As it happened: Brisbane on Friday, March 14

Thanks for joining us today for our live coverage of news in Brisbane. Here are some of the stories making headlines today.

A teenager accused of killing Queensland grandmother Vyleen White has been committed to stand trial, as his lawyer claimed he was “absolutely remorseful”.

Some of Brisbane’s best restaurants want diners to know they’re open and ready for business, after sitting mostly empty this week in the wake of the chaos caused by Cyclone Alfred.

Queensland dodged disaster but is being warned to do more to prepare for more frequent extreme weather in a changing climate.

US influencer Sam Jones (also known as Samantha Strable) has left Australia after apologising for a social media post in which she allegedly took a baby wombat away from its mother, saying she has received death threats over the incident.

South-east Queenslanders and those just across the border will get the best view in Australia of tonight’s lunar eclipse, but the full spectacle of the blood moon will be mostly over by the time the moon rises in Brisbane about 6.04pm.

“It’s not a great eclipse for us,” University of Southern Queensland astronomer Professor Jonti Horner said, noting this was really an event for the Americas.

Horner said it would appear as if there were a “chunk bitten out of the moon at the top”, which would get smaller and smaller as it rose in the east.

“For about an hour, people who’ve got really eagle eyesight will be able to tell that the top half of the moon is a little bit dimmer than the bottom half, but that will ease off from about 8pm and it’ll all be finished,” he said.

A teenager accused of killing a Queensland grandmother has been committed to stand trial, as his lawyer claimed he was “absolutely remorseful”.

Vyleen Joan White, 70, was fatally stabbed in the chest outside a shopping centre at Redbank Plains, west of Brisbane, last year.

A teenage boy, now aged 17, from the nearby suburb of Bellbird Park was charged with offences including murder, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and stealing.

During a committal hearing in the Ipswich Childrens Court, the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via video link.

The fate of one of the three Queensland wind farm projects halted by Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie will be known within weeks.

In line with an LNP election commitment, Bleijie in January ordered a stop to departmental consideration of the three projects and introduced a new wind farm code requiring greater consultation.

On March 5, Bleijie ordered a decision be made on the Bungaban Renewable Energy Farm proposal within 20 days, satisfied by the level of consultation and that his department had enough information to make a decision.

“For nearly a decade, the previous Labor government failed to consult with Queenslanders on major renewable projects and that’s why the LNP government was determined to deliver a voice for local communities,” he said this week.

Sam Day was brought in to be the leading contender to replace Joe Daniher, but the Brisbane Lions recruit will be unavailable for his side’s first AFL clash of the season.

The former Gold Coast Sun withdrew from selection from the grand final rematch against Sydney following the passing of his father, Chris, on Thursday, with all Lions players, coaches and staff to wear black armbands in his honour on Saturday.

Levi Ashcroft, the highly-touted draftee and brother of Norm Smith Medal winner Will, will make his AFL debut as a substitute.

The 18-year-old had shoulder surgery in the offseason, but has impressed coach Chris Fagan and his teammates since his return to training.