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Hunter mum launches Little Stroke Warriors

An Upper Hunter woman has co-founded a not-for-profit organisation to raise awareness about childhood stroke. Kylie Facer and her friend Dee Banks were motivated by a desire to help and advocate for families after both their daughters survived strokes while in utero.
 

Family law judges at breaking point

Newcastle retired Federal Circuit Court judge Giles Coakes says waiting times for Family Court hearings are "appalling". Mr Coakes told the ABC that pressure on  judges, some of which have 600 cases on their dockets at the same time, is relentless.

Bylong Valley coal mine battle not over yet

Bylong Valley landowners will have to wait several weeks to hear whether a South Korean mining proposal might still go ahead. Kepco is attempting to have a decision to reject its multi-million-dollar mining project overturned in the New South Wales Land and Environment Court.

Kindy orientations on hold due to pandemic

Orientation days for kids enrolling for NSW kindergartens in 2021 in the Hunter won't be happening due to COVID-19. The Department of Education says the orientations across NSW will remain on hold, and will instead be done by virtual tours.

Ratepayers' drought plans cancelled after rain

A cancelled water desalination plant, designed as a drought response measure for locations including Stroud and Gloucester, cost close to $5 million. The cost was revealed this week in a report to the MidCoast Council, which shelved the project in January when the rains finally came.

Are you my mother? How to help baby birds

Hunter Wildlife Rescue's Audrey Koosman says you could be doing more harm than good by picking up stranded hatchlings. Right now, baby birds are hatching around the Hunter and their surprisingly good hygiene can make them vulnerable to being blown out of the nest.

Regional towns on the map thanks to big art

Sub-stations, water tanks, sewerage chimneys and silos are big, but do they have to be ugly? Writer and urban designer Jordan Silver explains how things in regional towns like Newcastle are becoming a little more pretty.
 

Venomous stinger bites man in Lake Macquarie

Marks Point man Aaron Hodgson was bitten by a venomous blue-ringed octopus while digging for shells in Lake Macquarie this week. Mr Hodgson told radio producer Ty King about the strange symptoms he experienced shortly afterwards, and the frantic rush to John Hunter Hospital.

What else made news this week?

Liquor ban lifting: Newcastle Council voted at an extraordinary meeting to support a trial of extended late-night trading hours. The trial will roll out across the city at 27 venues, which the council describes as low risk. The city has had strict lockout laws for over a decade, which the Lord Mayor says have damaged smaller venues. She says now is the time to assess if they can be safely lifted. 

Academics back case against quarry expansion: A report by Newcastle University academics warns plans to expand the Brandy Hill quarry in Port Stephens would sever an east-west koala corridor and disrupt vital koala breeding processes. Labor's environment spokeswoman Kate Washington has called on federal Environment Minister Susan Ley to overturn planning approvals for the expansion. Moves to protect koalas this week revealed tensions within the state coalition.

Hunter haemorrhages manufacturing jobs: New data from the Bureau of Statistics reveals the region has lost almost 4,000 manufacturing jobs since 2015. The peak industry association, AI Group, says the Hunter needs to start adding to its existing manufacturing base rather than relying on its strong connections to the mining industry. 

Suicide prevention grant: Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation at Singleton has been granted almost half a million dollars over two years for culturally appropriate suicide prevention activities. The community health organisation says the support comes at a much-needed time, when young people, particularly teenagers, have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the restrictions that have accompanied it. 

Truegrain clean-up order: "Enough is enough," says the state Environment Minister. He's ordered the site owner of the former waste oil refinery at Rutherford to clean up the mess and stop storing dangerous chemicals on the site. The site is a known source of PFAS contamination, and has long been the subject of complaints and an EPA investigation. Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says it's taken far too long for the EPA to act.

Ship ban details: Authorities have revealed more detail on why they banned a Taiwanese-owned ship from Australian ports for six months. The Unison Jasper was detained in Newcastle in July while the Australian Maritime Safety Authority investigated reports of underpayment and contractual breaches. AMSA says as well as an underpayment of nearly $US60,000, and questions over the shortage and quality of food, many of the mostly Myanmarese crew had exceeded 11 months on board without a break and without shore leave. The bulk carrier had been hauling alumina supplies for Tomago aluminium smelter.

How's the weekend weather looking?

We're heading into a weekend with top temps in the low 20s, with clearing showers on Saturday and a mostly sunny day on Sunday. It will warm up again early next week.

Meet the team: Unit coordinator Di McCracken

Yes, she's a twin! No need to get your eyes checked. As the unit coordinator for NSW ABC regional bureaus, Di helps the chiefs of staff with budgets, staffing and anything else that's needed. She says the best part of her job is that she gets to sit next to Newcastle Mornings presenter Kia Handley. "She's good value and makes me laugh!" Di says.

When not working, Di enjoys travel and a glass of wine with her identical twin sister (pictured here in Barcelona) and wrangling Sandy, her "very silly" nine-month-old cocker spaniel puppy. Her favourite dish is anything she doesn't have to cook herself!

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