Let's catch up on some Hollywood gossip and if you're someone who illegally downloads moveis, in particular the Oscar-winning Dallas Buyers Club, then you better watch out. People may have to cough up cash payments, with the studio behind the film asking companies to hand over the identities of pirates.
In other entertainment news, it was announced earlier this month that How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris would be hosting the Oscars but it has been revealed he was was embarrassingly low on the list of stars asked to host the event, with Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock and Juila Louis-Dreyfus all reportedly offered the role first.
8.20am: Here's something to make you feel all warm and fuzzy on your Friday morning. Some baby animals!
Four Tasmanian Devil joeys have been born during the 2014 breeding season at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, continuing the Zoo's successful breeding program. We were lucky enough to get some video footage of the cute little joeys while you can check out the story and see some great pics here.
8.10am: In some more news just coming to hand, a man has been charged earlier this week in relation to the theft of 68 sheep from a property near Nyngan.
While the thief tried to pull the wool over the eyes of the unsuspecting farmer, he wasn't on the lamb for long and is now sure to face a pretty baaa-d time, despite his bleating and complaining. Apologies for the sheep puns, I couldn't help myself.
8am: Time for a more in depth look at today's front page story from Dubbo and also give you a chance to have your say on the topic.
Council has floated the idea of merging and forming a super council and it has been revealed there could be some major financial rewards.
The offer is on the table for voluntary amalgamations until the end of June 2015 but its target recipients have shown no signs of taking it up.
Instead Dubbo council and its Orana region counterparts are pursuing a path that could see them come together to form a new co-operative arrangement.
With reports more than one-third of the state's councils are facing financial problems, forming Joint Organisations (JO) is an option but some local Councillors are not certain it is in their council's best interest.
Vote in our poll and have your say on whether Joint Organisations a good alternative to council amalgamations.
7.55am: Here's a look at today's local sporting headlines.
HOCKEY: Dubbo's Lilli Campbell has returned home an Australian champion after helping her NSW side claim victory at the recent Hockey Australia under-13 National Championship. A fantastic achievement and you can read more about her succesful trip to Queensland here.
CRICKET: Despite cricket still having the stigma that it is more a boy's game, Cricket NSW's new development officer for the Far West region, Cara Pocock, is determined to increase participation and ensure more young girls start playing sport.
RUGBY LEAGUE: While former NRL great Nathan Hindmarsh was in Dubbo earlier this week he took some time to speak about his former side, the Parramatta Eels, and how they'll deal with the shock departure of Jarryd Hayne.
7.45am: With all that heavy news, here's something a bit lighter. As someone who always prided themselves on being able to taste the difference in a rainbow paddlepop, this news has come as a real shock to me.
Our friends at Buzzfeed have compiled a list of little known facts that will surprise anyone who grew up in Australia, including the revelation that rainbow paddle pops are just caramel paddle pops with food colouring added. The horror!?
7.40am: Here's the big stories that are making news nationally and internationally today.
NATIONAL: The Sydney student who leaked information about a fashion school scholarship controversially awarded to the daughter of Prime Minister Tony Abbott sincerely believed she was acting in the public interest and was unaware she was breaking the law.
NATIONAL: The rampage of a gunman through Canada's Parliament on Thursday, just two days after a hit-and-run that killed a soldier in Quebec, has presented Australian security agencies with chilling real-life examples of their "worst nightmare" – do-it-yourself jihadism.
WORLD: As the world still deals with the shock of the terrorist attack in Canada on Thursday, more news has been revealed about Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the man believed to be responsible for the shootings.
7.30am: In some breaking news, police from the Orana Local Area Command have released the details and images of a number of men wanted over outstanding warrants. The police are appealing for any information and any one who knows anything should contact Triple Zero (000) immediately. More information on the wanted men can be found here.
7.25am: Time now for a look at some of the headlines from around the region.
ORANGE: The 63rd Australian National Field Days are well underway and traditional farming methods and machinery are being showcased alongside their modern counterparts at Borenore this week.
BATHURST: Reigning champions and host team Kelso Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) brigade led the points table at the end of the first day of competition at the Firefighters State Championships yesterday.
PARKES: Cathy O’Grady is prepared to make almost the ultimate sacrifice to help her brother lead a normal life.
7.10am: Here's your local news headlines for this Friday. As always, there is plenty happening around the region.
DUBBO: As Dubbo council considers merger options, a super council formed from Dubbo City Council and two of its neighbours would capture $11 million cash from the state government.
NARROMINE: There's been plenty of chat about Coal Seam Gas exploration lately and the Narromine News has put together some information to have an in depth look at CSG and what it means for the town.
WELLINGTON: Jobs are set to be lost in Wellington with the news Target Country will be closing its doors early next year.
7am: Goooooooood morning western NSW! How great are Fridays!? We've reached the end of another working week and it looks like today is going to be a scorcher. I'll be here for the next couple of hours to give you all of your local, regional and national news but let's start with a look at today's weather.
DUBBO/ NARROMINE/ NYNGAN: Mostly sunny morning. The chance of a shower or thunderstorm on the slopes this afternoon. Daytime maximum temperatures close to a sweltering 40.
BOURKE/ COBAR: Much the same further west with a sunny morning followed by the chance of a shower later this afternoon. Could even be a chance of hitting the 40 degree mark today.
