9:21 PM AEDT | Emergency service workers “locked down” staff and shoppers at Harvey Norman yesterday when suspicious white crystals were found in the store. The carpark was sealed off and no-one was allowed into or out of the building. The drama unfolded shortly after 10am when an employee discovered a questionable substance on a rug in the furniture department. Management alerted police at 10.30am and emergency procedures were activated.

9:15 PM AEDT | Teachers are claiming the local community is behind their opposition to changed staffing arrangements after attracting more than 1200 signatures to a protest petition. Representatives of the Dubbo Teachers’ Association yesterday presented Member for Dubbo Dawn Fardell with a petition that showed it was “not just teachers who were concerned”.

9:25 PM AEDT | Come on Mr Della Bosca, just put the cheque in the mail. That was the frustrated response from Lourdes Hospital advisory committee chairman Reg Ferguson following the latest ‘pollie-speak”’from the NSW health minister. Mr Della Bosca yesterday told Ten News an “in-principle agreement” had been reached with Catholic Healthcare to secure the future of the cash-strapped rehabilitation, geriatric and palliative care facility.

9:39 AM AEDT | Dubbo CYMS’ flying winger and Group 11 representative Epa Navale has re-signed with the club for the 2009 season, despite moving to Orange in August this year with his family.

9:44 AM AEDT | Already ahead by 103 runs with all 10 second innings wickets in hand, Andrew Johns believes his CYMS side will be looking for about another 150 to push for an outright decision against Newtown.