GOOD morning and welcome to the Morning Buzz for Thursday, September 29. Rain is on the way today with a top temperature of around 19 degrees expected.
News Buzz
CAR AND COW COLLIDE: A male was left trapped in his car after colliding with a cow near Kurmond on Monday night. Emergency services were called to the Kurmond location around 7pm where they located the male trapped in his car with a head injury.
SA IN THE DARK: The entire state of South Australia was without power for several hours on Wednesday afternoon, with the region gripped by what could be one of the most extreme weather systems to hit in 50 years.
MDMA DEATH: A man has been charged over the death of a woman who took the drug MDMA at a DJ event in Sydney's inner west.
TAKING A STAND: Smoke and determination drifted through the air as a group of people came together outside The Hills Council chambers to fight for recognition on Tuesday.
SHOCK THEFTS: Thieves have stolen three coffins from Blacktown City Funerals in a bizarre targeted theft.
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: Plein air painting is anything but plain for Robert Malherbe and Frances Feasey. The Blue Mountains artists have been announced as finalists in the 2016 NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize.
OVER-FUNDED SCHOOLS: Some of Australia's most elite high-fee private schools are receiving taxpayer funding almost three times greater than their entitlements while others schools remain grossly underfunded, official Education Department data reveals.
PAW OF HELP: Man’s best friend could help your child gain confidence in reading through a new program at Picton Library. Paws ‘n’ Tales is a free reading program for children aged 4-8 years.
CONFRONTATION: Police have allegedly shot a man in the buttocks following a confrontation in the central western NSW town of Cowra.
FUNDING BOOST: Penrith City Council has received $10,000 in state government funding to promote responsible pet ownership.
EDUCATION REWARD: Prairiewood High School student Jumana Al Sudani and teacher Neela Thiru were recognised at the 2016 Education Minister’s and Secretary’s Awards for Excellence recently.
FORBES FLOODS: In the words of one resident: "Time's up, it needs to be fixed." The people of Forbes are furious that their town could have its main access cut off for up to six weeks, its tourism decimated as the school holidays kick in, while trade with nearby towns turns into a trickle.
Sports Buzz
MAJOR OPPORTUNITY: Blacktown City FC star Travis Major will take up a professional contract with Hong Kong Pegasus FC in the Hong Kong Premier League.
GOLD RUSH: Glendenning teenager Olivia Steele has taken home two golds and one silver from her three swims at the Australian Transplant Games.
FAREWELL TO MAX: Max Walker, one of Australian sport's larger-than-life characters in his heyday as a cricketer and raconteur, and battled cancer post-retirement, has died aged 68.
FITNESS CHALLENGE: Casula’s Neil Palmer is proud to say he works for a company which puts social responsibility at its forefront. The lawyer from Coleman Greig Lawyers will be taking the company’s annual fitness challenge which raises money for charity.
BUYING FRENZY: Cronulla Sharks fans are continuing to mob the merchandise shop at the Sharkies Leagues Club. Chief executive Lyall Gorman said the club was continuing to sell about $100,000 of merchandise a day.
DALLY M 2016: Cooper Cronk and Jason Taumalolo have shared the Dally M medal for 2016.