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WEATHER
Overnight temperatures are gradually sliding downward. We can expect a freezing temperatures on Thursday and Friday nights.
Today will be a dim 11 degrees with clouds and showers.
Winds southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the evening.
TODAY'S TOP STORY
Townhouses and higher density housing developments could begin sprouting up in central Ballarat and parts of Wendouree under changes to the city’s residential zones.
Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy announced on Tuesday that the state government would move forward with new residential zones aimed at guiding future housing development in Ballarat.
POLICE
Police are conducting a safety review of an intersection near Bacchus Marsh after a major collision on Tuesday.
Three people, all aged in their 60s, were involved in a two-car collision at the intersection of Bacchus Marsh-Geelong and Exford-Parwan roads at Maddingley.
FIRE
Fire crews were called to a car fire in Black Hill on Wednesday night.
Crews attended a fire believed to have started in the bonnet of a BMW in the driveway of a Kenvarra Court residence.
Crews also attended a gas leak at Bradbury Street in Brown Hill that later turned out to be a false alarm.
AMBULANCE
Paramedics attended the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Thursday morning near Maryborough.
Crews attended the scene where a car had slammed into a concrete power pole on the Dunach-Eddington Road at Red Lion just before 3am.
The man, aged in his 30s, was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital with chest and neck injuries in a serious but stable condition.
V/LINE
For those travelling to Melbourne tonight to see Justin Timberlake perform live, extra train services have been added.
Regional Rail works will cause coaches to replace trains again.
ON THE AGENDA
Today The Courier will be reviewing the new iPhone 6.
The sudden sacking of Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson has sent the AFL world into a spin.
Sanderson's sacking comes nine months after the club extended his contract for two seasons.
He finishes up his coaching career at the Adelaide Crows with a 39-30 win-loss record and a 56.5 winning percentage - higher than any other coach of the club.
Check out some of the front pages across our regional network
6.50am New South Wales: Activists waging war against mining companies operating in the Leard State Forest stand accused of committing an act of “criminality and colossal stupidity” that threatened mine workers’ lives.
6.47am Border: A Lavington family of seven is facing the prospect of not having a roof over their heads this time next week.
Daniel and Brenda Whichelo have been knocked back by 13 real estate agents in their search for a rental house due to an old listing on a rental default database in Queensland.
6.45am Poll: Prime Minister Tony Abbott has thrown his support behind the legalisation of cannabis for medical purposes.
6.42am Warrnambool: It's a sad sight, but Warrnambool photographer Aaron Toulmin has made the death of a fin whale into a beautiful image.
6.39am South Australia: Police are investigating the discovery of a body in a burnt-out car at Parrakie, west of Lameroo.
6.37am Mandurah: The City of Mandurah is still without the $10 million needed to complete the urgent Old Mandurah Traffic Bridge upgrade despite councillors endorsing city representatives to secure the funding back in April.
6.35am Joke of the day: Here's a good giggle from the Laugh Factory!
Q: Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocaine during a root canal?
A: His goal: transcend dental medication.
6.34am Here's some daily history for you. On this day in 1837, Tiffany and Co. (first named Tiffany & Young) was founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and Teddy Young in New York City.
6.32am Hmmm ... we're not sure on this one. Do you think Queen Bee has given this photo a touch-up?
6.30am Launceston: They're four years apart in age, but Bella Dyer and Amarli Allan share a bond that few others could understand.
Amarli, who will soon turn seven, received a liver transplant almost two years to the day after 11-year-old Bella, and both Launceston girls owe their lives to the families who agreed to donate.
6.27am Illawarra: A Cordeaux Heights man has been arrested for the second time over the 2012 shooting death of Darko Janceski.
6.26am Bendigo: A man accused of running over a woman in a tent in Rochester pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death.
6.24am Check out Glen Tandberg's take on the federal government sending troops to fight ISIL.
6.22am Maitland: Here's something adorable to brighten your day! Have a look at some cute snaps from the 2014 Maitland Mercury Baby Competition.
6.20am Port Lincoln: Port Lincoln footballer Johann Wagner is the first winner of FOX8's The Recruit television program and chose to go to Port Adelaide.
6.17am Newcastle: At least 40 Hunter women suffering serious and chronic conditions after genital implant surgery could join a legal class action against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson.
6.15am Port Macquarie: Police are continuing to appeal for those with information about William Tyrell's disappearance to come forward.
Illawarra Mercury: Illawarra mines will be largely unaffected by China's plans to reduce coal imports.
From next year, the Chinese government will limit the use of imported coal with more than 16 per cent ash and 3 per cent sulphur in a bid to improve air quality, especially in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Read more
The Examiner: Pressure is mounting on the Tasmanian state government to push on with a medicinal cannabis trial, ahead of an upper house inquiry into the issue. Read more
Newcastle Herald: Friends and family are mourning the loss of Wangi Wangi man Michael Taylor who died after falling more than 300 metres while climbing a glacier on Canada’s Sky Pilot Mountain. Read more
Scotland: It was a battle of the barnstormers, as heavyweights of the Yes and No campaigns pulled out all the rhetorical stops for the final sprint of the Scotland independence referendum. Read more
New Zealand: New Zealand Prime Minister John Key cannot rule out the US National Security Agency is undertaking mass surveillance of Kiwis' data, but has rejected claims New Zealand's own spies would have access to such information. Read more
Iraq: Kamal unwraps a carefully folded piece of paper divided into two columns of neatly written names.
One column lists the 23 family members, mostly women and girls, who were taken by Islamic State militants last month when they stormed through a series of Yazidi villages in the north of Iraq on a rampage that left hundreds, if not thousands, dead. Read more
Japan: An international struggle is under way over attempts to rein in Japan's plans for a new Antarctic lethal whaling "research" program. Read more
Kenny Little - let's face it, he's one of Port Macquarie's living legends.
Little was rewarded for his contribution to hockey with life membership of his home association.
His dedication to hockey and his achievements in the sport over more than 30 years have been truly remarkable. Read more
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