8:03 AM AEDT | ANGER is growing in the Bathurst community after a much-loved Machattie Park possum died after being deliberately set on fire. The senseless attack took place a fortnight ago and police yesterday called on the public to come forward with information. The male brushtail possum had become an icon in the park, with many families and young children feeding it pieces of fruit.

8:04 AM AEDT | STOPPING around 1000km short of circumnavigating the globe, Dr Stavros Prineas is finally home in Bathurst with his family after being stranded in Thailand since last Wednesday. When his flight from Vienna was diverted away from Bangkok’s international airport to the U-Tapao military base, Dr Prineas was just 7500km from Sydney. By the time he actually reached Sydney he had travelled 31,335km in a journey that took him 60 hours.

8:05 AM AEDT | THE voluntary odds ‘n’ evens water saving program is set to be retained by Bathurst Regional Council. Tonight’s policy committee meeting will consider a report from city engineer Doug Patterson recommending the initiative be continued. It was back in June 2007 that council introduced the voluntary odds ‘n’ evens restrictions to support the community’s efforts to reduce water consumption.

8:10 AM AEDT | Nick North’s preparation for the Canberra City Half Ironman is coming along well after the 18-year-old Bathurst talent finished third in the under 23 section and 14th overall in the Pro Tour event at Kurnell on Sunday. With North doing endurance training ahead of the December 14 Canberra Half Ironman, his build up to the shorter Kurnell race wasn’t ideal.

2/12/2008 | Thomas Geyer made a splash when he won three gold medals and set three records at the recent Central Tablelands Swimming Qualifying Meet at Katoomba. The eight-year-old entered the 50 metre races for all four swimming strokes, won three of them and finished fourth in the butterfly. Geyer’s first race was the boys eight years and under 50 metres backstroke and he set a new Central West record of 50.37 seconds on his way to victory.