9am: That's all we've got time for today. We wish you a safe and loving day, and hope everyone looks after one another after yesterday's terrible day.
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Tune in tomorrow for our next set of clues in the Brennan's Mitre 10's 12 Days of Christmas. You'll be Grilling with Faye in Dubbo. Send her an email to faye.wheeler@fairfaxmedia.com.au
In the mean time why not check out our websites?
DUBBO | NARROMINE | WELLINGTON | NYNGAN | THE RIDGE | WESTERN MAGAZINE
8.55: Don't let Christmas creep up on you, with our Christmas countdown clock...you're welcome!
8.53: Check out what's happening in entertainment:
THE SIEGE ASKS QUESTIONS OF THE MEDIA: As a dramatic day turns into night, not only is the continuing Sydney siege an unimaginable torment for the hostages and their loved ones, but it is also turning into a media marathon, with plenty of confusion and missteps along the way.
2014 In Review: Yes, 2014 was another banner year for the ins and outs of those who breathe the rarefied air of tinseltown: from photo leaks to drunken awards show after-parties and the matches, hatches and dispatches, these are L&S' top stories of 2014. SEE MORE HERE
ROYAL NEWS: The media went gaga when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge decided to release new photographs of 17-month-old Prince George over the weekend. Read more here
INTERVIEW WITH SOPHIA GRACE AND ROSIE: Sophia Grace Brownlee, 11, and her cousin Rosie McClelland, 8, gained popularity with their guest appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show,where they interviewed the likes of Taylor Swift and Hugh Grant, and have attracted more than 100 million YouTube views. The English-born duo shot to fame with their cover version of Nicki Minaj's Super Bass and have been singing, dancing and performing since, releasing their own music and DVDs. Read the interview here.
8.48: Time for yesterday's answer to the Brennan's Mitre 10's 12 Days of Christmas:
Did you participate in yesterday’s Brennan’s Mitre 10’s 12 Days of Christmas? Did you get the answer correct? We were at the Tomingley Crossroads
8.46: Is it your birthday today? If so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, we hope you have a fabulous day.
Happy birthday to the lovely Kyra Roach in Nyngan, we hope you have an incredible day!
Kyra and everyone else who's birthday it is celebrate with Divergent actor Theo James, 29, composer, Ludwig van Beethoven (dec.) wrestler Luke Harper, author Jane Austin (dec.) and Aussie actress Miranda Otto, 40.
8.38: Checking out the local sport news this morning:
RACING: Scone trainer Rodney Northam's brilliant run with his two-year-olds continued yesterday when Mi Sassy overcame a poor start to score a strong win in the Agrigrain Country Plate (800m) at Narromine.
CRICKET: In one of the most thrilling finishes to a match this season Macquarie defeated CYMS Cougars by one wicket in the Kelly Cup on Saturday, smashing 74 runs in the final 10 overs to claim victory.
CRICKET: Newtown has all but sealed first innings points against South Dubbo after an all-round effort with the ball helped them roll the Hornets for just 76 in their Pinnington Cup match at Lady Cutler 3.
8.25: In amazing Australian fashion something beautiful has risen out of yesterday's terror.
Australians around the country have turned to social media in a show of solidarity against racism and support for the muslim population following a terrorist attack at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Martin Place, in Sydney yesterday.
8.20: Taking a look at today's front pages from around the region. To see the rest of the Fairfax front pages click here.
8.13: As we mentioned earlier there is a total fire ban today due to hot and windy conditions.
The Upper Central West Plains, including Bogan, Coonamble, Gilgandra and Warren Shires are reporting an extreme fire danger.
The Lower Central West Plains including Bland, Dubbo, Forbes, Narromine, Parkes Temora, Weddin and Wellington are reporting severe fire danger.
Other areas affected are the Southern Ranges, Central Ranges, North Western, Southern Slopes, Eastern Riverina and Southern River.
The RFS offers the following advice:
Under Extreme fire conditions:
› Homes that are specially designed and constructed to withstand a bush fire, prepared to the highest level and actively defended may provide safety
› Follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan and know when you will leave, where you will go and how you will get there. Know what you will do if you cannot leave
› Leaving early in the day is your safest option
› Keep informed by listening to local radio, watching television news broadcasts and monitoring www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
Under Severe and Very High fire conditions:
› Well prepared homes that are actively defended can provide safety during a fire
› Follow your Bush Fire Survival Plan and remain vigilant
› Keep informed by listening to local radio, watching television news broadcasts and monitoring www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.
No fires may be lit in the open and all fire permits are suspended during a Total Fire Ban. Gas and electric barbeques may be used provided certain conditions are met. Total Fire Ban rules and a map of current Total Fire Ban areas are at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.
8.08: Our gallery of great pics from the weekend is up. Check out if you were SNAPPED over the weekend in the gallery below:
8am: It's not a new video... but it's a brief oasis in a troubled day
7.53: We are up to day seven of our massive 12 Days of Christmas Competition today Grillers, half way through! You could have a massive $200 voucher to Brennan’s Mitre 10 if you’re the lucky winner!
We want to go on a destination hunt with you!
We’ve picked a destination around the region and all you have to do is guess where we are by our clues!
Fill out the form below and at the end of the 12 days we randomly select a winner.
We’ll tell you the correct answer the next day. The more times you enter the more chance you have to win!
CLUES
We’re at The Ridge:
- “I am designed by an artist.”
- “I have a time capsule inside of me.”
- “I am made out of steel.”
VISIT THIS LINK to see what you could get if you win the voucher
7.49: Bringing you more from the Sydney Siege:
PERPETRATOR KNOWN TO POLICE: The man who held more than a dozen people hostage, placing Sydney's CBD into lockdown is no stranger to the NSW police or the judiciary. Self-described cleric, Man Haron Monis, 50, first came to attention of police when he penned poisonous letters to the family of dead Australian soldiers seven years ago. Last year he was charged with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife and mother of two.
LOCAL COMMENT: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has urged residents to "exercise reasonable caution "and contact the authorities if they see or know of anything of concern, but to go about life as normal wherever possible, following yesterday's Martin Place siege. You can read what our local members are saying here.
POLITICS: It was just after 10am in Canberra when government advisers interrupted a meeting of cabinet, thrusting Prime Minister Tony Abbott into the centre of another testing national security situation. Read how the PM handled the situation here.
GUNMAN'S HATRED OF POLITICIANS: The man behind Sydney's siege, Man Haron Monis, expressed outrage about Prime Minister Tony Abbott's "Team Australia" comments in a series of online tirades and has a long history of directing hatred at senior politicians.
AUSTRALIA'S TERROR THREAT: The national terrorism threat level is unlikely to be raised as a result of Monday's siege in Sydney, Fairfax Media understands. ASIO and the Australian Federal Police raised the level from "medium" to "high" in September, meaning a terrorism attack was regarded as "likely".
PM CALLS FRESH SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING: Prime Minister Tony Abbott has offered condolences to the families of the two hostages killed in the Sydney Lindt cafe siege and said the National Security Committee of cabinet would meet shortly.
7.42: Taking a look at what's been making news on a national and international level:
MALE KILLED BY SHARK: An 18-year-old male has been killed by a shark off the coast of Port Douglas, after receiving serious wounds to his leg and thigh. Daniel Smith, 18, from Mossman was attacked at Rudder Reef, with emergency services contacted at 11.32am. A Cairns Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said Mr Smith was treated on a boat, with paramedics performing CPR and trying to resuscitate him with a defibrillator.
BUDGET: The federal government's budget deficit will hit a staggering $40.4 billion this year, Treasurer Joe Hockey says, with the budget to return to surplus one year later than expected in 2019/20. The deficit has blown out by $10 billion more than expected six months ago.
CRICKET: From teen sensation to Australian captain. the inevitable rise of Australian's new test cricket captain Steve Smith.
ILLEGAL TRAVELLER: A United States citizen who says he entered North Korea illegally let fly at a news conference in the capital, Pyongyang, on Sunday with a lengthy criticism of United States policies and human rights conditions and said he would seek asylum in Venezuela. The man identified himself as Arturo Pierre Martinez, 29, from El Paso, Texas, and said he had entered North Korea by crossing Yalu River from China. Read more.
7.29: Making news around regional Australia:
MURDER: THE man who murdered his partner of 16 years – interior designer Stuart Rattle – was a pathological liar known as “the Talented Mr Ripley”, a court has heard. Chief Crown Prosecutor Gavin Silbert, SC, told the Supreme Court on Monday that Michael O’Neill strangled Mr Rattle as an “act of financial self preservation”. Mr Silbert said O’Neill was trying to cover up for his incompetence, which had been threatening to bankrupt the interior designer’s business.
CHARGES DROPPED: The remaining assault charges against an ACT prison officer wrongly accused of raping his ex-girlfriend have been dropped. The prison officer, who cannot be named, spent about four months behind bars this year, after his former partner accused him of raping and bashing her. The accused man spent all of his time in the notorious Goulburn jail, locked in solitary confinement for protection from other prisoners.
VIOLENCE: Police are investigating a violent incident in which a teenaged boy was bashed outside a Mandurah chemist. The assault happened just after 6.30pm on Monday evening near the Carpark Chemist on Dower Street. Two youths are understood to have set on the boy and stolen a sum of cash from him. Police have apprehended one of the alleged offenders but the other fled the area on foot.
HUNTERS BE WARNED: Department of Primary Industries (DPI) staff are using hidden surveillance cameras to identify illegal hunters frequenting the Mullion and Canobolas state forests. Game licensing unit compliance officer David Smith said the DPI was asking for the public’s help to identify the people captured in the footage to determine whether they’re licensed to hunt.
COURT: The magistrate, Terry Lucas, was sceptical about the truth of Andrew Dean Munro’s story when he said he had only consumed one longneck of homebrew before driving his car. Munro appeared in Orange Local Court on Thursday for mid-range drink-driving.
7.24: Taking a look at local news this morning:
BIG W WOES: A "technical fault" prompted the evacuation of the Big W store in Dubbo, according to Orana Mall centre manager Cherie Forrester. Firefighters responded to reports of a possible fire about 11.20am but did not find one, a spokesperson for NSW Fire and Rescue said.
KEYS TO BARDEN PARK: Talented athlete Payton Smede has become the first person to pick up the keys to Barden Park Athletics Centre as part of the general usage arrangement being offered by Dubbo City Council. In a bid to ensure the facility is used as much as possible, the council is making access keys available for purchase for those who want to be able to train.
NEW POLICE OFFICER: Wellington will receive a new probationary constable at its police station as 300 new recruits joined the NSW Police Force on Friday. It will fill one of a number of vacancies at the station.
GOVERNMENT FUNDING: The Warren community has received an early Christmas present with $75,000 worth of funding for two important projects in the town. Warren Shire Council has been given $25,000 towards a skate park, while RiverSmart Australia was given $50,000 as it continues to build its Window on the Wetlands Centre.
OXLEY MUSEUM: The Oxley Museum together with Wellington Council can get on with its strategic plan to look at the future of the site. The Oxley Museum will receive thousands of dollars from the state government to help keep it going into the future.
GIFT OF GIVING: While many old computers and sewing machines sit away unused in Australia, they could change someone's life in places Leyte, an island of the Philippines devastated by typhoon Yolanda. Local Geoff Higgins said sewing machines allowed people to make garments to sell while second-hand computers allowed students who couldn't afford access to internet cafes to do their assignments.
PODATRISTLESS: WESTERN NSW Local Health District (LHD) has moved to reassure patients a high-risk foot clinic in Dubbo has not closed down, despite there being no qualified podiatrist available for appointments.
FUNDRAISER FOR COONAMBLE BULL RIDER: The fundraiser for Coonamble bull rider Jordan Robb, who was made a quadriplegic when thrown from a bull at a competition in November, are hopeful of raising thousands of dollars for his rehabilitation.
HIPY PROGRAM: Working with parents to help them take a proactive role in their children's education before school, the HIPPY program (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters) was a chance for children to have fun while learning at the Aboriginal Lands Council.
7.15: We're starting off a little differently this morning with news from the Sydney Siege:
We wake to news that two hostages have died in the Martin Place siege, along with the gunman. The siege, which began before 10am on Monday ran into the early hours of Tuesday morning, but the collective hopes of Australia that it might be resolved peacefully and without casualty were unrealised. You can read more here.
LOCAL MEMBER ADVICE: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has urged residents to "exercise reasonable caution "and contact the authorities if they see or know of anything of concern, but to go about life as normal wherever possible, following yesterday's Martin Place siege.
7am: Good morning everyone, welcome to your Tuesday Grill.
Today we'll be updating you on information about the Sydney Siege as it rolls it.
We also have day seven of Brennan's Mitre 10's 12 Days of Christmas. Keep an eye out for the Clues.
You're Grilling with Grace from Narromine today. Shoot me an email if you have anything you'd like to add grace.ryan@fairfaxmedia.com.au
THERE IS A TOTAL FIRE BAN AROUND MUCH OF THE REGION TODAY DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES AND EXPECTED STORM ACTIVITY
DUBBO / TRANGIE / NYNGAN: are all expecting possible thunderstorms today with winds ranging between 24km/h and 34 km/h. There's not much rain around the region with many areas expecting just one ml. Dubbo will get to 37, Trangie 38 and Nyngan 39.
COBAR / BOURKE: are also expecting possible thunderstorms with winds between 34 and 40 km/h. This region is also not expecting much rain with many areas forcasted for just one mils. Cobar will get to 37 and Bourke will reach 41.