Former ABC radio producer Jesse Cox died suddenly today at just 31. Cox, who became Audible Australia’s head of content in September, won this year’s Innovation Walkley for ABC Radio’s Trace podcast with journalist Rachael Brown and Jeremy Story Carter.
A little while ago I had to do long trips on most Sunday afternoons, and would regularly listen to Radiotonic on Radio National. I genuinely looked forward to being in the car at 3pm on Sunday afternoons to listen to Jesse Cox and his program. What a devastating loss, and to happen just before Christmas.
Hiep Thi Le, who starred in Oliver Stone’s 1993 film Heaven and Earth, has died at 46. A former refugee, she was also known as a restaurateur and chef.
Heather Menzies, best known for portraying Louisa von Trapp in the 1965 film The Sound of Music, died on Christmas Eve aged 68.
Bob Givens, best known for the animator of Bugs Bunny died aged 99.
Jessica Alba gave birth to her third child on New Year’s Eve, a boy named Hayes. Alba and husband Cash Warren already have two girls named Honor and Haven.
Jerry Van Dyke, comedian and younger brother of Dick Van Dyke, has died aged 86. Jerry starred in TV series Coach from 1990 to 1993 and later in The Middle as the father of Patricia Heaton’s character.
As posted in the Fairfax thread, Ron Tandbeg has passed away.
Wal Eastman, former assistant state manager for ABC Tasmania, Mercury theatre critic and Tasmanian arts identity has passed away. He’s also the father of Merridy Eastman who has been on several Australian TV shows from Play School to Blue Heelers and Packed to the Rafters and is an author too.
The Cranberries lead singer has died in “unexplained” circumstances.
Actress Jessica Falkholt (Home and Away) has died, aged 29.
She and her family were the victims of a major NSW road accident on Boxing Day.
Dorothy Malone, who starred in Basic Instinct, Written on the Wind and Peyton Place, has died aged 92. She won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for Written on the Wind in 1956.
Paul Bocouse, a legendary French chef has died aged 91.
Apart from the name I am not familiar with Paul Bocuse at all, but I do remember he had a cooking show for some time that was shown here on SBS probably back in the 1980s.
When Japanese department store Daimaru operated at Melbourne Central shopping centre in the 1990s there was a Paul Bocuse restaurant.
There will be two royal weddings this year, with Princess Eugenie (younger daughter of Prince Andrew) announcing her engagement to boyfriend of past seven years, Jack Brooksbank. The wedding will take place in the (northern) autumn of 2018 at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, which will also host the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle this May.
Did you hear that? It’s the sound of celebration from every women’s magazine and breakfast/mid-morning TV program on the planet! 
Our Autumn or the Autumn of the Northern Hemisphere (which is our Spring)? 
Autumn in the northern hemisphere, so second half of 2018.