8.26am That's it from us this morning - have a fantastic weekend & I'll see you Monday!
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8.24am STRANGE BUT TRUE: Apparently MAC Cosmetics is set to collaborate with The Simpsons. Hmmm.
8.22am The New Age Fair is on at the Shellharbour Club tomorrow.
8.20am Check out this amazing footage of two bulldogs taking on a black bear that entered their yard. Unbelievable!
8.18am BREAKING: Crown case to open this morning in the Robert Xie trial - he's accused of murdering five members of Sydney's Lin family.
8.16am MUSIC NEWS: Jess Mauboy has sung at Eurovision! Check out the pics here.
8.15am We’ve kicked off our Mercury Cartoon Competition! We want 15 - 25 year olds to produce their own cartoon or caricature that reflects a popular news topic or personality from an Illawarra Mercury news story during May for their chance to win some awesome prizes. PLUS the best entries will be printed in the paper and exhibited at the Wollongong Art Gallery.
8.12am It's time for today's edition of "anywhere but here." Today I'd rather be sitting by the fire in a French ski chalet, sipping hot chocolate and enjoying a big fire. I'm wearing cute ear muffs in this daydream too...
8.10am Lisa Wilson’s Lake is on at the IPAC this weekend. Tickets are $49 from www.merrigong.com.au.
8.08am BREAKING: Football fans seen wearing Collingwood and Richmond jumpers have attacked a man after an AFL game in Melbourne. The three men were seen walking out of the MCG precinct about 10.30pm after the Collingwood versus Carlton game on Friday last week. Police have been told they were banging on car bonnets, and yelling, before they confronted their victim in an apparently random attack. Anyone with information is asked to contact police. (AAP)
8.06am MOVIE NEWS: They're making a film of the Broadway hit Jersey Boys. Yay! Can't believe it - so excited! Clint Eastwood is directing - should be a goodie!
8.04am OMG look at this hedgehog after taking a bath. Oh so adorable!!
8.02am LOCAL NEWS: Northern Illawarra residents are being rewarded for shopping locally this month with the launch of a new buy local campaign.
8am NATIONAL NEWS: A defence barrister has savaged the justice system for allowing a teenager to be wrongly held for 20 months in the Victorian adult prison system. The barrister Luke Barker described it as a "shameful affront to our justice system" that his Sudanese-born client was kept for 617 days in adult custody from the age of 16 years and 10 months. Read more here.
7.58am Awww look at these corgis. So cute in their little jackets.
7.56am - Local Kiama musician Penny Hartgerink plays a solo show at The Brewery on Sunday arvo from 3-6. Entry is free.
7.54am Good morning & TGIF Illawarra! Here's the latest weather & traffic info for you:
WEATHER We're in for a mostly sunny day with a top of 20 degrees. We could get an early shower or two & some light winds this afternoon. We're set for a cloudy weekend with some scattered showers - temps will hang around the low 20s. right now, it's 10 in Bellambi and 15 at Albion Park.
TRAFFIC All looks clear on the region's roads and for the run to Sydney.
TRAINS There are delays on the South Coast line this morning - passengers catching the 4.40am Central to Kiama train are advised to allow 30 minutes extra travel time after earlier mechanical issues.
7.52am Got a quiet weekend ahead? Here's the Illawarra gig guide - plenty to do in here!
7.50am Good lord, these look amazing. Get in the kitchen this weekend and whip these up, stat. Ferror Rocher Choclate Hazelnut slice, get in my belly!
7.48am My motto for life - "keep calm and put your lipstick on."
7.46am SPORT: Alessandro Del Piero appears set to continue his playing career in the United States having reportedly held talks with Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy as well as gaining interest from DC United. (SMH)
7.44am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Is there anyone Justin Bieber isn't fighting with!? Now he's having a battle with comedian Seth Rogen. Sigh.
7.42am LOCAL NEWS: Snatching firearms from holsters, fingerprint ink on phone receivers, and drunken lifts home in police vehicles were all part of police life on the South Coast. Read the full story here.
7.40am Australian blues-rocker Owen Campbell hits Towradgi Beach Hotel to support the launch of his new single ‘‘Remember to Breathe’’ on Sunday afternoon from 3:30pm. Entry is free.
7.38am TV NEWS: Sarah Jessica Parker has revealed her favourite piece of clothing from Sex & the City! The winner - the gorgeous blue bird headpiece she wore with her wedding gown in the first film.
7.36am STRANGE BUT TRUE: Only in Japan - there has been a cull of promotional mascots. Only the "productive" mascots made the cut!
7.34am BREAKING: Police are appealing for information after a licensed premises was robbed at Towradgi on Friday morning. About 2.45am, two men entered the club on Pioneer Road and threatened staff and patrons with a firearm. The pair were given cash from the register and then fled. They were last seen crossing the hotel car park and heading towards Pioneer Road. No shots were fired and there have been no reports of injury. Police are continuing to speak with witnesses to obtain a description of the men.
7.32am NATIONAL NEWS: A midwife caught trying to flee the country after she was ordered to pay $6.6 million to a boy who developed cerebral palsy as a result of a botched home birth has been struck off the register of health practitioners. Louise Hall from the SMH has the full story.
7.30am MUSIC NEWS: Michael Buble is in Sydney! And I'm off to see him tomorrow night! Yippee!!
7.29am The Illawarra Youth fundraiser is on at Albion Park Bowling Club tonight. All money raised will go towards camping equipment for youth in crisis. 6:30-10:30pm. Tickets are $35.
7.28am RED CARPET: Brad and Angie have graced the red carpet in London for her new film Maleficent. Could they look any more amazing!? Sigh.
7.26am CELEB GOSS ALERT: How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris has stripped off for the front cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
7.24am STRANGE BUT TRUE: A boy has rolled down an embankment after a heartless thief pushed him off his bike and stole it in Townsville. The 13-year-old was out riding yesterday when a man, who was standing on a bike path, pushed him off his bike.The boy rolled down an embankment as the thief climbed onto the bike and took off. The boy wasn’t hurt, but he wants his bike back. Police are still looking for the offender. (AAP)
7.23am BREAKING: The US is set to send a small team of advisers to Nigeria to assist in the search for kidnapped girls. #bringbackourgirls
7.22am LOCAL NEWS: Scores of Helensburgh residents turned out for two public hearings this week, airing diverse and emotional opinions on a long-running attempt to rezone 1556 hectares of environmentally sensitive land. Council reporter Kate McIlwain has the full story here.
7.20am This photo is classic. I wonder if the pets' owners posed them - or did the cat just pick up the knife on its own. Mwhahaha (that was my evil laugh!)
7.18am NATIONAL NEWS: Parents are increasingly waiting until they receive their children's NAPLAN results before sending them to coaching, according to the Australian Tutoring Association, which says there is now less focus on cramming for the national literacy and numeracy tests and more emphasis on improving poor results.
7.16am The Illawarra Choral Society’s next concert, ‘‘Sing Light, Sing Shadow featuring Brahms’ Requiem’’ will be held in the Wollongong Town Hall at 2pm tomorrow. Tickets: GA $25, Concession $22. For more information or to book call 4227 5088.
7.14am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Kim Kardashian has taken to Twitter to set the record straight on THOSE wedding rumours - her & Kanye are NOT yet married & they aren't filming the wedding for Keeping up with the Kardashians.
7.13am WORLD NEWS: A fire at a Florida mansion belonging to former US tennis star James Blake was intentionally set and four bodies were found in the charred remains, police say. Read the whole story here.
7.12am TV NEWS: 24 is back on our screens - yep, Jack Bauer is back. This time, it's only 12 episodes. It airs on Channel 10 on Monday night from 8.45pm.
7.08am Need your live music fix? Check out Radar Illawarra - this week's music news from reporter Josh Butler.
7.05am BREAKING: A man has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl on a Gold Coast bus. The bus was travelling along the Gold Coast Highway at Surfers Paradise on Friday last week when the 18-year-old victim was attacked. A 42-year-old man has been charged with sexual assault, making threats and public nuisance after he was arrested on Thursday night. He’s due to front the Southport Magistrates Court today. (AAP)
7.04am CELEB GOSS ALERT: A vintage video of TV talk show host Oprah has surfaced - and it's great! Hello 1983 - nice hair!
7.02am Note to self: Sunday is Mother's Day. Kick off the day with the 2014 Mothers Day Classic Fun Run. It's on at Stuart Park. Come along & raise money for breast cancer research. Online registrations are now open at www.mothersdayclassic.com.au or you can register on the day. NB flowers & chocolates also good!
7am BREAKING: Russia has been booed at Eurovision. Oh dear.
6.59am LOCAL NEWS: A year on from a tragic car crash that claimed their friend, a group of Illawarra musicians will come together to remember a fallen mate. Rob Zessin crashed his new ute on April 20 last year on his way to have dinner with his parents in Unanderra. On May 16, seven bands from Wollongong and around Australia will pay tribute to Mr Zessin with the Rock For Rob Z concert at Waves Nightclub.
6.58am Cirque du Soleii is returning to Australia! The group will bring the big top back from October with their latest show Totem. Can't wait!
6.56am WORLD NEWS: Rolf Harris has stood in court as a jury was sworn in to try him on indecent assault charges. Six men and six women – plus three ‘spare’ jury members – were warned by the judge not to read up on the case on the internet, or to discuss it on social media, but to try only on the evidence presented in court. The trial is expected to run until the end of June. (SMH)
6.55am NATIONAL NEWS: A man has been found not guilty of murdering his young lover in her Sydney unit but has been found guilty of her manslaughter. Read more here.
6.54am Um how good does this look? Chicken, cheeseburger & fries @ His Boy Elroy. Delish.
6.52am Good morning & TGIF Illawarra! Here's the latest weather & traffic info for you:
WEATHER We're in for a mostly sunny day with a top of 20 degrees. We could get an early shower or two & some light winds this afternoon. We're set for a cloudy weekend with some scattered showers - temps will hang around the low 20s. right now, it's 15 in Bellambi and 9 at Albion Park.
TRAFFIC All looks clear on the region's roads and for the run to Sydney.
TRAINS There are delays on the South Coast line this morning - passengers catching the 4.40am Central to Kiama train are advised to allow 30 minutes extra travel time after earlier mechanical issues.
6.50am MOVIE NEWS: Clueless fans, rejoice! Some of the original cast got together this week for a special screening of the cult classic. Can you believe it's been 19 years since the film was released!? AS IF!
6.48am Wainora Public School's fete is from 2pm today. Get in and support the kiddies!
6.46am A little Friday funny for you - this is why local news is so important.
6.44am STRANGE BUT TRUE: A Melbourne toilet cleaner has scored a surprise $80,000 after finding it stashed in toilet and no-one claimed it. Congrats! Now, to start scouring toilets for cash...
6.43am TV NEWS: This has made my morning - Foxtel has commissioned a second season of The Real Housewives of Melbourne, although it has not confirmed if all six women will be returning. YAY! The final cast has not been named yet - oh I hope they all return, love the drama! (SMH)
6.42am LOCAL NEWS: A band of Wollongong swimmers will be looking at other options for their daily dip when the 50-year-old Towradgi sea pool closes for repairs later this month.
6.40am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Ryan Gosling has done it again! The hottie stepped out with a chain bearing the name "Hugo" - that's the moniker of his GF Eva Mendes' dog. Awwwwwwwwwww.
6.38am WORLD NEWS: Prosecutors in the Oscar Pistorius trial have sought to show that his girlfriend was awake and ate approximately two hours before her death, which would contradict the Paralympian's version of events.
6.36am Perchcreek Jugband, Woohoo Review, Papa Pilko, Steve Smyth and Big Erle play the Beachbar at Splashes tonight from 8. Tickets: $25 + booking fee from www.yoursandowls.com.au.
6.35am Hundreds of thousands of Australians are believed to be suffering memory loss for months after surgery and there are fears it could be causing dementia in people over 65. The trend has prompted research into whose brains are most vulnerable and whether there are ways to prevent or treat cognitive deficits in people having surgery. Read the full report from the SMH here.
6.34am MUSIC NEWS: Katy Perry is touring at the moment - and her tour outfits are CRAZY! Check out this ensemble - she looks like an extra in Cats.
6.32am A little history lesson for you this morning - today in 1901, the duke of Cornwall and York, late King George V, opened the first Commonwealth Parliament in Australia.
6.30am LOCAL SPORT: St George Illawarra have until 5pm today to table a formal offer to Benji Marshall or they will lose him to arch-rivals Cronulla. Read more here.
6.28am The ScienceCentre, in conjunction with the Illawarra Astronomical Society, will hold a special discovery night tonight on telescopes (weather permitting). Also included is a special presentation using the full dome projector in the Blue Scope Steel Planetarium.. 7pm-9pm. No bookings required. Usual entry fees apply. Phone 4286 5000 for more information.
6.26am CUTENESS ALERT: This is a video of a tiny hamster eating a tiny piece of pizza. I know - last week burritos, this week pizza. It's just, I can't, I can't even speak, it's so adorable.
6.24am And in some other music news this morning, Eurovision is on this Sunday! Yay, a celebration of tacky, wonderful music! Jess Mauboy is flying the flag for the Aussies in a first for us down under! A big cheers to all those hosting Eurovision parties on Sunday night.
6.22am MUSIC NEWS: So I know the Glastonbury festival is very far away for us Aussies but Metallica has just been confirmed as a headliner at this year's festival. Considering jumping on a plane yet?
6.20am Don't forget we're crossing every hour to Pulse 94.1FM with all the latest from the Rush.
6.18am LOCAL NEWS: GENERATION NEXT in Wollongong is thinking ahead and doing its best to break through the education constraints which exist in regional Australia. Read the whole story here.
6.16am You have to watch this video of a cat suckling a man's ear. Oh it's darling. Slightly creepy but darling.
6.15am NATIONAL NEWS: This is shocking - reports came out yesterday of a teenage girl who had been allegedly sexually assaulted on a bus on the Gold Coast in broad daylight. And no-one did a thing to help. Scary.
6.14am BREAKING: The White House is in lockdown for the second time in three days after ANOTHER security breach. Two people have been arrested.
6.12am A shout-out to all those attending the Angels at Work fundraising breakfast @ Diggies this morning from 7 to 9. Enjoy!
6.11am WORLD NEWS: In a recently published and lengthy racist screed, North Korea calls President Obama a “clown,” a “dirty fellow” and somebody who “does not even have the basic appearances of a human being.” Ouch!
6.10am CELEB GOSS ALERT: Willow Smith (of I whip my hair fame) is in hot water after the 13-year-old posed with a shirtless, 20-year-old man. Her mum Jada Pinkett-Smith has spoken out about the controversy. What do you think?
6.08am I'm going to kick off the morning in the best way possible - with a cute animal pic! Check out this little Asian leopard kitten. Awwww...
6.06am And in national news (via the SMH):
*Motorists will pay more for fuel, and the price looks set to keep rising as Tony Abbott prepares to break his ‘‘no new taxes’’ promise for a second time, by taxing petrol at a higher rate.
*Australian Tutoring Association says parents are increasingly waiting to receive their children’s NAPLAN results before sending them to coaching.
*Residents of the Blue Mountains, Illawarra, central coast and the Hunter would be able to buy ‘‘premium’’ train tickets with better seats and food and drink services when new carriages arrive from 2018.
*Qantas is on track to complete 4000 of its planned 5000 job cuts by June next year, with management, engineering, catering, freight, cabin crew, airport and flight operations among those affected.
6.04am Here's what's making news in your Mercury today:
*The families of an Albion Park couple who died after being run down in Melbourne say they will never forgive the driver.
*A 46-year-old Dapto man is due to face court after he allegedly took his 17-year-old son into a restricted area of Dapto Leagues Club and became verbally abusive after being asked to leave.
*Expansion of Wollongong's Nan Tien Temple will include ground-breaking architectural concepts never seen before in Australia.
*An Illawarra man has received a good behaviour bond for an assault on slain teenager Louise O'Brien the day she is believed to have died.
6.02am If you're just waking up, get out of bed with the latest weather & traffic info. Here it is:
WEATHER We're in for a mostly sunny day with a top of 20 degrees. We could get an early shower or two & some light winds this afternoon. We're set for a cloudy weekend with some scattered showers - temps will hang around the low 20s. right now, it's 15 in Bellambi and 11 at Albion Park.
TRAFFIC All looks clear on the region's roads. There is a car accident on Bay St in Brighton Le Sands, which has closed one northbound lane if you're heading to Sydney. Otherwise, all clear.
TRAINS There are delays this morning - passengers catching the 4.40am Central to Kiama train are advised to allow 30 minutes extra travel time after earlier mechanical issues.
6am Good morning Illawarra. TGIF - we made it to the end of the week! Stay with your regular host, Emma Spillett, for all the latest news & online goss - we've got plenty!