9am: That's all we've got time for here today on the Grill. Don't worry we'll be back tomorrow.
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Tune in with Faye tomorrow as we finish up your working week. You can get her at faye.wheeler@fairfaxmedia.com.au
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DUBBO | NARROMINE | WELLINGTON | NYNGAN | THE RIDGE | WESTERN MAGAZINE
8.53: Here's what's making Entertainment News this Thursday
CELEBRITY: Ashton Kutcher is sick of not being able to change his baby daughter in public bathrooms. The Two and a Half Men star took to his Facebook page to express his distress at never being able to find a place to change five-month-old Wyatt Isabelle's nappy.
REALITY TELEVISION: My Kitchen Rules 2015 episode 24 recap: Katie and Nikki take an offally big risk
CELEBRITY: Supermodel Naomi Campbell and "it" girl with the best eyebrows Cara Delevingne have reportedly had a dust-up at an after-party during Paris Fashion Week. According to gossip bible Page Six, the tussle was over Rihanna at a party for Garage magazine. Campbell, always up for confrontation, allegedly overheard Delevingne saying "something negative about Rihanna" a "source" said.
CELEBRITY: Robin Wright has said that her marriage to Sean Penn helped her greatly in her new relationship with Ben Foster. The House of Cards actress told Vanity Fair that the lessons she learnt from her marriage to Penn were ones she had to learn for future relationships.
8.46: Check out today's front pages from around the region, to see all the Fairfax front pages from around the region, click here.
8.37: Trundle are very excited to host an ABBA tribute band in May!
Trundle ABBA Festival organisers are ecstatic to announce that Australia's Bjorn Again will be the headline act at the next event planned to take place on Saturday, May 2.
The world-renown Bjorn Again has performed more than 6000 concerts in more than 100 countries worldwide, selling out concerts in India, China, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia and all over Europe, Asia, USA and Canada. Bjorn Again is regarded as the most successful tribute band of all time and is the only ABBA Show openly endorsed by Benny and Bjorn of ABBA.
Bjorn Again is said to be very excited to be involved in the only ABBA festival in Australia and is looking forward to visiting the friendly town of Trundle next year.
8.28: A big happy birthday to everyone who is celebrating a milestone today.
Special shout outs to locals Lucy Shortis, Maddie Redden and Britt Stewart who are clocking up another year today.
Lucy, Maddie and Britt share their birthday with actress Liza Minnelli, 68 and actor Aaron Eckhart, 46.
Wishing everyone a happy birthday from the Grill Team!
8.17: Here's today's sporting news
RACING: Coonamble trainer Cecil Hodgson may have found a galloper capable of competing in the upcoming $100,000 Country Championship qualifier but he admits he's going to have to improve further. The Hodgson-trained Prettylittlefellow powered home to victory in the Country Championship Preview (1300m) at Coonamble on Tuesday evening, firmly putting him in the frame for the Dubbo qualifier of the rich event on March 22.
SOFTBALL: It's grand final time in the Dubbo Softball Competition with three deciders on tonight in the Sporties Club sponsored twilight competition. In the open mixed division the SWAT Blue team will take on Sporties after both won through the finals series.These two sides met two weeks ago in the major semi-final when minor premiers SWAT Blue showed their class and won through to the grand final courtesy of a 12-1 demolition.
RACING: SCONE trainer Rodney Northam couldn't be happier with the progress of Voodoo Lad heading into today's $100,000 H&NWRA Country Championship Qualifier (1400m) at Tamworth. In what is shaping as a super race and the strongest field yet assembled in the Country Championship Series, Voodoo Lad is likely to go to the post as race favourite, despite being runner-up at his last two starts.
CRICKET: Although cricket never stops at Dubbo Sports World there is always something new happening with the game and it will be no different this week with the launch of the Milo T20 Blast. The T20 blast is a program catering for junior players and a Come And Try Day tomorrow afternoon will kick off the initial eight-week program, with a second eight-week program to follow in term three of the school year.
RUGBY LEAGUE: Dubbo Cyms' Bernard Wilson believes the upcoming pre-season gala day against Kurri Kurri is a great initiative and something which needs to happen more often in country rugby league. St John's and their senior side Dubbo CYMS will take on the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs later this month during a day in which matches will be played from under 6s all the way through to first grade.
RUGBY UNION: Narromine's rugby fanatics are in for an early treat this weekend as Cale Oval comes to life. The Junior Gold Cup will be playing two games this Sunday from 10am. Western NSW will take on the Central Coast in their final game.
8.10: Taking a closer look at today's front page story
POLICE are investigating the robbery of a Dubbo jewellery store where about $30,000 worth of jewellery was stolen.
About 1.20am Wednesday, officers attached to Orana Local Area Command were called to Orana Mall Shopping Centre after security guards noticed a smashed glass door.
On arrival, police found another smashed window at a jewellery store in the northern side of the complex.
Further investigations revealed about $30,000 worth of jewellery had been taken from the store.
"A crime scene was established and as police continue their investigations, they want to speak to a man who may be able to assist them. He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 180cm tall, and of slim build,"
- FAIRFAX MEDIA
8am: Check out this wonderfully powerful film coming out in July from Pixar.
7.56: Here's what's making news nationally and internationally
POLITICS: Treasurer Joe Hockey has suggested that people should be able to use their super savings as a "shock absorber" over their lives, because it is their savings so "arguably they should be able to access" them.
INTIMIDATION CHARGES: Western Sydney Wanderers striker Kerem Bulut has been charged with intimidation following an incident at a McDonald's in Sydney's west.
BALI NINE: Andrew Chan and his Indonesian fiancee Febyanti Herewila have been reunited on Nusakambangan as the families of the Bali nine duo stepped up their campaign to convince ordinary Indonesians that the men deserve mercy. Andrew's brother Michael gave up his spot to Febyanti for the tightly controlled visit. It was the first time she has seen her fiance since Tuesday last week.
INTERNATIONAL CRIME: An Australian businessman living on the Thai resort island of Phuket has been charged with murder after a Thai nightclub security guard died from stab wounds early on Wednesday.
7.49: IT'S THROWBACK THURSDAY! And we're excited (just like every week!)
Buckle up Narromine we're back in the time machine zooming back into March 2008. Check out all the fantastic photos here.
Dubbo is taking it all the way back to March 1984. Check out what was happening 31 years in these awesome pics.
The Ridge took a leaf out of Narromine's book and went back to March 2008 as well. Check out all their wonderful photos here.
7.34: Taking a look at regional news around Australia
FERRIES: Premier Will Hodgman insists a $31.5 million revamp of the two Spirit of Tasmania vessels rather than replacing them is the better use of taxpayer money. The state government this week announced details of the major refurbishment, which included new restaurants, bars and deluxe cabins.
MOTORCYCLE OUTLAWS: Three Ballarat-based members of the Finks outlaw motorcycle club received fines for their part in a late-night raid of a popular local nightclub.
FLOATING AROUND: A 73-year-old woman says she is in dire straits and will be forced to live in a horse float after a 14-year battle with Cessnock City Council left her broke. A tearful Wendy Bishop said she was having a spot cleared on her property in Sandy Creek Road, Mount Vincent, to enable her to live in her horse float.
CRIME: A disqualified L-plater caught behind the wheel of his car while high on methamphetamine will remain behind bars until he is sentenced.
7.28: Making local news this morning
RAPTOR RETURN: Dubbo's air war is about to start again with Dubbo City Council set to bring back birds of prey to drive off the annual starling pest invasion. Council said there are reports of "substantially lower" numbers of starlings in the main street this March but it is "too early to tell" if it's permanent and if a falconry trial last year is the cause. It provided the advice on Wednesday as it confirmed raptors were set to return to Dubbo for a second week charged with the task of scaring off the feral birds.
SPORTING GRANT: Burns Oval will be sporting a new netball and basketball court in the near future. Member for Dubbo Troy Grant announced yesterday $17,971 has been allocated to Burns Oval as a part of the 2014/2015 Sports Facility Program.
WATER DAY: Informing the decision makers of the future was the focus of Taronga Western Plains Zoo's World Water Day program on Wednesday. Two hundred students from St John's College attended the programs on Tuesday and Wednesday, where they participated in workshops highlighting the value of the region's wetlands.
STATE ELECTION: The plan to lease New South Wales poles and wire continues to dominate the state's election, with political players, academics and opinion polls presenting different views on it each day. Dubbo MP and Deputy Premier Troy Grant continued to defend the plan yesterday, saying the government's plan is about making the electricity network more efficient and generating revenue to put back into the state's infrastructure.
COURT: A man will be sentenced in Dubbo District Court on April 17 on a string of break, enter and steal charges after a number of churches and businesses in Narromine were broken into. However a charge of destroying a building by fire has been dropped. Nathaniel Thorne-Coates, 23, was facing 14 charges related to offences committed at Narromine in August and September.
CRIME: A man charged with 24 historical child sex offences has pleaded guilty to five of the charges in Dubbo Local Court. The remaining 19 charges were withdrawn by the Crown and dismissed. The man cannot be named for legal reasons. He is on bail and appeared in person before the court to be committed for sentence.
MOBILE SPEED CAMERAS: Warning signs that display the speed limit and greater distances between signs and cameras so that motorists have a better chance of safely checking their speed are among a suite of measures proposed by the National Roads & Motorists Association to make mobile speed cameras fairer.
AUTOMATIC CHECK-IN: Dubbo customers travelling across Qantas' domestic network can now fly through the airport with the airline's new Auto Check-in experience. The service became available on a select number of services in December last year; the network-wide introduction builds on a range of customer improvements to streamline the airport experience. Qantas Domestic Head of Customer Strategy Philip Capps said the expansion of the service marked an important milestone in the airline's commitment to innovation.
CYCLONE MARCIA HELP: The generous people of Narromine have donated $500 to help the victims of Cyclone Marcia. Narromine Lions Club members collected donations from the public to help those affected by the cyclone. The cyclone affected the region around Rockhampton in Central Queensland.
7am: Good morning! Happy Thursday!
Not long now until the weekend, hang in there!
You're grilling with Grace out at Narromine today. If you have any birthdays, events, tip-offs or you just want to say hey, please drop me a line at grace.ryan@fairfaxmedia.com.au
DUBBO / TRANGIE / NYNGAN: are all predicted to have possible thunderstorms and 34 degrees. Dubbo and Trangie have a 30 per cent chance of less than one mm and Nyngan has a 30 per cent chance of one to five mm.
COBAR / BOURKE: are expecting warm weather today. Cobar will be mostly sunny with 35 mm. There's a 10 per cent chance of less than one mm. Bourke will get to 38 with possible thunderstorms. There is a 50 per cent chance of less than one mm.