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This time last week we were piecing together how a dead scuba diver ended up near a whopping great batch of cocaine left floating in the Port of Newcastle. Just a couple of days later, there was another unrelated cocaine seizure in the Hunter Valley.

Organised crime detectives have now put a name to a face captured on CCTV and issued a warrant for a man they'd like to speak with in connection to last week's deadly cocaine haul in the Hunter River. The ship Areti.GR is still in our port.

She's been in prison for almost 20 years, convicted of killing her four infant children over a 10-year period. But Hunter Valley woman Kathleen Folbigg has yet another chance to prove her innocence.

Now for some good news. We think this story will warm your heart, as it's sure to brighten lives in war-torn Ukraine.

It's hard to pinpoint their charm, but there's definitely something curious about signs like this one on Morpeth Road.

The Coalition has announced it'll let first home buyers use their superannuation to help wrangle together a deposit … if it's elected this weekend. Meet Lauren, who's in the market for a first home in our region.

For years now, the Coalition has been keen to pick up seats in the Hunter. If you're hungry for analysis in the lead up to Saturday's poll, we think you'll enjoy this discussion.

Did you know, the school bell is a thing of the past in many local schools? Instead, they play short bursts of popular upbeat songs via loudspeaker. The music punctuates the day between learning and breaks, instead of a bell or digital tone.

This week, Ukraine-born Australian doctor Andriy Boyko will travel to the Ukrainian border. Dr Boyko is a sports medicine registrar who works as a medical officer for the Newcastle Knights.

Do you have memories of sitting around the projector looking at old family photos or videos growing up? Maybe you were the one behind the camera lens. Well almost 30 years ago, Trevor Dare bought a box from a garage sale in Cardiff. Check out the videos he found on our Facebook page.

Is damper-making a skill or an art? Perhaps that's something we could debate over a cup of billy tea.

We're excited to be in development for the second series, and the production team is looking for new participants to take on the challenge of training a Border Collie puppy.

If you have a passion for dog handling and work in regional Australia on a property with livestock, we want to hear from you. Simply email us below with the following information: 

COVID update: The operator of a Hunter Valley aged care facility has offered its condolences to the families of four residents who died during a COVID outbreak. Calvary Cessnock says it's been dealing with the outbreak since April 12. Federal Health Department figures show at the peak of the facility's outbreak nearly 50 staff and residents were sick.

New police powers: Legal groups say they're worried about new police powers being trialled in four NSW regions, including here in the Hunter. The new laws came into effect on Monday. They allow officers to search convicted drug dealers and their properties without a warrant. Senior counsel Greg Barns from the Australian Lawyers Alliance agrees says the aim of getting drugs off the street is a good thing. But he believes the powers are dangerously broad. Deputy Premier Paul Toole says police will be out to disrupt "scumbags… (who are) a scourge on our society".

Power pole warning: Ausgrid says it's received dozens of complaints about election posters being attached to electricity poles in the hotly-contested Hunter electorate. Hanging posters on power poles is illegal under the Electricity Supply Act. Cessnock and Singleton councils have confirmed they've been called on to take down non-compliant signs. Read about it on our Facebook page.

Knights' surprise call-up: Anthony Milford hasn't played NRL since last year, but men's Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien has put his faith in the play maker to help the team chase back-to-back wins. Milford has been named at five-eighth against his former team the Broncos on Thursday night in Newcastle.

Here's our ABC Newcastle Breakfast team Dan Cox and Jenny Marchant enjoying the early chill at Gillieston Heights, during their live broadcast from the marginal Paterson electorate. The middle-man is our operational genius Grant Wolter, who also produces our new daily podcast The Newcastle Hunter Catch Up (check it out and subscribe!)

Ursula Kahts is a South African living in Newcastle, who loves early morning walks, the ocean, and sunrises. Happily she got all three in this stunning shot! 

You can show everyone what the world looks like where you live by using the hashtag #ABCmyphoto on Instagram or by uploading your photos online here. 

We hope you've been enjoying these mild but clear days and nights, as the full moon played its starring role. On Friday the Lower Hunter's forecast gets wet, with a high chance of showers. It'll be mainly clear for the rest of the region until the weekend, when there's an 80 per cent chance of showers. Look out for a possible morning frost on Thursday, with an especially cool start to the day expected. Otherwise, daytime temperatures of around 15 to 19 degrees should continue — similar to the past few days.

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ABC Newcastle acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.