Hunter to enter 7 day lockdown from 5pm today

BY JARROD MELMETH

The NSW Premier has announced the Hunter will go into lockdown from 5pm Thursday.

All Hunter LGA's including Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Maitland, Cessnock, Singleton, Muswellbrook Newcastle and Dungog will be subject to the same harsh restrictions as Greater Sydney.

Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason. People in these Local Government Areas cannot have visitors in their home, including social visits from family and friends outside of their household.

It follows three local schools closing due to positive cases as well as a number of exposure sites being listed including Target Glendale and the Auchmuty Library at the University of Newcastle.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant says she believes the infection source came from a gathering at Blacksmiths on Friday night 

"We now think that the source extended from a gathering on Blacksmiths beach on Friday night," Dr Chant said.

It's also believed the gathering was attended by people from Greater Sydney.

"We believe that there may have been people there from Greater Sydney and that's how it was introduced," Dr Chant said.

Investigations into the gathering are underway.

From 5pm Thursday only certain reasons to leave the home will be allowed including, Shopping for food or other essential goods, hospitality venues will move to takeaway, medical care, exercise outdoors in groups of  2 or fewer, schools will move online, work or tertiary education. 

Financial support for impacted businesses is available via the Service NSW website or by calling 13 77 88. Individuals who lose more than eight hours of work are eligible for the federal COVID-19 Disaster Payment and can apply via Service Australia. 

Glendale Technology High School Vandalised

BY JARROD MELMETH

Glendale Technology High School has been hit by vandals who have destroyed parts of the oval.

The school posted on its Facebook page saying it believes it to be the work of five youths who cut several holes in the fencing before destroying seating and carving up the oval with what appears to be a motorbike.

The incident comes just 3 days into the school holidays.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Toronto Police Station.

Pictured: The vandalism on the oval.
Image: Glendale Technology High School.

Man Stabbed in Altercation at Glendale

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man is recovering in the John Hunter Hospital after allegedly being stabbed by a man known to him in Glendale.

Police say just before 7pm, an altercation allegedly broke out between a 45-year-old man and a 33-year-old-man at a unit on Claire Street.

The 45-year-old attacked the other man with a knife causing a puncture wound to the 33-year-old's chest before leaving the scene.

Police tracked down and arrested the 45-year-old and he was bail refused to appear at Newcastle Local Court this morning. He was charged with reckless wounding.

The motivation behind the incident is not yet known.

The 33-year-old's stab wound is non-life threatening and he remains in a stable condition in hospital.

Wild Storms Lash The Hunter And Mid North Coast

BY IAN CROUCH

Volunteers from the State Emergency Service have been kept on their toes across the Hunter as wild storms lashed the region late yesterday and overnight.

Around a 1500 homes in Anna Bay and Raymond Terrace lost power at the height of the storm which caused localised flash flooding.

Glendale recorded 35 millimetres of rain in just 30 minutes.

Phil Campbell from the SES says hail stones the size of golf balls were reported in some areas.

"We've had state-wide some 224 calls for emergency help - many of those have been in the Hunter, in particular around the Maitland and Lake Macquarie areas and up around the lower parts of the mid north coast, particularly around Coopernook," he said.

Rethinking Parking Strategies

BY MATT JOHNSTON

Following complaints from disgruntled locals, Lake Macquarie council are looking at updating their parking strategies to cope with increasing congestion. Increasingly, commuters and shoppers are finding it harder and harder to find adequate parking in the town centres.

Mayor Kay Fraser says due to the popularity of town centres like Charlestown, Warners Bay, Toronto or Glendale "you'll find it can be difficult to get a park at times. We've had complaints from residents that many streets in Charlestown are being parked out".

"We need to have a strategy in place for how we're going to deal with parking. In Lake Macquarie, we do love our cars... so it's sort of changing the mentality but it's also providing options."

More than 1400 comments have been received so far, which has given council plenty of alternatives to explore. While paid parking is the last thing anyone wants, it's nevertheless an option that's being considered.

Other measures up for consideration include timed parking, more rangers, 'smart technology' to make things easier for drivers and rangers, as well as lobbying the state government for improved public transport systems.

"We don't have great transport out here, and that's one of the factors," says Cr Fraser. "I'll be lobbying state government to see what we can do about that. We need to have proper public transport so people do have that option."

While there's a need for "efficient and effective" public transport, one of the simpler options is also one of the easiest. "We want to make our town centres walkable and liveable, so people can enjoy their walk to the shops or to their favourite café or restaurant."

The draft strategy is currently available online, at Lake Macquarie libraries, and at council's customer service centre.

Mayor Kay Fraser

Trio arrested after police pursuit

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Three people have been arrested after a police pursuit through Wallsend, Glendale and Edgeworth.

Officers chased a stolen Holden Commodore down Lake Road but terminated the pursuit at Glendale for safety reasons.

The car was later found abandoned in bushland at Edgeworth, after members of the public reported seeing the car being driven along a footpath.

A Police dog tracked the trio to nearby Neilson Street.

A 26-year-old man has been refused bail to face court again at the end of the month, while a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old have also been charged.

Hunter schools receive funding for before and after school care

BY JARROD MELMETH

Three schools across the Hunter have received a share of almost $90,000 in an effort to expand and create more places in before and after school care.

The funding comes from the New South Wales Government Before and After School Care Fund, a $20 million initiative.

Holy Cross Primary School Glendale received 429,750 for a service expansion creating 58 places; St Josephs School Merewether received $30,000 for a service expansion creating 130 places; Abermain Public School received $30,000 for a new service creating 50 places.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said the funding is great news for busy families, who need the extra flexibility that before and after school care provides.

"It is about expanding oportunities for before and after school care around our schools.

"Our parents are very busy people. This just gives them the opportunity and extra places to leave their children either before or after school to fit in with their schedules.

"I think it is very important and this is one program I strongly support," Mr MacDonald said.

Scot MacDonald.

3 month old girl missing from Morisset found safe and well

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police have located a three month girl who went missing from Morisset on Sunday.

She was located at a house on Valley view Crescent in Glendale and returned to her mother safe and well.

The whereabouts of the man are unknown.

EARLIER

At about 3pm on Sunday afternoon, the girl and her father were last seen at Morisset with her mother.

The father allegedly walked to a nearby shopping centre with the child and hasn't been seen since.

When the father didn't return with his daughter, police were notified and an investigation commenced.

House Fire at Glendale

BY GEORGIA LUPTON

A home has been severely damaged after a house fire in Glendale in the early hours of this morning.

Four fire units from Holmesville, Mayfield, Minmi and Cardiff attended the scene after they received the triple zero call at 3:04 this morning.

The two occupants of the house escaped the blaze without injury before fire crews arrived at 3:14am, however, five pet dogs were found deceased in the property.

The fire was extinguished at 3:25am.

Around 50% of the property is estimated to have received damage from fire, water and smoke.

Fire crews will today investigate the cause of the blaze and determine whether any suspicious circumstances surround the incident.