UPDATE! Horse Transport Overturns At Belford: Horses Trapped

BY IAN CROUCH

A salvage operation to remove a horse transport which overturned on the New England Highway early Tuesday morning has wrapped up and traffic is slowly returning to normal.

Two trucks collided on the highway near Hermitage Road just after 4.30am.

Both male drivers were uninjured and underwent a roadside breath test, returning negative results.

A rescue team managed to extricate the horses from the upturned truck.

One horse was euthanised due to a broken leg, while the other four were assessed by a passing veterinarian.

 EARLIER:  

 Emergency services are at the scene of a truck crash at Belford south of Singleton.

A horse transport vehicle carrying five live horses has overturned on the New England Highway near Hermitage Road just after 4.30am on Tuesday, with the highway closed in both directions.

Three people in the truck have managed to free themselves and have not suffered any serious injuries.

However, the horses are trapped inside the truck and rescue teams have been sent to release them - their condition is not yet known.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

The horse transport vehicle ended up on its roof at Belford. Picture: Live Traffic NSW

 

Four New Police Graduates Starting Work in Hunter, But None in Newcastle

BY BELLA MIDDLETON

Four new NSW Police Force members have been sent to serve across the Hunter region after graduating from the Police Academy in Goulburn in the first graduation ceremony of 2021.

The  new recruits will join the Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie Police Districts on Monday. 

No new officers have been sent to the Newcastle area, despite recent calls for more police presence from residents and politicians alike after an increase in crime  across the suburbs. 

State Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery, has expressed her disappointment in the decision, after a Wallsend Henny Penny was robbed at gun point in February. 

"It is disappointing to see that despite crime being on the rise in our area that no new recruits are being sent our way to bolster our numbers," Ms Hornery said. 

"In the last few weeks we have had multiple incidents involving shots being fired in residential streets in Wallsend and a business being robbed at gun point." 

Ms. Hornery says local police have told her they're being stretched to the breaking point with massive caseloads and large amounts of officers on leave across the area. 

The NSW Government has devoted $583 million over four years to deliver the biggest single increase for the force in over 30 years, with 1500 new officers set to be trained and distributed across the state.  

 Picture credit: Goulburn post

Police Release CCTV After Couple Awake to Find Car Up in Flames Outside Edgeworth Home

BY ISABEL EVERTT

Police are appealing for public assistance following a car fire in Edgeworth. 

About 3am on November 23rd 2020, a 33-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were awoken by a large banging noise before they exited their home on Ridley Street, Edgeworth, and located their Ford Falcon utility well alight.

Emergency services were called and crews from Fire and Rescue New South Wales extinguished the blaze a short time later.

A second vehicle – a Hyundai Elantra – received minor smoke damage, while the Ford was completely destroyed.

As inquiries are continuing, police have released CCTV footage of a man who may be able to assist with their inquiries.

The man is wearing a hooded jumper, shorts and black joggers.

Anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the nearby area or who may have any information is urged to contact Belmont Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police Search for Birubi Beach Motorcycle Hoons

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Police are searching for two motorcyclists reportedly menacing beach goers at Anna Bay's Birubi Beach in recent weeks. 

Locals have reported seeing an unregistered green motorcycle hooning on the sand, riding in between beach goers, with reports of a number of near misses between the rider and people.

Around 5pm on Saturday, the rider was confronted by police in the car park at Robinson's Reserve.

The rider tried to out run police, when the bike became bogged in grassland.

When police ran toward the rider, the rider dropped the bike and ran off onto the beach. At the time the rider was wearing a helmet and their identity has not been confirmed, with investigations continuing. Police are also searching for the rider of a red and white motorcycle seen engaging in similar behaviour on the same beach. "We are appealing for information to help us identify the rider of the motorcycle depicted, and that of red and white motorcycle that has also been seen," Port Stephens Police said. Anyone with information is urged to contact Raymond Terrace Police Station on 49837599.

$50 million Carbon Capture Fund Being Launched In Newcastle

BY IAN CROUCH

The Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction says the University of Newcastle will play a vital role in utilising the Government's new $50 million carbon capture fund. 

Angus Taylor visited the University's Institute for Energy and Resources on Monday morning to launch the government's Carbon Capture, Use and Storage Development Fund.

The fund will drive the development of carbon capture technologies, to better store and recycle greenhouse gases.

Minister Taylor says the fund will be critical to achieving zero net emissions from gas and coal fired power stations, without jobs losses or a carbon tax. 

"The University is doing extraordinary work in that area already working with Orica, BHP and others on projects to store carbon in products," Minister Taylor said. 

"The Newcastle region can play a world leading role in developing these technologies."

The Minister also paid a visit to the proposed site for the Snowy Hydro gas peaker in Kurri Kurri. 

"If we proceed with that project depending on the private sector commitments to investment, it will be established from day one as compatible with hydrogen, which of course means it could end up being a zero emissions generator over time." 

"There are many means to de-carbonize gas generators and other CO2 producers, whether it's fertilizer production or ammonium nitrate, which of course happens here in the Hunter Valley.

"We'll be looking to deploy a range of those technologies in investments we're involved in as well as across the private sector." 

Newcastle Institute for Energy & Resources

 

Man Killed In Head-On Crash At Putty

 BY IAN CROUCH

 A man has died in a head-on crash near Singleton.

Two cars collided on Putty Road just at about 1.45pm on Sunday.

The driver of one of the cars died at the scene, while three occupants in the other vehicle were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Putty Road was closed for several hours while investigations into the crash continued. 

A report is being prepared for the Coroner.

BREAKING! Shed And Granny Flat Destroyed By Fire At Muswellbrook

 BY IAN CROUCH

Fire has destroyed a shed and upstairs granny flat at Muswellbrook early this morning.

Firefighters from Muswellbrook and Aberdeen were called to a home on Scott Street at 3.17am on Monday to find the two storey outbuilding well alight.

No-one was inside the granny flat at the time and all occupants have been accounted for.

It's taken crews about 90 minutes to extinguish the flames.

The cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated.