Monthly Archives: December 2014

Taxi driver stabbed – Albury

Police are appealing for public assistance after a taxi driver was stabbed by a passenger early this morning in Albury.

Just before 4am (Sunday 28 December 2014), a 35-year-old taxi driver picked up a male passenger at a taxi rank near the corner of Olive and Dean Streets.

As the cab approached Kurrajong Crescent in West Albury, the passenger got out and asked the driver to also get out; however he remained inside the vehicle.

The passenger approached the driver’s door and began stabbing the man, also damaging the vehicle’s door before running off.

Emergency services were contacted and the injured driver was assessed by Ambulance Paramedics and taken to Albury Base Hospital for treatment of four stab wounds to his arm and hand.

Detectives from Albury Local Area Command are investigating the incident and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

The man has been described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, 25-30 years of age, unshaven, with a thin build and dark hair.

Man missing in river near Wagga Wagga

Police are searching for a man who went missing while swimming in the Murrumbidgee River at Oura Beach today.

About 6.45pm (Thursday 25 December 2014), two men were swimming in the Murrumbidgee River at Oura Beach, 15km north east of Wagga Wagga, when they got swept down the river.

One man, aged in his mid 20’s, managed to swim to shore. The other man, aged 25, was swept away and has not been seen or heard from since.

Police were contacted and Wagga Wagga Local Area Command attended and commenced searching for the man, with the assistance of NSW Volunteer Rescue Associate (VRA).

Heavy vehicle collision on the Hume Highway at Gundagai

About 8.15pm yesterday (Sunday 21 December 2014), highway patrol police were called to a heavy vehicle collision on the Hume Highway at Gundagai approximately 200m north of West Street.

Inquiries revealed the 43-year-old male driver was allegedly using his mobile phone when he lost control of the prime mover and trailer. As a result of the crash, the vehicle’s fuel tanks ruptured and HAZMAT personnel from Fire & Rescue NSW responded to the fuel spill. The driver was issued with infringement notices while defect notices were applied to the prime mover and trailer.

Hotel closed by temporary order – Tamworth

Police have sought and been granted a 72 hour closure of a hotel in Tamworth after their concerns about public health and safety were raised today.

Officers from Oxley Local Area Command sought the closure after several instances of violence and breaches of the liquor act were reported in recent weeks.

The application was granted in the Scone Local Court today and officers attended the premises this afternoon to serve the closure order on the manager.

Several patrons who were in the premises left without incident.

The hotel will remain closed from 4pm today (Friday 19 December 2014) and will be unable to open for trading again until 4pm on Monday 22 December 2014.

Police will continue to patrol the venue to monitor compliance of the order.

 

Emergency warnings for Vic bushfires

Strong winds and challenging weather conditions have sparked bushfire emergency warnings in Victoria.

The Country Fire Authority currently has emergency warnings in place for Boweya, Mount Bruno, Boweya North, Strathbogie South, Strathbogie, Kithbrook, Kelvin View, Gooram, Creightons Creek, Goorambat, Chesney, Devenish, Chesney Vale, Winton North, Bungeet and Bungeet West in Victoria.Watch and act alerts are also current for West Wodonga, Wodonga, Killawarra, Wangandary, Waldara, Wangaratta South.

Fire fighters have made good progress in their battle against a large grass fire heading towards the Victorian town of West Wodonga.The community has been on high alert all day due to hot, dry and windy conditions. Firefighters have used large water bombing aircraft and heavy machinery to build a fire retardant to protect homes just six kilometres from the blaze.

With temperatures and winds easing in the area by Tuesday evening the CFA says it is comfortable that houses will not be affected by the blaze overnight.Residents in Strathbogie South, Strathbogie, Kithbrook, Kelvin View, Gooram and Creightons Creek have been told they are in immediate danger and to move to a relief centre in Euroa if it was safe to do so.

Unpredictable weather conditions on Tuesday evening will cause the fire behaviour to become erratic and fire fighters are continuing their efforts in difficult terrain, the CFA said.Chesney Vale, Winton North, Goorambat, Chesney and Devenish residents have been told that leaving was their safest option before conditions became dangerous due to large fast moving out-of-control grass fires.A relief centre has been set up in Benalla.

Rural crime theft – New England

Police are appealing for information after four head of cattle were stolen from a property in the state’s New England region.

The owner of the cattle was mustering stock on Monday 20 October, 2014 when he noticed the four animals were missing from a mob of 59.

The missing stock has been described as two black Baldie Heifers and two Hereford Heifers. All have distinctive markings, marked with the letters JC and a wave symbol underneath and both ears of the cattle have a notch taken out of the bottom.

New England Rural Crime Investigator, Senior Constable Gavin Berry, said police take rural crime theft very seriously.

“Rural crime costs millions of dollars every year. Theft of livestock, produce and equipment, trespassing and other crimes affect people’s livelihood and well-being.

“NSW Police Force needs the community’s help to identify people involved in rural crime. With a state-wide network of experienced and dedicated Rural Crime Investigators, we can work with rural communities to prevent and solve these crimes,” he said.

“If you have any information about the whereabouts of the four head of missing cattle please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,” Insp Berry said.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online

 

Crash at Yass

A 53-year-old man driving a Ford Falcorn crashed his car on the Hume Highway on Saturday at 9am. The man was travelling north, two kilometres south of the Barton Highway when he lost control and collided with the guard rail on the left hand side of the road. The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Investigations are continuing.

16th edition of FICCI FRAMES will be held from March 25-27, 2015 in Mumbai, India

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), India’s apex association of commerce and industry, has been supporting the cause of the Indian Entertainment Industry for over a decade and a half. With Bollywood having one of the largest film producers and directors in India and taking up one of the largest centres of film production in the world, We organize FICCI FRAMES, Asia’s largest and most definitive annual global convention on the business of Entertainment (www.ficci-frames.com). The 16th edition of FRAMES will be held from March 25-27, 2015 in Mumbai, India.

With the new government making Media and Entertainment a priority sector with his new initiative – “MAKE IN INDIA”, the media & entertainment industry is set to grow many folds in all sub-sectors including Television, Films, Radio, New Media, Gaming, Animation & VFX. The third phase of digitization has begun in India. There is a growing need for investment in set top boxes for Television to help digitalize the entire Nation. The partial e-auction for Radio is stated to take place in the coming months, opening up doors to foreign players for investment. Apart from Digitalization, there are also co-production treaties that are being signed for the betterment of this Industry. We have recently signed co-production treaties with Canada and China and are in talks with many countries for the same. FRAMES 2015 will have plenary and parallel sessions along with workshops and master-classes on a broad spectrum of issues/topics covering the entire gamut of media & entertainment like Films, Broadcast (TV & Radio), Digital Entertainment, Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects, etc. as well as major happenings like digitization & co-production over a period of three days that will help you understand the market sentiment and the untapped potential in the Indian M&E Industry.

The world’s media & entertainment industry will be in full attendance at FRAMES 2015, with nearly 2000 Indian and 600 foreign delegates encompassing the entire sector. We invite major CEO’s of the media and entertainment industry of the world along with officials from the ministry of information and broadcasting from India as well as international ministers. Over the years at FRAMES, we have had the honour of being addressed by Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman MPAA; Mr Mark Hollinger, President & CEO, Discovery Networks International; Mr Hernan Lopez, President & CEO, Fox International Channels;; Mr. Hugh Jackman, Acclaimed Hollywood Actor; Mr. Mitch Singer, CTO, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Mr. James Nicholas Gianopulos, Chairman & CEO, Fox Filmed Entertainment; Sir Martin Sorrell, Chairman WPP; Mr Paolo Gentiloni Silveri, Hon’ble Minister of Communications, Government of Italy; Mr Phillip Graf, CBE, Deputy Chairman – OFCOM; Rt Hon’ble Tessa Jowell, former Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Government of UK; Mr Barrie Osborne, Renowned Producer-Director at the FRAMES platform; Andy Bird, Chairman, Walt Disney International; Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, and President, Disney-ABC Television Group; Robert M. Bakish, President & CEO, Viacom International Media; Teri Schwartz, Dean, UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television; Andy Kaplan, President, International Networks, Sony Pictures Television; Mira Nair, renowned film-maker; Dominic Proctor, President, Group M Worldwide; Roger Fisk, PR Expert, President Obama’s Campaign; Jim Egan, CEO, BBC Global News; and other thought leaders.

LEE KERNAGHAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO DIGGERS PAST & PRESENT ON ‘SPIRIT OF THE ANZACS’

2015 marks the 100th Anniversary of the ANZAC’s landing at Gallipoli. In honour of this landmark occasion, music icon and former Australian of the Year, Lee Kernaghan, teams up with a host of local artists and musicians to bring you ‘SPIRIT OF THE ANZACS’; released 27 February 2015.

Recorded at Rancom Street Studio in Sydney with long-time producer and collaborator Garth Porter, ‘Spirit Of The Anzacs’ is a tribute to those that have given their lives, those who have served, and those that still today step bravely into the unknown to serve our country.

Lee and Garth were granted unique access to the Australian War Memorial archive, collecting letters penned by diggers to their loved ones at home and spanning World War I to the present day. Each song on the 16-track recording is inspired by one of these real letters.

“This is some of the most powerful material that I’ve ever had the privilege to record in my career”, said Lee. “The album takes you on a real journey, from the trenches of the Western Front to the bombing of Darwin, Kokoda, Long Tan, and the dust of Uruzgan Province in Afghanistan. It is a project that goes to the heart of who we are as a nation.”

“Every nation has its story. This is ours. From the bloody Gallipoli landing to the dusty deserts of Afghanistan, precious war letters held at the Australian War Memorial have inspired this moving tribute from one of Australia’s great story tellers, Lee Kernaghan. The spirit of the men and women who wrote them, their courage and sacrifice lives in these songs – and in us.” – Dr Brendan Nelson, Director, Australian War Memorial

“Throughout Lee Kernaghan’s career he has created albums that tell our Australian stories – from the struggles and hardship of life on the land, to the great and sometimes terrible beauty of our country, to the resilience, pride and good humour of our people. In this album he sets to music some of the most profound and moving stories, first-hand accounts of Australians touched by the horrors and tragedy of war. Lee Kernaghan is perhaps the only artist who can craft an album that will resonate equally with all Australians, from the cities to the bush, men and women, young and old. These are our stories and they continue to shape who we are.” – Robert Patterson, ABC Commercial

“I’m really looking forward to releasing ‘Spirit Of The Anzacs’ in February, in a special year when we commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli, and the birth of the ANZAC legend”, says Lee.

Back to Bacharach

Back to Bacharach is a two hour concert celebrating the songs and life of Burt Bacharach featuring powerhouse entertainer Casey Donovan, the legendary Doug Williams, Australia’s leading vocal coach and theatre star Darren Mapes and Top 4 Australian Idol and The Voice (2014) contestant, Hayley Jensen.

Burt Bacharach is one of the most prolific and successful songwriters of the 20th Century. As a six time Grammy and three time Academy Award winner, with 73 Top 40 hits in the US and 52 Top 40 hits in the UK, Burt Bacharach wrote the music for over 700 published songs, which have been recorded by some 2000 artists – from Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley to The Beatles and The Supremes.

Along with lyricist Hal David, they were at the forefront of the famous Brill Building in NYC described as “the most important generator of popular songs in the Western world”.

At age 85, Burt Bacharach still tours the world to sell out audiences. He himself and his music continue to stand the test of time.

The concert will feature some of Burt Bacharach’s most well known songs by artists such as Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, The Carpenters, The Supremes, Roberta Flack, The Shirelles, Petula Clark of the female songstresses and BJ Thomas, Tom Jones, Christopher Cross, Neil Diamond, The Drifters, Luther Vandross, Herb Alpert, Gene Pitney, Isaac Hayes, Johnny Mathis and Elvis Presley of the male artists.

In this two hour show, it’s a non-stop hit factory with 26 songs we’re all so familiar with such as “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”, “That’s What Friends Are For”, “I Say A Little Prayer”, “This Guys In Love With You”, “Arthur’s Theme”, “Heartlight”, “There’s Always Something There To Remind Me”, “What The World Needs Now”, “Close To You”, “Walk On By” and so many more.