Watch: Letter from Greta bus crash victim's mother read in parliament

There are about 1,000 teaching vacancies across regional NSW. At Merriwa Central School in the NSW Upper Hunter there are six vacancies and a recent recruitment drive only attracted two applicants.

Greta bus crash victim's mother says a plea deal offered to the driver "has torn apart any progress that we've made recovering from this nightmare".

An RAAF officer who helped guide a light plane pilot to safety speaks about the behind-the-scenes drama, including the heart-stopping moment radio contact was lost in the flight's final seconds.

Newcastle woman Lisa Kournelis has been driving around with a deadly snake in her car for about six weeks. It's not unheard of for snakes to make their way into vehicles, but it is highly unusual for them to linger so long. So why is this one still there?

For many women experiencing domestic and family violence, health checks can be difficult to attend but this critical gap is being tackled by three refuges on the NSW Central Coast.

Six members of a Sydney-based army unit that prepares parachutes for military exercises tested positive to illicit drugs just days before special forces soldier Jack Fitzgibbon was killed in a training jump.

An inquest into the death of Douglas Thrift has heard the Upper Hunter Valley man had almost twice the amount of the poison in his system needed to kill a person.

Simpson Shoes was established more than 90 years ago. But after three generations, Craig Simpson has closed its doors. He sees no future in independent retail, saying online shopping has taken over.

Endometriosis affects at least one in nine females in Australia, but many sufferers often feel isolated. In the Hunter region, a group is working together to navigate a health system that has historically minimised women’s pain.

The opener to the first three-game Women's State of Origin starts with a bang thanks to Jaime Chapman and finishes poetically with Caitlan Johnston sealing NSW's victory. Here are five quick hits from Game 1 at Lang Park.

What's your job at ABC Newcastle?

I am a casual producer.

Where have you come from?

I come from a long line of media organisations. I have worked in television, in print as a feature-writer, and in film (mostly docos) with recent forays into publishing. For the last three years I've been a casual news reporter/reader. At the moment I'm most passionate about writing and am ghostwriting an autobiography and working on a screenplay.

What's the most interesting thing you've done (OR) interesting place you've been and why?

I like the fact I've lived in different places. I was born in Scotland, raised in the central west of NSW in a sheep/wheat community, teenage years at a Sydney boarding school, a year in South Africa (apartheid was still a thing), a couple of years in the South Australian desert, two years in France and a swag of years in wonderful Port Stephens.

What do you love about Newcastle/the Hunter Valley?

I like Newcastle's roots and its coffee scene, and the Hunter Valley Cheese. I tried to go vegan for about two years, but cheese defeated me.

Blackroo gets a home: Blackroo has been supporting the Upper Hunter for three years, and now the charity finally has a central home. Last week the team collected the keys to Muswellbrook's former fire station and on Monday the red ribbon was cut to officially open the Blackroo Community Haven. It will enable the team to store furniture and streamline support for various community programs which are centred around helping victims of domestic violence and people experiencing homelessness.

Image credit: ABC News/Amelia Bernasconi

Dozens hospitalised with COVID: Hunter New England Health says the region is on the verge of the next COVID wave, with outbreaks in 14 Hunter New England nursing homes last week. Public health physician Dr David Durrheim says new virus variants are circulating and local hospitals are beginning to see the effects. Last week there were more than 60 people hospitalised with COVID in local hospitals, three of those in intensive care.

Bus crash memorial: Construction of a memorial garden has begun in honour of the 10 people who were killed in the Greta bus crash last year. It comes ahead of next month's one-year anniversary of the tragedy. The garden is less than a kilometre from the crash site, part-way along the Branxton to Greta Memorial Shared Pathway. Cessnock Mayor Jay Suvaal says there will be plaques displaying words provided by the families of the deceased, as well as 10 larger trees to recognise each life lost. He says it's hoped the memorial will offer a safe space to remember the lives lost.

CCTV installed after vandalism: Illegal trail bike riders have caused almost $20,000 damage to a Lake Macquarie reserve. The Lake Macquarie City Council says motorbikes have ripped up grass areas at Green Point Reserve several times since March. Council is working closely with police to catch those responsible and is installing CCTV cameras in several areas of the reserve.

Parvovirus alert: Dog owners are being urged to remain vigilant after a 10th dog tested positive to the deadly parvovirus at the Maitland City Council Animal Management Facility last week. Council says dogs that have tested positive recently have been from suburbs including Kurri Kurri, Cessnock, Greta East Maitland and Raworth. Singleton Veterinary Hospital says there've also been confirmed cases in Singleton and Branxton. Symptoms include vomiting and a loss of appetite and the disease can cause a dog's digestive system to shut down.

Miners in weight loss trial: A Newcastle university trial aims to help coal miners lose weight, with 120 workers taking part in a bid to uncover the best strategy for weight loss in the industry. Coal Services, a specialised health and safety company, estimates 87 per cent of coal workers are overweight or obese. The study's chief investigator Dr Lesley MacDonald-Wicks says health and safety is key because heavy machinery is used in the sector.

Calls to return passenger train service: A group of Cessnock residents is calling for a passenger train to be reinstated between Newcastle and Cessnock. Passenger services on the Cessnock railway line ceased in the 1970s and it is now privately owned and used by mining companies. Local man Andrew Fenwick says with limited bus services, a train would benefit many.

Work to get gaol reopened: The 170-year-old heritage-listed Maitland Gaol is in the spotlight after the Maitland City Council hired a team of consultants to determine what work needs to be done to resolve issues at the site. The facility was closed in March after an independent review found there were issues with fire and electrical systems. Council general manager Jeff Smith says specialist electricians will likely need to be recruited to deal with the facility's unique systems.

Four in a row for Knights: The Knights beat the Gold Coast Titans 28-24 ing the Magic Round at the weekend, the club's fourth consecutive win. Newcastle fullback David Armstrong claimed his first career hat-trick. In a blow for the club centre Bradman Best suffered a hamstring injury which will result in him being sidelined for several weeks and missing the first State of Origin game.