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Lake Macquarie council has voted against public opinion to rename Coon Island and Coon Point. Community consultations saw 55 per cent of survey respondents wanting to keep the name, which comes from the nickname for Herbert Greta Heaney, the first person to live in the area in 1915.

One person has died and three units have been severely damaged by fire at Fullerton Street in Stockton. Emergency services were called to the blaze in the early hours of Monday morning after neighbours heard a big bang and saw the units alight.

The restructure process at the University of Newcastle has been described as "demoralising, disruptive and distressing". The university had a target of $35 million in annual recurrent savings and while some jobs were able to be saved, the National Tertiary Education Union said many staff would have to reapply for their current positions.

It's the bringing together of beach and bush. Jasmine Craciun channelled her Barkindji ancestors and her childhood growing up by Newcastle beaches to design the artwork on the Australian Olympic surfboards. She said it was one of the most challenging things she has created, but it's making her so proud to see the boards in action.

Musicians and performers have had to learn to overcome the disappointment of COVID-19 cancellations, but it's not getting easier. 

They might look skinnier than your family dog, but the dingoes that live around Hawks Nest do not need you to feed them.

Dungog rower Spencer Turrin has won gold in the men's coxless four, his first Olympic medal after finishing sixth at Rio. 🥇  It was an exciting race, with Australia gaining the lead early and holding it to bring home the win. 

Aaron Royle finished 26th in the triathlon and Dan Repacholi had a strong performance in both his 10-metre shooting events.

In hockey, Mariah Williams and Matt Dawson have had a strong start to the games. The undefeated Hockeyroos will play Japan at 7:30pm on Wednesday and the Kookaburras hope to take out New Zealand in their match at 10:15pm on Wednesday.

After a meme-worthy draw against the powerhouse US, Matildas footballer Emily Van Egmond will play in the match against Great Britain on Friday and the Ollyroos'  Connor Metcalfe  will play against Egypt at 9pm on Wednesday.

And there's still much more to come: Rose Davies in the 5000m race, siblings Will and Jaime Ryan in sailing, Richie Campbell and Nathan Power in the water polo, Jessica Pickering in trampoline, Poppy Starr Olsen on her skateboard, and Sam Fricker on the diving platform.

 It's all so exciting! *takes deep breath*

She's our skateboarding sensation – Australia's number one female skater and the world's number four. When skateboarding was announced as an Olympic sport, Poppy set her sights on Tokyo. But then her teammates and coach were diagnosed with COVID at a qualifying event.

And set a reminder for Sunday night at 8.30. The ABC will broadcast Tall Poppy – A Skater's Story, a documentary 10 years in the making about Poppy. Watch it on ABC TV or ABC iView.

Move over Olympics! The ABC Newcastle "Airwaves" took on a Newcastle Netball Association mixed team at National Park on Saturday. "It was a game of two halves," said commentator Lindy Burns. "It was a spectacle – I saw a lot of good netball; I saw a lot of bad netball."

The final score doesn't matter. (Newcastle Netball won 27-16, even with a sympathetic scorer!).

The Hunter's first library museum has been given the green light. The building still needs to be built, but curators are hard at work sourcing hundreds of historical items to sit on display.

Zookeeper Chad Staples became a household name as fires threatened the animals he worked with at the Mogo Zoo during the 2019/2020 summer. Now he's getting to know the animals at the Hunter Valley Zoo in his brand-new job.

Police search continues: Police have called on the community to share dashcam footage and information as they search for the suspects in a fatal shooting in Newcastle. On Thursday afternoon emergency crews were called to an apartment block on Darby Street (pictured) where a man had been shot in the chest. He was treated for the wound but died at the scene.

ACCC appeals port decision: Last month the Federal Court dismissed legal action started by the ACCC trying to remove laws that require the Port of Newcastle to pay compensation to Port Kembla and Port Botany if a container terminal was started. The dismissal has now been appealed by the ACCC, which says it has an anti-competitive purpose and effect.

Sydney home buyers: A real estate agent has refused residents from Greater Sydney who want to attend house inspections. Some Sydneysiders have claimed they have an exemption to travel to inspect properties, but Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson says it's not a reasonable excuse to travel from Sydney.

Maitland pop-up vaccinations: A pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Maitland has had a bigger turnout than expected in its first week of operations. On its first day about 300 people received an AstraZeneca jab at the local showground. It will offer the Pfizer vaccine as soon as it can get the supply.

Limited train services: Transport for New South Wales is encouraging Hunter residents to consider alternatives to catching the train. Commuters travelling within the region have experienced delays since services from Sydney were cut to reduce the spread of COVID-19. While some peak hour services have been restored, many are still running at reduced capacity.

Rural suicide rates increase: Suicide rates in rural Australia increase the more remotely a person lives, according to new research by the University of Newcastle. The university's Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health has concluded that fewer available support services contributes to the high number of rural suicides, especially among men.

Hold your vote: Council elections have been postponed for a second time due to COVID-19. You were meant to be going to the polls in September, but now you'll cast your vote on December 4.

Anthony Murphy Photography shared this beautiful photo with us via #ABCmyphoto on Instagram, of a hot air balloon ride over Pokolbin. The photo was captured "just as the red balloon hovered above the $7.5 million estate purchased by [model] Miranda Kerr last year". Ooh la la!

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

Have you felt cold lately? There's a reason for that. The good news is the chilly weather is starting to ease. On Sunday you'll have a top of 25 degrees. Before then, sunny days await so get out and enjoy the warmer winter weather.

And thanks to Captain Cow for the photo. It's an excellent display of frost on the farm!

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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.