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Gerard Daniel Lazarus has pleaded guilty to 12 offences relating to two teenage girls, including using online chat rooms to groom them for sex. Newcastle District Court heard he impersonated one of the girls' teachers, sending explicit photos and messages to that girl over two years. The court also received a victim impact statement from the shocked teacher who had been impersonated.

The world is slowly moving away from fossil fuels and that could mean the end of 300,000 jobs in the country's mining industry. Hunter Jobs Alliance says that prediction isn't helpful and there needs to be a locally run body that oversees the transition.

A Lake Macquarie resident was walking near Cardiff when he saw smoke coming from dense bushland. Investigating, he discovered a female wallaby "with a bullet through one side", and an alive joey trapped in a hole. The rescuer is being treated for shock.

The sport and recreation centre at Myuna Bay controversially closed a few years ago. Now, Morisset has been chosen for a new purpose-built centre, which could include an indoor sports hall and a pool, as well as trails for cycling and walking.

Bupa runs a nursing home at Waratah that failed two of eight quality standards. Some residents told the aged care watchdog they waited at least eight minutes after buzzing for help, and others were being left in soiled clothing because vacant shifts weren't filled.

Singleton Council says it's business as usual for now, despite some voters having access issues with iVote last year. The state's electoral commissioner says technology-assisted voting laws weren't properly followed in some areas during the December 4 elections and the issue is before the Supreme Court. There's concern it could affect the outcome in Singleton and the Mayor says the council is in "uncharted waters".

Art Ryan has been a familiar face and voice on your radio and TV. You might remember watching him on the Logie Award-winning wildlife program Beating Around the Bush. He's recently been diagnosed with cancer and has talked about the challenges he's facing.

Federal Labor will back the taxpayer-funded construction of a gas-fired power station in the Hunter Valley, under the condition it runs on green hydrogen fuel earlier than expected.

Jordan Lucky's work can be seen on walls around the Hunter. But what does it look like when a street artist opens an art gallery?

Kailani Craine is getting another crack at her childhood dream. She's been named in the Australian team for this year's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Her goal is to improve on her 2018 result by taking on a tougher routine. But she admits her preparation has been hampered by efforts to avoid catching COVID-19.

When students return to the University of Newcastle in a couple of weeks, they'll be able to make use of a sleep pod at the Callaghan campus for a 20-minute power nap. The uni says it's to help students who are often juggling work and caring responsibilities with study.

Art gallery upgrade finally underway: It's been 16 years in the making but Newcastle Art Gallery is finally getting its $40 million upgrade. Just days after the state and federal governments announced they were chipping in the remaining $10 million needed to proceed, the gallery closed for two years for the work to be done. Read more about it here.

Mixed bag for local surfers: Jackson Baker has been knocked out of the first event of his debut season on the WSL Championship Tour, after taking on former world champion John John Florence in the round of 32. Ryan Callinan was ruled out of the event with an injury and Morgan Cibilic was knocked out in an earlier round.

Hydrogen battery boost: A hydrogen storage company will use a $5 million grant to expand its battery manufacturing facility at Tomago. The state government money will help LAVO Hydrogen Storage Technology create up to 250 jobs. The batteries are designed for residential and business use, and connect to rooftop solar panels.

Doctor shortage: Residents of Scone are waiting more than a month for an appointment with a doctor, as the Omicron wave stretches an already thin workforce. One local doctor told the ABC that although urgent appointments would be met, there is a big demand right now.

St Columbans to remain: Mayfield's St Columbans Church will not be demolished, after a Land and Environment Court ruled that it is historically significant. The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle had sought permission to knock down the 80-year-old church, saying it would be too expensive to upgrade because of structural problems.

Maitland Gaol tourism upgrade: The state and federal governments have pledged $10 million towards a major redevelopment of the Maitland Gaol tourist attraction. The money will fund an upgraded entry, a new café with interior access to the gaol, and boutique accommodation inside the historic site.

Knights NRLW side taking shape: Central Coast player Kirra Dibb has signed on to the Newcastle Knights for the inaugural NRLW season. Kirra has previously played for the Roosters and Warriors, and has been selected in the Indigenous All Stars side. The 24-year-old followed her brother into rugby league as a child, and says playing for the Knights feels like "coming home".

RATs for school students: Hunter families collected rapid antigen tests from schools ahead of the start of term one this week. School staff and students will do the tests twice a week as part of a suite of COVID safety measures, which also include mask wearing for older students and, in some cases, air purifiers in indoor settings.

Pelican sits on a pole by the sea, merry merry king of the ocean, he! That's how the song goes, right? A big thanks to CJ Levinson for sharing this majestic photo of the Swansea foreshore.

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. 

The next few days are expected to be a bit cloudy with some showers. It will be cooler than we've experienced in the past week or so, with temperatures in the low to mid 20s.

And thanks to Lewis Drayton for this colourful photo of a sunset over Pokolbin.

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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.