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

8.30am: Is it your birthday today?

If so, you share it with the following celebrities …

John Travolta turns 61

Fellow actor Molly Ringwald, best known for her work in the 1980s, turns 47

Meanwhile Yoko Ono, artist, singer and widow of Beatle John Lennon turns 82.

8.20am: For something a little lighter to kickstart your day, if you think you have it bad, spare a thought for this cat every time he wants to squeeze in and out of this door.

8.10am: In entertainment news, the latest from I'm a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here.

8.05am: Dubbo MP and Deputy Premier Troy Grant has labelled live-baiting in the greyhound industry "absolutely abhorrent" as the fallout continues from the ABC's Four Corners investigation into the issue. Has what you have heard in recent days changed the way you think about the greyhound racing industry?

8.00am: Did you see the GWS Giants during their visit to Dubbo?

7.45am: Dubbo City Council (DCC) has thrown its support behind the Evocities concept and given its strongest indication yet that it would like the program to continue for another four years.

Dubbo is one of seven cities in the Evocities program and has been one of the most active participants. Do you think it is a good thing for Dubbo to be part of the Evocities program? Have your say here.

7.31am: For those on the road around Dubbo this morning ...  

Dubbo City Council would like to advise that a Liquid amber tree located on the footpath adjacent to 43 Boundary Road, west of the Fitzroy Street intersection will be removed.

This work is scheduled to be carried out (weather permitting) during this morning.

The tree will be removed due to a previous failure and the appearance of decay in a critical section of the tree which could result in the potential failure of the tree.

Traffic control will be implemented during the removal process so short delays should be expected.

Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

7.28am: And a look around the nation at a few news stories this morning: 

► BATHURST: Kirkconnell Correctional Centre will reopen its doors to 260 inmates in June, three years after it was closed by the state government. 

► ORANGE: An 11-year-old boy who spent Monday night in the Orana Juvenile Detention Centre has been released into the care of a family member. On Monday in Orange Local Court relieving magistrate Roger Clisdell called  Department of Family and Community Services (DoCS) staff to court to find a foster home for the boy who was distressed during the court proceedings.

► BALLARAT: There has been another twist in the frozen berries Hep A scare with a number of Year 7 students at Ballarat Secondary College's Wendouree campus exposed to the product. 

► WAGGA WAGGA: Courageous young Wagga cancer survivor Benazir 'Beni' Ali was the hero among her heroes at the Sheffield Shield. The lionhearted youngster budded up with her favourite cricketer, NSW bowler Gurinder Sandhu when the pair met at Robertson Oval.

► PORT MACQUARIE: The Hastings father-and-son duo sailing 16,000km from America to Port Macquarie have Australian Marine Search and Rescue to thank for their dramatic rescue off the coast of Nantucket, just over two hundred nautical miles  from the US coast.

► ALBURY: The mother of a young woman shot dead by her boyfriend has criticised the Director of Public Prosecutions for not pursuing a murder charge against him and taking the case to trial.

7.19am: Taking a quick look at your local news highlights this morning: 

► DUBBO: Dubbo City Council has thrown its support behind the Evocities concept and given its strongest indication yet that it would like the program to continue for another four years.

► REGIONAL: Dubbo MP and Deputy Premier Troy Grant has labelled live-baiting in the greyhound industry "absolutely abhorrent" as the fallout continues from the ABC's Four Corners investigation into the issue.

► DUBBO: Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants star Dylan Addison admits his visit to Taronga Western Plains Zoo during his two days at Dubbo has given him something to brag about when he returns to his club this week.

► NARROMINE: Late on Sunday night a car lost control and crashed into an electric pole on the corner of Terangion and Algalah Street, Narromine Police said.

► WELLINGTON: Celebrating a unique relationship between Wellington and brain cancer research, Doctor Brindha Shivalingham of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital said the Brain Ball was part of a beautiful story about passionate locals from a small town looking for a cure for brain cancer.

7am: Good morning and welcome to today's Morning Grill. You are here this morning with Lynn Pinkerton and a little later Angela Clutterbuck will join us.

In today's Grill we will take you for a look at your local, regional and national news, plus bring you a few important notices throughout the morning. 

If you have anything you would like to share in today's Grill or a future Grill please email me at lpinkerton@fairfaxmedia.com.au.

Taking a look at your all important weather today we have: 

Dubbo / Trangie / Nyngan - Partly cloudy. Medium (40%) chance of showers on the southern plains, slight (20%) chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm during the morning and afternoon. Winds N/NE 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the middle of the day then becoming E/SE 15 to 20 km/h in the late evening. Daytime maximum temperatures 31 to 36. 

Bourke / Cobar - Partly cloudy. Slight (30%) chance of a shower, most likely during this afternoon and early evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds NE/SE 20 to 30 km/h becoming light in the middle of the day then becoming E/SE 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon. Daytime maximum temperatures in the mid to high 30s.